10th - 12th September 2022

Monday, 12th September: A fairly warm and mostly sunny morning in a light to moderate southerly breeze.........

Selsey Bill: A much quieter morning, though still nearly 200 Swallows and 11 Shags went east and an Arctic Skua and a Bonxie were seen offshore. Full log below. (SR/KT/AH/IP/JA/P&LH)

(0630-0900hrs) (SSW, F3-4)

Fulmar - 1W

Gannet - 6E, 76W

Shag - 11E

Little Egret - 1W

Wigeon - 2E

Common Scoter - 10E

Oystercatcher - 3W

Turnstone - 8

Great Skua - 1os

Arctic Skua - 1os

Mediterranean Gull - 6E, 1os

Sandwich Tern - 2E, 2W, 22os

Common Tern - 2os

Swallow - 197E

Sand Martin - 2E

House Martin - 10E

Grey Wagtail - 4E

Meadow Pipit - 4W

Wheatear - 1

Linnet - 2E

Shags (above), Gannet, Grey Wagtail, Sand Martin & Swallow at the Bill (AH)

Ferry Pool: Shoveler numbers were up to at least 30 this morning, along with c120 Teal, five Shelducks and the Brent Goose, but waders were restricted to 45 Black-tailed Godwits and c80 Lapwings, with a Spotted Redshank in the channel opposite. (AH)

Black-tailed Godwit (above) & Shoveler and Shelduck on the Ferry (AH)

This evening there were three Spotted Redshanks feeding together along the channel opposite. (AH)

Spotted Redshanks & Spotted Redshanks and Wigeon at the Ferry (AH)

Medmerry: Ham Farm - The Glossy Ibis was in stubble fields near the farm buildings this afternoon, with a Marsh Harrier, two Whinchats, four Stonechats and a few Yellowhammers also in the area. (CRJ)

Glossy Ibis at Medmerry (CRJ)

Medmerry: Easton Lane to the Stilt Pool - This evening the banks and fields held a good selection, including two Whinchats, four Wheatears, seven Stonechats, a Yellow Wagtail, four Cetti's Warblers, two Corn Buntings, three Yellowhammers and 14 Meadow Pipits, plus four Kestrels over, whilst a Common Sandpiper was the only wader on the Stilt Pool. (S&SaH)

West Itchenor: There were up to six Curlew Sandpipers on the mud off Itchenor Jetty this morning. (PH)

Church Norton: A Short-eared Owl flew down the east side and dropped in on the spit this morning, and was later seen flying from the spit into the harbour, whilst a young Peregrine put on a good show in the harbour and a Sparrowhawk was behind the hide.

There were a few migrants about, too, including a Redstart and couple of Spotted Flycatchers and Blackcaps behind the hide, half a dozen Blackcaps and a couple of Willow Warblers along the path to the harbour, with another Redstart, a Whinchat , a Stonechat and a couple of Whitethroats around the horse field, with a Wheatear, together with a Kingfisher, on the metalwork in the harbour.

A Greenshank and a Whimbrel were the best of the waders, beyond the regulars, whilst there was a steady stream of 300+ Swallows, with a handful of Sand Martins and House Martins among them, going over. 

There was also, sadly, a very sickly-looking Gannet sat out in the harbour, just off the path to the beach. (AH/KT/P&LH)

Short-eared Owl (above), Peregrine, Sparrowhawk, Greenshank, Gannet, Spotted Flycatcher, Blackcap & Whitethroat at Church Norton (AH)

North Wall: Two Grey Wagtails were by the sluice this morning and a Kingfisher flew down White's Creek, where there were 26 Black-tailed Godwits, 42 Lapwing, two Greenshanks, 12 Grey Plover, a Knot, 50 Dunlin, lots of Wigeon and Teal and a few Pintails, along with a Lesser Black-backed Gull and the usual Redshank, Curlew and Oystercatchers.

A pair of Jays flew over the wall, and a dozen Blackcaps, a Reed Warbler, two Sedge Warblers, , two Whitethroats, a couple of Chiffchaffs and up to seven calling Cetti’s Warbler and were in the bushes, along with ten Long-tailed Tits, but the Breech Pool was again empty of birds, though overhead there were c200 mostly House Martins with a few Swallows and Sand Martins and further back there were two Kestrels and two Buzzards.

Also, 15 Cattle Egrets came out of Owl Copse early on, a lone Bar-tailed Godwit was feeding in Honer 1 field and there were a Sparrowhawk and two Green Woodpeckers nearby. (LP/PB)

Grey Wagtail (above), Knot, Grey Plovers & Greenshank at the North Wall (LP)

Sunday, 11th September: Another nice morning's weather, with the breeze still light, but backing to the south-east and warm in the mix of sun and cloud........

