1st - 3rd September 2022

Saturday, 3rd September: A morning that started of grey and quite still and ended up bright and breezy, with some black clouds and squally rain in between. .........

Selsey Bill: A Marsh Harrier going east offshore was the best bird, though 31 Yellow Wagtails and two Common Sandpipers east were also notable, as was a Common Tern west. Full log below. (SH/PB/PM/BI/SR/AH/IP/P&LH)

(0600-0900hrs) (S, F2)

Gannet - 51E, 30W

Grey Heron - 1W

Common Scoter - 10E

Marsh Harrier - 1E

Peregrine - 1

Common Sandpiper - 2E

Turnstone - 2

Mediterranean Gull - 4E, 1W

Sandwich Tern - 30E, 9W

Common Tern - 1W

Great Spotted Woodpecker - 2

Swallow - 125E

Sand Martin - 135E

House Martin - 5

Yellow Wagtail - 31E

Grey Wagtail - 3E

Marsh Harrier (SH) (above), Common Scoters, Sandwich Tern, Mediterranean Gull & House Martin (AH) at the Bill

(1700-1800hrs) (SH/AH)
Gannet - 4E, 7W, 3os
Wigeon - 8W
Turnstone - 3
Mediterranean Gull - 1W
Sandwich Tern - 1E, 1W
auk sp - 1W

Gannet at the Bill (AH)

Ferry Pool: Three Dunlin were the only small waders present, with otherwise just c30 Lapwings, c50 Black-tailed Godwits, c100 Teal, four Shelducks and the Brent Goose, whilst two Whitethroats were in the adjacent bushes and five Sand Martins and a Swallow went over east. (AH)

Whitethroat (above) & Black-tailed Godwit at the Ferry (AH)

This evening there were six Spotted Redshanks on the pool. (AH)

Spotted Redshanks on the Ferry (AH)

Park Farm, Selsey: Around 70 Swallows, five House Martins and a Sand Martin went over, whilst a Wheatear, two Pied Wagtails and a Sparrowhawk were around the fields. (IP)

Church Norton: Two Little Stints on the mud and a Greenshank that flew over the spit and headed out to sea were the best waders, with just two Grey Plovers, 20 Ringed Plovers and at least 200 Dunlin also seen, whilst a Wheatear on the concrete blocks and a Swift and a Grey Wagtail over the Severals were the only migrant passerines seen.

Elsewhere, c30 Teal and four Black-tailed Godwits were on the second Several, with three more of the latter seen flying west over Park Copse, whilst a Bar-tailed Godwit, a Turnstone and c50 Mediterranean Gulls were on the beach at low tide, and Green and Great Spotted Woodpeckers, Kestrel and Buzzard were all noted, too. (IP/BI/PB/PM)

North Wall: Two Curlew Sandpipers and three Greenshanks were in White's Creek this morning, along with 17 Grey Plovers, c100 Ringed Plovers, c40 Wigeon that flew in to join the many Teal present and c50 Canada Geese, whilst a Kingfisher was by the sluice and a steady passage of Swallows, plus a few Sand Martins going over.

Just a few Lapwings, Teal and Canada Geese were on the Breech Pool, with a Reed Bunting and a Cetti's Warbler nearby, whilst at Halsey's Farm and Owl Point there were a Redstart, two Whinchats, two Wheatears and a Chiffchaff, with 20 or so Swallows, Sand Martins and House Martins going over. (SP/S&SaH/AHu)

Curlew Sandpipers at the North Wall (AHu)

Medmerry: Easton Lane to the Stilt Pool - A Great White Egret was seen out on the reserve from the first viewpoint (P&JW), and an Osprey was roosting on the dead trees towards Ham this morning, whilst four Cattle Egrets went over west, a Marsh Harrier was out hunting and a Buzzard and several Kestrels were also seen.

Four Corn Buntings and half a dozen Yellowhammers were around their favoured bushes, with a few more of the latter and half a dozen Whitethroats, plus a Willow Warbler, were spread along the otherwise quiet banks, whilst up to 100 Swallows, 50 House Martins and a handful of Sand Martins went over, as did a Raven.

