20th -22nd July 2024

Monday, 22nd July: A pretty dismal morning of persistent drizzle under leaden skies in a brisk south-westerly breeze...

Selsey Bill: The first Fulmar in a month, going east, and 23 Sand Martins going west were the highlights of a slow morning. Full log below. (PB/SR/AH/IP)

(0600-0900hrs) (SW, F4-5)

Fulmar - 1E

Gannet - 6E, 10W

Common Scoter - 10E

Oystercatcher - 3W

Sandwich Tern - 2E, 7W, 13os

Common Tern - 1E, 4W

Sand Martin - 23W

Late this afternoon, a Black Tern went west and a dark-phase Arctic Skua went west. Full log below. (SH)

(01630-1730hrs)

Gannet - 1E, 5W, 4os

Arctic Skua - 1E

Mediterranean Gull- 3W

Common Tern - 1W

Black Tern - 1W

Sandwich Tern at the Bill (AH)

Ferry Pool: There was a bit of variety this morning, with a Green Sandpiper and four Dunlin on the concealed pool, along with an adult and two juvenile Little Ringed Plovers, the Snipe, 23 Black-tailed Godwits and six Teal, with a further five on the main pool, along with an adult and two juvenile Avocets and the Shelduck family.

Also, a Kingfisher flew around and over the pool and at least eight Cattle Egrets among the cows. (AH)

Green Sandpiper (above), Snipe and Teal, Little Ringed Plover and Dunlin & Cattle Egrets at the Ferry (AH)

West Wittering: A Nuthatch flew over Ellanore Lane early this afternoon. (SH)

Church Norton: A total of 22 Sandwich Terns and seven Common Terns were in the harbour this morning, along with six Whimbrel, ten Curlews, c120 Dunlin, four Ringed Plovers and c80 Redshanks, but that was about it. (AH)

Common Tern (above), Common and Sandwich Terns, Whimbrel & Dunlin at Church Norton (AH)

Sunday, 21st July: Another mild, but predominantly murky, morning in a moderate north-westerly breeze.......

Selsey Bill: It was back to just the regular species this morning. Full log below. (SH/AHSR/IP)

(0630-0800hrs) (NW, F3)

Gannet - 2E, 5W

Common Scoter - 1E, 2W

Oystercatcher - 2E

Mediterranean Gull - 3E

Sandwich Tern - 14E, 23W

Common Tern - 3E, 7W

Swift - 7

House Martin - 8

Mediterranean Gull (above), Gannet & House Martin at the Bill (AH)

Ferry Pool: There was just the usual mix here again this morning, too, including a juvenile Little Ringed Plover, two Common Sandpipers, the Snipe, three adult and five juvenile Avocets, 27 Black-tailed Godwits, four Teal and the Shelduck family, with a Whimbrel in the channel opposite and at least five Cattle egrets among the cows. (AH/IP/MRe)

Little Ringed Plover (above), Snipe, Common Sandpiper & Cattle Egret at the Ferry (AH)

North Wall: The Great White Egret was in the Beech Pool this morning, though surprisingly elusive at times, with a  vicinity, and two juvenile Marsh Harriers and a handful of Swifts and ten Swallows went over, with a Kingfisher, two Water Rails and a Grey Wagtail also in the vicinity.

There were also a Green Sandpiper and a Common Sandpiper in the ditches at Halsey's Farm, and a Little Ringed Plover was heard flying over, whilst in White's Creek there were a Spotted Redshank, three more Common Sandpipers and eight Lapwing.

