29th - 31st August 2022

Wednesday, 31st August: The spell of brisk north-easterlies continues, though again warm when the sun came out.............

Selsey Bill: There was a good movement of 87 Sandwich Terns and eight Common Terns east this morning, with a few hirundines east as well, whilst a few Teal, Wigeon and Shoveler were moving about offshore, too. Full log below. (SR/IP/AH/ABi)

(0650-0835hrs) (NE, F4)

Gannet - 27E, 14W, 35os

Wigeon - 2E, 2W

Teal - 8E, 4W

Shoveler - 2E

Common Scoter - 2E

Ringed Plover - 1E, 2W

Turnstone - 4W, 6 present

Mediterranean Gull - 6E, 1os

Sandwich Tern - 87E, 1W

Common Tern - 8E

Great Spotted Woodpecker - 1E

Swallow - 69E

Sand Martin - 25E, 3W

House Martin - 26E, 2 present

Yellow Wagtail - 3E

Wheatear - 1

Sand Martin (above), Swallow, Great Spotted Woodpecker & Gannets at the Bill (AH)

Ferry Pool: The Green Sandpiper popped up again this morning, along with a Snipe and three Dunlin, but otherwise it was the usual c50 Black-tailed Godwits, c75 Lapwings, c150 Teal, eight Shovelers, five Shelducks and the Brent Goose. (AH/ABi)

Snipe (above), Shovelers and Lapwings & Black-tailed Godwits at the Ferry (AH)

North Wall: There were three juvenile Curlew Sandpipers in White's Creek this morning, along with a dozen Wigeon and 30 Teal, but there was nothing else much in the harbour or in White's Creek. 

A Redstart and a couple of Whitethroats were at Halsey's Farm, with another half a dozen of the latter, a couple of Lesser Whitethroats, a juvenile Stonechat and a handful of Long-tailed Tits in the hedges along the Wall, whilst a Marsh Harrier was hunting over the back, c40 Yellow Wagtails were among the cows in Honer 1 field and c200 Sand Martins, c100 Swallows and a few House Martins went over. (BFF/OM/AH et al)

Redstart (above), Lesser Whitethroat, Whitethroat, Sand Martin, Stonechat & Long-tailed Tit along the North Wall (AH)

Medmerry: Easton Lane to the Stilt Pool - An Osprey, a Hobby and a Marsh Harrier were seen over the reserve today, whilst a pair of Barn Owls nearby would appear to have fledged two youngsters this summer. (TG-P/NR/DW)

This evening there were two Ospreys out on the reserve, both together at one point, with a Marsh Harrier, a Hobby, a Sparrowhawk and three Kestrels seen. There was a big size difference between the two Ospreys, but hard to tell if they were male and female or adult and juvenile.

There were also a Greenshank opposite Marsh Barn, a Kingfisher, 20+ Wigeon, 50+ Teal and 80+ Redshank out on the reserve and two Swifts, 400+ Sand Martins and 20+ Swallows going over, but half a dozen Yellowhammers and two Stonechats was about it along the banks.(AH/S&SaH/MT)

Ospreys (above), Greenshank, Sand Martin (AH), Hobby & Kestrel (MT) at Medmerry

Tuesday, 30th August: Another very breezy day, with the north-easterly airflow persisting, but still quite warm in the sunny interludes.........

Selsey Bill: It was fairly quiet, though 50+ Swallows and three Yellow Wagtails went east, two Swifts were over the houses and four Wheatears were along the beach. Full log below. (SR/AH/IP/P&LH) 

(0640-0830hrs) (NNE, F4-5)

Gannet - 37E, 6W, 3os

Oystercatcher - 6E

Turnstone - 3

Mediterranean Gull - 2E, 3os

Sandwich Tern - 3E, 1W

Swift - 2

Swallow - 73E

Sand Martin - 4E

House Martin - 3

Yellow Wagtail - 3E

Grey Wagtail - 2W

Wheatear - 4

Wheatears (above), Gannet & Sand Martin at the Bill (AH)

Ferry Pool: An Osprey went over west late this morning, and there was also a Clouded Yellow about. (P&LH)

Earlier, a Green Sandpiper was on the pool, but two Dunlin were the only other small waders, with otherwise just c60 Black-tailed Godwits, c80 Lapwing, c125 Teal and the Brent Goose present. (AH)

Green Sandpiper (above), Lapwing, Black-tailed Godwits & Lapwing at the Ferry (AH)

Church Norton: It was another quiet morning in the harbour, with just a few Curlews and Redshanks about, and with few passerines about, either, though a Wheatear was in Rectory Lane, with another along the beach, where seven Yellow Wagtails and a Jay were also seen, and a Blackcap was in the churchyard, whilst c50 Swallows and c50 House Martins went over various points, heading east. (P&LH/AH)

Swallow (above) & Curlew at Church Norton (AH)

North Wall: An Osprey was seen over the harbour early this afternoon, and three Wheaters were along the wall. (P&LH)

Also, a Little Egret caught and was struggling with a huge eel in White's Creek. (GHi)

Osprey (above), Wheatear (P&LH) & Little Egret (GHi) at North Wall

Medmerry: Easton Lane to the Stilt Pool - The windy conditions kept most birds out of sight, although two Whitethroats, a Meadow Pipit, three Stonechats, a Kestrel, a Sparrowhawk, fiveYellowhammers and a handful of Linnets were along the hedges and banks and eight Swallows flew overhead.