The Stilt Pool held c200 Canada Geese and a few other assorted wildfowl, including two Egyptian Geese, with four Common Sandpipers the only waders, whilst five Wheatears, a Meadow Pipit and a Linnet were along the rocks and beach, with two Sandwich Terns offshore. (AH/AHu/P&JW et al)

The Osprey was still sat out this afternoon, whilst seven Wheatears, ten Meadow Pipits and c100 Yellow Wagtails were around the saltmarsh by the rocks, with c50 Sand Martins and c20 Swallows going over. There were also four Kestrels about and a Common Sandpiper on the Stilt Pool. (S&SaH/EB)

Osprey (above), Marsh Harrier, Cattle Egrets, Corn Buntings, Whitethroats (AH),  Wheatear (AHu) & Kestrels (EB) at Medmerry

East Head: An Arctic Skua put up a flock of c50 Sandwich Terns on the sandbar just off the beach this afternoon, before it flew east along the beach then out to sea where it landed about a quarter of a mile out. (A Roberts)

Fishbourne Creek: There were 14 Greenshanks and a Yellow-legged Gull in the creek this morning, along with a Grey Wagtail, 53 Mute Swans and many Black-tailed Godwits and Redshanks. (AHu/ A Roberts)

Yellow-legged Gull at Fishbourne Creek (AHu)

Friday, 2nd September: The easterly wind finally subsided through the morning, leaving a very overcast, but mild and muggy morning in just a light north-westerly breeze....

Selsey Bill: Three Yellow Wagtails and a few Swallows went east this morning, with Gannets and Sandwich Terns being the most prominent species offshore in a quiet morning. Full log below. (BI/SR/IP/AH) 

(0645-0815hrs) (E, F3)

Gannet - 52E, 24W, 8os

Common Scoter - 1E, 4W

Turnstone - 10

Mediterranean Gull - 11E

Sandwich Tern - 21E

Swallow - 44E

Yellow Wagtail - 3E

Common Seal - 2os

Gannet (above) & Turnstone at the Bill (AH)

Ferry Pool: A Common Sandpiper and three Dunlin were the only small waders present this morning, with otherwise just the usual c40 Black-tailed Godwits, c80 Lapwings, c150 Teal, five Shelducks and the Brent Goose present. (AH)

Common Sandpiper at the Ferry (AH)

North Wall: A juvenile Curlew Sandpiper was at the far end of White's Creek this morning, whilst a near-adult Yellow-legged Gull - the first of the year here, for a formerly regular summer visitor to this area of the harbour - was out on the mud. (OM)

A Spotted Flycatcher was in the garden at Little Welbourne this morning and a Greenshank, a Common Sandpiper, a Whimbrel, 12 Wigeon and a Kingfisher were in White's Creek with a few Grey Plovers, Dunlin and Ringed Plovers out on the mud along with four Pintail and five Shelduck.

A pair of Tufted Ducks were on the Breech Pool with two Black-tailed Godwits, five Lapwing and 20 Teal, while two Wheatears were along the Wall and eight Whitethroats, two Lesser Whitethroats, a Reed Warbler, a Blackcap, at least three Willow Warblers and two Great Spotted Woodpeckers were in the hedgerows.

Another Kingfisher was at Halsey’s Farm, where c30 Yellow Wagtails were around the cows and two Wheatears and a Redstart were around the fences, with a few Swallows and House Martins overhead and two Buzzards in the trees. (OM/LP/CT)

Yellow-legged Gull (OM), Redstart, Wheatears, Lesser Whitethroat & Tufted Duck (LP) at the North Wall

This evening a male Redstart and three Wheatears were in the fields at Owl Point, with further single Wheatears along the wall and in the paddocks, whilst at least 30 Yellow Wagtails were in Honer 1 field with the cows, and c80 Sand Martins were over the Breech Pool, but otherwise it was very quiet. (AH/SP et al)

Redstart (above), Wheatear & Yellow Wagtails at the North Wall (AH)

Park Farm, Selsey: This evening there were four Wheatears on the fields, with four SAnd Mrtins and three House Martins overhead. (S&SaH)

Medmerry: Easton Lane to the Stilt Pool - An Osprey was over the reserve this morning (BI), and one was present again this evening, along with three Barn Owls, a Marsh Harrier, a Grey Partridge and a Kingfisher (PB/MB).

