Birding the Selsey Peninsula: 29th

Monday, 31st July: Another pretty miserable morning's weather, mild but muggy, with the near gale-force westerly pushing through prolonged spells of drizzly rain under leaden skies.......

Selsey Bill: There was a steady westward movement of Sandwich Terns, plus seven Common Terns and two Fulmars, but not much else was going on. Full log below. (SR/IP/KT/AH/P&LH)

(0645-1030hrs) (WSW, F6-7)

Fulmar - 2W

Gannet - 1E, 25W

Oystercatcher - 1W

Turnstone - 21

Mediterranean Gull - 2W

Sandwich Tern - 4E, 69W (inc 4 juvs)

Common Tern - 7W (inc 2 juvs)

auk sp - 1W

Hummingbird Hawk-moth - 1

Common and Sandwich Terns (above), Common Terns, Sandwich Tern, Gannet & Turnstone at the Bill (AH)

Ferry Pool: The summer-plumaged Spotted Redshank was on the pool again this morning, along with a Common Sandpiper, four Avocets, six Teal and five Shelducks. (KT/AH)

Common Sandpiper (above) & Spotted Redshank, Avocet and Black-headed Gulls at the Ferry (AH)

Church Norton: There wasn't much to report on the full tide this morning, with a Common Sandpiper, two Whimbrel, four Curlews and c75 Redshanks roosting around the concrete blocks and adjacent channel, with otherwise a couple of Sandwich Terns and six juvenile Shelducks flying around being about it, with a couple of Linnets the only passerines seen. (AH)

Whimbrel (above) & Shelduck at Church Norton (AH)

Medmerry: Easton Lane to Marsh Barn - There wan't too much this evening, though five Jays were unusual, with otherwise just a Reed Warbler and two Whitethroats along the banks and a Buzzard, eight Swallows, 24 Sand Martins and 13 Swifts going over. (S&SaH)

Sunday, 30th July: The morning started with a bit of sun in a brisk westerly breeze, before drizzly rain set in earlier than forecast.......

Selsey Bill: A Common Sandpiper and a Sanderling dropped in and a Whimbrel went west, though it was quiet offshore. Also, two Hummingbird Hawk-moths were around. Full log below. (SH/BI/AH)

(0550-0805hrs) (W, F5)

Gannet - 13E, 7W

Common Scoter - 1E, 5os

Sanderling - 1

Whimbrel - 1W

Common Sandpiper - 1

Turnstone - 27

Mediterranean Gull - 5W, 12os

Sandwich Tern - 3W, 4os

Swift - 1

House Martin - 3

Pied Wagtail - 2N

Hummingbird Hawk-moth - 2

(1330-1430hrs) (SH)

Fulmar - 1W

Gannet - 7E, 2W

Sandwich Tern - 4W, 9os

Turnstone at the Bill (AH)

Ferry Pool: A summer-plumaged Spotted Redshank was on the pool this morning, trying to feed though four Avocets kept shooing it off.

There were also eight Black-tailed Godwits, two Teal and two Shelducks present, with a dozen or so Cattle Egrets among the cows. (SR/AH)

Spotted Redshank and Avocets (SR) (above) & Cattle Egrets (AH) at the Ferry

This evening two Spotted Redshanks - presumably this morning's summer-plumaged bird and a winter-plumaged one - were in Ferry Channel. (S&SaH)

Spotted Redshank in Ferry Channel (SH)

Park Farm, Selsey: A Sparrowhawk flying low past the farm was given away by the Swallows calling and harassing it, and there were four Pied Wagtails on the recently tilled earth, with a Great Spotted Woodpecker also present. Also, another Sparrowhawk was in the north east corner of the fields, along with a Swift. (IP)

Church Norton: A Garden Warbler was among a mixed flock on the sheltered side of Bluebell Wood, along with a Blackcap, a Reed Warbler, a dozen Willow Warblers, a couple of Long-tailed Tits and numerous Blue Tits.

