1st - 3rd August 2022

Wednesday, 3rd August: Another blustery and grey, if very mild, morning in a fresh westerly..........

Selsey Bill: There were huge numbers of Gannets of all ages around this morning, with 425 counted going west and 200 viewable together offshore. A Black-tailed Godwit went west, a Redshank was heard but not seen and two Kittiwakes were among the huge gull feeding flocks, but otherwise it was the usual mix. Full log below. (PB/PM/SR/AH/IP) 

(0630-0830hrs) (WSW, F4-5)

Gannet - 18E, 425W, 200os

Common Scoter - 7W

Oystercatcher - 1E, 1W

Black-tailed Godwit - 1W 

Redshank - 1

Turnstone - 14

Mediterranean Gull - 8E, 54W, 30os

Kittiwake - 2os

Sandwich Tern - 6E, 4W, 4os

Common Tern - 1os

Swift - 1W

Swallow - 13W

Sand Martin - 25W

House Martin - 8

Gannets (above), Sandwich Tern & Mediterranean Gull at the Bill (AH)

Ferry Pool: There were four Common Sandpipers on the pool again this morning, together with an Avocet, a dozen Dunlin and Redshanks, c40 Lapwings, c80 Black-tailed Godwits, 22 Teal and three juvenile Shelducks, plus the lone Brent Goose. (AH)

Common Sandpipers at the Ferry (AH)

North Wall: The Squacco Heron was still around the rife at Halsey's Farm, occasionally showing well, but out of view for long periods, too, with c35 Cattle Egrets, six Little Egrets and two Grey Herons also in the vicinity, whilst and two Buzzards, c30 Sand Martins and c20 Swallows went over.

A  Kingfisher went over the Breech Pool, with another and a Little Grebe near Owl Copse, whilst the pool held two Little Ringed Plovers, a Common Sandpiper, two Black-tailed Godwits, six Dunlin and c30 Redshanks, with at least three juvenile Pied Wagtails and the odd Reed Warbler, Sedge Warbler and Reed Bunting flitting about.

There wasn't much to report from White's Creek, though there were two Greenshanks, a Whimbrel, ten Dunlin and plenty of Curlews and Redshanks about. (PB/PM/AH/LP/CRJ/CT/PC/TG/IH et al)

Squacco Heron (C Dummer top, PM lower), Greenshank, Little Ringed Plover, Common Sandpiper, Whimbrel, Pied Wagtails (AH), Squacco Heron, Common Sandpiper and Little Ringed Plover & Cormorant (LP) at the North Wall

Medmerry: Easton Lane to the Stilt Pool - There were a Green Sandpiper, four Common Sandpipers and 200+ Sand Martins around the Stilt Pool today.
There were also the pair of Ringed Plovers and a juvenile, eight Dunlin and two Avocets on the Stilt Pool, whilst in the channel near the poplars there were three Whimbrel, with a female Marsh Harrier and a Sparrowhawk nearby, and Yellow Wagtails flew over. (PM)

Sand Martin (above) & Common Sandpiper at Medmerry (PM)

Church Norton: All the activity was along the beach and offshore this evening, where there were vast numbers of birds feeding and loafing, including c50 Sandwich Terns and c20 Common Terns (with plenty of juveniles of both species), two Little Terns, c400 Mediterranean Gulls and c100 Black-headed Gulls, whilst up to a dozen Gannets were further out to sea. (AH)

Sandwich Terns (above), Common Terns, Sandwich and Common Terns & Mediterranean Gull at Church Norton (AH)

Tuesday, 2nd August: Another very overcast morning, but warm and muggy despite the fresh westerly breeze, and brightening up later.....

Selsey Bill: An Arctic Skua came as far west as the Mile Basket before retreating east this morning, with otherwise plenty of Gannets and Mediterranean Gulls, but very few terns. Full log below. (SR/AH/IP)

(0650-0805hrs) (W, F4-5)

Gannet - 90W, 12os

Common Scoter - 3E

Oystercatcher - 1E, 1W

Turnstone - 16

Arctic Skua, 1W, then E

Mediterranean Gull - 38W, 22os

Sandwich Tern - 3E, 2W, 3os

(1645-1815hrs) (SH)

Gannet - 14E, 43W

Mediterranean Gull - 11W

Kittiwake - 1W

Sandwich Tern - 27W

Common Tern - 7W

Little Tern - 5W

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

Ferry Pool: The Glossy Ibis flew west over the pool (presumably commuting from Owl Copse to Medmerry) just before 7am this morning.

