4th - 6th August 2022

Saturday, 6th August: After a fairly cool start, a very warm and sunny morning as the breeze shifted from north to east, easing as it went.....

Selsey Bill: A Manx Shearwater went west early on, and a few Common and Sandwich Terns, plus a Kittiwake, went west later. Full log below. (PB/MB/SR/BI/AH/IP)

(0600-0800hrs) (N, F3-4)

Manx Shearwater - 1W (0630hrs)

Gannet - 27E, 59W

Common Scoter - 7E, 6W

Sparrowhawk - 1

Turnstone - 11W, 6 present

Mediterranean Gull - 9W

Kittiwake - 1W

Sandwich Tern - 11W, 10os

Common Tern - 7W

Swift - 4

Swallow - 2E

Sand Martin - 47E

House Martin - 5

Pied Wagtail - 3W

Sandwich Tern (above) & Turnstone at the Bill (AH)

Ferry Pool: Two Little Ringed Plovers were on the pool before one flew off high to the north, whilst the Common Sandpiper was still present, along with eight Dunlin, c60 Black-tailed Godwits, c40 Lapwings, c20 Redshank and c20 Teal, and there were also a Red-legged Partridge and the Brent Goose present, too.

The Tramway circuit was very quiet beyond a handful of Whitethroats, a Blackcap and a Reed Warbler, though a Kingfisher went along Red Barn Ditch and a Sparrowhawk went over. (AH)

Common Sandpiper (above), Little Ringed Plover, Red-legged Partridge, Sparrowhawk & Whitethroat around the Ferry (AH)

Park Farm, Selsey: There were c100 each of House Martin and Swallow plus a handful of Sand Martins, a Kestrel and a Buzzard over the farm this morning, whilst at least 20 Pied Wagtails were still in the fields, with a Willow Warbler in the bushes beside the Farm and another in a bush in the fields. (IP)

Church Norton: There were only two Sandwich Terns on the mud in the harbour this morning, whilst waders numbered at least 100 Dunlin, 12 Ringed Plover, singles of Bar-tailed Godwit (summer plumage), Whimbrel and Grey Plover, a few Turnstones plus the usual Redshank, Oystercatchers and Curlew.

A Garden Warbler was in the bushes beside the horse field and at least two Wheatears were along the Spit, whilst a lone Teal was on the second Several and a Kestrel was hunting nearby. (IP)

North Wall: The Squacco Heron was again showing well off and on throughout the morning, with a minimum of 53 Cattle Egrets in the adjacent field, where a Sparrowhawk flew over, whilst towards Sidlesham Quay a Hobby went over and there was also a Wheatear and two Whimbrel on the saltmarsh.

There were two Yellow Wagtails briefly in the Breech Pool this morning along with a summer-plumaged Spotted Redshank, a Snipe, a Greenshank, a Water Rail, three Pied Wagtails and the regular mix of Redshank, Lapwing, Black-tailed Godwits and Dunlin, while a Kingfisher flew through.

At least 200 Sand Martins and 30 Swallows moved through during the morning, and a Peregrine went high overhead, whilst another Greenshank was in White's Creek, along with a few Redshank and Curlews as well as the lone Mute Swan cygnet, with a Whimbrel out in the harbour.

The Breech Pool held lots of Reed and Sedge Warblers, plus a couple of Reed Buntings, one or two Whitethroats and a flock of Long-tailed Tits were along the wall and the Tamarisk along the edge of the harbour held a flock of c20 Willow Warblers and a few Chiffchaffs. (LP/TG/SP/IH/JDW/AH/S&SaH/BI et al)

Squacco Heron (above), Spotted Redshank, Cattle Egrets, Reed Warbler, Sedge Warbler (AH), Yellow Wagtail, Greenshank, Snipe & Willow Warblers (LP) at the North Wall

Honer Reservoir: The reservoir is very nearly dried out, but a few teal and Mute Swans were on it, with a Grey Wagtail and a couple of Pied Wagtails around the edges. (JDW)

Medmerry: Easton Lane to the Stilt Pool - A Hobby was about again this morning, along with the juvenile Marsh Harrier and three Buzzards and Kestrels, whilst a fairly quiet Stilt pool held four Snipe, five Little Ringed Plovers, three Avocets, five Common Sandpipers, an adult and a juvenile Ringed Plover and 22 Dunlin.

