23rd - 25th August 2020

Tuesday, 25th August: An unseasonably stormy morning, with banks of squally rain being driven through by a gale-force southerly......... 

Selsey Bill: Three Arctic Skuas went west fairly close in this morning, whilst three flocks of  waders, totalling c80 birds, were almost certainly Bar-tailed Godwits (see Church Norton, below). (IP/AH/SR)
(0655-0840hrs) (S, F8)
Fulmar - 1W
Gannet - 24E, 8W
Common Scoter - 4W
Oystercatcher - 8
Ringed Plover - 1
Sanderling - 1
Turnstone - 9
Bar-tailed Godwit - c80W
Arctic Skua - 3W (1 d/p, 2 l/p)
Kittiwake - 1W
Sandwich Tern - 28E, 4W

Arctic Skua (above), Sanderling, Sandwich Tern, Gannet & Turnstone at the Bill (AH)

(1530-1730hrs) (SH/AW)

Shag - 1os

Turnstone - 10

Swift - 4W

Swallow - 12W

Common Seal - 1os

Shag (above), Swifts & Common Seal at the Bill (AW)

Ferry Pool: There were five Spotted Redshanks on the pool early on, before three flew into the harbour, along with three Common Sandpipers, 16 Black-tailed Godwits, 12 Lapwing, c30 Redshank, eight Shelducks and c100 Teal. (AH)

Spotted Redshanks at the Ferry (AH)

Church Norton: A Little Stint and a Curlew Sandpiper were among the Dunlin and Ringed Plovers in the harbour, and there was a remarkable flock of 126 fairly flighty Bar-tailed Godwits sat out on the mud - surely a record count in recent times.
Otherwise, there were a Greenshank, a Knot, three Whimbrel and a dozen Grey Plovers present, along with five Pintail, whilst five Common Terns flew through and a Little Tern and nine Sandwich Terns were also still about. (BFF/DM/AH)

The Little Stint was eventually re-found later on with Dunlin, off the benches, staying long enough for a few local birders to get to grips with it. At least four Whimbrel and two Greenshank were in the harbour and five Pintail flew west out of the harbour. (BFF/DM/BI/IP)

Bar-tailed Godwits (above), Whimbrel & Grey Plover at Church Norton (AH)

This evening the juvenile Little Tern, 28 Common Terns (including at least 16 juveniles) and eight Sandwich Terns were roosting round the concrete slabs, along with c40 Ringed Plovers and c30 Turnstones, whilst up to a dozen each of Sand Martins, House Martins and Swallows were feeding over the harbour. (AH)

Common Terns at Church Norton (AH)

Pagham/Harbour/East side: At Pagham Beach a dark-phase Arctic Skua was sat on the sea around 08:30 and 36 Bar-tailed Godwit along with two Whimbrel were feeding along the shore there.
Mid-afternoon, there were three Curlew Sandpipers (a moulting adult and two juveniles) out in the centre of the harbour with c30 Dunlin, three Greenshank, 11 Knot, five Sanderling, a Common Sandpiper, at least 18 Grey Plovers and a resting Sandwich Tern. An adult Little Tern was fishing off Pagham spit and a single Wheatear was along the shore there. (IMc)

Fishbourne Creek: This afternoon between Fishbourne and Dell Quay many birds were unidentifiable in the strong winds. Those that could be identified included Dunlin and Turnstone at Fishbourne, whilst around the Lavant outfall there were 73 Mute Swans, a Common Sandpiper and a Whimbrel. Off Dell Quay there were three Greenshank and a group of five Little Egrets and six Grey Herons. (RW)

 Mute Swan herd and Whimbrel at Fishbourne (RW)

Monday, 24th August: A fairly cool morning of sunshine and showers, though with the westerly breeze having eased somewhat.... 

Selsey Bill: A fairly distant flock of eight Little Gulls going west was the highlight, whilst four Common Terns, three Yellow Wagtails and a flock of five Grey Wagtails also went west. Full log below. (AH/RP/IP)

(0640-0810hrs) (W, F4-5)

Gannet - 4E, 15W

Oystercatcher - 2W

Turnstone - 1

Common Gull - 1os

Little Gull - 8W

Sandwich Tern - 6W

Common Tern - 4W

Yellow Wagtail - 3W

Grey Wagtail - 5W

Swallow - 17W

Sand Martin - 4W

Common Terns (above), Sandwich Tern, Gannet & Common Gull at the Bill (AH)

