Birding the Selsey Peninsula: 20th

Saturday, 22nd July: A cool and blustery day after a bright start, with the breeze freshening from the west, and rain sweeping in on a broad front by afternoon.....

Selsey Bill: Two juvenile Yellow-legged Gulls, a Common Tern, a few Sandwich Terns and lots of Mediterranean Gulls were among a very large gathering offshore, and a dark-phase Arctic Skua went east this morning. Full log below (SH/PB/BI/AH/SR)

(0545-0830hrs) (WSW, F4-5)

Gannet - 14E, 17W, 21os

Common Scoter - 4W

Whimbrel - 4W

Oystercatcher - 1E, 1W

Turnstone - 2

Arctic Skua - 1E (d/p)

Mediterranean Gull - 38os

Yellow-legged Gull - 2os (juvs)

Common Tern - 1W

Sandwich Tern - 25os

Razorbill - 1E

Swift - 7

Sand Martin - 3W

House Martin - 2

This afternoon, three Manx Shearwaters went east, as did 52 Swifts. Full log below. (SH)

(1300-1500hrs) (WSW F7)

Gannet- 12E 5W 6os

Manx Shearwater - 3E

Kittiwake - 3W

Common Tern - 3W

Sandwich Tern - 12os (inc a juvenile)

Turnstone- 3W

Oystercatcher - 1W

Swift - 52E

Gull flock at the Bill (AH)

Selsey: A gathering of c.20 Swifts were over the north of the village, whilst a Sparrowhawk flew over Park Farm area early morning. (IP)

Ferry Pool: A moulting Spotted Redshank was fairly briefly on the pool early this morning, with otherwise just a Common Sandpiper, an Avocet, two Redshanks and three Black-tailed Godwits present, with half a dozen Cattle Egrets among the cows. (AH/PB)

Spotted Redshank and Black-tailed Godwit (above), Common Sandpiper & Cattle Egrets at the Ferry (AH)

Church Norton: The Harbour was almost empty with no terns whatsoever; two Ringed Plovers, two Dunlin, two Whimbrel and the usual Oystercatchers, Redshank and Curlews making up the wader count. A Meadow Pipit was again along the Spit and two Buzzards were distantly over the Priory Wood area.

Offshore there was a large gathering of over 500 Mediterranean Gulls on the shingle opposite the Severals, with a Common Tern and a dozen Sandwich Terns offshore. A Teal was among the moulting Mallards on the Second Several along with a female Tufted Duck.

Passerines were very thin on the ground, with just one Whitethroat seen and also a Green Woodpecker at the First Several, with both Cetti's Warbler and Reed Bunting heard too. A pulse of c.30 Sand Martins flew south mid-morning with a few Swallows amongst them and a lone Swift. (IP)

North Wall: A Common Sandpiper, two Greenshanks, 80 Redshank, 30 Lapwings, two Whimbrels, and a Curlew were along White’s Creek this morning, and the adult Yellow-legged Gull was sat out on the mud with a group of Black-headed Gulls.
On the Breech Pool there were ten Black-tailed Godwits and the pair of Canada Geese and out on Heron island there was the usual mix of Little Egrets, Cattle Egrets and Grey Herons, but apart from a lone Swift overhead, there was little else about in the blustery conditions. (LP,SP)

Gathering of Grey Herons, Cattle Egrets and Little Egrets on the roost, North Wall (above), Common Sandpiper, Whimbrel, Greenshank & Redshank in White's Creek (LP)

Medmerry: Easton Lane to Stilt Pool - Along the banks and tracks this morning there were ten Yellowhammers, six Whitethroats, a Chiffchaff and three Kestrels, plus a Common Sandpiper on the marsh and 27 Swifts, 23 Sand Martins and 13 Swallows overhead.
On the Stilt pool were another three Common Sandpipers, just a single Black-tailed Godwit and an Egyptian Goose with three goslings. (S&SaH/PB)

Chichester Canal: The Tufted Duck with her four ducklings were still along the canal this morning, a pair of Mute Swans had five well grown cygnets, an adult and juvenile Little Grebe were seen and others heard, along with seven broods of Coot and six of Moorhen.
Tucked away in the hedge were a family of Long-tailed Tits, and families of Chiffchaffs and Blackcaps. (SR)

Tufted Duck family at Chichester Canal (SR)

Friday, 21st July: A warm and sunny morning, initially in a light northerly breeze before it freshened as it backed to the west .....

