13th - 15th September 2023

Friday, 15th September: Another warm and bright morning, in just a light and variable breeze...........

Editorial: Sadly, I have learned of the recent passing of Mike Waring, yet another character from earlier days at the Bill. Although Mike's name is probably unknown to many of the younger or more recent blog readers, he will certainly be known to us older observers. Character he certainly was - for you normally heard him well before you saw him - being one of the 'Hampshire boys' and always ready with a bit of banter. He was a semi-regular visitor, who always tried each year for Pom Skuas in the 'golden years' and even wrote a poem about birding at Selsey in May, a copy of which is in my diary somewhere!

Mike also travelled to the Scillies each autumn during those special times, where some of the Selsey faithful, including me, would bump into him in the pub for yet more banter...you could always hear where Mike was! During those times he was invariably accompanied by his daughter, who had learning difficulties, but this dynamic duo were no shrinking violets and got to see most things. And there is a wonderful tale which would take far too long to fully tell here, but basically Mike and his daughter had so much luggage one year that our little aircraft could only accommodate their stuff en route to Land's End, so my group's luggage was left behind!

Fond memories and there's so much more that could be said, but rest in peace now my friend.

(OM)

Mike Waring on the bench at Bill, Nov 1998. (The chap behind in this pic is the late Bob Knight, a true gentleman) (OM)

Selsey Bill: The clear highlight was a Honey-buzzard that went out to sea at 0640hrs this morning, whist a flock of nine Eider, including four drakes, that went east and later back west was unusual for the time of year. Full log below. (PB/PM/BI/IP/SR/MO-W/AH)

(0630-0900hrs) (NE, F2)

Gannet - 131W, 15E

Shag - 1E

Eider - 9E, then W

Common Scoter - 4E, 1W

Honey-buzzard - 1S

Sparrowhawk - 1E

Turnstone - 5

Mediterranean Gull - 2os

Sandwich Tern - 6os

auk sp - 1W

Green Woodpecker - 1E

Swallow - 428E

Sand Martin - 8E

House Martin - 128E, 200 present

Yellow Wagtail - 8E

Grey Wagtail - 2W

Pied Wagtail - 4E

Meadow Pipit - 73E

Eiders (above), Shag, Yellow Wagtail (AH) & House Martins (SR) at the Bill

Ferry Pool: There were six Spotted Redshanks and a Greenshank on the pool this morning, along with a Common Sandpiper, a Ringed Plover, four Snipe, 11 Dunlin, 24 Black-tailed Godwits and just a handful of Teal. (AH/PB/PM/AT)

Snipe (above) & Spotted Redshanks and Black-tailed Godwit at the Ferry (AH)

East Beach: A Long-tailed Blue butterfly was in my un-mowed garden this morning. (SR)

Long-tailed Blue in an East Beach garden (SR)

Long Pool: It was quiet along here, with just a Yellowhammer, three Reed Buntings and a couple of Whitethroats seen. (AH)

Yellowhammer (above) & Reed Bunting along the Long Pool (AH)

North Wall: There were still 11 Curlew Sandpipers along White’s Creek this morning, but they were very mobile between there and the Breech Pool, with a Spotted Redshank along the creek, too, and another on the Breech Pool, where there were also three Water Rails, three Snipe, eight Dunlin, 18 Black-tailed Godwits and 26 Teal.

In the fields there were 52 Lapwing and 47 Curlew and along the hedgerows there was a Whinchat, a Sedge Warbler, a Reed Warbler, seven Whitethroats, three Lesser Whitethroats, a Blackcap, 12 Long-tailed Tits, six Cetti’s Warblers, a and lots of Blue Tits and Starlings.

A Kingfisher flew through, a dozen Little Egrets and three Cattle Egrets were seen, and overhead there were a Grey Wagtail, a Yellow Wagtail, six Meadow Pipits and a few Swallows, with a Marsh Harrier, a Buzzard and a Kestrel also about. (LP/IH/AHu/TH/NM/JDW/CT/DHi/PB/PM/JMo et al)

Curlew Sandpipers (JDW top, AHu next, LP lower two) (above), Spotted Redshank and Curlew Sandpiper, Curlew Sandpiper and Dunlins, Water Rail, Whinchat and Whitethroat & Starling (LP) at the North Wall

This evening the 11 Curlew Sandpipers were spread along White's Creek, where a Spotted Redshank and the short-billed Greenshank were also present, whilst another Spotted Redshank, a Common Sandpiper, at least eight Snipe, six Dunlin and two Water Rails were on the Breech Pool.