Ferry Pool: The only waders on the pool were a Common Sandpiper and 18 Black-tailed Godwits, accompanied by eight Shelducks and c80 Teal. (AH)

Black-tailed Godwit at the Ferry (AH)

North Wall: There were still a minimum of 43 Cattle Egrets between Halsey’s Farm and the fields off the North Wall, with a Redstart, two Lesser Whitethroats, seven Whitethroats and eight Willow Warblers in the adjacent hedges and a flock of 18 Yellow Wagtails around the cattle.
There were another five Redstarts in the hedges going north from the wall, including four together, with a Garden Warbler, five Lesser Whitethroats, 12 Whitethroats and six Blackcaps also in the hedges, whilst a Whinchat and a Kingfisher were around the Breech Pool. (IMcK)

East Side: An amazing count of 73 Tree Pipits was recorded, with birds moving north-west over the harbour (IMcK) between 0645 and 0855hrs, including flocks of 22, 12 and 10, with some just heard, and there were also five Yellow Wagtails and three Grey Wagtails noted, too.
The bushes around the Slipe Field were busy, with two Lesser Whitethroats, two Sedge Warblers, three Reed Warblers, four Whitethroats, four Blackcaps and 24 Willow Warblers noted.
Four Curlew Sandpipers, five Greenshank and an adult and a juvenile Little Tern were out in the harbour, along with flocks of 82 Ringed Plovers and 59 Redshank, whilst two Wheatears were along the edge of the harbour. (IMcK/OM/IH)
A Redstart was in the hedges this afternoon. (MB)

Not exactly a great shot, but this phone-scoped image of the moulting ad Curlew Sandpiper was the best I could manage (!)  (OM)

Birdham: There were two Tree Pipits in the garden this morning. (AB)

West Wittering: Brent Geese were heard flying over towards Chichester Harbour this evening - possibly new arrivals, or perhaps, more likely, the small summering flock. (GM)

Church Norton: A juvenile Hobby was briefly sat in the dead tree in the churchyard this morning, whilst there was a nice selection of migrants around the churchyard and hide area, including a Pied Flycatcher, two Spotted Flycatchers, a Redstart, a Garden Warbler, a couple of Lesser Whitethroats and Whitethroats and a handful of Blackcaps and Willow Warblers. A pair of Swallows has also started nest building again in the Hide.

There was a Whinchat, a Redstart, six Whitethroats, a Sedge Warbler and a Yellow Wagtail along the front of the Severals and a Wheatear on the beach, too, with a Swift and  c50 Sand Martins and Swallows going over.

A fairly brief look at the harbour produced a Greenshank, a couple of Whimbrel and c30 Ringed Plovers and Dunlin. (TB/AW/AH/A&YF/OM/AB)

Hobby (above), Pied Flycatcher, Swift, Wheatear, Whinchat (AW), Redstart, Pied Flycatcher, Spotted Flycatcher, Lesser Whitethroat, Garden Warbler, Willow Warbler & Greenshank (AH) at Church Norton

This afternoon there was a Pied Flycatcher (different to this morning's bird) behind the hide together with three Spotted Flycatchers, whilst in the harbour there were 13 Sandwich Terns, 21 Grey Plover and a Greenshank.
Also, the first Shag of the autumn swam past the Severals heading west. (AW)

Shag (above), Pied Flycatcher, Greenshank & Sandwich Terns at Church Norton (AW)

This evening two Common Sandpipers, a Sandwich Tern and four Whimbrel were flying about the harbour, with the latter group departing west, whist c25 Grey Plovers were roosting by the concrete slabs.

Also, c200 Linnets were around Tern Island and the mixed flock of Sand Martins, House Martins and Swallows, numbering c100 in all, were still feeding over the sheltered hedges. (AH)

Common Sandpipers (above), Grey Plovers, Sandwich Tern & Linnets at Church Norton (AH)

Sunday, 23rd August: A very unsettled morning in the blustery westerly, cooler than of late with lots of heavy cloud, some sun and some heavy showers.... 

Selsey Bill: There was a big movement of Yellow Wagtails, totalling 52 birds west, with a Grey Wagtail and two Pied Wagtails also heading west. Full log below. (SH/SR/RP/AH/IP)

(0600-0900hrs) (W, F5)

Gannet - 7E, 3W

Common Scoter - 1W

Sparrowhawk - 1

Ringed Plover - 6W

Dunlin - 1W

Sanderling - 2W

Turnstone - 6

Sandwich Tern - 19W, 11os

Swallow - 13W

Yellow Wagtail - 9E, 52W

Grey Wagtail - 1W

Pied Wagtail - 2W

Sparrowhawk (SH) (above), Yellow Wagtail & Sandwich Tern (AH) at the Bill

Ferry Pool: Early on, there were just three Black-tailed Godwits, eight Shelduck and c80 Teal on the pool, whilst another eight Black-tailed Godwits were in the channel opposite. 