The Severals only produced a handful of Whitethroats and a number of Green Woodpeckers, along with a party of nine Swifts, plus three Sand Martins amongst a few Swallows and House Martins, whilst another dozen or so Willow Warblers and half a dozen Chiffchaffs and Long-tailed Tits were in another feeding flock near the hide.

Two Common Sandpipers, two Turnstones, half a dozen Whimbrels and the usual Redshanks, Oystercatchers and Curlews were also present, with a pair of Ringed Plovers along the spit that clearly had young nearby as they were doing their "broken wing" performance.

Only two Mediterranean Gulls were seen, whilst four Common Terns were feeding in the harbour and a dozen Sandwich Terns were coming and going over the spit. (IP/AH/M-OW)

There wasn't much to add this afternoon, except that there was a big flock of c200 Dunlin out on the mud. (AH)

Willow Warblers (above), Chiffchaff, Blackcap & Common Hawker at Church Norton (AH)

North Wall: The only real birds of note were two Common Sandpipers among 26 Black-tailed Godwits and 18 Lapwings alongside the rapidly filling White's Creek this morning.

The water level in the Breech Pool was very high and it contained just a Grey Heron, two Canada Geese and some Coots, whilst there was snatches of Reed Warbler and Cetti's Warbler song there, and nine Swallows headed south-west. Also, two Blackcaps and three Whitethroats were in the hedges and 31 Little Egrets, 24 Cattle Egrets and five Grey Herons were around their island and Owl Copse. (SR)

Common Sandpiper at the North Wall (SR)

Honer Reservoir: There were two Common Sandpipers and half a dozen Black-headed Gulls on the reservoir this morning, but nothing was seen in the hedges nearby. (AH)

Common Sandpipers at Honer Reservoir (AH)

Medmerry: Easton Lane to the Stilt Pool - A juvenile Marsh Harrier was out over the reserve this morning, along with a Sparrowhawk, a Kestrel, three Swifts, four Sand Martins and eight Swallows, whilst a corn Bunting was a surprise along the banks, which otherwise only held eight Yellowhammers and three Whitethroats.

The stilt Pools remain quiet, with just two Common Sandpipers, a Black-tailed Godwit and the Egyptian Goose family of note. (S&SaH)

Chichester GPs: Ivy Lake complex - A fairly quick look this morning in poor conditions produced at least four Common Terns, c500 Sand Martins and just c20 Swallows feeding over the pits, with two juvenile Gadwall and a dozen or so Greylag Geese, Great Crested Grebes and Tufted Ducks, plus a Cape Shelduck of dubious provenance, on the water.

There were also several Chiffchaffs and Reed Warblers in the bushes. (AH)

Sand Martins (above), Common Tern & Cape Shelduck at Chichester GPs (AH)

Sidlesham: There were up to 100 Swifts feeding over the trees along the south side of our garden all this afternoon. (AH)

Swift over Sidlesham (AH)

Saturday, 29th July: After yet more overnight rain, eventually a warm and sunny day in a brisk westerly breeze....

Selsey Bill: There was a good selection of species this morning, with highlights including a Bonxie and a Common Sandpiper east and two Fulmars and a loose group of five pale-phase Arctic Skuas going west. Full log below. (SH/PB/BI/SR/IP/AH/P&LH)

(0545-0830hrs) (WSW, F4)

Great Crested Grebe - 3W

Fulmar - 2W

Gannet - 20E, 109W

Teal - 1W

Shoveler - 3W

Common Scoter - 22W, 16os

Oystercatcher - 3W

Sanderling - 1W

Common Sandpiper - 1E

Turnstone - 12

Great Skua - 1W

Arctic Skua - 5W

Mediterranean Gull - 7E

Kittiwake - 1W

Sandwich Tern - 22W, 16os

Razorbill - 1E, 1W

Swallow - 2W

Sand Martin - 4W

(1315-1445hrs) (P&LH)

