Saturday, 31st July: A better morning, with a mix of sunshine and cloud in a moderate westerly breeze....
Selsey Bill: There was a bit of activity this morning, including a light-phase Arctic Skua east and two Manx Shearwaters and a Whimbrel west, plus a Sanderling on the beach. Full log below. (SH/PB/IP/SR/AH/BI/CN/AW)
(0600-0900hrs) (WNW, F4)
Manx Shearwater - 2W
Gannet - 13E, 30W, 30os
Curlew - 1W
Whimbrel - 1W
Sanderling - 1
Turnstone - 32
Arctic Skua - 1E (l/p)
Mediterranean Gull - 1E, 2W
Sandwich Tern - 37W, 25os
Common Tern - 5W, 1os
Green Woodpecker - 1
Swallow - 1
House Martin - 4
Pied Wagtail - 2W
Common Seal - 1os
Also, four occupied House Martin nests were found in the Broadreeds Estate this morning and five Swifts were flying overhead, with four more occupied House Martin nests around Drift Road. (SR)
This evening there were six Sanderlings on the beach. (AW)
Sandwich Terns (AH), Sanderling, Whimbrel, House Martin & Pied Wagtail (AW) at the Bill
Ferry Pool: There were 15 Cattle Egrets in the field south of the pool early on. Later, there were three Spotted Redshanks on the pool, along with a Common Sandpiper, three Avocets, 60 Lapwing, 152 Black-tailed Godwits, six Teal, ten juvenile shelducks and a Stock Dove, whilst three Swifts and three Swallows went over. (AH/PB/CN)
Spotted Redshank (above), Common Sandpiper & Cattle Egrets at the Ferry (AH)
North Wall: An adult female and two juvenile Marsh Harriers were present over the reedbeds this morning with a perched Buzzard beyond, while Whites Creek held a Common Sandpiper, three Greenshank, eight Black-tailed Godwits, three Dunlin and at least 30 Redshank. Two Snipe flew over and a Grey Plover was out on the mudflats.
There were also 20+ Cattle Egrets and two Little Egrets around the Owl Copse area, with ten Swallows, a juvenile Peregrine, a Buzzard and a Kestrel over. (IH/SP/PC/S&SaH)
Park Farm, Selsey: A Sparrowhawk was chasing a feeding flock of House Martins, that numbered at least 100, over the north east field at Park Farm, which also included at least five Sand Martins and two Swifts. (IP)
Church Norton: There were still c130 Sandwich Terns, including c30 juveniles, in the harbour, along with up to 20 Common Terns, a Greenshank, two Whimbrels, four Dunlin, three Great Crested Grebes, seven Little Egrets, two Cattle Egrets and a juvenile Peregrine in the harbour.
Otherwise, three Willow Warblers were at Greenlease Farm, Green and Great Spotted Woodpeckers were in Bluebell Wood and a Sand Martin was at the second Several, where there was also a juvenile Little Grebe and a well-grown Tufted Duck-ling with its mother. (IP/PB/CN)
Later in the morning, a Roseate Tern was back in the harbour. (RJF/DB)
This evening a Peregrine took a Black-headed Gull from Tern Island, killing it on the ground rather than in flight, putting up at least 150 sandwich Terns, 20 Common Terns and 30 Mediterranean Gulls.
There were also at least eight Whimbrel present, including a flock of five flying around together, calling. (AH)
Peregrine (above), Sandwich Terns & Common and Sandwich Terns, Mediterranean and Black-headed Gulls at Church Norton (AH)
West Wittering: At least six Chiffchaffs were in the garden this afternoon. (GM)
Chiffchaff in a West Wittering garden (GM)
Medmerry: Windmill area - A Wheatear was on the beach by the windmill this afternoon. (AH)
Medmerry: Easton Lane to the Stilt Pool - There were definitely three, and quite possibly four, Wood Sandpipers around the Stilt Pool this morning, along with six Common Sandpipers, four Cattle Egrets, a couple of Lapwings, 20 Mediterranean Gulls, including half a dozen juveniles, and a dozen Gadwall, with c20 Sand Martins and Swallows feeding over the water.
Another Common Sandpiper, a Greenshank and c20 Redshank were around the poplars, where a Marsh Harrier was out hunting fairly briefly, but the banks held little beyond a couple of Stonechats and Meadow Pipits, large flocks of Linnets and Goldfinches and a few Whitethroats and Yellowhammers. There were also a few Bright Wave moths still present along the banks. (AH/BI/JF/DB et al)
Later on, just one Wood Sandpiper remained on the Stilt Pool, though there were three Green Sandpipers present. (CN)
Wood Sandpiper (above), Common Sandpiper, Mediterranean Gull, Whitethroat, Yellowhammer, Meadow Pipit & Linnet at Medmerry (AH)
Friday, 30th July: A very windy morning, with a near gale-force south-westerly blowing, though mostly dry despite the heavy cloud....