Also, at least  100 Yellows Wagtails were flying about and restlessly setting, ready to roost, and two Marsh Harriers were about, but no owls. (LP/TH/AH/S&SaH et al)

Yellow Wagtails (above), Curlew Sandpipers, Spotted Redshank, Marsh Harrier & Snipe and Water Rail at the North Wall (AH)

Church Norton: The bushes were very quiet here in a fairly brief look, with just the odd Chiffchaff and Whitethroat seen, plus a few Swallows over, whilst two Greenshanks and a Whimbrel were the highlights in an equally quiet harbour, though there was, oddly, a Red-legged Partridge on the boardwalk by the hide. (AH/BI)

Greenshanks (above), Whimbrel & Red-legged Partridge at Church Norton (AH)

Thursday, 14th September: A pleasantly sunny morning, in just a light northerly breeze...........

Selsey Bill: The morning was dominated by large numbers of House Martins feeding all around and slowly drifting away west, though everything else was in very low numbers. Full log below. (SR/IP/AH)

(0655-0840hrs) (N, F1)

Gannet - 4W

Dunlin - 1W

Turnstone - 1

Sandwich Tern - 3W

Swallow - 7W

Sand Martin - 1W

House Martin - 1357W

Yellow Wagtail - 1E, 3W, 1 on beach

Grey Wagtail - 1W

Pied Wagtail - 3W

Meadow Pipit - 8W

Wheatear - 1

Willow Warbler - 1

Willow/Chiff - 2

Linnet - 6W

Wheatear (above), Chiffchaff, House Martin & Box Tree Moth at the Bill (AH)

Ferry Pool: There were two Spotted Redshanks and four Greenshanks on the pool this morning, along with 11 Dunlin, three Snipe, a dozen Lapwings, c20 Black-tailed Godwits, two Shovelers and c20 Teal. (AH/IP)

Spotted Redshanks (above) & Greenshanks at the Ferry (AH)

North Wall: There were 16 juvenile Curlew Sandpipers in White's Creek this morning, before they dispersed with the rising tide, and  later five were on the Breech Pool, along with two Dunlin, four Spotted Redshanks, an adult and a juvenile Water Rail, four Snipe, 15 Lapwing and c30 Black-tailed Godwits. A single Avocet was also on the mudflats beside White's Creek with c80 Grey Plovers and six Golden Plovers nearby, although the former didn't linger very long. 

Also, a Little Owl was head calling from the garden of Little Welbourne, a couple of Marsh Harriers were about, two juvenile Yellow-legged Gulls were in the harbour and half a dozen juvenile Cattle Egrets were still in Owl Copse..

There were Whitethroats all along the wall and in the hedges at Halsey's Farm, whilst a couple of Whinchats, a Wheatear, a Lesser Whitethroat, a Reed Warbler and a handful of Blackcaps, Chiffchaffs and Reed Buntings were also seen, along with three Grey Wagtails by the sluice and a few Swallows over. 

(LP/DHi/CT/OM/BFF/DM/JDW/ARK/GHi/IP/AH/OM et al)

Curlew Sandpipers (above), Water Rails, Grey Wagtail (GHi), Curlew Sandpipers, Wheatear (BFF), Curlew Sandpipers, Snipe, Whinchat, Reed Warbler & Whitethroat (AH) at the North Wall

This evening there were two Short-eared Owls about this evening - one around the paddocks and one at Halsey's Farm, where there was also a Barn Owl, with a Whinchat and a few Yellow Wagtails about, too. . (S&SaH)

Yellow Wagtail (above) & Whinchat at the North Wall (SH)

Church Norton: A Spotted Flycatcher and a pair of Blackcaps were behind the hide this morning, whilst a a Whinchat and a Wheatear along the beach.

