1st - 3rd August 2023

Thursday, 3rd August: A much better morning, after early drizzle cleared, with a mix of sun and cloud in a moderate north-westerly breeze........

Selsey Bill: There were 54 Sandwich Terns on the shingle bar, along with a Whimbrel and three Mediterranean Gulls, but it was generally quiet. Full log below. (SR/A Egan/AH)

(0700-0800hrs) (NNW, F4)

Gannet - 1E, 2W

Oystercatcher - 1E, 1W

Whimbrel -1

Mediterranean Gull - 3os

Sandwich Tern - 9E, 19W, 54os

Swift - 1

Ferry Pool: There were just a Common Sandpiper, the four Avocets, a Grey Heron and two Teal on a very full pool this morning. (AH)

Common Sandpiper (above), Avocets & Grey Heron on the Ferry (AH)

North Wall: A Common Sandpiper, two Greenshanks, a Whimbrel, 42 Redshanks, 34 Lapwing, 23 Black-tailed Godwits and three Little Egrets were along White’s Creek this morning, with two Grey Plovers, 12 Dunlin and a family of Shelducks further out on the mud.

There was nothing on the Breech Pool, but at Owl Copse, a mixed flock of Long-tailed Tits, Blue Tits, Willow Warblers, Chiffchaffs, Whitethroats and Reed Warblers were in the bushes, a Kingfisher was along the banks, two Little Grebes were on the water and 32 Little Egrets, 26 Cattle Egrets and ive Grey Herons were spread around the trees and out on their island.

Also, a flock of 80 Lapwing flew into the harbour and a few Swallows and Sand Martins were also about, but it was quiet at Halsey’s Farm with just a single Teal, a Lapwing and a Black-tailed Godwit on the rife and the Kestrel family around the fields. (LP/SP/CT)

Church Norton: A Garden Warbler was in the churchyard this evening, along with a big mixed flock, including at least a dozen Willow Warblers and a handful of Chiffchaffs and Long-tailed Tits.

The harbour was very quiet, though, beyond the usual Redshanks and Curlews. (AH)

Garden Warbler (above), Chiffchaff & Willow Warblers at Church Norton (AH)

Medmerry: Easton Lane to the Stilt Pools - Two Wheatears were around the sea-defence rocks this morning, and at least ten juvenile Sedge Warblers and a handful of Willow Warblers were among the 20+ Whitethroats along the banks, with a couple of calling Dartford Warblers, a dozen Yellowhammers, including several juveniles, and 50+ Linnets and Goldfinches.

A Marsh Harrier and a Buzzard were around the reserve, with a few Swifts and Sand Martins over the reservoirs, whilst at the Stilt Pools, where water levels are also very high, there were five Common Sandpipers, a dozen Lapwing, 16 Gadwall, c200 Canada Geese and the three juvenile Egyptian Geese, but not their parents, whilst at least 40 Swallows were feeding over the water. (AH)

Wheatear (above), Willow Warbler, Sedge Warbler, Swallow, Yellowhammer, Linnets, Marsh Harrier, Common Sandpiper & Egyptian Geese at Medmerry (AH)

This evening a female Merlin - the earliest returning bird this century by six days - was hunting over the reserve, as were both Barn Owls, the first sightings in a while, whilst there were also a total of seven  Wheatears by the rocks, five Common Sandpipers on the Stilt Pool and four Dartford Warblers and 15 Yellowhammers along the banks.. (S&SaH)

Wheatear at Medmerry (SH)

Medmerry: Easton Lane to Ham - The stubble fields held most of the birds, with Linnet being the most numerous, a mixed flock of 30 Linnets & Goldfinches was along the path and a restless flock of c150 was over the fields.

Singles of Willow Warbler, Sedge Warbler and Reed Bunting were seen along with eight Yellowhammers, three Pied Wagtails, eight Whitethroats, a Kestrel and a Buzzard.Also, five Swallows were seen near the stable and there was a flock of 30 House Martins with nine Swifts among them, too. (SR)

Whitethroat (above) & Reed Bunting at Medmerry (SR)

Wednesday, 2nd August: After heavy overnight rain and a brief sunny start, another miserable morning of gale force westerlies and intermittent heavy rain..... 

Juvenile Avocets - The RSPB have asked for anyone sighting un-ringed juvenile Avocets around the harbour and Medmerry to let the Visitor Centre know, as it proved impossible to determine the breeding success or otherwise at Medmerry this summer. (All the chicks from Langstone harbour were ringed this year). Three un-ringed chicks have been on the Ferry over the last few days, which hopefully came from Medmerry. (Eds)

Selsey Bill: Two Arctic Skuas - at least one of which was an apparent juvenile - were offshore before heading off west this morning, whilst 13 Common Scoters and 41 Sandwich Terns also went west and three Common Sandpipers dropped in on the rocks. Full log below. (SR/AH/OM et al)

(0650-1150hrs) (WSW, F6-7)

Gannet - 3E, 12W

Common Scoter - 13W

Oystercatcher - 3W

Common Sandpiper - 3

Turnstone - 26

Arctic Skua - 2os, then W

Mediterranean Gull - 3E

Common Tern - 3W

Sandwich Tern - 7E, 41W

Sand Martin - 7SW

Swallow - 2W

This afternoon,a flock of 26 Whimbrel, 35 Common Terns, including a flock of 14, and 51 Sandwich Terns went west, along with two dark-phase Arctic Skuas and a Fulmar. Full log below. (SH/A Egan)

