14th - 16th July 2022

Saturday, 16th July: Another morning of unbroken warm sunshine in a light easterly breeze...........

Selsey Bill: A Lesser Black-backed Gull was on the shingle bar, whilst three Pied Wagtails  and a dozen Swallows went east along the beach, and there were a few Little and Sandwich Terns about, too. Full log below. Full log below. (SR/IP/AH)

(0645-0745hrs) (ENE, F2-3)

Oystercatcher - 1E

Lesser Black-backed Gull - 1os

Mediterranean Gull - 1W, 20os

Sandwich Tern - 20os

Little Tern - 2os

Swift - 4

Swallow - 12E

House Martin - 2

Pied Wagtail - 3E

Two Arctic Skuas were again seen chasing gulls offshore at 1700hrs. (B Smith)

Mediterranean Gull (above) & House Martin at the Bill (AH)

Ferry Pool: There were just two Little Ringed Plover on the pool this morning, along with 12 Dunlin, he three Avocets, 63 Black-tailed Godwits, 44 Lapwings, eight Redshanks and the pair of Shelducks and five young. (AH/S&SaH)

Little Ringed Plover (above), Dunlins & Black-tailed Godwit on the Ferry (AH)

Long Pool: There were just a couple of Reed Warblers, a Sedge Warbler and a handful of Linnets seen this morning. (AH)

Reed Warblers along the Long Pool (AH)

Park Farm, Selsey: Around the farm and fields this morning there were two Sand Martins, c20 House Martins and c50 Swallows, along with two Pied Wagtails, a Meadow Pipit, a Sparrowhawk and an adult and a juvenile Mediterranean Gulls. (S&SaH/IP)

Church Norton: It was very quiet this morning, though a Reed warbler and a Reed Bunting were in the Severals, and three Sand Martins went over.

There were 40 Dunlin in the Harbour, where tern numbers continue to fall, with only two Common Terns seen, though Little still numbered over 20, whilst there were also a flock of c15 Turnstones, over a dozen Ringed Plovers dotted around and the usual Redshanks, Curlews and Oystercatchers. (IP)

North Wall: There were two Spotted Redshanks on the Breech Pool this morning, along with a Green Sandpiper, four Little Ringed Plovers, 40 Lapwing, a handful of Black-tailed Godwits and the Shelduck family, whilst plenty of Reed and edge Warblers were in the reeds and a Kingfisher flew over'

A Greenshank and a Whimbrel were in the harbour, as was a fishing Little Tern and the lone Brent Goose, whilst two Little Egrets, three Dunlin and 30 Redshank were in White's Creek..

A Green Woodpecker sitting on one of the posts behind the sluice, whilst in the adjacent bush there were two Whitethroats mixed in with some Greenfinches and the swallows were around the stables.

A total of 24 Cattle Egrets and two Little Egrets were on their island, but Halsey's Farm didn't produce much, apart from a lone Oystercatcher and five Swallows, whilst along the reeds at Owl Copse, Reed and Sedge Warblers could be heard and seen, and Green Woodpeckers were calling from along the wall, too. (CBo/LP et al)

This afternoon there was a good selection on the Breech Pool at high tide, including a Spotted Redshank, a Greenshank, a Whimbrel, seven Redshank, three Little Ringed Plovers and four Black-tailed Godwits, with c40 Swallows and c20 Sand Martins over, whilst at least 20 Cattle Egrets and 20 Little Egrets were roosting on the island in the harbour. (S&SaH)

Spotted Redshank (above), Spotted Redshank and Black-tailed Godwit, Whitethroat, Reed Warbler (CBo), Green Sandpiper, Brent Goose, Sedge Warbler & Shelducks (LP) at the North Wall

Medmerry: Easton Lane to the Stilt Pool - Seven Yellow Wagtails - the first returning birds - were seen this morning around the Stilt Pool, where there were also a Green Sandpiper, four Common Sandpipers, two Snipe, a Little Ringed Plover, two Ringed Plovers, eight Dunlin and six Avocets, plus the last chick.

The banks were quite busy, too, with up to 20 Yellowhammers, ten Whitethroats, nine Stonechats, two Chiffchaffs, a Reed Warbler, two Sedge Warblers and four Pied Wagtails seen, along with five Green Woodpeckers and a Great Spotted Woodpecker.

There were also c20 Sand Martins and c50 Swallows about, as well as a Sparrowhawk and two Buzzards. (S&SaH)

Yellow Wagtail (above) & Snipe at Medmerry (SH)

Chichester GPs: Ivy Lake complex - There were at least five juvenile Pochards on East and West Trout Lakes, along with a dozen adults, c40 Tufted Ducks, five Egyptian Geese and just a dozen or so Greylag and Canada Geese also present.

Up to eight Common Terns were spread around the pits, whilst there were also two families of Great crested Grebes and 200+ Coots, but small birds were few beyond a calling Cetti's Warbler, one or two Reed and Sedge Warblers and a family of Wrens. (AH)

Pochards (above), Common Tern & Egyptian Geese at Chichester GPs (AH)

Friday, 15th July: After quite a cool start, it quickly warmed up to be another hot and sunny morning in just a light northerly breeze...........