Selsey Bill: Another busy morning, dominated by hirundine passage - primarily Swallows - with a constant flow of eastward birds all morning. Otherwise, a Merlin came in off the sea, the first two Brent Geese of the autumn went west and a dozen or so Wheatears were along the beach. Full log below. (SH/PB/AGB/PM/BI/SR/IP/AH/CN/JA/CRJ/RJS et al)

(0600-0930hrs) (NE, then SE, F2)

Great Crested Grebe - 1E

Gannet - 7E, 36W

Brent Goose - 2W

Shelduck - 8E

Wigeon - 6E, 44W

Teal - 35W

Pintail - 4E

Common Scoter - 2E, 9W

Merlin - 1N

Oystercatcher - 5W

Sanderling - 5E

Dunlin - 1E, 6W

Bar-tailed Godwit - 1W

Turnstone - 18

Mediterranean Gull - 3os

Sandwich Tern - 34os

Common Tern - 2W

Swift - 1E

Swallow - 3088E

Sand Martin - 464E

House Martin - 356E

Yellow Wagtail - 28E

Meadow Pipit - 80N

Wheatear - 14

Whitethroat - 1

Clouded Yellow - 1

Merlin PM) (above), Wheatears (upper - PM, lower - AH), Yellow Wagtails, Swift, Swallow (AH), House Martin, House Martins and Sand Martin & a good gathering of 'vis-miggers' (SR) at the Bill

Ferry Pool: A Glossy Ibis (presumably the one earlier seen at the North Wall - see below) was briefly on the pool at 1215hrs, but was not there a little later.

Otherwise, there were four Spotted Redshank, a Green Sandpiper and a Common Sandpiper present among c40 Black-tailed Godwits, c100 Lapwing, ten Shovelers, five Wigeon, c60, five Shelducks, a Common Gull and the Brent Goose.

Also, there were three Whinchats and two Stonechats on the field, a Kingfisher and a few Swallows flew through and c700 Starlings were on the wires at the back. (AH/PB/AGB/GM/GHi et al)

Glossy Ibis (GHi) (above) & Spotted Redshanks and Shovelers (AH) at the Ferry

North Wall: A Glossy Ibis was showing well in White's Creek this morning, along with two Curlew Sandpipers, two Greenshank, 24 Black-tailed Godwits, eight Dunlin, four Grey Plovers, lots of Teal and Wigeon and a few Pintail.

A Spotted Flycatcher was still at Little Welbourne, a Jay was in the paddock, a Kingfisher was around the sluice and two Cetti’s Warblers, a Sedge Warbler, a Willow Warbler and a Chiffchaff were in the bushes, whilst six Wheatears were along the wall and two Pied Wagtails flew over. (LP/SP/PC)

Glossy Ibis (above), Curlew Sandpipers, Sedge Warbler, Chiffchaff & Cetti's Warbler at the North Wall (LP)

Park Farm, Selsey: There was a good selection along Park Lane this morning, including a Reed Warbler, a Garden Warbler, a Spotted Flycatcher, a Sparrowhawk and a Kestrel and a minimum of seven Common Buzzards, and there was also a Goldcrest in Park Copse. (IP/CN)

Spotted Flycatcher at Park Farm, Selsey (IP)

Church Norton: An Osprey was hunting over he harbour at high tide this morning, as was a Peregrine, whilst three Curlew Sandpipers were on the mud, along with a Greenshank, a Whimbrel, two Knot, two Avocets and plenty of the regular species, including ten Pintail and 19 Wigeon, with a Sandeling seen along the beach, too.

Five Brent Geese went west over the harbour, whilst a Common Gull and two Sandwich Terns were sitting out, with another  15 went west offshore.

Two Redstarts, a Lesser Whitethroat, two Whinchats and two Green Woodpeckers were around the Severals and four Wheatears were along the spit.. (PM/IP/CN/CMM et al)

Osprey (above), Peregrine, Brent Geese, Redstart & Whinchat at Church Norton (PM)

This evening the Curlew Sandpipers were showing well, along with c30 Grey Plovers and 50+ Dunlin and Ringed Plovers. (AH)

Curlew Sandpiper (above), Curlew Sandpipers, Dunlin and Ringed Plovers & Grey Plover and Redshank at Church Norton (AH)

Medmerry: Easton Lane to the Stilt Pools - A Merlin, a Red Kite, a Peregrine,  and two Marsh Harriers, along with two Sparrowhawks, four Kestrels and eight Buzzards were all seen over the reserve this morning, with the elusive Great White Egret seen distantly on the far side and three Cattle Egrets with the cows.