Otherwise, it was the usual mix, including five Common Sandpipers, c20 Redshank, 15 Dunlin, c40 Lapwings, c80 Black-tailed Godwits, 17 Teal, three juvenile Shelducks and the Brent Goose. (AH/BFF/DM/DIS)

Glossy Ibis (above) & Common Sandpiper at the Ferry (AH)

North Wall: The Squacco Heron was showing well at Halsey's Farm early on before moving further back and dropping out of sight for long periods, and there were also three Kingfishers along the rife, 24 Cattle Egrets, a Grey Heron and a few Little Egrets nearby, while two Kestrels were hunting over the fields.

The Breech Pool held 12 Redshank, nine Dunlin, six Lapwing, three Black-tailed Godwits, three Little Ringed Plovers and, unusually, two Turnstone that dropped in briefly. Another Kingfisher was by the sluice and a Curlew Sandpiper was in Whites Creek, where there was also two Greenshank, six Knot and a Whimbrel, along with five of the juvenile Shelduck who are now flying between the harbour and the Breech Pool. (LP/CT/JDW/BFF/DM/DIS)

Squacco Heron (top DM, next MT, lower three LP) (above), Greenshank & Kingfisher (LP) along the North Wall 

Church Norton: There were a few waders in the harbour this morning, including a Greenshank, a Bar-tailed Godwit, two Black-tailed Godwits, three Whimbrel, c30 Ringed Plovers, c50 Dunlin and c60 Redshanks, but just a single Sandwich Tern was seen, flying over the harbour mouth.

The bushes were devoid of birds, though c100 Swallows, c30 Sand Martins and a couple of House Martins were seen, mainly feeding low over the mud, with a few around the Severals, too, where there were also a couple of Linnets. (AH)

Greenshank (above), Bar-tailed Godwit, Whimbrel, Dunlin, Sand Martin & Linnet at Church Norton (AH)

This evening two Little Terns dropped into the harbour briefly, whilst the summer-plumaged Bar-tailed Godwit was showing well, with four Whimbrel, ten Ringed Plovers and c30 Dunlin also about, along with a dozen Swallows. (AH)

Little Tern (above), Bar-tailed Godwit & Swallow at Church Norton (AH)

Chichester GPs: Ivy Lake complex - Few birds were about in the windy conditions, with just four female-type Common Pochards, two Great Crested Grebes and a a family of newly hatched Coots alongside plenty of adults on the lakes by the entrance to the holiday village.

Two Kingfishers flew across Deep Lake, where a Great Crested Grebe was with a well grown juvenile, a Whitethroat and a Reed Warbler were briefly seen and a Great Spotted Woodpecker was about.

Ivy Lake held a Black Swan, a Common Tern, c75 Sand Martins feeding low over the water alongside a few House Martins and Swallows, an Egyptian Goose, 18 Greylag Geese with 4 goslings and c40 Tufted Ducks, whilst a Blackcap was heard in the hedges. (SR)

Common Tern at Ivy Lake (SR)

Monday, 1st August: A warm and humid morning under heavy skies, and with just a light south-easterly breeze.....

Selsey Bill: Four Common Terns were among the Sandwich Terns on the shingle bar, whilst the flock of eight Common Scoter were again sat on the sea. Full log below. (SR/AH/IP)

(0645-0815hrs) (SE, F1-2)

Gannet - 18E, 4W, 4os

Common Scoter - 8os

Ringed Plover - 1E

Dunlin - 1

Turnstone - 4E, 7W, 18 present

Mediterranean Gull - 13os

Sandwich Tern - 15E, 10W, 17os

Common Tern - 4os

Swift - 4

Swallow - 3E, 2W

Sand Martin - 3E, 3W

House Martin - 4

Pied Wagtail - 2E

Sandwich Tern (above) & Mediterranean Gull at the Bill (AH)

Ferry Pool: Two Common Sandpiper were at the back this morning, but otherwise there was just the usual mix, including c75 Black-tailed Godwits, six Redshanks, four Dunlin, c40 Lapwings, 12 Teal and six juvenile Shelducks.