In the harbour, a Peregrine was on Tern Island, whilst six Bar-tailed Godwits dropped in  and there were also a few Grey Plovers among the regular waders. (JMo)

This evening a dozen Knot were on the mud, along with a Whimbrel, two Bar-tailed Godwits, c20 Grey Plovers, c30 Ringed Plovers and c50 Dunlin, whilst a Wheatear was on the concrete blocks. (AH)

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

Medmerry: Ham Farm - Two Wheatears were in fields behind Ham Farm this morning, and 13 Grey Herons flew south in flocks of three and ten. (MW)

Wednesday, 13th September: A mostly grey morning, chill in a brisk north-easterly early on, but warm and muggy later as the breeze eased.......

Selsey Bill: A Hobby that came in off the sea was the highlight of a quiet morning. Full log below. (MO-W/AH)

(0720-0835hrs) (NE, F3-4)

Gannet - 3E

Hobby - 1E

Mediterranean Gull - 1E

Sandwich Tern - 3E

House Martin -  10E

Grey Wagtail - 1E

Meadow Pipit - 1E, 1W

Hobby (above) & Mediterranean Gull at the Bill (AH)

Ferry Pool: There were three Spotted Redshanks and three Greenshanks on the pool this morning, together with seven Dunlin, the Ringed Plover, two Snipe, 12 Black-tailed Godwits, seven Lapwings, four Shelducks and c30 Teal. (AH)

Also, a Hobby went over the farm shop, south of the Ferry this morning. (MO-W)

Spotted Redshank (above), Greenshanks & Spotted Redshanks and Greenshanks at the Ferry (AH)

North Wall: This morning there were 14 Curlew Sandpipers along White’s Creek, close to the sluice, along with a Spotted Redshank, a Bar-tailed Godwit, eight Black-tailed Godwits and lots of Redshank, with a few Dunlin, Grey Plovers, Ringed Plovers and four Knot further back. Also, an adult Yellow-legged Gull was out on the mud and a Hobby flew through.

A Cetti’s Warbler and a Kingfisher were by the sluice, two Marsh Harriers were over the reeds, and a Greenshank, five Snipe, two Spotted Redshanks, 26 Black-tailed Godwits, 18 Lapwing and 28 Teal were on the Breech Pool.

There were still a few Little Egrets and Cattle Egrets in Owl Copse, where a pair of Ravens flew over, 37 Curlew were in the fields, and a few Chiffchaffs and Whitethroats were along the hedgerows, but it was quiet at Halsey’s Farm with just three Wheatears and a Jay on the fences and two Buzzards in a nearby tree. (LP/SP/TS/NM/JDW/TG)

Curlew Sandpipers (above), Spotted Redshank, Curlew Sandpipers and Spotted Redshank, Snipe, Little Egret & Cetti's Warbler at the North Wall (LP)

Church Norton: All the passerine activity was around the churchyard his morning, with at least four Spotted Flycatchers, a couple of Blackcaps and Whitethroats, at least three Goldcrests, a Willow Warbler and half a dozen Chiffchaffs around the bushes, but there was little else anywhere in the wind, with a Red-legged Partridge about the only bird seen around Greenlease Farm, and just a few Swallows over the Severals.

Also, at least five Whimbrel and three Bar-tailed Godwits were in the harbour, along with eight Knot, four Turnstones, a dozen Grey Plovers and 30+ Dunlin and Ringed Plovers. (AH)

Spotted Flycatchers (above), Willow Warbler, Blackcap, Whitethroat, Knot and Turnstone, Whimbrel, Bar-tailed Godwit & Red-legged Partridge at Church Norton (AH)

Medmerry: Easton Lane to the Stilt Pools - A Short-eared Owl was over the reserve this evening, along with two Buzzards, whilst four Cattle Egrets, a Greenshank, four Egyptian Geese and 99 Yellow Wagtails were on the reserve itself.There were a few birds along the banks in the still conditions, including two Whitethroats, three Willow/Chiffs, four Dartford Warblers, four Cetti's Warblers, two Stonechats and 14 Yellowhammers, but a snipe and a Common sandpiper were the only waders on the Stilt Pool. (S&SaH)

Chichester Marina: Between the marina and Dell Quay this morning there was an Osprey fishing in the channel, an adult Yellow-legged Gull at high tide, as well as a Wheatear, a Kingfisher and 10+ Greenshank.

Around the farmland was a nice flock of 150+ Linnets, whilst on Birdham Pool a tight group of c20 Little Grebes were diving in sync. (HB)

Osprey at Chichester Marina (above) & Little Grebes on Birdham Pool (HB)