Birding the Selsey Peninsula: 29th -31st July 2024

Wednesday, 31st July: It remains very warm, but it was very muggy in a more overcast morning, despite the fresh north-easterly breeze.......

Selsey Bill: There wasn't much to quicken the pulse this morning, with just small numbers of the regular species seen. Full log below. (SR/AH)

(0655-0755hrs) (NE, F3-4)

Gannet - 1E, 3W

Oystercatcher - 1E

Sandwich Tern - 7E, 6W, 5os

Common Tern - 1E

Swift - 8

Swallow - 3E

House Martin - 12

Sandwich Terns (above) & House Martin at the Bill (AH)

Ferry Pool: There was a lot less variety this morning on the pool, with just a Common Sandpiper, ten Avocets and 24 Black-tailed Godwits present, along with a Gadwall, 16 Teal and seven juvenile Shelducks. (AH)

Common Sandpiper (above) & Black-tailed Godwit at the Ferry (AH)

North Wall: A Curlew Sandpiper was along White’s Creek this morning, along with 60 Dunlin, 108 Redshank, ten Grey Plovers, 38 Lapwings, 36 Curlews, 26 Oystercatchers, the Shelduck pair with their 12 youngsters, two Teal, a Common Tern, two Sandwich Terns and a Lesser Black-backed Gull, while nearer the sluice there were three Common Sandpipers, a Pied Wagtail and a Wheatear.
The Great White Egret was again on the Breech Pool, as well as four Spotted Redshanks, a Black-tailed Godwit and the Great Crested Grebe family, with lots of activity in and around the reeds from Reed Warblers, Sedge Warblers and Reed Buntings.
At Owl Copse, six Cattle Egrets were in the trees, two Kingfishers were about and a Little Grebe with at least two chicks were on their nest, a few Swallows and Sand Martins were overhead, a Sparrowhawk flew low over the fields, and high up, a Peregrine moved through and across the harbour.
Also, two Cetti’s Warblers, a Linnet, two Willow Warblers and a Whitethroat were in the bushes at Halsey’s Farm, a Buzzard was sat on a hay bale, and a Red Kite drifted north overhead. (TA/KT/LP/TG/AB)

Curlew Sandpiper with Redshanks (above), Wheatear (KT), Greenshanks, Spotted Redshanks, Common Sandpiper, Common Tern, Great White Egret, Great White Egret and Little Egret & Sedge Warbler (LP) at the North Wall

This evening there were two Curlew Sandpipers along the east side, with at least four Common Sandpipers in White's Creek, with two Greenshanks, five Whimbrel, c60 Dunlin and c90 Redshanks also about, along with three Sandwich Terns, a Common Gull, two adult Yellow-legged Gulls and a juvenile Caspian Gulll...

Also, a Snipe and three Spotted Redshanks were on the Breech Pool, a Yellow Wagtail, four Swallows, 15 Sand Martins, a Green Sandpiper and a Marsh Harrier (MRe/NM et al)

juvenile Caspian Gull at the North Wall (MRe)

Later still, at dusk, the Little Owl was around Little Welbourne again and a Barn Owl was hunting in the fields. (KT)

Little Owl (above) & Barn Owl at the North Wall (KT)

Church Norton: It was very quiet in the harbour on a quick look at high tide, with the only waders being two or three Whimbrel and Curlews, five Dunlin, c60 Redshanks and c20 Oystercatchers, whilst there were still a dozen or so Sandwich Terns about.

The bushes were very quiet, too, with a couple of Whitethroat families and c20 Linnets along the front and four Swallows over being about it. (AH)

Whimbrel (above), Dunlin, Redshanks, Whitethroat & Linnet at Church Norton (AH)

There was very little in the harbour this evening, but at least ten Willow Warblers, a couple of Chiffchaffs and c20 Long-tailed Tits were in a large, loose flock in the churchyard and a Mistle Thrush was along Rectory Lane. (AH)

Willow Warblers (above) & Long-tailed Tit at Church Norton (AH)

Tuesday, 30th July: A very hot and sunny morning, with the highest temperatures of the year moderated just slightly by a light and variable breeze.......

Selsey Bill: There wasn't too much going on this morning, though a few Swifts and Mediterranean Gulls were among the Black-headed Gulls feeding on flying ants, a Little Egret flew in from way out to sea, and a Sanderling was on the beach. (SR/IP/AH)

(0700-0800hrs) (NNW, F2)

Gannet - 1E, 3W

Little Egret - 1N

Common Scoter - 4E

Oystercatcher - 2W

Sanderling - 1

Turnstone - 2

Mediterranean Gull - 20

Sandwich Tern - 7E, 5W

Swift - 17

House Martin - 12

Pied Wagtail - 2

Sanderling (above), Turnstone, Sandwich Tern, Mediterranean Gull, Swift & Common Scoters at the Bill (AH)

Ferry Pool: There was a good selection of birds again this morning, including a Spotted Redshank, a Greenshank, a Green Sandpiper, three Common Sandpipers, the two juvenile Little Ringed Plovers, seven Dunlin, eight Lapwings, five Avocets and 33 Black-tailed Godwits, plus a dozen Teal and seven juvenile Shelducks. (AH)

Green Sandpiper (above), Spotted Redshank, Greenshank & Little Ringed Plovers and Dunlin at the Ferry (AH)

