Birding the Selsey Peninsula: 7th

Sunday, 10th July: A very hot and sunny morning, in just a light easterly breeze ..........

Selsey Bill: Two Tufted Ducks east, were the only thing beyond the usual species. Full log below. (SR/AH/IP/P&LH)

(0650-0805hrs) (E, F2)

Gannet - 2W

Tufted Duck - 2E

Oystercatcher - 1E, 2W

Mediterranean Gull - 2E

Sandwich Tern - 21os

Little Tern - 1os

Swift - 10

House Martin - 6

House Martins at the Bill (AH)

Ferry Pool: The two juvenile Little Ringed Plovers were again on the pool this morning, along with a Common Sandpiper, two Dunlin, three Avocets, 29 Black-tailed Godwits, c20 Redshanks and Lapwing and the shelduck family.

A look round the Tramway circuit produced at least three Blackcaps, a Chiffchaff and a handful of Long-tailed Tits. (AH/S&SaH)

Little Ringed Plover (above), Common Sandpiper, Black-tailed Godwits and Lapwings (AH) & Blackcap (SH) at the Ferry

Park Farm, Selsey: A Sand Martin and c20 Swifts were among c20 House Martins and c30 Swallows over the farm this morning, whilst four Pied Wagtails, two juvenile Kestrels, a Buzzard and a Sparrowhawk were also present. (S&SaH/IP)

This afternoon a small movement of c30 Sand Martins went over, heading south. (SH)

Marsh Farm, Sidlesham: A Barn Owl was seen early this morning,with three Yellowhammers, five Blackcaps and three Green Woodpeckers about, too, and the hedges were busy with family groups of Linnets, Chaffinches, Greenfinches and Blue Tits. (S&SaH)

Medmerry: Easton Lane to he Stilt Pool - Along the banks this morning there were a dozen Yellowhammers, a Reed Bunting, eight Whitethroats, a Sedge Warbler and three Reed Warblers, with 15 Swallows and ten Sand Martins over, and there were also four Six-spotted Burnet moths on the wing.

Eight Avocets, plus just one youngster, were on the Stilt Pool, along with a Little Ringed Plover, five Ringed Plovers and two Black-tailed Godwits. (S&SaH)

Six-spotted Burnet moth at Medmerry (SH)

Church Norton: There were a few waders in the harbour this morning on the full tide, including seven Grey Plovers, five Ringed Plovers, two Dunlin, a Whimbrel, four Curlews and c20 Turnstones and Redshanks, whilst there were still plenty of gulls and terns about.

The Severals held the usual Reed Bunting, plus Reed and Sedge Warbler, and a male Tufted was on the Second Several. (IP/P&LH)

North Wall: Kingfishers were seen at either end of the wall this morning, whilst an adult and a juvenile Little Ringed Plovers, two Black-tailed Godwits, 22 Lapwings and the pair of Shelducks with seven well-grown young were on the Breech Pool, and a Greenshank dropped into White's Creek.

The odd Reed and Sedge Warbler popped up from the reeds, and a Blackcap sang from Owl Copse, whilst up to 100 Swallows were feeding over the reeds beyond the back of the pool, with four still busy around the stables, where there was also a Great Spotted Woodpecker.

Also,there were still plenty of Cattle and Little Egrets coming and going around Owl Copse. (AH/LP et al)

Kingfisher (LP) (above), Reed Warbler, Cattle Egret & Shelduck family (AH) at the North Wall

Saturday, 9th July: Another very warm morning, though quite cloudy at times and with the breeze brisk and from the north..........

Selsey Bill: Nine Common Scoters went east and a few Gannets were about, but there were very few terns this morning. Full log below. (SR/AH/IP)

(0645-0745hrs) (NNW, F3)

Gannet - 4E, 4W

Common Scoter - 9E

Oystercatcher - 1W

Mediterranean Gull - 2E, 2W

Sandwich Tern - 10os

Little Tern - 6os

Swift - 4

Swallow - 7

House Martin - 2

Gannet (above), Common Scoter & Sandwich ern at the Bill (AH)

Ferry Pool: Two juvenile Little Ringed Plovers were at the back this morning, but otherwise it was the usual mix, including three Avocets, c50 Black-tailed Godwits, c25 Lapwings, a dozen Redshank and the now well-grown Shelduck family.