Selsey Bill: A steady westward movement of 16 Little Terns may just have been on the move, but otherwise it was the usual species, including a flock of 24 Mediterranean Gulls again on the shingle bar. Full log below. (SR/AH/IP)

(0645-0800hrs) (NNE, F2-3)

Mediterranean Gull - 24os

Sandwich Tern - 14os

Little Tern - 1E, 16W

Swift - 20

Swallow - 1

House Martin - 4

Pied Wagtail - 1

Also, two Gannets went east at 0900hrs. (B Smith)

Little Terns (above), Swift & Mediterranean Gull at the Bill (AH)

Ferry Pool: This morning there were three Little Ringed Plovers, the adult and two juvenile Avocets, eight Dunlin, c30 Black-tailed Godwits and a dozen or so Redshanks and Lapwings on the pool, along with the Shelduck family. (AH/IP)

Little Ringed Plovers (above) & Dunlin and Black-tailed Godwits at the Ferry (AH)

A very unusual looking kite flew west early this morning, just to the south of the Ferry. It certainly showed some characteristics of Black Kite and generated a fair amount of discussion, with the majority possibly erring on the side of caution as a Red Kite. 

Also, the suggestion of hybrid has been proposed, and as the pictures, below, show, it was an unusual bird and, as such, all comments are gratefully received! (AH)

North Wall: The Spotted Redshank was again on the Breech Pool this morning, along with two Little Ringed Plovers, 30 Lapwing and six Black-tailed Godwits, and there was lots of activity in the reeds, with plenty of Sedge Warblers and Reed Buntings about, while a Kingfisher flew through.

A Greenfinch and two Whitethroats were in the bushes by the sluice and a family of Reed Warblers were in the reeds there, while a Whimbrel was along White's Creek, together with the usual Redshanks, Curlews and Oystercatchers.

The Swallows were still around the stables and six Linnets and a few Goldfinches were in the paddock. (LP/TG)

Spotted Redshank and Black-tailed Godwit (above), Black-tailed Godwit, Reed Buntings, Reed Warbler & Whitethroat and Greenfinch at the North Wall (LP)

Medmerry: Porthole Farm to Ham Farm - An early returning Whinchat was at Ham Farm this morning, whilst a Marsh Harrier was around, too, but generally passerines were hard to find, though a couple of Corn Buntings, a pair of Reed Buntings, a few Skylarks and plenty of Linnets were present.

Porthole Farm was equally quiet, though a Lesser Whitethroat, a couple of Whitethroat families, half a dozen Yellowhammers and lots of Linnets were around the hedges. (AH)

Whinchat (above), Marsh Harrier, Lesser Whitethroat & Lesser Whitethroat at Medmerry (AH)

 

North Mundham: A Jersey Tiger moth was in the garden today. (MJ)

Selsey: A Jersey Tiger moth was also in the garden here today. (AW)

Jersey Tiger moth in a Selsey garden (AW)

Church Norton: The number of terns in the harbour continues to fall, though there were still c20 Little Terns present and 100+ Sandwich Terns, including some still bringing in fish,, whilst waders this evening included a Whimbrel, four Turnstones, six Ringed Plovers and c80 Dunlin. (AH)

Little Tern (above), Whimbrel & Turnstones at Church Norton (AH)

Thursday, 14th July: Another hot and sunny morning, though with the fresh north-easterly breeze just taking the edge off the temperature......

Selsey Bill: A flock of 24 Mediterranean Gulls were on the shingle bar and a couple of Ped Wagtails were on the beach this morning. Full log below. (SR/AH)

(0645-0745hrs) (NE, F3)

Oystercatcher - 2E, 3W

Mediterranean Gull - 24os

Sandwich Tern - 14os

Little Tern - 1os

Swift - 14

Swallow - 4

House Martin - 3

Pied Wagtail - 2

This evening a Red Kite was seen flying in off the sea. (R Smith)

Sandwich Tern at the Bill (AH)

Ferry Pool: There were four Green Sandpipers at the back of the pool early on, quickly rising to a remarkable six birds, but they had all apparently departed by late morning.

Otherwise, there were still eight Little Ringed Plovers present, along with a Common Sandpiper, two Dunlin, an adult and two juvenile Avocets, c30 Black-tailed Godwits, c60 Lapwings and a dozen Redshanks, plus the Shelduck family. (AH/SR et al)

Green Sandpipers (above), Green Sandpipers and Redshanks, Common Sandpiper, Little Ringed Plovers & Black-tailed Godwits on the Ferry (AH)

North Wall: Two Kingfishers were by the sluice early on, and the Spotted Redshank was again on the Breech Pool, before flying off west, whilst later on, there were five Little Ringed Plovers there, together with eight Black-tailed Godwits and a dozen Lapwings, plus a Pied Wagtail.

A Whimbrel was the only waders of note in the harbour, where otherwise there were just a few Curlews and Redshanks, along with the single Brent Goose.

The breeze was keeping small birds low, with the only ones of note being c50 scattered Swallows, and a couple each of Swifts, Sand and House Martins at Owl Point, where there were also three Skylarks and a Mediterranean Gull, whilst Owl Copse held just a few Cattle and Little Egrets.. (PB/LP/AH)

Little Ringed Plovers (above), Whimbrel, Swallow, Mediterranean Gull, Cattle Egret & Lapwing at the North Wall (AH)

Church Norton: There were still 25 Little Terns in the harbour this evening, and another half a dozen, including a couple of juveniles, feeding offshore, with at least 40 young Sandwich Terns spread about the mud.

Waders included a Whimbrel, two Common Sandpipers, c100 Dunlin, five Ringed Plovers and c30 Redshanks, whilst half a dozen Swifts were high over the Severals. (AH)

Little Terns (above) & Whimbrel at Church Norton (AH)