14th - 16th August 2023

Wednesday, 16th August: A lovely sunny summer's morning in just a light north-easterly breeze.......

Selsey Bill: A juvenile Cuckoo was sat out in the gardens early on, and was then seen a bit later flying eastwards, initially heading a long way out before retreating. 

There were also five Wheatears, three Willow Warblers and five Swifts about, whilst two Cattle Egrets and a Fulmar flew west. Full log below. (KT/SR/AH/MO-W)

(0645-0830hrs) (ENE, F2-3)

Fulmar - 1W

Gannet - 2E, 6W, 3os

Cattle Egret - 2W

Turnstone - 13

Mediterranean Gull - 1os

Lesser Black-backed Gull - 1os

Sandwich Tern - 3E, 2W, 11os

Common Tern - 1E

Cuckoo - 1E

Swift - 5

Green Woodpecker - 1

Swallow - 23E

Sand Martin - 2E

House Martin - 17

Wheatear - 5

Willow Warbler - 3

Cuckoo (KT, top two, AH, lower two), Wheatear & Sandwich Tern (AH) at the Bill

Ferry Pool: At least 28 Cattle Egrets were all in a huddle on the island in the pool early on, with similar numbers around the cows later, but otherwise, it was just the regular species, including two Avocets, 16 Black-tailed Godwits, c80 Lapwings, ten Teal and six Shelducks. (AH)

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

North Wall: A juvenile Cuckoo was in the bushes along the wall this morning. (TG)

This evening there was a Spoonbill on the Breech Pool. (LP)

Spoonbill at the North Wall (LP)

Church Norton: For the first time there were lots of migrant passerines about this morning, with the highlights being a Pied Flycatcher behind the hide and a Spotted Flycatcher and two Redstarts by the concrete wall.

At least ten Wheatears were along the beach, with at least 30 Whitethroats, half a dozen Lesser Whitethroats and Willow Warblers and a couple of Sedge Warblers and Blackcaps spread around, whilst 50+ Swallows and a few Sand Martins and House Martins went over.

Also, two Cattle Egrets were in the horse field, two Sandwich Terns were offshore and half a dozen Whimbrels, c20 Curlews and c50 Redshanks were in the harbour. (AH/KT/SR et al)

Pied Flycatcher (KT) (above), Willow Warbler, Sedge Warbler, Blackcaps, Wheatear & Whimbrel (AH) at Church Norton

Medmerry: Easton Lane to the Stilt Pool - Highlights this evening were a female Marsh Harrier and a Short-eared Owl having a dogfight over the reserve and a feeding flock of c40 Long-tailed Tits and 18 Willow Warblers, whilst there were also three Yellow Wagtails, three Greenshanks, a Common Sandpiper and seven Whimbrel on the reserve.

The banks were quite quiet, otherwise, with just a Whitethroat, a Stonechat and four Yellowhammers seen, plus five Swifts, c20 Swallows, c50 Sand Martins and a Sparrowhawk over, and the Stilt Pools just held two Common Sandpipers and an adult and the three juvenile Egyptian Geese. (S&SaH)

Tuesday, 15th August: A very pleasant morning of warm sun and some white cloud, in a moderate westerly breeze.......

Selsey Bill: Two dark-phase Arctic Skuas east, 21 Common Scoters west and three Wheatears and two Willow Warblers along the front were the best this morning. Full log below. (SR/AH/IP/P&LH)

(0645-0900hrs) (WNW, F4)

Gannet - 10E, 11W

Shag - 2E

Common Scoter - 21W

Sparrowhawk - 3 (together)

Oystercatcher - 1W

Sanderling - 1W

Turnstone - 8

Arctic Skua - 2W

Sandwich Tern - 2E, 14W, 6os

Common Tern - 2W

Green Woodpecker - 1

Swallow - 8W

House Martin - 5

Wheatear - 3

Willow Warbler - 2

Wheatears (above), Willow Warbler, Sandwich Tern & Sparrowhawk at the Bill (AH)

Ferry Pool: A Green Sandpiper and a Common Sandpiper were both on the pool this morning, along with three Avocets, 15 Black-tailed Godwits, c40 Lapwings, six Shelducks and 18 Teal, whist at least 20 Cattle Egrets were among the cows at the back. (AH)

Later on, a Greenshank was on the pool, along with a Little Egret and a Cattle Egret, whilst two Wheatears were at the back. (P&LH)

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

Church Norton: There were three Wheatears on the concrete blocks and another seven along the beach this morning, with a Garden Warbler, several Lesser Whitethroats and Whitethroats, three Willow Warblers, a Chiffchaff and a Blackcap also about, and 350 Sand Martins, 25 Swallows and a dozen House Martins went over, along with a Peregrine and a Mash Harrier.

There wasn't too much in the harbour, though, beyond a Whimbrel, two Grey Plovers, c20 Curlews and a few Redshanks and Oystercatchers, plus five Great Crested Grebes. (P&LH/KJ/JMo et al)

North Wall: A Whinchat, a Whitethroat and three Wheatears were at Halsey's Farm this morning, with another of the latter along the wall, but not much else in the hedges.

