Tuesday, 31st August: Yet another unseasonably cool and overcast morning in the persisting fresh north-easterly breeze..........
Selsey Bill: There wasn't much going on this morning, with just a couple of Yellow Wagtails over, a Shag east and 40+ Teal west the only things of note. Full log below. (SR/IP/AH)
(0655-0810hrs) (NNE, F4-5)
Gannet - 14E, 15W, 15os
Shag - 1E
Teal - 43W
Common Scoter - 2E, 5W
Curlew - 1E
Turnstone - 8
Sandwich Tern - 7E, 6W
Yellow Wagtail - 2E
Willow Warbler - 1
Shag (above), Gannet, Sandwich Tern & Teal at the Bill (AH)
Ferry Pool: Two juvenile Curlew Sandpipers and a Little Stint were on the pool this morning, among c25 Dunlin, whilst early on there were again seven Spotted Redshanks present.
Otherwise, there were two Egyptian Geese, five Avocets, c50 Lapwing, c75 Black-tailed Godwits, c20 Shoveler and Teal and half a dozen Shelducks also on the pool, whilst a Sparrowhawk and half a dozen Swallows went over, but the Tramway just held a handful of Whitethroats and a couple of Blackcaps and Willow Warblers. (OM/AH/BI/IP et al)
Curlew Sandpipers (Top two OM, above AH), Spotted Redshanks, Avocet, Dunlin, Willow Warbler & Whitethroat around the Ferry (AH)
Long Pool: Two Whinchats were at the end of the pool, whilst 16 Knot, ten Whinchats, two Mediterranean Gulls and a Peregrine were about, too. (BFF/DIS/DM)
North Wall: There were two Spotted Flycatchers and four Whinchats in the hedges at Halsey's Farm this morning, (SP) and later there was also two Redstarts and two Hobbies about, whilst an Osprey went over west and a Peregrine was chasing a Greenshank over the fields (KJ et al)
This evening there were still two Whinchats and two Spotted Flycatchers at Halsey's Farm, with c200 Sand Martins and Swallows and at least 20 Cattle Egrets over and on the fields there. (AH)
Whinchats (above), Spotted Flycatcher, Sand Martin, Swallow & Cattle Egrets at the North Wall (AH)
Church Norton: The Wryneck was still present but very elusive along the front of the Severals, but the only other migrants were a Wheatear, a couple of Yellow Wagtails and a Whitethroat along the beach, with a steady passage of Sand and House Martins over.
A Water Rail was in the first Several, whilst a Greenshank and a couple of Whimbrel were among the few waders in the harbour beyond a few Dunlin and Ringed Plovers.
There were also a Common and a couple of Mediterranean Gulls present and three Common Scoter were offshore, whilst the Swallow family appeared to have fledged from the hide. (OM/BFF/DIS/DM/KJ/AH et al)
Swallow (above) & Common Gull at Church Norton (AH)
The Wryneck was still showing late this afternoon. (NB)
Wryneck at Church Norton (NB)
Medmerry: Easton Lane to the Stilt Pool - Early this morning there were hundreds of Sand Martins over the pools which attracted a passing Hobby before it carried on west. There were also 50 Wigeon and three Common Sandpipers on the pool, and a flock of 30 Black-tailed Godwits dropped in. A Wheatear was along the fence-line, with just a few Yellow Wagtails seen among the cows. (AW)
Later in the morning, in addition to the above, there were six Dunlin, an Avocet, six Egyptian Geese, three Shovelers, four Gadwall and several Teal on the pool, whilst along the banks were two Whinchats, five Wheatears and four Yellow Wagtails. Two Greenshank were also on the mudflats by the poplars. (OM)
This evening there were also eight Cattle Egrets, a Kingfisher, a Whinchat, four Wheatears, 40 Yellow Wagtails, six Swallows and 500+ Sand Martins around the banks.
The Stilt Pool held a Greenshank, two Common Sandpipers, an Avocet, a juvenile Ringed Plover, six Dunlin and 35 Black-tailed Godwits, too. (S&SaH)
Hobby (above), Sand Martins & Wheatear at Medmerry (AW)
Chichester Canal: A Garden Warbler and a Spotted Flycatcher were the highlights, and it was nice to see two families of newly fledged Reed Warblers, the nest of one could be seen through the wind-tossed reeds.
There were also five Blackcaps, a Whitethroat, a calling Chiffchaff, wo Willow Warblers, a family of Long-tailed Tits, 17 Swallows, three House Martins, five families of Little Grebe and many Moorhens and Coots still with young, one brood of the latter very recently hatched.
