26th - 28th July 2023

Friday, 28th July: After more overnight rain, a mild, very muggy and heavily overcast morning in a freshening westerly breeze................

Selsey Bill: The first returning Bonxie went west and an Arctic Skua dropped in on the sea this morning, whilst a Whimbrel also went west and three Sanderlings were with c20 Turnstones on the beach. Full log below. (BI/SR/IP/AH)

(0630-0830hrs) (WSW, F3-4)

Gannet - 4E, 10W, 32os

Common Scoter - 7E

Oystercatcher - 1W

Sanderling - 3

Whimbrel - 1W

Turnstone - 20

Great Skua - 1W

Arctic Skua - 1os

Mediterranean Gull - 1E, 2W

Sandwich Tern - 3E, 11W

Common Tern - 1os

House Martin - 9W, 3 present

(1530-1630hrs) (SH)

Gannet - 10W, 7os

Sandwich Tern - 4W

Sand Martin - 3W

Sanderlings (above), Turnstones & Sandwich Tern at the Bill (AH)

Ferry Pool: The pool just held two Avocets, a Black-tailed Godwit and a dozen Black-headed Gulls this morning, but there was an impressive flock of 44 Cattle Egrets among the cows early on.. (AH)

Cattle Egrets at the Ferry (AH)

Church Norton: A Wheatear was on the concrete blocks this morning, and three Willow Warblers and a Chiffchaff were among a roving Blue, Great and Long-tailed Tit flock, but otherwise there were just a handful of Whitethroats, a couple of Reed Buntings, two Swifts and a dozen Sand Martins noted.

A Greenshank and half a dozen Whimbrel were in the harbour, along with c20 Dunlin and c50 Redshanks, and there were also eight juvenile Shelducks, two Common Terns and eight Sandwich Terns present. (AH)

Wheatear (above), Willow Warbler, Sand Martin, Reed Bunting, Common Tern & Whimbrel at Church Norton (AH)

This evening a Bar-tailed Godwit was in the harbour, along with a Greenshank, half a dozen Whimbrel and c75 Redshanks, plus a couple of Sandwich Terns, whilst the Wheatear was still on the concrete blocks. (AH)

Greenshank (above) & Bar-tailed Godwit at Church Norton (AH)

North Wall: A Green Woodpecker was by the stables, and along White’s Creek there was a Common Sandpiper, 28 Black-tailed Godwits, 30 Redshank, two Whimbrels, a Curlew, a Stock Dove, a Little Egret and the Mute Swan family.

Three Sedge Warblers were by the sluice, but there was just the pair of Canada Geese on the Breech Pool, whilst a Cattle Egret was in Owl Copse, and three Little Grebes were with the Coots on Owl Water, but it was quiet at Halsey’s Farm, with just a few Sand Martins overhead and a family of Reed Warblers in the bushes. (LP/CT)

Sedge Warbler (above), Reed Warbler, Common Sandpiper, Cattle Egret, Little Egret & Little Grebe at the North Wall (LP)

Medmerry: Medmerry Trail to Ham Viewpoint - Whitethroats, mainly in family groups, were numerous along the trail today - there must have been c30 in all, whilst also along the hedges were a Sedge Warbler, two Reed Buntings, three Yellowhammers a Green Woodpecker, five Linnets, and two Stonechats, with many singing Skylarks and four Swallows with six Swifts overhead.

Along the windy banks at Ham, a Corn Bunting was singing from a distant fence, alongside another Reed Bunting, Sandwich Terns could be heard across the fields at the breech and a Kestrel was out hunting. (SR)

Medmerry: Easton Lane to Stilt Pools - The bushes around Easton lane car-park were quite busy with birds this morning including a flock of Linnets, another of Goldfinches, two Chiffchaffs, and several Whitethroats. A juvenile Mistle Thrush was along the fence-line and two Green Woodpeckers also flew over here.

Further down the track there were more Linnets and Goldfinches, and two Swifts and a few Swallows were feeding overhead. There was little on the Stilt Pools, however, other than a Lesser Black-backed Gull and a Common Sandpiper. 

The non-avian highlights were two Bright Wave moths - a nationally rare species, first seen on the reserve in 2021 - seen near the first sluice. (BI)

Thursday, 27th July: After heavy overnight rain, a pretty dismal morning of incessant drizzly rain in a fresh and blustery westerly breeze............