The Stilt Pools held mainly geese, it was an odd assortment of c200 Canada Geese, a large white goose, three Barnacle-type, two Greylag and two Egyptian Geese, with the only waders being four Lapwings. Another Kestrel hovered nearby and nine Swallows, five House Martins and four Sand Martins flew overhead, and a Painted Lady butterfly was along the banks along with a Clouded Yellow. (SR)

This evening an Osprey was hunting over the reserve before settling on the dead trees, with a Sparrowhawk and three Kestrels also seen.

The banks held two Dartford Warblers, two Willow Warblers, a Yellow Wagtail, five Pied Wagtails and six Yellowhammers, with a Common Sandpiper near the poplars, but the Stilt Pool was very quiet. (S&SaH)

Yellowhammer at Medmerry (SR)

Bank Holiday Monday, 29th August: A cooler and somewhat cloudier morning, with the north-easterly breeze considerably freshener and very blustery......

Selsey Bill: An Osprey, seen a long way out to sea, seemed to be heading south, but re-appeared a bit later apparently heading west.

There were also four Black Terns, three Little Terns and a few Common and Sandwich Terns among the large numbers of gulls and Gannets lingering offshore before the tide pushed them off west. Full log below. (SH/SR/AH/IP)

(0600-0830hrs) (NE, F4)

Gannet - 60os

Osprey - 1W

Mediterranean Gull - 8os

Kittiwake - 1E

Sandwich Tern - 4E, 1os

Common Tern - 19W

Little Tern - 3W

Black Tern - 4W

Swallow - 123E

Sand Martin - 2E

Yellow Wagtail - 6E

Osprey (above), Black Terns, Swallows & Gannets at the Bill (AH)

Ferry Pool: The Little Ringed Plover was still present this morning, along with two Dunlins, four Avocets, ten Redshanks, c120 Lapwings, c50 Black-tailed Godwits, ten Shovelers, c100 Teal and the Brent Goose, with a few Sand Martins and Swallows going over east. (AH)

Little Ringed Plover and Lapwings (above), Avocets & Lapwings at the Ferry (AH)

This afternoon, a Brown Hairstreak butterfly - a very uncommon species on the peninsula - was seen laying eggs on the Blackthorn outside the Visitor Centre. (J Bassett/TG-P)

Later, an Osprey was seen fishing over the harbour before drifting off over the Ferry with a Buzzard for company. (AB)

Brown Hairstreak at the Visitor Centre ( TG-P)

East Beach: A juvenile Little Gull went east, close inshore, early this afternoon. (GJ)

Park Farm, Selsey: A Wheatear and a Kestrel were the only birds of note. (IP)

Church Norton: The harbour only held nine Ringed Plovers, two Dunlin and a summer-plumaged Grey Plover in addition to the usual waders and herons, whilst two Wheatears were also around the spit and four Yellow Wagtails flew over the first Several. (IP)

North Wall: Two Redstarts and two Wheatear were in the Owl Point area at Halsey's Farm this morning, with a Kingfisher seen and c100 Sand Martins, a Kestrel and four Buzzards over, (IH/KT)

Also, a Sparrowhawk and a Jay were around the paddock this morning and a male Marsh Harrier was further back over the reeds, whilst the regular Greenshank was in White's Creek, along with a Kingfisher and further out in the harbour there were 12 Wigeon, two Shelducks, six Grey Plovers, 20 Dunlin, a Ringed Plover and a Little Ringed Plover, plus plenty of Redshanks, Oystercatchers and Curlews.

Two Wheatears were along the wall, but on the Breech Pool there was just a Moorhen and a Coot with a few Sand Martins and Swallows flying over. (LP,PC,CT,IH/KT)

Later on, there were three Greenshanks and an Avocet among the waders off Owl Point, with a Redstart still in the hedges (CN) and this evening there were three Spotted Flycatchers there, too (AB).

Wheatear at the North Wall (LP)

Medmerry: Easton Lane to the Stilt Pool - The banks were quiet in the windy conditions, with just a Wheatear, a Whitethroat, a Willow Warbler, two Stonechats, two Yellow Wagtails, a Cetti's Warbler and 20 Yellowhammers, with c200 Sand Martins and c50 Swallows overhead, along with two Marsh Harriers, four Buzzards, a Sparrowhawk and two Kestrels.

Two Common Sandpipers were on the Stilt Pool, but a Dunlin and a Black-tailed Godwit were the only other waders present. (S&SaH)

This afternoon the first two Pintails of the autumn were near the poplars, along with a Greenshank and a Kingfisher, whilst c100 Sand Martins and a few Swallows went over, along with seven Yellow Wagtails and a Hobby. (CN)

Medmerry: Medmerry Trail to Porthole Farm - It was extremely quiet right along the trail and around the hedges at Porthole Farm, with perhaps half a dozen Whitethroats and a couple of Willow/Chiffs, all briefly seen and keeping low, being about it beyond just a few Swallows, Sand Martins and House Martins overhead. (AH)

House Martin (above) & Swallow at Medmerry (AH)

Chi GPs: Drayton House pits - There was nothing out of the ordinary on the pits today, but wildfowl numbers are gradually increasing, with joint totals of 40 Shoveler, 75 Pochard and 30 Gadwall. Five pairs of Great Crested Grebes have all raised young, although the brood of three produced by the last pair are still very small. 

Water levels are well down and five Little Egrets were taking advantage, but there was no sign today of their larger cousins! A small number of Sand Martins and a few Swallows also passed through. (OM)

Great Crested Grebe with three still small young on Drayton North pit (OM)