Also, five Grey Wagtails were flying up and down together along the rife south of the pool, a Hobby went west over the Discovery Area and across Ferry Field at lunch time, and earlier a juvenile Yellowhammer was in the Discovery Area with about 20 Chaffinches. There were also two Chiffchaffs, two Willow Warblers and Redstart along the Tramway early on. (AH/AT/IL/BI)
At around 2pm, on the rising tide, a Curlew Sandpiper was feeding with two Dunlin and three Redshanks in the main channel off the Trramway. (HR/DMe)

Yellowhammer at the Ferry (AH)

Park Farm, Selsey: Three Yellow Wagtails went over the fields this morning, as did a Sparrowhawk, two House Martins and four Swallows. (S&SaH)

Selsey, North: There are still four active House Martin nests divided between the two new estates.(SR)

Church Norton: There were at least 25 Yellow Wagtails on and over the beach this morning, with a Whinchat in the horse field, four Wheatears along the beach and a Cetti's Warbler, two Reed Warblers and three Whitethroats along the Severals.

Two (and possibly three) Spotted Flycatchers along with several Whitethroats, Blackcaps, Willow Warblers and a Chiffchaff were behind the hide, with another Spotted Flycatcher and a Blackcap at Greenlease Farm.
There wasn't much to report from the harbour, though a Peregrine was on its island and a flock of 25 Grey Plover flew in from the west. (S&SaH/A&YF/CRJ/GM)

Yellow Wagtails (above), Wheatear (SH), Spotted Flycatchers (top SH, lower GM) & Redshank (GM) at Church Norton

This evening a Pied Flycatcher was in the hedge opposite the hide with three Spotted Flycatchers and a few Blackcaps and Willow Warblers.

Two Common Sandpipers and two Sandwich Terns, a Whimbrel, c20 Turnstones and c50 Redshank were among the birds roosting by the concrete slabs, whilst at least 50 Sand Martins and c30 House Martins and Swallows were feeding over the harbour. (AH)

Pied Flycatcher (above), Spotted Flycatchers, Sand Martin & Redshank at Church Norton (AH)

Birdham: A Swift went west over the garden this morning. (AB)

North Wall: The Cattle Egret population continues to increase, with record counts of first 41 among the cattle at Halsey's Farm, and then later 46, comprising 35 flying off from the fields, with another 11 in the harbour near their favoured island.
Elsewhere, the two Curlew Sandpipers (an adult and a juvenile) were in White's Creek, which was otherwise quiet beyond a Greenshank, six Mediterranean Gulls, c30 Black-tailed Godwits and c100 Redshank, whilst the only birds on the Breech Pool were an adult and well-grown young Great Crested Grebes..
A total of seven Wheatears were along the wall, with the odd Reed Warbler in the reeds, whilst up to six Yellow Wagtails, a Whitethroat, two Willow Warblers, a Kingfisher and a juvenile Black-tailed Godwit were at Halsey's Farm and three Whinchats were towards Marsh Farm. (ARK/AH/IP/BI/IH/HR/DMe et al)

Cattle Egrets (above), Wheatears, Reed Warbler, Greenshank and Redshank, Black-tailed Godwit & Great Crested Grebe at the North Wall (AH)

Medmerry: Coastguard Station - Breach Viewpoint: Two Wheatears, 3 Meadow Pipits and 6 Swallows were around the Go-Kart track this afternoon. Near the viewpoint a Little Egret flew east along the beach, there were two more Wheatears, two Pied Wagtails, and a flock of 18 Linnets. The pools held 10 Sandwich Terns, 3 Great Crested Grebes, 20 Ringed Plover and c30 Dunlin. (SR)

Easton Lane to Stilt Pool: A Common Sandpiper, 30 Black-tailed Godwits, 30+ Redshank and two Whimbrel were on the saltmarsh, whilst along the Banks were a Buzzard and a Sparrowhawk, seven Whinchats, two Stonechats, two Meadow Pipits and three Yellow Wagtails. 
At the Stilt pool, three Egyptian Geese went over, and there was a Common Sandpiper and six Ringed Plovers. (S&SaH)