(1520-1720hrs)

Fulmar - 1W

Gannet - 2E, 3W

Whimbrel - 26 (in one flock)

Turnstone - 11

Arctic Skua - 2W

Sandwich Tern - 1E, 51W

Common Tern - 35W

Arctic Skuas (above), Common Sandpipers, Sandwich Tern & Gannet at the Bill (AH) and (bottom) Turnstones at high tide (OM)

Ferry Pool: There were just four Avocets, two Lapwings, two Shelducks and seven Teal on the pool, with half a dozen Cattle Egrets among the cows. (AH)

Cattle Egret at the Ferry (AH)

Church Norton: A fairly quick look in the harbour  this morning produced a Greenshank, three Whimbrels, a dozen Ringed Plovers and 50+ Redshanks, along with 14 roosting Sandwich Terns and six juvenile Shelducks.

Also, there was a large mobile tit flock moving through the sheltered hedges, which included half a dozen Whitethroats and Willow Warblers, along with a couple of Chiffchaffs and Blackcaps, whilst a handful of Swallows went over. (AH)

Whimbrel (above), Greenshank, Sandwich Terns, Chiffchaff & Whitethroat at Church Norton (AH)

This evening an adult and three juvenile Avocets - presumably the ones that have been frequenting the Ferry - were on the mud, along with three Black-tailed Godwits, five Whimbrels and c80 Redshanks. (AH)

Avocets, Black-tailed Godwit and Redshanks at Church Norton (AH)

Medmerry: Stilt Pools - A dark-phase Arctic Skua - possibly one of the ones seen off the Bill earlier - flew in and landed offshore late this morning. (MPh)

Tuesday, 1st August: Yet another blustery day, with heavy cloud slowly lifting, to leave it bright and breezy in the brisk north-westerly.....

Selsey Bill: Another quiet morning, with just a mix of the regular species. Full log below. (SR/IP/AH)

(0645-0815hrs) (WNW, F6)

Gannet - 1E, 18W

Common Scoter - 8W

Oystercatcher - 1E

Sanderling - 2W

Turnstone - 8

Sandwich Tern - 10E, 9W, 12os

Common Tern - 1E, 2W

House Martin - 1

Hummingbird Hawk-moth - 1

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

Ferry Pool: At high tide, early this afternoon, the Spotted Redshank was roosting on the pool, along with a Dunlin, a Ringed Plover, a Common Sandpiper, six Black-tailed Godwits, four Avocets and c60 Lapwings, with three Teal and Shelducks also about, whilst a Greenshank and a Whimbrel were in the channel opposite.. (AH)

Spotted Redshank, Avocets and Black-tailed Godwits (above), Ringed Plover and Dunlin & Avocets at the Ferry (AH)

Church Norton: It was pretty quiet in the harbour, with just two Common Sandpipers and 12 Whimbrel among the regular Curlews, Redshanks and Oystercatchers, though 32 Sandwich Terns were scattered between the harbour and offshore.

The bushes were very quiet, with a handful of Whitethroats and Linnets along the front and two Reed warblers and four Swallows around the Severals being about it. 

There were also a Brown Argus and several Holly Blues among the many Gatekeepers along the sheltered hedges.(AH/BFF/DM et al)

Whimbrel (above), Whitethroat, Linnet, Sandwich Tern, Brown Argus & Holly Blue at Church Norton (AH)

This afternoon, a ringed Roseate Tern was among a flock of roosting Sandwich Terns in the harbour and there were also four Whimbrel, two Dunlin, six Ringed Plovers and a Greenshank present. (M Dale per Twitter)

Roseate and Sandwich Terns at Church Norton (M Dale)

North Wall: A Wheatear and a Common Sandpiper were along the wall this morning, and two Greenshank, seven Black-tailed Godwits, 30 Redshank, six Lapwings, 12 Grey Plovers and two Whimbrels were along White’s Creek, together with a juvenile Yellow-legged Gull.

There were no birds on the Breech Pool, but a small mixed flock of Blue Tits, Great Tits, Long-tailed Tits, plus two Whitethroats and a Willow Warbler, were in the hedgerow, and ten Swifts and a couple of Sand Martins flew over.

Out on Heron Island there were five Grey Herons and  a mix of 69 Little Egrets and Cattle Egrets, with another 20 of the latter amongst the cows in the fields. (LP/T Hume/BFF/DM et al)

Common Sandpiper (above), Greenshank and Redshanks, Black-tailed Godwits, Cattle Egrets & Grey Herons, Cattle and Little Egrets at the North Wall (LP)

This evening there were two Wheatears along the wall. (LP)

Wheatear at the North Wall (LP)

Medmerry: Easton Lane to the Stilt Pool - A Stonechat, three Whitethroats were along the windy banks this evening, with two Swifts, four swallows, 30 Sand Martins, two Buzzards and two Kestrels going over.

Also, two Greylag Geese were on the reserve, but there were just two Common Sandpipers and the Egyptian Goose family on the Stilt Pool. (S&SaH)