At least four Whinchats, four Stonechats and eight Wheatears were along the fences, with a few Yellow Wagtails, a Grey Wagtail and c50 Meadow Pipits in the fields, whilst the banks held a Corn Bunting, a pair of Reed Buntings, a handful of Yellowhammers and Whitethroats and 50+ Linnets, with at least 500 Swallows and a few Sand Martins and House Martins, plus two Swifts, over east.

Three Common Sandpipers and a Green Sandpiper, plus a handful of Lapwings, were the only waders on the Stilt Pool, that was dominated by c400 Canada Geese, with nine Egyptian Geese and two Greylag Geese among them, though there were also in excess of 100 Teal and a dozen Wigeon. (AH/NS/GT/HB/S&SaH et al)

Marsh Harriers (above), Whinchat, Stonechat, Common Sandpiper, Swallow & Egyptian Geese at Medmerry (AH)

Sidlesham: A probable/possible Honey-buzzard went over the garden at lunchtime today. See bad pics below - comments welcome! (AH)

probable/possible Honey-buzzard over a Sidlesham garden (AH)

Saturday, 10th September: A pleasantly autumnal morning, with some warm sun and some heavy cloud, in a fairly light north-westerly breeze....

Selsey Bill: A very interesting morning, with a wide variety of species, including some scarce ones, with the highlights being a Honey-buzzard and an Osprey over, two Spoonbills that briefly settled to feed at the Mile Basket, a Balearic Shearwater, six Black Terns and four Purple Sandpipers west and six Egyptian Geese and nine Black-tailed Godwits (both rare at the Bill) east, along with a big flock of Sandwich Terns offshore and plenty of 'vis-mig' activity. Full log below. (SH/PB/BI/SR/AH/IP/P&LH/JA/CRJ)

(0600-1000hrs) (NW, F3)

Balearic Shearwater - 1W

Gannet - 9E, 15W

Shag - 3E

Spoonbill - 2os, then E

Grey Heron - 1E

Little Egret - 1W

Brent Goose - 1E

Egyptian Goose - 6E

Common Scoter - 3E, 12W

Osprey - 1W

Honey-buzzard - 1N (0950hrs)

Sparrowhawk - 1

Black-tailed Godwit - 9E

Purple Sandpiper - 4W

Turnstone - 20

Mediterranean Gull - 3os

Sandwich Tern - 72os

Black Tern - 6W, 1os

Skylark - 1W

Swallow - 37E, 322W

Sand Martin - 81W

House Martin - 162W

Yellow Wagtail - 34W

Grey Wagtail - 15W

Pied Wagtail - 1W

Meadow Pipit - 121W, 25N

Wheatear - 2

Willow Warbler - 3

Bottle-nosed Dolphin - 4os

Grey Seal - 1os

(1510-1645hrs) (P&LH)

Gannet - 24W

Shag - 1W

Little Egret - 1

Mute Swan - 1W

Common Scoter - 3E

Sparrowhawk - 1

Dunlin - 4W

Mediterranean Gull - 1os

Sandwich Tern - 29os

Swallow - 8

Osprey (above), Egyptian Geese, Shags, Sandwich Terns, Swallow & Meadow Pipit at the Bill (AH)

Ferry Pool: A Spotted Redshank and a Green Sandpiper were on the pool this morning along with c50 Black-tailed Godwits and Lapwings, only c30 Teal, four Shovelers and six Shelducks, but no Brent Goose for the first time in a while.

There were also a Spotted Flycatcher and a Cetti's Warbler in the adjacent bushes, with another Spotted Flycatcher and a Willow Warbler by the Visitor Centre and a Grey Wagtail and c50 Swallows went over west. (AH/RP et al)

Later, around the field and Tramway, there were a Redstart, nine Whinchats and four Stonechats, whilst three Spotted Redshanks and three Avocets were on  the pool. (J McCullum Stewart)

Spotted Flycatcher (above) & Spotted Redshank at the Ferry (AH)

Park Farm, Selsey: On the approach path from Manor Lane there were two Grey Wagtails in the puddles and a male Blackcap was also present, whilst three Yellow Wagtails and a Pied Wagtail were over the fields along with 40 Meadow Pipits. (IP)

East Beach: Two Swifts and a Sparrowhawk were over the garden this afternoon, but thankfully not at the same time! (SR)

North Wall: A Honey-buzzard, presumably the Bill bird,  went north-west over Owl Point at 1015hrs this morning. There were also four Whinchats, three Willow Warblers and a Wheatear along the quay path. (BI)

Also, a Grey Wagtail was by the sluice, a Kingfisher flew down the creek and four Wheatears and two Pied Wagtails were along the wall, while a Spotted Flycatcher was at Little Welbourne and moving through the bushes there was a flock of 12 Long-tailed Tits, a Blackcap, a Lesser Whitethroat, a Common Whitethroat and two Sedge Warblers, with a Great Spotted Woodpecker at Owl Copse.

