25th - 27th September 2022

Tuesday, 27th September: A mostly bright, but chilly, morning, with some showers moving through on a brisk north-westerly breeze........

Selsey Bill: There wasn't much on the move, though 28 Sandwich Terns were lingering offshore this morning. Full log below. (IP/AH)

(0720-0835hrs) (NW, F5)

Gannet - 4W

Shag - 2E

Common Scoter - 2E

Kestrel - 1

Oystercatcher - 1W

Turnstone - 24

Mediterranean Gull - 1W, 8os

Common Gull - 1os

Sandwich Tern - 28os

Swallow - 2W

Meadow Pipit - 33W

Pied Wagtail - 6W

Linnet - 14W

Sandwich Terns at the Bill (AH)

Ferry Pool: Just the lone Brent Goose and 38 Lapwings were on the pool this morning, with the channel opposite devoid of birds, too. (AH)

Medmerry: Earnley - The first-winter Red-backed Shrike was showing well again this morning, in and around the RDSPB car-park. (BFF/GWh et al)

Red-backed Shrike at Medmerry (BFF)

Church Norton: The Wryneck was still present his morning, though only showing sporadically along the front of the Severals.

Otherwise, it was quiet, with just a scattering of Chiffchaffs to be found in the bushes, though 100+ House Martins, 20+ Swallows and a couple of Sand martins went over.

Two Shovelers and c20 Teal were on the second Several, but the  harbour only held a few Grey Plovers and Dunlin among plenty of Redshank, along with a few more Teal and c50 Wigeon. (AH/CRJ/J Dart et al)

Later on the Wryneck was still showing occasionally and there was a Spotted Flycatcher along the path between the Severals. (KT)

Wryneck (J Dart, top & PJ) (above) & Spotted Flycatcher (KT) at Church Norton

House Martin (above), Chiffchaff, Green Woodpecker, Grey Plover & Wigeon at the Church Norton (AH)

North Wall: It was quiet along the Wall in the wet and windy conditions, with just a few Chiffchaffs and Reed Buntings in the bushes, whilst on the Breech Pool there were four Black-tailed Godwits, 12 Lapwing and a few Teal and a Marsh Harrier was hunting over the reeds behind.

In White's Creek there were two Grey Wagtails, ten Grey Plovers, 30 Redshank, 70 Wigeon, 20 Pintail, five Dunlin and a Kingfisher, with two more Kingfishers along the rife at Halsey’s Farm. (LP)

Chiffchaff (above), Grey Plover, Black-tailed Godwits & Redshank at the North Wall (LP)

Medmerry: Easton Lane to the Stilt Pool - a Dartford Warbler, nine Chiffchaffs, three Cetti's Warblers, eight Yellowhammers and 15 Stonechats were along the banks, with three Swallows and 20 House Martins over and a Kingfisher and c20 Pied Wagtails were on the reserve, along with three Cattle Egrets.

Also, a Marsh Harrier and four Kestrels were out hunting and there was a big gathering of 700+ Mediterranean Gulls on the fields. (S&SaH)

Monday, 26th September: A cool, cloudy and very windy morning, after heavy overnight rain, brightening up a little as the day progressed, but with the wind shifting from west towards north.....

Selsey Bill: A quiet morning except for a few Swallows on the move. Full log below.(SR/IP/AH)

(0715-0830hrs) (W, F6-7)

Gannet - 7E, 4W

Shag - 1E

Brent Goose - 1E

Common Scoter - 1E

Kestrel - 1

Oystercatcher - 1W

Turnstone - 13

Mediterranean Gull - 1E

Sandwich Tern - 1E

Swallow - 93W

Sand Martin - 1W

House Martin - 13W

Grey Wagtail - 1W

Meadow Pipit - 7W

Turnstone at the Bill (AH)

Ferry Pool: The few birds on the pool this morning comprised c30 Lapwings, eight Shovelers, c40 Teal, four Shelducks and the Brent Goose. (AH)

Shovelers and Teal at the Ferry (AH)

Church Norton: The Wryneck was showing well along the front  of the first Several again late this morning, with a Sparrowhawk, 35 House Martins and 50 Swallows also seen. (CRJ)

The Wryneck showed well again at the Severals,this afternoon, with two Stonechats nearby. (B&MC)

It was very quiet earlier in the poor weather, with c100 Swallows over the only passerines seen, whilst the harbour held lots of Wigeon and Teal, a dozen Pintail, five Grey Plovers, a dozen Ringed Plovers and c50 Dunlin. (AH)

Wryneck (CRJ) (above), Grey Plover & Dunlin (AH) at Church Norton

Medmerry: Earnley - The first-winter Red-backed Shrike was showing well again intermittently this morning, mostly in the bits of sheltered hedge around the RSPB car-park.

Also, c50 Swallows went over and visiting birders reported a Wheatear and plenty of Chiffchaffs along the track to he reserve. (AH/CRJ/OM et al)

Red-backed Shrike at Medmerry (AH)

North Wall: Two Grey Wagtails were around the sluice this morning and a Spotted Redshank was in White's Creek, along with a Grey Plover, 20 Redshanks, 70 Wigeon and 20 Pintail.