Also, a Kingfisher flew through, a Reed Warbler was in the roadside reeds, a couple of Whitethroats, a Blackcap and a Willow Warbler were in the adjacent hedges, the Greenshank and a Whimbrel were in the channel opposite and c20 Swallows and ten Sand Martins went over. (AH)

Also of note, a probable Wall Lizard was seen near the Visitor Centre recently. (RS)

Greenshank (above), Blackcap, Reed Warbler (AH) & probable Wall Lizard (RS) at the Ferry

Long Pool: It was quiet along the hedges, with just a Willow warbler, a Reed Bunting and a few Whitethroats and Linnets seen, with a handful of Reed Warblers in the reeds, whilst three Whimbrel and c50 Redshank were in Ferry Channel. (AH)

Whitethroat (above) & Whimbrel at the North Wall (AH)

North Wall: The Squacco Heron was still favouring the rife at Halsey's Farm, but was generally elusive, whilst up to 60 Cattle Egrets were spread around the adjacent fields and the harbour.

A Wheatear was in the fields at Owl Point and a couple of Cetti's Warblers and plenty of Reed Warblers were about, but the bushes were quiet. Also, eight Swifts and 100+ hirundines, including Swallows, Sand and House Martins went over and a Kingfisher flew by.

Two Greenshank and a Whimbrel, along with 50+ Redshanks, were in White's Creek, whilst the Breech Pool held five Little Ringed Plovers, a dozen Dunlin and Lapwings and a couple of Black-tailed Godwits. (BFF/LP/AH et al)

Late this evening the Glossy Ibis flew into roost in Owl Copse. (per Birdguides)

Squacco Heron (above), Cattle Egrets, Greenshank, Little Ringed Plovers & Whimbrel at the North Wall (AH)

The Squacco Heron was sitting above the rife at Halsey's Farm early this afternoon, before dropping into the rife, whilst in the the nearby fields there were two Buzzards, a Sparrowhawk and a hunting Kestrel. (GHi)

Squacco Heron and Little Egret (GHi) (above) & Squacco Heron (P Dennis) at the North Wall

West Itchenor: A flock of six Yellow Wagtails were on the saltmarsh next to the boatyard this afternoon, with c150 House Martins and Swallows feeding overhead. (PH)

Fishbourne Creek: There were ten Greenshanks and nine Whimbrel along the creek today. (SM)

Medmerry: Easton Lane to the Stilt Pool - The Wood Sandpiper and two Green Sandpipers were still on the Stilt Pool this evening,, together with at least six Common Sandpipers, two Snipe, four Avocets, a Little Ringed Plover and the adult Ringed Plover with its well grown chick.

The banks were fairly busy, with three Dartford Warblers, the Corn Bunting and a Yellow Wagtail seen, along with a Reed Warbler, two Whitethroats, two Cetti's Warblers, four Stonechats, ten Yellowhammers and four Green Woodpeckers seen, with c200 Sand Martins, c50 House Martins,  c20 Swallows and four Swifts overhead.

Also, five Cattle Egrets flew over west, two Whimbrel and two Greenshank were by the poplars and a Marsh Harrier was out over the reserve.

Also, three Barn Owls were reported as seen together by visiting birders, suggesting successful breeding in the vicinity. (BFF/S&SaH)

Of interest: Ringed Black-tailed Godwit (limosa):

Colourcode: Date Ringing site: Wommels, Zuidhoeksterpolder, Slachtedyk Name Ringer: Rienk Jelle Hibma Ringing Date: 30-5-2022 The Netherlands 53.09639 N 5.56361 E Ringnr: 2517597 Name 2nd Ringer: Murk Nijdam Age (in days; 50 = juv.; 99 = ad.): 22

So, born In Netherlands, on our patch by mid-July and Trimley soon after (with thanks to Ed Stubbs):

17-7-2022 Pagham, Pagham Harbour, Breech Pool, North Wall 50.773 N -0.759 W United Kingdom Trevor Guy 

17-7-2022 Pagham, Pagham Harbour, Breech Pool, North Wall 50.773 N -0.759 W United Kingdom Sam Jones 

19-7-2022 Trimley, Trimley Marshes 51.975 N 1.285 E United Kingdom Nigel Odin 

24-7-2022 Trimley, Trimley Marshes 51.975 N 1.285 E United Kingdom David Fairhurst