The hedges remain quiet, but  a Lesser Whitethroat was at Halsey's Farm, and one or two Chiffchaffs, Blackcaps, Reed and Cetti's Warblers were about, with seven Cattle Egrets, 29 Little Egrets and four Grey Herons also noted. (LP/AH/S&SaH/SP/MRe et al)

Great White Egret (above), Marsh Harrier & Common Sandpiper at the North Wall (AH)

East side: There was a good selection of waders present again the morning, including six Knot (three red, three grey!), two Greenshanks, c40 Grey Plovers, c150 Dunlin, a Bar-tailed Godwit, two Black-tailed Godwits, four Whimbrel and 20 Curlews, along with two Yellow-legged Gulls and c30 Mediterranean Gulls, but just one Common Tern and five Sandwich Terns. (AH/MRe et al)

Knot (above), Grey Plover and Dunlin, Dunlin & Yellow-legged Gulls along the East side (AH)

Church Norton: It was quiet in the harbour this evening, with just six Sandwich Terns and two Common Terns on the mud, along with a couple of Whimbrel and Curlews and c50 Redshanks. (AH)

Sandwich Terns (above) & Common Terns at Church Norton (AH)

 

Medmerry: Earnley car-park to Marsh Barn - The Quail sang three times at around 0830hrs this morning, but there was no further sound by 0930hrs.

Also, there were a lot of songbirds around the area, including a very yellow Willow Warbler along the path - the first returning bird. (IP)

Medmerry: Easton Lane to the Stilt Pool - There were two Avocets, a Common Sandpiper, eight Lapwings, a common Gull, eight Mediterranean Gulls and a Sandwich Tern around the Stilt Pool this morning, whilst a Peregrine was sat out on a dead tree on the reserve and three Swifts, two Sand Martins and 13 Swallows went over.

Along the banks there were two Dartford Warblers, eight Whitethroats, two Blackcaps, four Chiffchaffs, three Sedge Warblers, 15 Reed Warblers, two Stonechats, a Reed Bunting, four Meadow Pipits, 18 Yellowhammers and 75 Linnets. (MRe)

Chi GPs : Drayton House pits - There were five hybrid-type geese (presumed Barnacle x Canada) on South pit, whilst on North pit there were 36 Pochard with no sign now of any breeding birds. Great Crested Grebes were the most obvious species today with higher numbers than usual; total for both pits was 26 adults and at least 16 young (with one pair still nesting). 

A Common Tern (or perhaps two) was to be seen fishing at both pits, whilst a Bullfinch was seen and heard and several Reed Warblers were still giving short bursts of song. (OM)

(above) presumed feral Barnacle x Canada Geese, Common Tern and Great Crested Grebes at Drayton House pits (OM)

Saturday, 20th July: A mild, but persistently muggy and overcast day in a light to moderate westerly breeze....

Selsey Bill: The first two returning Sanderlings and 11 Turnstones went west this morning, with over 30 common Scoters seen, too. Full log below. (SH/SR/IP/AH)

(0630-0800hrs) (W, F3)

Great Crested Grebe - 1W

Gannet - 2E, 19W

Common Scoter - 19E, 13os

Sanderling - 2W

Turnstone - 11W

Mediterranean Gull - 3W

Sandwich Tern - 11E, 10W

Common Tern - 7W

Swift - 5

Swallow - 5

House Martin - 11

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

Ferry Pool: The two Spotted Redshanks were on the pool early on, before relocating to Ferry Channel, though one was back on the pool later, along with the Snipe, three juvenile Little Ringed Plovers, two Common Sandpipers, two adult and three juvenile Avocets, 25 Black-tailed Godwits, three Teal and the Shelduck family, whilst up to five Cattle Egrets were among the cows and a Whimbrel was in the channel opposite. (AH/RBe)

Spotted Redshank (above), Common Sandpiper, Little Ringed Plover, Snipe, Whimbrel & Black-tailed Godwits at the Ferry (AH)

Long Pool: The Spotted Redshanks were along ferry Channel, along with c20 Redshanks and a few Curlews, but it was fairly quiet along the path, with just a family of Sedge Warblers, a family of Whitethroats, several Reed Warblers and Reed Buntings and half a dozen Linnets seen,plus a couple of Skylarks over the adjacent fields and a family of Tufted Ducks on the pool. (AH/RBe)

Sedge Warbler (above), Whitethroat & Tufted Duck and ducklig along the Long Pool (AH)

North Wall: A Green Woodpecker was at Little Welbourne and two Black-tailed Godwits, one colour ringed, were on the Breech Pool along with the Great Crested Grebe family.