There were also at least three singing Blackcaps around the discovery Area. (AH)

juvenile Little Ringed Plover (above), Avocet, Black-tailed Godwit & Blackcap around the Ferry (AH)

Long Pool: Two or three Reed Warblers were still singing this morning, along with a Cetti;s Warbler and a Reed Bunting, whilst a family of Whitethroats were in the hedges, together with a handful of Linnets. (AH)

Reed Warbler (above) & Linnet along the Long Pool (AH)

Park Farm, Selsey: A Sparrowhawk was on the edge of the village and a male Pied Wagtail was by the Farm, whilst there was a noticeable the increase in hirundine numbers, with c200 over the fields and sat on the various pieces of machinery, of which the vast majority were Swallows, but with a few House Martins and a couple of Sand Martins amongst them. (IP)

Later on, at least 30 Swifts were low-flying around the Selsey Centre to the north of the village. (AH)

Medmerry: Easton Lane to the Stilt Pool - Around 150 Sand Martins, 100 Swallows and six Swifts went over early this morning, whilst the banks held 10 Whitethroats, 12 Yellowhammers, a Reed Bunting, Stonechat, a Sedge Warbler and five Reed Warblers singing from the pools, whilst a Cattle Egret was out on the reserve.

Two Common Sandpipers were on the Stilt Pool, along with the adult and juvenile Little Ringed Plovers, two Ringed Plovers and ten Avocets, though only one chick. (S&SaH)

North Wall: This afternoon here were 21 Lapwings and a Black-tailed Godwit on the Breech Pool, with a Common Sandpiper in White's Creek, whilst a Chiffchaff, a Green Woodpecker, a Buzzard and a Kestrel were seen from the wall.

There were also c30 Cattle egrets around Owl Copse and the adjacent fields, with similar numbers of Little egrets about, too. (S&SaH)

Two Little Ringed Plovers - an adult and a juvenile - were on the Breech Pool this evening,, (SP), whilst later still, a Little Owl was seen out hunting over the fields near Owl Copse. (KP)

Church Norton: At least 20 Little Terns were around the harbour and offshore, though no juveniles could be seen, and there was still a steady stream of Sandwich Terns, plus the odd Common Tern, bringing in fish, whilst c100 Mediterranean gulls were sat out on the mud, with up to a dozen young juvenile among them.

Waders included two Whimbrel that flew in off the sea, with one later out on the mud, a flock of c15 (probable) Black-tailed Godwits, 30 Turnstones, c55 Dunlin, c20 Redshank, two Ringed Plovers and a few Curlews and Oystercatchers, whilst four moulting Gadwall were on the second several and several Great Crested Grebes were offshore and in the harbour.

Two Swallows went over the harbour, three Skylarks and a few Linnets were on the spit and a Reed Bunting, a Sedge Warbler, a young Green Woodpecker and a Sparrowhawk were around the Severals. (AH/IP/CBo)

Little Tern (above), juvenile Mediterranean Gull, Whimbrel (AH), Sandwich Tern, Mediterranean Gull, Curlew & Oystercatcher (CBo) at Church Norton

This evening there were seven Whimbrel in the harbour, along with c90 Dunlin and c40 Turnstones, plus a couple of Ringed Plovers, and there were still lots of terns about, too. (AH)

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

The less good side - one of two selfish fisherman disregarding all the RSPB's attempts to keep people off the spit (above) & sadly, a dead Sandwich Tern - one of many dead birds currently around the harbour and beach (AH)

Friday, 8th July: A very warm morning of wall-to-wall sunshine, with the welcome breeze quite light, initially from the north before backing to south-westerly.....

Selsey Bill: A dozen Swifts were feeding up high, but there was little offshore, with barely 20 Sandwich Terns seen. Full log later. (SR/AH/IP)

(0640-0755hrs) (N, F3)

Mallard - 1W

Mediterranean Gull - 1W

Sandwich Tern - 20os

Little Tern - 2os

Swift - 12

House Martin - 3

This evening a pod of (presumably) Bottle-nosed Dolphins were offshore by the red and green buoys. (DB/BI)

Little Tern (above), Sandwich Tern & House Martin at the Bill (AH)

Ferry Pool: There were three Avocets on the pool this morning, along with c60 Black-tailed Godwits, c20 Redshanks and Lapwings and the Shelduck family. (AH)

Black-tailed Godwits on the Ferry (AH)

Medmerry: Easton Lane to the Stilt Pool - A Snipe on one of the path-side pools was unusual for the time of year, but otherwise it was very much the same as recent days, with the banks holding half a dozen Whitethroat families, a Stonechat family, a couple of Reed Buntings and Reed Warblers, a handful of Yellowhammers and Skylarks and 50+ Linnets, along with a few Stock Doves.

The adult and juvenile Little Ringed Plovers were still on the Stilt Pool, along with four juvenile and ten adult Avocets, but only one chick was seen, whilst a pair of Ringed Plovers looked like they were swapping over brooding duties.