Selsey Bill: A total of eight Manx Shearwaters went west this morning, along with a Fulmar and three Kittiwakes, whilst there were also a lot of Gannets and Sandwich Terns about. Full log below. (SR/AH/AW/BI)
(0700-0930hrs) (SSW, F7-8)
Manx Shearwater - 8W
Fulmar - 2W
Gannet - 12E, 80W, c25os
Common Scoter - 3E
Turnstone - 17
Kittiwake - 5W
Sandwich Tern - 40W, c30os
Common Tern - 3W
A further look later in the morning produced another nine Manx Shearwaters west. (BI)
(1030-1115hrs)
Manx Shearwater - 9W
Gannet - 32W
(1130-1230hrs) (JA)
Fulmar - 1W
Sandwich Tern - 3W
Common Tern - 1W
(1645-1800hrs) (SH/JA)
Gannet - 3E, 8W
Sandwich Tern - 30W, 16os
Common Tern - 2W
Little Tern - 1W
Ferry Pool: Four Spotted Redshanks were roosting on the pool this morning, though numbers of other species were lower in the wind, with just two Avocets, c25 Lapwings, c60 Black-tailed Godwits, a dozen Teal and five Shelducks present, whilst a Common Sandpiper was in the channel opposite and at least a dozen Cattle Egrets were among the cows. (AH)
Common Sandpiper (above), Spotted Redshanks, Cattle Egrets & Black-tailed Godwits around the Ferry (AH)
Church Norton: There were only c50 Sandwich Terns and a dozen Common Terns sat out on the mud this morning, though a lot of birds were still hidden away on Tern Island, whist the few waders present included a Ringed Plover and a half a dozen or so Whimbrel, Curlews and Redshank. (AH)
Whimbrel and Curlew (above), Sandwich Terns & Common Terns at Church Norton (AH)
A ringed Roseate Tern was in the harbour this evening, along with 118 Sandwich Terns, six Common Terns, c70 Mediterranean Gulls and countless Black-headed Gulls with their offspring. (SR)
Roseate Tern with Sandwich Terns and Black-headed Gulls at church Norton (SR)
Medmerry: Easton Lane to the Stilt Pool - At least two Wood Sandpipers were still on the Stilt Pool this morning, along with a Common Sandpiper and a couple of Snipe. (BI)
Thursday, 29th July: A fairly warm and sunny morning, after a grey start, but with the westerly breeze freshening all the time....
Selsey Bill: A few Sandwich Terns and Gannets were going west, but it was generally quiet. Full log below. (AH/OM/IP)
(0700-0900hrs) (WSW F4-6)
Gannet - 4W, 20os
Oystercatcher - 2W
Turnstone - 1W
Kestrel - 1 area
Mediterranean Gull - 5os
Sandwich Tern - 35W, c25os
(1655-1755hrs) (SH)
Gannet - 1E, 2W
Turnstone - 30E
Mediterranean Gull - 1W
Kittiwake - 3W
Sandwich Tern - 10W, 5os
Gannet (above), Sandwich Terns & Mediterranean Gull at the Bill (AH)
Ferry Pool: A Spotted Redshank was on the pool this morning, with another, plus a Common Sandpiper and a Whimbrel in the channel opposite, whilst two Cattle Egrets were with the cows at the back of Ferry field.
Otherwise, there were plenty of the regulars on the pool, including three Avocets, a dozen Redshank, c75 Lapwing and c150 Black-tailed Godwits. (AH/OM)
Cattle Egret (above), Common Sandpiper & Whimbrel around the Ferry (AH)
North Wall: Early this morning one of the Marsh Harriers was out in the harbour before circling over Owl Copse and heading back towards Honer, whilst there were three Greenshank along White's Creek and a fledgling Sedge Warbler along the bank.
The egret roost was busy again, although many Little and Cattle Egrets were exploring the fields and trees near Halsey's Farm, including a few juveniles. (AW)
Marsh Harrier (above), Sedge Warbler, Cattle Egret & Cattle and Little Egrets at the North Wall (AW)
West Wittering: A Willow Warbler and a handful of Chiffchaffs were in the garden today. (GM)
Park Farm, Selsey: This evening there were 30+ Sand Martins and House Martins and 10+ Swallows over the fields, with a Green Woodpecker and a sparrowhawk also about, whilst two Sandwich Terns went over, heading for the harbour. (SH)
Church Norton: Three Roseate Terns were among the 100+ Sandwich Terns and dozen or so Common Terns out on the mud this morning, though all three were mobile and, at times, elusive.
Waders were few though, beyond a couple of Whimbrel and a few Curlews and Redshank, all upset by the local Peregrine.
Also, the first three returning Willow Warblers were in the sheltered hedges, along with a Reed Warbler and a pair of Blackcaps. (AH/BFF/DIS/A&YF et al)
Roseate and Sandwich Tens (above), Common Tern, Willow Warblers & Blackcap at Church Norton (AH)
There were no Roseate Terns on show this evening, though at least 20 Common Terns and a few Mediterranean Gulls were among the Sandwich Terns and a Common Sandpiper and half a dozen Whimbrel were in the harbour. (AH)
Mediterranean Gull (above) & Whimbrel at Church Norton (AH)
Medmerry: Easton Lane to the Stilt Pool - A remarkable three Wood Sandpipers were together on the Stilt Pool this morning, along with four Common Sandpipers, an Avocet and three Cattle Egrets. A few Teal and half a dozen Gadwall were amongst the regular wildfowl, whilst two Sandwich Terns were roosting amongst the Black-headed Gulls and later a single Common Tern flew over. About a dozen Sand Martins flew through, along with a few Swallows, but the banks were very quiet except for several Linnets feeding and a Yellowhammer still singing. (OM)
Three Wood Sandpipers at the Stilt pool - not the greatest shots I know, but I waited ages for the three to get together and when they finally did they just had to be partly obscured - thus focusing was a real problem ! (OM)