There were a few Sedge Warblers, Greenfinches and a Chaffinch along the wall, and six Little Egrets were in Owl Copse, whilst at Halsey’s Farm, a Grey Heron was struggling with a large eel and nine Cattle Egrets were around the cows. (LP)

Black-tailed Godwit (above), Grey Heron & Green Woodpecker at the North Wall (LP)

This evening, a Great White Egret was on the Breech Pool and a Kingfisher was on Owl Water. (S&SaH/SP)

Great White egret (above) & Great Crested Grebe family at the North Wall (SH)

East Side: It was very busy along the East Side on the rising tide, with three adult Yellow-legged Gulls, two Lesser Black-backed Gulls, 150 Mediterranean Gulls, 18 Sandwich Terns and ten Little Terns present, along with a large number of waders including a Bar-tailed Godwit, two Black-tailed Godwits, two Common Sandpipers, a Knot, two Greenshanks, 60 Grey Plovers, 90 Dunlin, eight Whimbrel, 30 Curlews, 70 Redshanks, 20 Lapwings, 11 Ringed Plovers, 19 Turnstones and 30 Oystercatchers.

Also, a Peregrine, a Sparrowhawk, 15 Swallows and eight Swifts went over, whilst two Chiffchaffs, two Cetti's Warblers, two Blackcaps and three Whitethroats were along the hedges and two Common Seals were hauled out on the bank. (MRe/LP/SP/ARK)

Yellow-legged Gull (above), Bar-tailed Godwit, Whimbrel, Greenshanks, Grey Plovers, Knot, Grey Plover and Dunlin & Common Seals along the East side (LP)

Park Farm, Selsey: A couple of Buzzards were over the farm, whilst a Grey Wagtail flew over the new building site and a Pied Wagtail was at the farm and a Reed Warbler was in the adjacent rife, and there were reasonable hirundine numbers and ten Swifts over the farm buildings

Church Norton: A single Little Tern, at least eight Common Terns, including two juveniles, c30 Sandwich Terns and c40 Mediterranean Gulls were in the harbour, whilst a juvenile Kittiwake flew out of the harbour over the spit and went off west.

Two Common Sandpipers were together on the concrete blocks, whilst three or four Whimbrel were about, along with a dozen Ringed Plovers and Dunlin and at least 15 Turnstones, together with the usual Curlews, Redshanks and Oystercatchers, and, also, two Swallows went over and a Gannet, seven Mediterranean Gulls and a few Sandwich Terns were offshore.

Around the Severals there were a few Whitethroats, a juvenile Blackcap, a pair of Reed Buntings, a couple of Reed Warblers,a couple of stock Doves and a few Linnets, with a Sparrowhawk, a couple of Jays, a Great Spotted Woodpecker and several Green Woodpeckers seen at various locations. (AH/RBe/IP)

Kittiwake (above), Common Tern and Sandwich Tern, Sandwich Terns & Common Sandpipers and Redshanks at Church Norton (AH)

Medmerry: Easton Lane to the Stilt Pool - A Quail was calling from the fields along the track to the Earnley car-park late this morning, and into the afternoon.

Along the banks there were two Dartford Warblers, seven Whitethroats, six Reed Warblers, two Stonechats, a Reed Bunting and 18 Yellowhammers, with 15 Swifts, nine Swallows, a Buzzard and two Kestrels over.

At the Stilt Pool there were just a Common Sandpiper, a Ringed Plover and a Black-tailed Godwit, with two Sandwich Terns west offshore and three Egyptian Geese on the reserve. (MP/S&SaH et al) There were also several specimens of the rare near threatened Bright Wave moth along the banks east of Easton Lane (BI)

This evening the Quail was still in the fields along the track from Earnley car-park, with a Red-legged Partridge also calling, and two Ravens went over west. (J Ev/AH/AB et al)

Raven at Medmerry (AH)