Thursday, 25th July: A fairly dire morning of persistent drizzly rain under leaden skies, and cool in the fresh and blustery south-westerly breeze... ....
Selsey Bill: There wasn't much going on again this morning, though a flock of five Arctic Terns west was unusual. Full log below. (SR/AH/IP)
(0650-0805hrs) (SW, F5)
Gannet - 6W
Mediterranean Gull - 5W
Sandwich Tern - 6W, 15os
Arctic Tern - 5W
Arctic Terns (above), Sandwich Tern & Gannets at the Bill (AH)
Ferry Pool: There wasn't much about this morning, with a Common Sandpiper, eight Avocets, 30 Black-tailed Godwits and the Shelduck family being the sum. (AH)
Common Sandpiper (above), Avocets & Black-tailed Godwits at the Ferry (AH)
Sidlesham: A Hobby went low over Cow Lane in poor weather this evening. (AH)
East side: A look along the east side in poor conditions failed to produce last night's Pectoral Sandpiper, with waders including a Greenshank, a Common Sandpiper, three Whimbrel and Black-tailed Godwits, two Grey Plovers and c50 Dunlin and Redshanks, with a Sandwich Tern, two Yellow-legged Gulls, a Lesser Black-backed Gull and two Mediterranean Gulls the only other species of note. (JDa/SR/AH/KF/NM et al)
This evening, waders included three Greenshanks, three Common Sandpipers, three Whimbrel, six Grey Plovers, 55 Redshanks and 74 Dunlin and there were also an adult and three juvenile Yellow-legged Gulls, a Lesser Black-backed Gull, a Common Tern and five Sandwich Terns about, plus a Kingfisher and a Sparrowhawk. (MRe)
Sandwich Tern (above), Yellow-legged Gulls & Black-tailed Godwit along the East side (AH)
North Wall: The Great White Egret was still on the Breech Pool and two Common Sandpipers were along White’s Creek, together with a Whimbrel, a Black-tailed Godwit, and a few Redshanks and Lapwings.
Eighteen Cattle Egrets were in Honer 2, and three Black-tailed Godwits were on the rife at Halsey’s Farm, but apart from three Swifts overhead and two Green Woodpeckers around the paddock, that was about it in the damp and windy conditions. (LP/SP/TRH)
Great White Egret (above), Cattle and Little Egrets, Common Sandpiper & Green Woodpecker at the North Wall (LP)
Wednesday, 24th July: It was a return to summer this morning, with blue skies, warm sunshine and a light north-westerly breeze... ....
Selsey Bill: The sea was as dead as it could be, but a small influx of hirundines, plus a few Swifts provided most of the interest. Full log below. (AH/SR/IP)
(0655-0810hrs) (NW, F1-2)
Sparrowhawk - 1
Mediterranean Gull - 1os
Sandwich Tern - 1E, 1W, 20os
Swift - 29
Green Woodpecker - 1
Swallow - 8
Sand Martin - 10
House Martin - 40
Pied Wagtail - 1
Sand Martins (above), House Martins, Mediterranean Gull & Sandwich Tern at the Bill (AH)
Offshore from Selsey: A Willow Warbler dropped in on our fishing boat, 35 miles south-west of Selsey today - proof that migration has started. (CW)
Willow Warbler at sea (CW)
Ferry Pool: The Green Sandpiper was present again this morning, though at the back of the pool, with two Common Sandpipers, a juvenile Little Ringed Plover, the Snipe, 12 Avocets, 36 Black-tailed Godwits and the Shelduck family also present, whilst two Cattle Egrets and c40 Canada Geese flew over, heading west. (AH)
Green Sandpiper (above), Common Sandpiper, Snipe, Little Ringed Plover & Black-tailed Godwit at the Ferry (AH)
East side: An adult Pectoral Sandpiper - the first on the Peninsula since 2015 - was out on the mud among the Dunlin this evening.
Also, there was a variety of other waders present, including two Greenshanks, a Common Sandpiper, two Whimbrel, a Knot, 65 Dunlin, a Turnstone and six Grey Plovers, as well as a Yellow-legged Gull and 17 Common Terns. (MRe/LP/BI et al)
Pectoral Sandpiper along the East side (MRe)
Church Norton: The hedges were vey quiet here, with a scattering of Linnets and a glimpsed Chiffchaff and Whitethroat, plus four Swallows over, was about it,
Around 25 Sandwich Terns and a couple of Common Terns were offshore, but none were in the harbour, where at least eight Whimbrel and a dozen Curlews and Oystercatchers were all that was about. (AH)
Common Tern, Sandwich Terns and Black-headed Gull (above), Whimbrel & Linnet at Church Norton (AH)
North Wall: The Great White Egret was in White’s Creek early on, before flying back to the Breech Pool, where the Great Crested Grebe family are still present, and a Common Tern, eight Sand Martins and two Swallows were over the water.
In the warm and sunny conditions there was lots of activity along the reeds and bushes, with plenty of Reed Warblers and Sedge Warblers, two Lesser Whitethroats, three Common Whitethroats, two Cetti’s Warblers and four Reed Buntings about, and at Owl Water, a Kingfisher was along the bank and three Little Grebes were on the water.