Selsey Bill: A flock of eight Sanderlings were on the beach, along with a Little Egret, and a Redshank was on the bar, but, again, there was little activity offshore, though a few hirundines were about again. Full log below. (SR/AH)

(0705-0805hrs) (NNE, F3)

Oystercatcher - 6E

Sanderling - 8

Redshank - 1

Mediterranean Gull - 8os

Sandwich Tern - 1E, 1W, 2os

Swift - 2

Swallow - 2

Sand Martin - 3

House Martin - 40

Pied Wagtail - 2W

Sand Martin, Swallow and House Martins (above), Swallow, Sand Martin and House Martins, Sandwich Tern, Mediterranean Gull (AH), Sanderling, Little Egret (SR) at the Bill

Ferry Pool: There were just a Common Sandpiper, an Avocet, a Lapwing, two Redshanks, five Black-tailed Godwits and five Teal on the pool, with two or three Cattle Egrets distantly viewable among the cows. (AH)

Avocet on the Ferry (AH)

North Wall: An adult Yellow-legged Gull was in White's Creek this morning, along with two Greenshanks, two Common Sandpipers and c80 Redshanks, with two or three Whimbrel, half a dozen Curlews and c20 Lapwings further out.

Four Black-tailed Godwits were the only birds on the Breech Pool, whilst a dozen Little Egrets and half a dozen Cattle Egrets were around, including two juveniles of the latter in Owl Copse, but passerines were few beyond a couple of Sand Martins over, two or three singing Reed Warblers, two Sedge Warblers, two Whitethroats and a Reed Bunting. (AH/LP/SP)

Yellow-legged Gull (above), Greenshank, Common Sandpiper, Greenshank and Common Sandpiper, Cattle Egrets, Sedge Warbler & Whitethroat at the North Wall (AH)

Honer Reservoir: A Common Sandpiper was the only bird on the reservoir this morning, with a Sand Martin, two Swallows and four Greenfinches the only other birds seen in the vicinity. (AH)

Common Sandpiper (above) & Swallow at Honer Reservoir (AH)

Thursday, 20th July: A pleasant morning of warm sun and white cloud in a light to moderate north-westerly breeze.....

Selsey Bill: There wasn't much moving offshore, but there were plenty of Swifts and hirundines about this morning. Full log below. (SR/AH/P&LH)

(0645-0845hrs) (NNW, F3)

Gannet - 1w, 1os

Mediterranean Gull - 2W,103os

Sandwich Tern - 6E, 20W (inc 1 juv), 11os, (inc 1 juv)

Swift - 43

Swallow - 10

Sand Martin - 6

House Martin - 40

Sand Martin (above), Sand Martin and House Martins & House Martins at the Bill (AH)

Ferry Pool: There were three juvenile Cattle Egrets and three Little Egrets on the pool this morning, along with a Common Sandpiper, a Dunlin, an Avocet, 11 Black-tailed Godwits, c25 Lapwings and eight Teal. (AH)

Little Egret and Cattle Egrets (above), Dunlin & Black-tailed Godwit at the Ferry (AH)

North Wall: There were three Greenshanks along White’s Creek this morning, along with a Common Sandpiper, 36 Redshank, 22 Lapwing and a Curlew, with 16 Mediterranean Gulls, and a Whimbrel out on the mud.

On The Breech Pool, though, there were just two Black-tailed Godwits and two Lapwings, but it was busy along the wall, with a large mixed flock of Blue Tits, Great Tits, Long-tailed Tits, Chiffchaffs and Blackcaps moving along the hedgerows and a few Reed Warblers, Sedge Warblers and Whitethroats by the reeds. Also, a Kingfisher was at Owl Water, 21 mostly Cattle Egrets were on Heron island and a few Swallows and Sand Martins were overhead. (LP/SP)

Greenshanks (above), Whimbrel, Cattle Egrets & Mediterranean and Black-headed Gulls at the North Wall (LP)

Medmerry: Easton Lane to the Stilt Pool - The Spoonbill was still on the Stilt Pool this morning, along with two Common Sandpipers, two Ringed Plovers, eight Lapwings, a Common Tern, the pair of Egyptian Geese and three goslings, plus three other birds, and the usual Canada Geese and other assorted wildfowl, including five Gadwall.

The banks were quite quiet, beyond a Dartford Warbler, at least a dozen Whitethroats and Yellowhammers, c50 Linnets and a few Skylarks, whilst c300 Sand Martins, c20 Swallows and six Swifts were feeding over the pool and the reserve.

Also, a Great Green Bush Cricket was along the banks.(AH/P&LH)

There were also lots of Sand Martins over nearby Earnley this morning. (SH)

The only variety this evening were a Green Sandpiper which flew around over the reservoirs and a Little Ringed Plover and an increase to three Common sandpiper on the Stilt Pool. (S&SaH)