There was plenty of activity along the banks, though, including four Dartford Warblers, seven Yellow Wagtails, two Wheatears, a total of nine Stonechats, including seven juveniles, a Willow Warbler, five Whitethroats, a Meadow Pipit, ten Yellowhammers and three Green Woodpeckers. (S&SaH)

This evening, at least three Barn Owls were sat out  at dusk. (S&SaH)

Barn Owl at Medmerry (AH)

Medmerry: Medmerry Trail to Porthole Farm - It was generally quiet, with 30 Lapwings in Ferry Field, four Whitethroats, two Willow Warblers, a Stonechat, a Green Woodpecker, three Buzzards, two Pied Wagtails and just a single Swallow seen, along with a Jersey Tiger and five Magpie Moths. (SR)

Stonechat (above) & Magpie Moth at Medmerry (SR)

Friday, 5th August: A sunny, but blustery morning, cool early on, but warmer later, in a brisk northerly breeze.......

Selsey Bill: There were a few hirundines about again, but not much of note offshore. Full log below. (SR/AH/IP)

(0645-0800hrs) (N, F4)

Gannet - 3E, 26W, 19os

Common Scoter - 4E

Turnstone - 21

Mediterranean Gull - 1E, 2os

Sandwich Tern - 2E, 1W

Swallow - 6W

Sand Martin - 19W

House Martin - 12

Turnstone (above), Gannet & Mediterranean Gull at the Bill (AH)

Ferry Pool: The two Little Ringed Plovers were at the back this morning, but there was only one Common Sandpiper about, together with 16 Dunlin, c25 Redshanks, c40 Lapwings and c60 Black-tailed Godwits, whilst the Brent Goose and c20 Teal were also present. (AH)

Common Sandpiper (above) & Brent Goose at the Ferry (AH)

East Beach: Four Swifts were over the garden this afternoon, the first reported this month, along with six House Martins. (SR)

North Wall: The Squacco Heron was still present and showing well at Halsey's Farm this morning. (CRJ/EB)

Squacco Heron at the North Wall (EB)

In addition to the Squacco Heron, there was also a Snipe on the Breech Pool this morning, along with 95 Redshank, eight Lapwing, three Black-tailed Godwits, three Pied Wagtails and the Shelduck family, whilst two Wheatears where along the rocks and a Peregrine shot through.

There were a few Reed and Sedge Warblers about, along with a couple of Reed Buntings, and four Buzzards were high over Owl Copse. In Whites Creek there were three Greenshank, a Whimbrel and a few Dunlin, while in the bushes along the edge of the harbour there were a pair of Jays, a Green Woodpecker and a few Chiffchaffs and Willow Warblers. (LP/PC/JDW)

Later, a Wheatear was at Owl Point (SP), and this evening two Green Sandpipers were on the Breech Pool (LP).

Squacco Heron (above), Snipe, Wheatear, Sedge Warbler & Reed Warbler at the North Wall (LP)

Medmerry: Easton Lane to the Stilt Pool - The first Hobby of the autumn shot through this morning, upsetting the 200+ Sand Martins and 50+ Swallows that were spread along the bankside pools, whilst both a Marsh Harrier and a Peregrine went over the Stilt Pool.

Also, the Wood Sandpiper was on the Stilt Pool again, along with at least four Common Sandpipers, a Snipe, three Avocets, two Ringed Plovers, 14 Dunlin, eight Lapwings and four juvenile Gadwall, whilst a Whinchat and up to six Wheatears were around the sea-defence rocks opposite, along with a Meadow Pipit and 20 Linnets.

The banks, though, were generally quiet in the breezy conditions, with just the odd Yellowhammer, Whitethroat and Skylark noted, whilst a couple of Willow Warblers were in the trees near the car-park and a pair of Ravens went over west. (AH)

Later on, in addition to the above, there were also four Yellow Wagtails on the reserve opposite the Stilt Pool, a Dartford Warbler along the banks, a Marsh Harrier out over the reserve and a huge gathering of c1000 Sand Martins on the fences on the main island in the Stilt Pool. (NB)

Wood Sandpiper (above), Common Sandpipers, Raven, Marsh Harrier, Peregrine, Sand Martin, Swallow, Whinchat & Wheatears at Medmerry (AH)

Chichester Canal: There was a Terrapin along the canal this morning. (SaH)

Terrapin (above) & Terrapin and Moorhen along Chichester Canal (SaH)

Medmerry: Porthole Farm - It was quiet this evening, but the Stonechat family and a few Whitethroats and Yellowhammers were along the Medmerry Trail, and several Willow Warblers were among a big, mobile Blue, Great and Long-tailed Tit flock. (AH)

Willow Warbler (above), Stonechat & Whitethroat at Medmerry (AH)

Thursday, 4th August: A fairly bright and breezy morning, warm in the sun, with white cloud pushed through on a freshening north-westerly....