A dozen Cattle Egrets were with the cows at Halsey’s Farm, but out in the harbour there was just the more common species seen, with a few Redshanks, Lapwings and Curlews. (LP)
Great White Egret (above) & Kingfisher at the North Wall (LP)
Medmerry: Earnley car-park to the Stilt Pools - It was very quiet this evening, with two Common Sandpipes, a Little Ringed Plover and two Avocets on the Stilt Pools the only things of note. (JEv)
Chichester Canal: The highlights today were non-avian - a Water Vole that made a brief appearance and a female Stag Beetle that crossed the towpath.
Otherwise, two family groups of Reed Warblers were seen, along with one family of Whitethroats, and other birds included Cetti's Warbler, Blackcap, Sedge Warbler and a pair of Mute Swans with four cygnets, whilst Coots were still feeding young and four Moorhens were feeding small chicks, as were several Little Grebes. (SR)
Reed Warbler (above) & Stag Beetle at Chichester Canal (SR)
Tuesday, 23rd July: Another grey morning, though brightening up a little later on, in a brisk and blustery westerly breeze....
Selsey Bill: It was a generally quiet morning, though a Cattle Egret flew in off the sea and a few waders were about, including a Common Sandpiper. Full log below. (SR/AH/IP/P&LH)
(0700-0845hrs) (WNW, F5-6)
Gannet - 4E, 11W
Cattle Egret - 1N
Little Egret - 1N
Common Scoter - 12W
Oystercatcher - 1W
Dunlin - 4W
Common Sandpiper - 1
Turnstone - 1
Mediterranean Gull - 3W
Sandwich Tern - 4E, 10W, 4os
Common Tern - 2W, 2os
Swallow - 5
House Martin - 3
Common Tern (above), Common Sandpiper, Cattle Egret, Turnstone & Sandwich Tern at the Bill (AH)
Ferry Pool: There were a few bits again this morning, including the Green Sandpiper, the Snipe, two Little Ringed Plovers, three Dunlin, seven Avocets, 27 Black-tailed Godwits, nine Teal and 17 Shelducks, including the family with 11 now nearly-grown juveniles. (AH/P&LH)
This evening there were six Common Sandpipers on the pool, along with the Green Sandpiper, three Little Ringed Plovers, 15 Black-tailed Godwits and six Teal,with a Whimbrel in the channel opposite. (MRe)
Green Sandpiper (above) & Black-tailed Godwits at the Ferry (AH)
Church Norton: There were 58 Sandwich Terns, six Common Terns and two Mediterranean Gulls in the harbour this morning, along with at least eight Whimbrel, 14 Curlews, 35 Grey Plovers and 69 Dunlin, whilst a Swift, a Swallow and three Sand Martins went over.
There was also a little gathering of hirundines along Rectory Lane, comprising five Swifts, 15 Swallows and 25 Sand Martins, along with three Skylarks. (AH/P&LH)
Whimbrel (above), Sandwich Terns and Mediterranean Gull & Sandwich Terns and Black-headed Gulls at Church Norton (AH)
This evening a Roseate Tern was showing well in the harbour, fishing and sitting out, and even chasing a Sandwich Tern with a fish and a Whimbrel.
Otherwise, there were c30 Sandwich Terns and half a dozen Common Terns about, along with a Common Sandpiper, three or four Ringed Plovers and Whimbrel and c50 Redshanks, whilst a Sparrowhawk flew across the harbour carrying prey. (AH/MRe/JEv)
Roseate Tern (above), Roseate Tern and Sandwich Tern, Sandwich Tern & Common Tern at Church Norton (AH)
Chalder & Marsh Farms, Sidlesham: The hedges held a families of Whitethroats and Chiffchaffs, two Long-tailed Tits, a Green Woodpecker, a Jay and a Yellowhammer.
Also, five Swallows, a single Swift and a Buzzard flew overhead and in the fields were ten Cattle Egrets, three Stock Doves and the pond held a Moorhen family. (SR)
Chiffchaff at Marsh Farm, Sidlesham (SR)
North Wall: The Great White Egret was still on the Breech Pool this morning along with two Little Egrets, a Grey Heron and the Great Crested Grebe family, but it was otherwise quiet along the wall, with just a couple of Greenfinches about, although a Kingfisher and two Little Grebes were on Owl Water and a Sparrowhawk was in the trees at Owl Copse.
Two Common Sandpipers were along White’s Creek, and further along the channel there was a Spotted Redshank, six Lapwings,76 Redshanks, 35 Dunlin, two Whimbrels, two Black-tailed Godwits and 35 Curlews. (LP/CT/TRH)
Great White Egret (above), with Little Egret, with Grey Heron, Whimbrel & Common Sandpipers at the North Wall (LP)
This evening a Barn Owl was about, along with a Sparrowhawk, whilst 14 Cattle Egrets and c30 Little Egrets were around Owl Copse and 62 Sand Martins and seven Swallows went over. (S&SaH)
Barn Owl at the North Wall (SH)
Fishbourne Creek: There was an impressive count of 1570 Mediterranean Gulls roosting in the creek late this morning. (BFF/DM)
Medmerry: Easton Lane to the Stilt Pool - The first sighting in over a year on the reserve of a Grey Partridge was the highlight this morning, with a Peregrine and two Marsh Harriers also notable.
Otherwise, an Avocet, a Little Ringed Plover, two Whimbrel, two Common Sandpipers and c30 Dunlin were on the Stilt Pool, whilst a pair of Dartford Warblers, six Yellowhammers and 100+ Linnets were along the breezy banks. (SM/KJ/GWh)
Yellowhammer (above) & Esssex Skipper at Medmerry (SM)
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