Emperor Dragonflies were about as was at least one female Southern Migrant Hawker. (SR)
Reed Warbler (above) & Little Grebe at Chichester Canal (SR)
Bank Holiday Monday, 30th August:
The north-easterly breeze was back with a vengeance, making a decidedly cool, grey and blustery morning, though it did ease slightly later on.....
Selsey Bill: There was a fair selection this morning, including a Merlin, two Arctic Skuas, the first Guillemot of the autumn, a big feeding flock of Gannets and gulls offshore, an unexpected flock of 20 Skylarks and 12 Yellow Wagtails over and three Wheatears along the front. Full log below. (SH/IP/AH/SR/JA)
(0600-0900hrs) (NNE, F5)
Fulmar - 2W
Gannet - 6E, 9W, 70os
Teal - 5E
Common Scoter - 1E
Sparrowhawk - 1
Merlin - 1N (female)
Turnstone - 7
Arctic Skua - 1W (l/p), 1os (d/p)
Lesser Black-backed Gull - 1os
Mediterranean Gull - 1W
Sandwich Tern - 8W, 7os
Common Tern - 4W, 1os
Guillemot - 1os
auk sp - 1os
Skylark - 20N
Swallow - 67E, 16W
Sand Martin - 28W, 14E
House Martin - 6E
Yellow Wagtail - 12E
Wheatear - 3
Fulmar (above), Sandwich Tern, Lesser Black-backed Gull & Gannets at the Bill (AH)
Ferry Pool: What appeared to be the Ruff seen at Medmerry a few days ago was on the pool early this morning, along with seven Spotted Redshanks, whilst later there were three Avocets, too.
A Curlew Sandpiper (per RBA) was reported mid-morning, but searches before and after only revealed c25 Dunlin, along with c80 Lapwing, c60 Black-tailed Godwits, c20 Shoveler, eight Shelducks and c30 Teal. (AH/GM/NM et al)
Later on, there were four juvenile Knot on the pool, along with four Avocets. (PH)
Ruff and Lapwings (above), Spotted Redshank, Spotted Redshanks and Lapwings & Avocet at the Ferry (AH)
This afternoon, a Hobby went over. (AW)
Hobby over the Ferry (AW)
Spotted Flycatcher in a West Wittering garden (GM)
Park Farm, Selsey: Seven Yellow Wagtails were on the fields. (IP/CN)
Selsey: Five Swifts were flying around over the houses to the south of the town this evening. (IP)
Church Norton: The Wryneck was still along the first Several this morning, but very elusive in the poor conditions, though amazingly, another was heard/recorded singing at the same time some 500m away from the bank along the path to the beach, meaning two birds must have been present.
Other migrants were thin on the ground, though a couple of Wheatears and a Yellow Wagtail were along the beach, two Swifts and a few Swallows went over and the odd Whitethroat was in the sheltered bushes.
Also of note, an Osprey went west over the harbour mid-morning, whilst a Little Stint and seven Grey Plovers were among the dozen or so Dunlin and Ringed Plovers on the mud.
A single Sandwich Tern was offshore at the far end of the reserve, a couple of Jays were around, a male Gadwall and a female Wigeon were on the second Several and a dozen more of the latter and three Pintail were in the harbour. (PM/AW/CN/IP/AH et al)
Wryneck (AW) above), Little Stint, Little Stint, Dunlin and Ringed Plovers & Holly Blue (AH) at Church Norton
Medmerry: Easton Lane to the Stilt Pool - As many as six Little Stints were around the Stilt Pool and the pools behind the beach this morning, whilst an Avocet, three Common Sandpipers, ten Dunlin, a Ringed Plover, 45 Black-tailed Godwits and two Egyptian Geese were also on the Stilt Pools.
At least 1000 Sand Martins were again over the southern end of the reserve - mainly the Stilt Pool, a Whinchat and eight Wheatears were around the rocks and 30 Yellow Wagtails were about, too.
Also, 20 Sandwich Terns were offshore, and a Pintail and the group of hybrid geese were on the pool. (PH)
Late this afternoon there were an estimated 2000 Sand Martins, plus just a dozen Swallows over the whole southern half of the reserve, whilst other migrants included five Whinchats, four Wheatears, 30+ Yellow Wagtails and a Whitethroat, and there were also at least three Stonechats and a Skylark present.