Church Norton: Around 40 Pintail dropped into the main channel briefly, before departing south, but the harbour was fairly quiet beyond a couple of Whimbrel, half a dozen Grey Plovers and a few Ringed Plovers and Dunlin, though a juvenile Peregrine was sat on the fences on Tern Island.

Three or four Spotted Flycatchers were around the hide/churchyard area, along with half a dozen Blackcaps and two or three Lesser Whitethroats, whilst a Wheatear was along the spit, another Spotted Flycatcher was in the orchard at Greenlease Farm  and a Reed Warbler and half a dozen Whitethroats were along the Severals, with c40 Swallows going over east. (AH/CS)

Spotted Flycatcher (above), Lesser Whitethroat, Blackcap, Reed Warbler, Whitethroat, Wheatear, Peregrine, Grey Plover, Whimbrel & Pintails at Church Norton (AH)

Thursday, 1st September: Another very blustery, if mild, morning, with a fresh north-easterly pushing through lots of fast moving cloud....

Selsey Bill: There were still plenty of Sandwich Terns and Gannets about, but not too much else of note. Full log below. (SR/AH/IP/P&LH)

(0650-0835hrs) (NE, F4)

Gannet - 26E, 20W, 93os

Teal - 4E

Common Scoter - 2E, 2W

Oystercatcher - 1E, 3W

Turnstone - 1W

Mediterranean Gull - 9E

Sandwich Tern - 71E

Swallow - 2E

House Martin - 4E

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

Ferry Pool: Two Dunlin were the only small waders present, with otherwise c60 Black-tailed Godwits and Lapwings, ten Shovelers, c150 Teal, five Shelducks and the Brent Goose. (AH)

Later on, an Osprey was seen from the Tramway fishing over the harbour. (P&LH)

Shovelers (above) & Lapwings and Teal (AH) & Dunlin (P&LH) at the Ferry

This evening there were four Spotted Redshanks on the pool. (AH)

Spotted Redshanks on the Ferry (AH)

Church Norton: A Curlew Sandpiper was on the mud his morning off the benches, along with c60 Dunlin, c40 Ringed Plovers, c20 Grey Plovers, c80 Redshanks, two Whimbrels, two Knot and c20 Curlews, with 32 Wigeon also present and a single Swallow going over east, whilst two Wheatears and two Clouded Yellows were along the spit.

The bushes remain quiet, with just a Lesser Whitethroat and a Blackcap by the Mound, a Mistle Thrush along Rectory Lane, two Spotted Flycatchers in the churchyard and a Sparrowhawk in the car-park, whilst Yellow Wagtails went over there and 35 Swallows and two Sand Martins went over Greenlease Farm. (AH/P&LH)

Curlew Sandpiper (above), Whimbrel, Grey Plover, Dunlin and Ringed Plover, Lesser Whitethroat & Sparrowhawk (AH) & Clouded Yellows (P&LH) at Church Norton 

Two of the four Grey Plovers in the harbour this evening were an apparent parent bird and juvenile together - an unusual site in the harbour. (SR)

Grey Plovers at Church Norton (SR)

North Wall: The regular Greenshank was in White's Creek this morning, along with a Common Sandpiper, four Wigeon and two Kingfishers, with another Kingfisher at Owl Water.

At Halsey’s Farm there were two Whinchats on the fences, but the hedges were quiet, with just a Blackcap, a Common Whitethroat and a Lesser Whitethroat present, whilst about 30 Yellow Wagtails were with the cows in Honer 1, and a Wheatear was along the wall, but the Breech Pool held just a couple of Lapwing and a few Teal.

Later on, an Osprey was sat out in the harbour, viewable from the wall. (LP/PC/KT)

Whinchat (above), Wheatear, Yellow Wagtail, Lesser Whitethroat, Kingfisher, Greenshank & Common Sandpiper at the North Wall (LP)

Medmerry: Easton Lane to the Stilt Pool - An Osprey was on the reserve again his evening, along with two Kestrels, seven Egyptian Geese, a Greenshank and a Kingfisher, whilst three Wheatears, seven Whinchats, a Stonechat and seven Yellowhammers were along the banks and c150 Sand Martins and ten Swallows wen over. (S&SaH)