Otherwise, the adult and juvenile Egyptian Geese were still present, three Black-tailed Godwits and five Lapwings were the only other waders seen and a handful of Swallows and Sand Martins went over. (AH)

Snipe (above), Little Ringed Plover, Whitethroat, Swallow, Linnet, Stock Dove & Lady's Bedstraw at Medmerry (AH)

Donnington: A Red Kite flew over the road near the canal late this afternoon. (RP)

North Wall: There was a gathering of hirundines around the car ports of Halsey's Farm Barn, with around 14 Swallows and eight House Martins flying around and two Buzzards and a Kestrel were hunting in the newly mown hay field. A few Reed Buntings and a Long-tailed Tit were about, whilst a Chiffchaff was heard in the hedges, as were Whitethroats, Sedge and Reed Warblers, and there was a mixture of Little and Cattle Egrets at their nest site, with 20 more of the latter spread across the fields and on their island.

The Breech Pool held 16 Lapwings, four Black-tailed Godwits and the Shelduck family, whilst there was constant warbler activity in the reeds with two families of Reed Warbler seen, two Reed Buntings and 12 House and Sand Martins above, a Little Ringed Plover reported as seen earlier.

Two Great Spotted Woodpeckers and a Green Woodpecker were around the paddocks, along with two Greenfinches, four Goldfinches and a couple of Swallows, whilst White's Creek had just the usual Redshank, Oystercatchers and Curlew, with a Wigeon further out.

A House Sparrow was by the sluice, where a Kingfisher was seen early on (and later at Owl Water), whilst a couple of mixed groups of Sand Martins and House Martins, together with a few Swallows, flew through. (SR/LP/PC/TG)

Buzzard (above), Shelduck family, Great Spotted Woodpecker (LP), Buzzard & Little Egret (SR) at the North Wall

Church Norton: There were four newly fledged young Little Terns sitting out on the mud this evening, and there were still lots of young Sandwich Terns in the harbour.

There were also quite a few waders on the rising tide, including a summer-plumaged Knot, c55 Dunlins, c40 Turnstones and half a dozen Ringed Plovers, with the pair by the concrete blocks presumably defending young as they kept shooing the Turnstones away! (AH)

Little Terns (above), Knot & Dunlin and Turnstones at Church Norton (AH)

Thursday, 7th July: A very grey and muggy morning, quite mild despite the brisk north-westerly.....

Selsey Bill: A flock of nine Sand Martins went west offshore and up to a dozen Little Terns were coming and going along the shoreline. Full log below. (SR/AH/IP)

(0640-0755hrs) (NW, F3-4)

Gannet - 1E, 9W, 3os

Oystercatcher - 1W

Mediterranean Gull - 3W

Sandwich Tern - 50os

Little Tern - 12os

Swift - 6

Sand Martin - 9W

House Martin - 6

Little Terns (above) & Sandwich Tern at the Bill (AH)

Ferry Pool: Two Greenshanks were in the channel opposite, early this morning, but the pool just held the regular mix, including four Avocets, two Teal, c30 Black-tailed Godwits and a dozen or so Lapwings and Redshanks, plus the Shelduck family.

A look round the Tramway circuit produced just a family of Whitethroats and two singing Blackcaps, plus a juvenile Great Spotted Woodpecker on the feeders by the hide. (AH)

Greenshanks (above), Whitethroat & Great Spotted Woodpecker around the Ferry (AH)

North Wall: A Tree-creeper was in a tree by the front gate of Little Welbourne this morning before flying further into the garden, and a pair of Collared Doves were in one of the trees, whilst there was still some Swallow activity around the stables and a few Greenfinches and Goldfinches were in the paddock.

Two Common Sandpipers were in White's Creek, along with plenty of Redshank, Curlew and Oystercatchers whilst the lone Brent Goose was further out on the mud. The Shelduck family were still on the Breech Pool, along with five Lapwing and a Little Ringed Plover, and there were six Cattle Egrets in the recently mown field behind the pool. (LP)

Tree-creeper (above), Common Sandpipers & Collared Doves at the North Wall (LP)

Medmerry: Easton Lane to Marsh Barn - A Barn Owl was out hunting the banks this evening, and c25 Swallows and ten House Martins were over the reservoirs. (SR)

Medmerry: Windmill to the Breach - Four Little Terns and a Common Tern were feeding close offshore this morning, with two pairs of Ringed Plovers on the beach, one of which looked like it had young, but the only waders in the tidal area were a handful of Curlews and Oystercatchers.

There was nothing of note at the windmill end, but along the banks in from the breach there were two family groups of Meadow Pipits, a couple of Skylarks and Swallows and c40 Linnets. (AH)

Meadow Pipits (above), Linnet, Swallow, Little Tern, Common Tern & Restharrow at Medmerry (AH)

Church Norton: At least four Common Terns, including a juvenile, and eight Little Terns were feeding offshore this evening, with another half a dozen of the latter feeding in the harbour. There were relatively few Sandwich Terns bringing in fish to the much depleted colony, but there were still plenty of fledged young, including a couple feeding offshore.

A reasonable flock of waders, mostly on the metalwork, included a dozen Dunlin and c30 Turnstones, but there wasn't much else around on the high tide, with a flock of Long-tailed Tits by the Mound the only other birds noted.. (AH)