A female Merlin, a Hobby and three Kestrels went over, whilst there was also a Kingfisher towards the poplars, where there were also a Greenshank and a Common Sandpiper.
Two more Common Sandpipers were on the Stilt Pool, along with an Avocet, six Dunlin and 40+ Wigeon, whilst two Egyptian Geese were among the Canada Geese and other in the fields. (S&SaH/AH)
Yellow Wagtail (above), Wheatear, Sand Martin, Common Sandpipers & Egyptian Geese at Medmerry (AH)
Sunday, 29th August: Finally the north-easterly breeze eased, leaving a pleasant morning of warm sun and some grey cloud......
Selsey Bill: A Tree Pipit and a Spotted Flycatcher were both briefly in the trees on the Oval field, whilst several Yellow Wagtails went over and three Wheatears were on the beach. Full log below. (SH/BI/SR/IP/AH)
(0600-0800hrs) (NNE, F3)
Gannet - 8E, 7W, 50os
Sparrowhawk - 1
Turnstone - 17
Mediterranean Gull - 4E, 2W
Sandwich Tern - 3W, 19os
Common Tern - 4E
Swallow - 3W
Sand Martin - 9W
House Martin - 2
Tree Pipit - 1
Yellow Wagtail - 5W
Grey Wagtail - 1W
Wheatear - 3
Willow Warbler - 1
Spotted Flycatcher - 1
Ferry Pool: Four Spotted Redshanks, including the juvenile, were again feeding on the pool this morning, and the Shoveler count had risen to 23, but otherwise it as the usual mix, including c40 Dunlin, c60 Lapwings, c75 Black-tailed Godwits, ten Shelducks and c30 Teal.
There was a bit more passerine activity, including a Redstart, a Sedge Warbler, a couple of Reed Warblers, Blackcaps and Lesser Whitethroats and at least a dozen Whitethroats, whilst a Whimbrel and two Greenshank were in the harbour from the Tramway and a Cattle Egret went over. (AH)
Long Pool: Most of the action was at the Ferry end, including several Willow Warblers, Blackcaps and Lesser Whitethroats along with at least ten Whitethroats, whilst a Peregrine went over, as did a few Sand Martins and Swallows. (AH)
Park Farm, Selsey: There were four Whinchats, two Wheatears, six Yellow Wagtails and two Whitethroats around the farm, whilst 50+ Sand Martins, 20+ House Martins and 20+ Swallows went over. (S&SaH/IP)
Church Norton: A Wryneck turned up along their traditional favourite site - the front of the first Several - showing occasionally well, but mostly elusive, through the morning. (CRJ et al)
There was also a good supporting cast, including an Osprey over the harbour mouth, three Whinchats in the horse field, up to eight Wheatears, a Sedge Warbler, lots of Whitethroats and six Yellow Wagtails along the beach/Severals, whilst two Redstarts, up to four Spotted Flycatchers, half a dozen Lesser Whitethroats and Whitethroats and the odd Garden Warbler, Blackcap, Willow Warbler and Chiffchaff around the hide/churchyard area.
There were also 100+ Sand Martins and a few Swallows about, including the very nearly fledged family in the hide, a Peregrine was flushed from the spit, a Tawny Owl called from the Priory, the harbour held 12 Wigeon, three Pintail, a Whimbrel and ten Ringed Plovers and the second Several had three Shovelers, three Teal and a Wigeon. (IP/S&SaH/BI/SR/NM/AH/P&JW et al)
Wryneck (top two - IP) (above). Whinchat, Spotted Flycatcher, Chiffchaff (AH) & Swallows (SR) at Church Norton
The Wryneck showed even better this afternoon! (AB)
The Wryneck was still showing until dusk, and there were also a Wheatear and 40 Yellow Wagtails along the beach. (AB)
Wryneck at Church Norton (AB)
East Head: At least 500 Oystercatchers flew north up the harbour this lunchtime, with another 500 on the mud by Ella Nore. (GM)
Birdham: A Spotted Flycatcher was in the garden today. (AB)
North Wall: There were very few passerines about this evening in the brisk northerly, beyond a few Whitethroats and a family of Long-tailed Tits, plus a few Swallows over, with the main feature being the 40 or so Cattle Egrets, plus a handful of Yellow Wagtails, on the fields at Halsey's Farm and another 20 or so in Honer 2 field. (AH) Early in the day, there were four Whinchats out on the saltmarsh near Sidlesham Quay. (BI)
Cattle Egrets at the North Wall (AH)
