23rd - 25th July 2023

Tuesday, 25th July: A fairly pleasant morning of warm sun and white cloud, with the breeze initially light and from the north, freshening as it backed west.............

Selsey Bill: There were a few Swifts and House Martins about, but otherwise it was just a few of the regular species. Full log below. (SR/IP/AH) 

(0650-0805hrs) (N, F2)

Gannet - 3E

Common Scoter - 2E, 14W

Oystercatcher - 4W

Turnstone - 4

Mediterranean Gull - 3os

Sandwich Tern - 12E

Swift - 26

Swallow - 2

House Martin - 20

Pied Wagtail - 1

Turnstones (above), Mediterranean Gull & House Martin at the Bill (AH)

Ferry Pool: There were three Avocets and three Common Sandpipers, plus  a lone Shelduck, on the pool this morning, whilst around 25 Cattle Egrets were among the cows in the field. (AH)

Cattle Egrets (above), Common Sandpiper & Avocets at the Ferry (AH)

Long Pool: The bushes and reeds were very quiet this morning,with just a couple of Reed and Sedge Warblers, half a dozen Whitethroats and c20 Linnets and c10 Greenfinches seen, plus around 50 sand Martins going over southwards.

Also, a Whimbrel and half a dozen Dunlin were in Ferry Channel, along with c60 Lapwings and c150 Redshanks. (AH)

Sedge Warbler (above), Whitethroat, Linnet & Lapwings at the Long Pool (AH)

North Wall: A female/juvenile Marsh Harrier was seen briefly this morning, whilst a Common Sandpiper, two Greenshanks, two Whimbrel, 15 Black-tailed Godwits and c100 Redshanks were in White's Creek.

Just the odd Whitethroat, Reed Bunting, Reed and Sedge Warbler were seen/heard along the wall, though a Kingfisher was at the far end, a mixed flock of Chiffchaffs, Blue and Long-tailed Tits were at Halsey's Farm and a handful of Swallows and Sand Martins went over.

There were also a dozen or so Cattle and Little Egrets, plus four Grey Herons around their island and Owl Copse and another three Black-tailed Godwits were in the creek nearby. (AH/LP/CT/JDW)

Greenshank (above), Whimbrel, Black-tailed Godwits & Grey Heron and Cattle Egrets at the North Wall (AH)

Church Norton: A Cuckoo - presumably at juvenile at his stage of the year - shot through the bushes by the end of the path to the harbour this evening, but there were no other small birds about.

Half a dozen Sandwich Terns and a dozen Mediterranean Gulls were in the harbour on the high tide, but waders were few beyond four Dunlin, a Common Sandpiper, ten Dunlin, a few Curlews and Oystercatchers and c50 Redshanks. (AH)

Medmerry: Easton Lane to the Stilt Pool - There were still three Common Sandpipers on the Stilt Pool this evening, along with a Ringed Plover, four Dunlin, the pair of Egyptian Geese and three well-grown goslings, four Mediterranean Gulls and 11 Sandwich Terns, with another 27 of the latter feeding offshore.

Also, a Dartford Warbler, a Stonechat and six Yellowhammers were along the banks, with 19 Sand Martins and 23 swallows going over, and a Whimbrel was on the reserve, near the poplars. (S&SaH)

Monday, 24th July: A morning of variable weather, with the breeze easing and strengthening and a mix of sun, heavy cloud and drizzly rain, though warm and humid throughout.........

Selsey Bill: Two Arctic Skuas - one pale-phase and one dark-phase - were lingering offshore this morning, periodically chasing the gulls, and a pod of half a dozen Bottle-nosed Dolphins went east. Full log below. (SR/AH/IP/P&LH)

(0645-0900hrs) (W, F5)

Gannet - 6E, 5W

Common Scoter - 1W

Sparrowhawk - 1

Oystercatcher - 2W

Turnstone - 2

Arctic Skua - 2os

Mediterranean Gull - 14W, 30os

Sandwich Tern - 14W, 5os

Common Tern - 1W

Swift - 3

Swallow - 1

House Martin - 15

Bottle-nosed Dolphin - 6E

Common Seal - 1os

Arctic Skuas (above), Common Tern, Sandwich Tern, Turnstone, Swallow & Bottle-nosed Dolphins at the Bill (AH)

There were three Arctic Skuas off the Bill this afternoon. (AW)

Arctic Skuas at the Bill (AW)

Ferry Pool: There were just the Avocet and three Teal on the pool this morning. (AH)

Teal at the Ferry (AH)

Church Norton: At least three Whimbrels, a dozen Curlews and Dunlin and c80 Redshanks were on the mud this morning, with half a dozen Little egrets feeding in the channels, whilst a couple of Sandwich Terns and eight Mediterranean Gulls were among c40 Black-headed Gulls on the beach.