Church Norton: A Hobby and a female Marsh Harrier both went over the Severals this morning, and there was also a Garden Warbler in the hedges along the track by Greenlease Farm. (SaH)

There wasn't too much to report on the rising tide this evening, though the mix of waders included a Greenshank, three Common Sandpipers, eight Whimbrel,, 25 Turnstones, three Dunlin, 12 Ringed Plovers and 35 Redshanks, plus a fly-over Snipe, with six sandwich Terns and three Mediterranean Gulls also present. (MRe)

North Wall: The Great White Egret was again on the Breech Pool, along with two Spotted Redshanks and a handful of Lapwings and Black-tailed Godwits, with a few more of the latter two species and c20 Redshanks in White's Creek, though the further off waders were lost in the heat haze.

A gathering of c40 Swallows was soon surpassed by at least 200 Sand Martins, feeding and resting around the Breech Pool, but small birds were few, beyond a dozen Reed Warblers and a handful of Sedge Warblers and Reed Buntings along the wall, and a family of Whitethroats, which were the only migrants seen at Halsey's Farm.

Also, a Barn Owl was out early on, a juvenile Marsh Harrier a Buzzard, a Kestrel carrying prey went over, and two Common Terns, at least 30 Mediterranean Gulls and c150 Black-headed Gulls were feeding on flying ants overhead and c25 Cattle Egrets and a dozen Little Egrets were around Owl Cop[es and Owl Point. (AH/TRH/JDW et al)

Great White Egret (above), Spotted Redshanks, Common Tern, Marsh Harrier, Cattle Egrets, Swallow, Sand Martins, Sedge Warbler, Reed Warbler & Whitethroat a the North Wall (AH)

At dusk this evening, a Little Owl was around the paddocks. (SP/LP)

Little Owl at the North Wall (LP)

Monday, 29th July: Another bright and sunny morning, warm despite the fresh easterly breeze....

Selsey Bill: It was a surprisingly interesting morning, with the first returning Yellow Wagtails and Shovelers, the latter in a mixed flock with eight Common Scoters, plus a few hirundines and waders. Full log below. (SR/IP/AH/P&LH)

(0700-0900hrs) (E, F4)

Great Crested Grebe - 1E

Gannet - 2E

Teal - 5W

Shoveler - 15E

Common Scoter - 8E

Kestrel - 1E

Oystercatcher - 2W

Ringed Plover - 1E

Dunlin - 15E

Turnstone - 2E

Sandwich Tern - 9E, 4W, 4os

Common Tern - 2E

Swift - 20

Swallow - 33E

Sand Martin - 25E

House Martin - 3E, 9 present

Yellow Wagtail - 2E

Also, early this afternoon, two Red Kites drifted over the Lifeboat Station area. (SW)

Dunlin and Turnstone (above), Sand Martin & House Martin at the Bill (AH)

Ferry Pool: Three Green Sandpipers together at the back were new this morning, though, otherwise it was the same nice mix of recent days, including a Spotted Redshank, a Greenshank, three Common Sandpipers, two juvenile Little Ringed Plovers, five Dunlin, five Lapwings, a Redshank, eight Avocets and c40 Black-tailed Godwits.

Also, the now fully-fledged Shelduck family all flew out into the harbour, whilst at least a dozen Teal were on the pool and four Cattle Egrets and half a dozen Sand Martins flew over west. (AH/PA)

This evening there were a Green Sandpiper, two Common Sandpipers, the two juvenile Little Ringed Plovers, five Lapwings, four Avocets, 32 Black-tailed Godwits and half a dozen Teal and Shelducks present. (MR)

Spotted Redshank (above), Greenshank and Green Sandpipers, Common Sandpiper, juvenile Little Ringed Plovers, Lapwing, Cattle Egrets & Shelducks at the Ferry (AH)

Church Norton: There wasn't much to report from a fairly brief look this morning, with a handful of Willow Warblers around the churchyard the only migrants seen, whilst an empty (and windy!) harbour just held half a dozen Whimbrel and Curlews, a couple of Ringed Plovers and 20+ Oystercatchers. (AH)

This evening there were six Common Sandpipers in the harbour, along with 73 Turnstones, 15 Dunlin, five Whimbrel, 50 Ringed Plovers, 17 Curlews and 27 Redshanks.

Also, there were still 35 Sandwich Terns, eight Common Terns, a juvenile Yellow-legged Gull and ten Mediterranean Gulls present, whilst c70 Sand Martins went over. (MRe)

Willow Warbler (above) & Whimbrel at Church Norton (AH)

North Wall: The Great White Egret flew out of the Breech Pool and dropped into the reeds further back and three Common Terns were fishing over the pool.

At Halsey’s Farm, a Red Kite and a juvenile Marsh Harrier both drifted over towards Sidlesham, three Kestrels were around the fields where there were also six Curlews, 17 Cattle Egrets, a Skylark and 20 Swallows but it was quiet along the bushes, with just a Lesser Whitethroat, two Reed Buntings and a few Reed Warblers seen. (LP)

The water level on the Breech Pool had finally dropped this evening, and produced four Spotted Redshanks among the group of roosting Lapwings and Black-tailed Godwits, whilst the Great White Egret was also still present and c200 Sand Martins went over. (LP)