Selsey Bill: There was not a lot to report in poor conditions this morning! Full log below. (SR/AH)

(0650-0805hrs) (WSW, F6)

Gannet - 1E, 7W

Turnstone - 8

Sandwich Tern - 7E, 6W

(1650-1805hrs) (SH)

Gannet - 12E, 11W

Turnstone - 13

Kittiwake - 1W

Sandwich Tern - 22os

Common Tern - 1W

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

Ferry Pool: There were just three Avocets, three Teal and a Shelduck on a very full pool this morning, though at least 25 Cattle Egrets were among the cows in the field. (AH)

Avocets (above) & Cattle Egrets at the Ferry (AH)

Church Norton: At least six Whimbrels were present in the harbour  this morning, along with a dozen Curlews, c20 Dunlin and c80 Redshanks, whilst a Common Tern, eight Sandwich Terns and 15 Mediterranean Gulls were among c50 roosting Black-headed Gulls, but that really was about it. (AH)

Whimbrel (above), & Common Tern, Sandwich Tern, Mediterranean and Black-headed Gulls at Church Norton (AH)

North Wall: A Common Sandpiper, a Greenshank, 50 Redshank, 25 Lapwing, 12 Black-tailed Godwits, three Curlews, two Whimbrels and the Mute Swan family were in White’s Creek this morning, and a Marsh Harrier and a Buzzard were over the reeds, but apart from the usual mix of Grey Herons, Little Egrets and Cattle Egrets around Owl Copse, there was little else about in the unseasonal conditions. (LP)

Marsh Harrier (above), Greenshank and Black-tailed Godwit & Cattle Egrets, Little Egrets and Grey Herons at the North Wall (LP)

West Itchenor: I went along to check on the House Martin colony at the Harbour Master Office and found one artificial nest still occupied with well grown young. Sadly the four natural nests have succumbed to the weather, with evidence of one failed brood but thankfully this year it's happened toward the end of the season and the 12 pairs have raised at least two broods each, with most of the 13 artificial nests put to good use.

Nearby a Whimbrel was heard and along the shore there was a Redshank with three Oystercatchers, and two Swifts and a Swallow flew overhead, but there was little else about in the strong wind. (SR)

House Martin at West Itchenor (SR)

Wednesday, 26th July: The morning started with lots of sunshine in a light north-westerly breeze, before it backed to south-westerly, freshening and bringing more cloud as it did so......

Selsey Bill: Another quiet morning, with two Common Terns west the only thing beyond the regulars. Full log below. (SR/AH)

(0645-0800hrs) (NW, F2)

Gannet - 1E, 1W

Common Scoter - 6W, 5os

Oystercatcher - 1E

Turnstone - 5

Sandwich Tern - 7E, 15W

Common Tern - 2W

Swift - 7

Swallow - 2

Sand Martin - 1

House Martin - 20

House Martins (above), House Martin and Swallow & Sandwich Tern at the Bill (AH)

Two Razorbills went west and three Common Scoters went east, late this afternoon. (AW)

Razorbill (above) & Common Scoters at the Bill (AW)

Ferry Pool: There were just a Common Sandpiper, a Black-tailed Godwit, two Lapwings, six Avocets, three Teal and a Shelduck on the pool, with up to a dozen Cattle Egrets among the cows this morning.

The Tramway circuit was quiet, with just a Lesser Whitethroat, a handful of Whitethroats and two Reed Buntings noted, plus a couple of Reed Warblers in Red Barn Ditch. (AH)

Common Sandpiper (above), Avocets, Lesser Whitethroat & Reed Warbler around the Ferry (AH)

Church Norton: A Willow Warbler was among a flock of Blue and Long-tailed Tits this morning, but the hedges were otherwise otherwise quiet beyond a couple of Reed Warblers on the Severals, up to ten scattered Whitethroats and a dozen Linnets.

The harbour held seven Whimbrel and a Greenshank, along with a dozen or so Dunlin and Ringed Plovers, plus the usual Redshanks, Curlews and Oystercatchers, with just one Sandwich Tern seen.

Also, a dozen or so Purple Hairstreaks were showing well in the big oaks along the path to the beach. (AH)

Willow Warbler (above), Reed Warbler, Whitethroat, Long-tailed Tit, Whimbrel, Ringed Plover & Purple Hairstreak at Church Norton (AH)

North Wall & East side: Along the Wall it was very quiet this morning although near the stables a calling warbler sounded like a Willow Warbler but remained unseen. The reedbeds gave brief views of the odd Reed Warbler flitting through and a Sedge Warbler, but there was nothing whatever on the Breech Pool until a single Mallard broke the monotony. In White's Creek there were 45 Redshank, two Greenshank, 18 Black-tailed Godwits, a Whimbrel and two Dunlin.

Moving further along the East side, a Common Sandpiper was feeding along the rocky edges and two more Whimbrel were amongst the regular Curlews and Oystercatchers, whilst the moulting drake Wigeon was loafing on the mud behind the channel. At least 25 Mediterranean Gulls were amongst roosting Black-headed Gulls, and after much scanning an adult Yellow-legged Gull (presumably the same one reported recently) was eventually located, albeit somewhat distantly, sleeping most of the time and standing occasionally! (OM)

Moulting drake Wigeon on the East side mudflats (OM)

Medmerry: Easton Lane to Marsh Barn - This afternoon, a Dartford Warbler popped up on the fence before flying off across the field opposite the car park and c20 Linnets were feeding there. Two Yellowhammers were in the hedges, Skylarks were singing, three Whimbrel flew over calling as they went, and a Grey Heron plus a Redshank and three Canada Geese were at the sluice. (SR)