The bushes remain quiet, though a Reed Warbler, two or three Whitethroats, two Reed Buntings and a dozen Linnets were along the front and c40 House Martins and c20 Swallows went over. (AH)

Whimbrels (above), Mediterranean Gull, Whitethroat, Reed Bunting & Linnet at Church Norton (AH)

North Wall: A Green Woodpecker was by the stables, and two Greenshanks, 32 Redshanks, two Whimbrel, a Common Sandpiper, 12 Lapwing, 15 Black-tailed Godwits,, a Curlew and a Little Egret were along White’s Creek, whilst the adult Yellow-legged Gull was out on the mud with a group of 40 Black-headed Gulls, and a dozen Great Black-backed Gulls were further out.

There was nothing of note on the Breech Pool, and the usual selection of Grey Herons, Little Egrets and Cattle Egrets were out on their island. A few Reed Warblers and Sedge Warblers, pus a Cetti's Warbler, were moving through the reed bed and three Swifts and six Swallows went over, whilst ,a Little Grebe was on Owl Water, but apart from two juvenile Kestrels at Halsey’s Farm, that was about it. (LP/P&LH)

Sedge Warbler (above), Greenshank, Grey Herons, Cattle and Little Egrets & Little Grebe at the North Wall (LP)

Medmerry: Easton Lane to the Stilt Pool - A Common Sandpiper flew into the first sluice and there was a Jay and a Green Woodpecker close by, whilst a Dartford Warbler was heard in the gorse, a Whitethroat was seen and half a dozen Yellowhammers, along with singing Skylarks, two Stock Doves and a Red-legged Partridge were in the fields.

The Stilt Pool held three Common Sandpipers, two Oystercatchers, the Egyptian Geese with their three goslings, four Lapwings, a Grey Heron, a Pied Wagtail, a Shelduck, seven Canada Geese, six Swallows and a Kestrel. (SR)

Common Sandpiper (above) & Whitethroat at Medmerry (AH)

Sunday, 23rd July: Another day of very blustery south-westerly winds, after overnight rain, but dry and with the odd sunny spell between the clouds....

Selsey Bill: Two Manx Shearwaters went distantly west, with ten Kittiwakes and 15 Common Terns also going west, whilst two Sanderlings and ten Turnstones dropped in and a Hummingbird Hawk-moth was about again. Full log below. (SH/PB/MRB/BI/SR/AH)

(0600-0830hrs) (SW, F6)

Manx Shearwater - 2W

Gannet - 9E, 56W, 10os

Common Scoter - 10E

Oystercatcher - 2W

Sanderling - 2

Mediterranean Gull - 14os

Kittiwake - 10W

Lesser Black-backed Gull - 1W

Sandwich Tern - 23os

Common Tern - 15W

Hummingbird Hawk-moth - 1

(1500-1600hrs) (SH)

Gannet - 3W, 3os

Turnstone - 12

Sandwich Tern - 10W (inc 1 juv)

Common Tern - 2W

Sandwich Tern (above), Turnstones (AH) & Sanderling and Turnstones (SH) at the Bill

Ferry Pool: There were just a Common Sandpiper and an Avocet on the pool this morning, with a Greenshank in the channel opposite. (AH/IP/RM)

Common Sandpiper (above) & Avocet at the Ferry (AH)

North Wall: A look along the wall this afternoon produced a Blackcap, three Reed Warblers, two Swifts, two Swallows and 15 Sand Martins, along with four Cattle Egrets and c30 Little Egrets.

Also, there were a Whimbrel and three Black-tailed Godwits in the harbour and four Kestrels about. (S&SaH)

Honer Reservoir: The Common Sandpiper was still on the reservoir this morning, but nothing else was about. (BI)

Church Norton: A summer-plumaged Bar-tailed Godwit, a Greenshank and three Whimbrels were the highlights in the harbour, with, otherwise, just half a dozen Dunlin, Ringed Plovers and Curlews, plus 50 Redshank about.

Also, a couple of Swallows went over, two Linnets were along the beach and a Gannet and half a dozen Sandwich Terns were offshore. (PB/MRB/AH)

Gannet (above) & Ringed Plovers and Dunlin at Church Norton (AH)

This afternoon, up to 20 Sandwich Terns, including several juveniles, were in the harbour, along with a probable juvenile Yellow-legged Gull, and a dozen Swallows went through. 

Also, waders comprised of a Greenshank, two Whimbrel, two Turnstones, half a dozen Dunlin and Curlews and c40 Redshanks. (AH)

probable juvenile Yellow-legged Gull (above), Sandwich Terns, Greenshank and Redshanks & Whimbrel at Church Norton (AH)

Medmerry: Easton Lane to the Stilt Pool - There were just three Common Sandpipers, two Ringed Plovers, a Black-tailed Godwit, a Gadwall and the pair of Egyptian Geese and three goslings on the Stilt Pool this morning.

The banks were quiet in the windy conditions, but still held three Dartford Warblers, four Whitethroats, ten Yellowhammers and a few Linnets, with 20 Swifts, 26 Swallows and 29 Sand Martins, plus a Kestrel, going over. (S&SaH/IP/RM)