Gannet - 6W

Turnstone - 25

Mediterranean Gull - 1W (juv)

Sandwich Tern - 8W

Common Tern - 3W

Swift - 13

Sand Martin - 16W

House Martin - 5

(1630-1730hrs) (SH)

Gannet - 16E, 6W

Whimbrel - 2W

Arctic Skua - 1E

Sandwich Tern - 34W, 39os

Common Tern - 1W, 2os

Arctic Skuas (above), Arctic Skuas and Sandwich Tern, Sandwich Tern & Gannet at the Bill (AH)

Ferry Pool: The pool held a Little Ringed Plover, a Black-tailed Godwit, two Redshanks, six Teal and a Shelduck this morning, whilst up to 35 Cattle Egrets were among the cows until they all upped and headed off towards the North Wall, and a Swift and a couple of Sand Martins went over. (AH/P&LH et al)

Cattle Egrets (above) & Little Ringed Plover at the Ferry (AH)

Park Farm, Selsey: A Buzzard and three Sand Martins over was about it this morning. (IP)

Church Norton: There were a few waders in the harbour this morning, including three Greenshanks, a Bar-tailed Godwit, a Common Sandpiper, two Turnstones, at least six Whimbrel, c40 Curlews, c30 Oystercatchers and c70 Redshanks, with a Lesser Black-backed Gull, eight Sandwich Terns and similar of young Shelducks also seen.

A pair of Ringed Plovers with two young chicks were along the beach, whilst two Whimbrels flew west, close inshore and there were also at least a dozen Sandwich Terns patrolling offshore, whilst a considerable gathering of large gulls and Gannets were feeding a couple of miles out.

Up to ten Willow Warblers were scattered around the sheltered hedges, with three or four Whitethroats, a Lesser Whitethroat and a Sedge Warbler, along with a dozen Linnets, also noted along the front, with at least six Meadow Pipits along the spit.

Also, a Sparrowhawk flew over Priory Wood, two Cattle Egrets were around the horse field, at least 40 Sand Martins and a dozen Swallows went over and several Purple Hairstreaks were along the path to the beach. (AH/IP/P&LH)

Ringed Plovers (above), Greenshank, Whimbrel and Redshanks, Bar-tailed Godwit, Sandwich Tern & Purple Hairstreak at Church Norton (AH)

There wasn't much change this afternoon, with two Greenshanks and half a dozen Whimbrel showing well, a couple of Mediterranean Gulls and Sandwich Terns among the Black-headed Gulls and c50 Sand Martins and a handful of Swallows and Swifts feeding over the hedges by the hide, where there were also two Willow Warblers. (AH)

Willow Warbler (above), Sand Martin, Swallow, Greenshanks, Whimbrel & Mediterranean Gull at Church Norton (AH)

Medmerry: Easton Lane to the Stilt Pool - A Green Sandpiper flew out from one of the path-side pools this morning, but the Stilt Pools just held two Common Sandpipers and the pair of Egyptian Geese and their three young.

The banks were very quiet in the freshening wind, with just a Stonechat and six Yellowhammers seen, whilst two Swifts, 16 Swallows and c60 Sand Martins, plus a Kestrel, were overhead and two Sandwich Terns were offshore. (S&SaH/PB)

Late this afternoon a Hobby whizzed past the poplars, after the hirundines, though it did not linger.

Also, three Dartford Warblers were along the banks and five Common Sandpipers were on the Stilt Pools. (CH)

West Wittering: At least a dozen Willow Warblers and Chiffchaffs have made their way through the garden over the last couple of days, with one of the Willow Warblers in full song, whilst several juvenile Chiffchaffs which may have bred in the garden were also about.

Butterflies included several Speckled Woods, whilst a magnificent Poplar Hawk-moth was in the moth trap last night. (GM)