On the Breech Pool there were 32 Lapwing, 13 Black-tailed Godwits and a few Teal and at Owl Water a Kingfisher was along the bank and three Little Grebes were on the water, but it was quiet at Halsey’s Farm, with just a few Swallows and House Martins overhead and a Jay busily planting acorns in the field. (LP)

This evening Tawny Owls were heard in six different locations at Halsey's Farm, including three birds in Owl Copse, whilst c100 Swallows went over and 11 Cattle Egrets and 92 Little Egrets flew in to roost. (S&SaH)

Kingfisher (above), Jay & Grey Wagtails at the North Wall (LP)

Medmerry: Porthole Farm - A Snipe flew out from one of the rifes this evening, whilst a dozen Chiffchaffs and four Buzzards were along the hedges and c50 House Martins and c30 Swallows were feeding overhead. (AH)

House Martin (above), Chiffchaff & Buzzard at Medmerry (AH)

Sunday, 25th September: A chilly, crisp and bright morning with a cool northerly breeze force 3-4 and some scattered cloud.....

Selsey Bill: A fairly slow morning offshore, with a bit of vis-mig to maintain interest. Full log below. (SH/BI/SR/L&PH/IP) 

(0630-0900hrs)  (N, F3)

Gannet - 4E, 6W

Shag - 5E

Brent Goose - 49W

Wigeon - 8W

Turnstone - 1

Kestrel - 1

Sparrowhawk - 1

Mediterranean Gull - 1W

Sandwich Tern - 5W

House Martin - 864E

Sand Martin - 3E

Swallow - 81E

Meadow Pipit - 135NE

Pied Wagtail - 5NW

Yellow Wagtail - 1E, 1 on Oval Field

Grey Wagtail - 2W

Chiffchaff - 2

Siskin - 2E

Linnet - 9

Kestrel and Brent Geese at the Bill (BI/SR)

Medmerry: Earnley - A first-winter Red-backed Shrike was found in the easterly-running hedgerow opposite Earnley car-park this morning (HR) and showed well to an ever-increasing gallery of watchers before gradually becoming more elusive. (HR/BI/SR/GM/AHu/M&LH/SaH/SH/IP et al).

The bird was still present this afternoon, sometimes showing very nicely in the roadside bushes. (AB)

Red-backed Shrike at Earnley (D.Camp/GM/BI)

For a video of the Red-backed Shrike click HERE

Elsewhere at Medmerry, a female type Common Redstart was near Flint Barn, as were six Mediterranean Gulls, and four Cattle Egrets were, unsurprisingly, with the livestock. A female Marsh Harrier flew over as did five Kestrels, two Sparrowhawks and two Buzzards. The banks held four Yellowhammers, a Corn Bunting, a Cetti's Warbler, five Chiffchaffs, a Whinchat, a Wheatear and 17 Stonechats. "Viz-mig" included 50 each of Swallows, House Martins and Meadow Pipits, and five Yellow Wagtails and a lone Pied Wagtail were noted. The only birds of note on the Stilt Pools were two Egyptian Geese. (SaH/SH/P&LH)

Ferry Pool: This morning the pool held two Snipe, 59 Lapwings, an Avocet, nine Black-tailed Godwits, a Grey Heron, the single Brent Goose, three Shelduck and 12 Teal. A mixed flock of around 75 Swallows and House Martins was feeding over the field, where there were still two Stonechats, some Long-tailed Tits and a Cetti's Warbler. (SR)

Lapwings over the Ferry Pool (SR)

North Wall: Early this morning, a Curlew Sandpiper, a Spotted Redshank and a Ruff were in the White's creek/Salthouse area, whilst a little later a Glossy Ibis flew over Halsey's Farm (CS)

Park Farm, Selsey: The North East corner of the fields held some interest again this morning with a pair of Grey Wagtails in the rife and a Whinchat in the sunflowers; two Pied Wagtails also flew over the general area and virtually all the hirundines present were House Martins (circa 100). (IP)

Church Norton: An oak tree at Greenlease held a minimum of 12 Chiffchaffs, whilst a minimum of five Stonechats were around the Horse Field with a lone Whitethroat and a Grey Wagtail went over here. A single Wheatear was on the beach opposite the second Several, which itself was empty except for a Mute Swan and a Moorhen. A Sparrowhawk was also in the area as were a few Greenfinches. All of the ducks seemed to have relocated to the Harbour, where there were a minimum of 100 each of Wigeon and Teal along with 12 Pintail, whilst just the normal waders were present except for the now fairly regular Greenshank and two Sanderling. (IP/L&PH/BI et al) 

Later this afternoon, the Wryneck was reported as present by visiting birders and around the first Several were c.10 Chiffchaffs, three Blackcaps, two Whitethroats, three Great Spotted Woodpeckers, a Green Woodpecker and a Sparrowhawk. A flock of 13 Pintail also went east offshore. (SaH/SH et al)

Stonechat, top, Greenfinch & Greenshank at Church Norton (BI/LH)