Selsey Bill: There were still c125 Gannets and a few Sandwich Terns among the many gulls offshore, with a few hirundines about, too. Full log below. (SR/AH/IP)

(0645-0815hrs) (NW, F3)

Gannet - 20E, 38W, 125os

Common Scoter - 1W

Dunlin - 3W

Turnstone - 6W, 9 present

Mediterranean Gull - 6W, 15os

Sandwich Tern - 7E, 9W, 1os

Common Tern - 2W

Green Woodpecker - 1

Swallow - 12W

Sand Martin - 2E

House Martin - 31W

Bottle-nosed Dolphin - 1W

(1645-1745hrs) (SH)

Gannet - 12E, 5W

Turnstone - 12

Sandwich Tern - 5E, 16W

Common Tern - 6W

Little Tern - 1W

Sand Martin - 23W

House martin - 12

Sandwich Terns (above), Turnstones & Gannet at the Bill (AH)

Ferry Pool: Two Little Ringed Plovers and three Common Sandpipers were on the pool this morning, together with 16 Dunlin, c25 Redshanks, c50 Lapwings, c80 Black-tailed Godwits, c20 Teal and three juvenile Shelducks, whilst the Greenshank was back in the channel opposite. (AH)

Little Ringed Plover (above), Common Sandpiper, Lapwing & Greenshank at the Ferry (AH)

Church Norton: A Lesser Whitethroat, a couple of Whitethroats and half a dozen Willow Warblers were along the sheltered hedges this morning, and half a dozen Swallows went over, but the harbour was quiet, with just the summer-plumaged Bar-tailed Godwit, a couple of Whimbrel and c20 Dunlin, Ringed Plovers, Redshanks and Curlews seen.

There was also quite a big, but distant, gull flock offshore, with half a dozen Sandwich Terns and 50+ Mediterranean Gulls among them. (AH)

Bar-tailed Godwit (above), Lesser Whitethroat, Whitethroat & Willow Warbler at Church Norton (AH)

North Wall: At Halsey’s Farm the Squacco Heron was again showing well for most of the morning in the rife, whilst a Kingfisher was along the banks and a Wheatear was seen in the fields again. A group of 26 Cattle Egrets and a couple of Little Egrets were in the harbour near their island, a few Swallows and Sand Martins flew over and a Marsh Harrier was further out.

There were four Little Ringed Plovers in the Breech Pool along with two Pied Wagtails, six Lapwing, three Black-tailed Godwits, 11 Dunlin, 18 Redshank and a Greenshank, whilst another Kingfisher was at the sluice and in White's Creek there were a Greenshank and a Whimbrel along with the usual Redshanks, Curlews and Oystercatchers. (LP/PC/JDW/RJS)

Squacco Heron and Little Egret (above), Cattle and Little Egrets & Kingfisher at the North Wall (LP)

Birdham Pool: A flock of c25 Sand Martins were flying above the pool. (SR)

West Itchenor: There were four occupied House Martin nests around the Harbour Office today, with much to-ing and fro-ing and an additional 20 birds flying overhead along with six Swallows.

Along the shore was a flock of 87 Mediterranean Gulls, 52 Black-tailed Godwits, three Curlews and a few Little Egrets, Oystercatchers and Redshank. A flock of Linnets were in the bushes, a Willow Warbler was briefly seen and a Green Woodpecker plus a Buzzard flew overhead. (SR)

House Martin at West Itchenor (SR)

Medmerry: Easton Lane to the Stilt Pool - It looks like the Barn Owls might have reared two young locally, with up to four seen together this evening. There were also c150 Sand Martins and 20 Swallows about, with two Yellow Wagtails, a Wheatear, a Stonechat and six Yellowhammers seen from the banks.

The Wood Sandpiper was still on the Stilt Pool, along with a Green Sandpiper, four Common Sandpipers, two Little Ringed Plovers, a Ringed Plover, five Dunlin, two Snipe, two Avocets, a Redshank and five Black-tailed Godwits. (S&SaH)

Barn Owl at Medmerry (SH)