At Halsey’s Farm there were two Spotted Flycatchers, two Whinchats, and a Redstart, with a Kingfisher along the rife and four Cattle Egrets and c50 Yellow Wagtails around the cows, but the Breech Pool is now full again but there was just a Cormorant there, while there was a constant stream of Swallows and House Martins, with a few Sand Martins among them, overhead. (LP/SP)

This evening four Spotted Flycatchers were in the garden at Little Welbourne. (SP)

Wheatear (above), Kingfisher & Great Spotted Woodpecker along the North Wall (LP)

East Side: It was busy down the East side with increasing numbers of wildfowl and waders spread along the channel, including 150 Wigeon, 100 Teal, 30 Pintail, 12 Gadwall, 20 Canada Geese, 100 Dunlin, 20 Ringed Plover, 12 Grey Plover, a Golden Plover, three Avocets, 24 Black-tailed Godwits and four Greenshanks, while a couple of Willow Warblers were in the trees behind. (LP)

Also, later on, (and viewed distantly from the Tramway) there were three Little Terns and four Sandwich Terns fishing along the east side of the harbour. (P&LH)

Golden Plover (above), Avocets, Wigeon and Teal & Pintail and Wigeon along the East side (LP)

Medmerry: Easton Lane to the Stilt Pool - A look as far as Marsh Barn late this morning produced an Osprey and a Marsh Harrier out on the reserve, along with two Buzzards and three Kestrels, but a Whitethroat was the only migrant seen beside c100 Swallows and Sand Martins and c50 House Martins. (S&SaH)

This afternoon there were two Marsh Harriers, but no Osprey, along with three Kestrels, whilst he banks held two Whinchats, nine Wheatears, three Yellow Wagtails, two Yellowhammers and c40 Meadow Pipits and the Stilt Pool just held eight Egyptian Geese. (S&SaH)

Church Norton: A Turtle Dove was in the trees at the back of the horse field for an hour this morning. (CRJ)

Otherwise, there seemed to have been a big clear-out behind the hide, with just a Spotted Flycatcher and a couple of Blackcaps seen, though there were up to ten Wheatears spread along the beach, with a juvenile Stonechat and a Lesser Whitethroat at the Severals and at least 1000 Swallows and 200 House Martins and a few Sand Martins spread across the harbour and adjacent areas, many drifting through west.

The harbour was fairly quiet, though a Little Stint was with c50 Dunlin, and there were also a Greenshank, a Whimbrel and a few Grey Plovers about, along with c25 Pintail, with two Mash Harriers, a Peregrine and two Sparrowhawks also noted.

There were also a Wigeon among 40 Teal in the harbour, a couple of Kingfishers and eight Buzzards about, whilst a Gannet and nine Sandwich Terns went west offshore.(AH/TSn/IP et al)

 

Spotted Flycatcher (above), Blackcap, House Martin, Whimbrel & Grey Plover at Church Norton (AH)

There seemed to be a few more migrants around early in the afternoon including six Wheatears, five Whinchats, a Redstart, a Sedge Warbler, two Lesser Whitethroats and two Spotted Flycatchers. (KBr)

This evening there were four Spotted Flycatchers and a Redstart in the churchyard, along with half a dozen Chiffchaffs and Long-tailed Tits, with at least two more Spotted Flycatchers behind the hide.

Another Redstart, at least flour Whinchats, three Stonechats and half a dozen Whitethroats were around the horse field and first Several, with two more Whinchats and up to eight Wheatears along the spit.

The harbour was quiet, beyond a Curlew Sandpiper, six Knot, c40 Dunlin and a Whimbrel, whilst 50+Swallows and 20+ Sand Martins went over. (AW/AH/CN)

Redstart (above), Spotted Flycatchers (AW), Whinchats (AW -above, AH - lower), Stonechat, Chiffchaff, Whitethroat, Long-tailed Tit, Curlew Sandpiper and Dunlin & Knot (AH) at Church Norton