On the Breech Pool there were seven Redshank, 12 Lapwing, six Black-tailed Godwits and seven Teal, whilst a few Sand Martins and Swallows flew over, the Peregrine was again over the harbour and the usual mix of Grey Herons, Little Egrets and Cattle Egrets were out on their island. (LP/GHi)

A Little Owl was briefly present near the stables this evening, while White's Creek contained three Spotted Redshanks, a Bar-tailed Godwit, four Black-tailed Godwits, two Common Sandpipers and the usual Greenshank.

There were Barn Owls at Halseys Farm and Owl Point with possibly a third viewed by visitors behind the Breech Pool. Also at Owl Point there was a Whinchat and a flock of about a dozen Sand Martins flew over. The Breech Pool was quiet apart from five Black-tailed Godwits and a fly-past Kingfisher (IH/TH)

Wheatears at the North Wall (GHi)

East Side: On the rising tide this morning, a Spotted Redshank was along the banks with c150 Redshank, 30 Lapwing, 20 Curlews, three Whimbrel and 30 Oystercatchers, with two Ringed Plovers, a Common Sandpiper, and a lone Dunlin further along, six Great Crested Grebes on the water, and 40 Great Black-backed Gulls sat out on the mud. (LP)

Spotted Redshank (above), Whimbrel, Common Sandpiper, Dunlin, Ringed Plover & Oystercatcher along the East side (LP)

Hunston Church to Fisher Corner: One singing Chiffchaff, nine Willow Warblers, a Blackcap, two Whitethroats, a Green Woodpecker, 32 House Martins, eight Swallows and a Buzzard were seen along the route, along with four Brown Argus and eight Holly Blue butterflies. (SR)

Medmerry: Easton Lane to the Stilt Pools - Two Willow Warblers, two Whitethroats, four Stonechats and three Yellowhammers were along the banks this evening, with six swallows and c30 Sand Martins going over.

I was quiet, otherwise, though, with just a Greenshank, two Common Sandpipers and a Buzzard seen. (S&SaH)

Medmerry: Ham Farm - It was very quiet here, with just a Whinchat and a pair of Stonechats along the banks and a single Wheatear near the breach, with half a dozen Whitethroats, a Skylark and a Green Woodpecker just about the only other birds seen. (AH)

Whinchat (above), Whitethroat & Green Woodpecker at Medmerry (AH)

Monday, 14th August: After overnight rain, a mild, but grey, morning of squally showers in a blustery and freshening south-westerly breeze.......

Selsey Bill: A couple of Shags east and a pair of Common Scoters on the sea were the highlights of a quiet morning. Full log below. (CRJ/SR/AH/IP)

(0640-0810hrs) (SW, F4)

Gannet - 8E, 6W, 7os

Shag - 2E

Common Scoter - 1E, 2os

Kestrel - 1

Turnstone - 7

Sandwich Tern - 3E, 6W

Swallow - 13W

House Martin - 7

Turnstone at the Bill (AH)

Ferry Pool: A Green Sandpiper was on the pool early on and a Common Sandpiper was present later, but otherwise there were just two Avocets, 14 Black-tailed Godwits, c50 Lapwings and six Shelducks present.

Also, early on, there were a minimum of 52 Cattle Egrets among the cows in the fields. (AH/TS)

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

North Selsey: A flock of 22 Cattle Egrets went west over our house, to the north of the village, at first light this morning - a garden tick! (S&SaH)

Church Norton: The first returning Spotted Flycatcher was behind this morning, along with two Garden Warblers, two Blackcaps, two Willow Warblers, a Chiffchaff and a Whitethroat, with another half a dozen of the latter and four Lesser Whitethroats in the adjacent sheltered hedges. At least five Wheatears were along the beach, with another half a dozen scattered Whitethroats along the Severals area, whilst a Swift went over the Mound and a mix of Sand Martins, House Martins and Swallows were widely spread.

Three Cattle Egrets were in the horse field, with a further seven flying across the harbour in that direction and a Marsh Harrier flew up through the harbour, whilst waders included a Bar-tailed Godwit, a Greenshank, ten Turnstones, c30 Ringed Plovers and Dunlin and at least six Whimbrel, including one that was determined to settle in the Severals. (AH/TS/JMo)

Garden Warbler (above), Spotted Flycatcher, Lesser Whitethroat, Wheatear, Whitethroat, Whimbrel, Bar-tailed Godwit, Greenshank and Ringed Plovers & Cattle Egrets at Church Norton (AH)

North Wall: A Green Sandpiper and a Common Sandpiper were on the Breech Pool this morning, along with the four Spotted Redshanks, six Lapwings, a Redshank and ten Black-tailed Godwits, whilst a Kingfisher was by the sluice and two Greenshanks were along White’s Creek with a few Redshanks, Lapwings and Oystercatchers.

The usual selection of Grey Herons, Little Egrets and Cattle Egrets were on their island, 100 Redshank were along the adjacent channel and a Peregrine flew through, and at Halsey’s Farm, 30 Goldfinches were in the hedgerow along with a Willow Warbler, and a Wheatear was on a fence post. (LP/CT/TRH)

Spotted Redshanks (above), Green Sandpiper, Green and Common Sandpipers, Lapwing and Wheatear at the North Wall (LP)