Birding the Selsey Peninsula: 23rd

Sunday, 25th August: Winds stronger than initially forecast today and remaining firmly in the western quarter gusting to force four... but set to remain dry...

Selsey Bill: An Osprey flying strongly south over the Bill was the highlight this morning along with a Peregrine making a nuisance of itself in the offshore feeding flock...a distant unidentified shearwater moved east with double figures of Yellow Wagtails also noted..

log below...(SH/BI/PB/MRB/PM/IP/SR et al)

(0600-0830hrs) (WNW F4):

Gannet- 2E 24W

shearwater sp - 1E

Common Scoter - 14W

Oystercatcher - 1E 1W

Whimbrel - 2W

Turnstone - 21

Osprey - 1S

Peregrine - 1os

Mediterranean Gull - 5W 4os

Sandwich Tern - 5E 20W 3os

Common Tern - 1W

Sand Martin - 5W

Swallow - 1W

Yellow Wagtail - 15W

Osprey, top, Common Scoter & Sandwich Tern and family party of Sandwich Terns at the Bill (BI)

Park Farm: Three Buzzards overhead and a Sparrowhawk were seen today. (IP)

Sparrowhawk at Park Farm (IP)

Northcommon Farm: A Spotted Flycatcher was at Flycatcher Corner with a Chiffchaff, a Great Spotted Woodpecker, two Stock Doves, two Pied Wagtails, two Mute Swans, four Swallows, a Sparrowhawk whilst a Whimbrel flew through overhead. The Warner Lane Paddocks just held three Whitethroats, a Kestrel and a Stock Dove. (SR)

Ferry Pool/Field: A Curlew Sandpiper was reported on the pool first thing as was a Wood Sandpiper and there were c.5 Avocets also present. Two Cattle Egrets were on the field at dawn and later in the morning two Wheatears, at least three Whinchats and a female Redstart were sighted. (PB/MRB/BI/Birdguides)

Church Norton: Two Redstarts were on the beach by the first Several this morning and a Whinchat and three Wheatears were also present in the area. Along the scrub and bushes a minimum of ten Whitethroats were also found with the procession of roving small bird flocks. In the churchyard were singles of Great Spotted and Green Woodpecker, a Blackcap was behind the hide and a Lesser Whitethroat & three Willow Warblers were nearby. A Sparrowhawk was on the stone wall as were a Jay and a Whitethroat and a Swallow and Sand Martin flew over. A minimum of 11 Wheatear were later along the Spit, whilst a lone Sandwich Tern was roosting in the harbour, before flying out to sea, along with a dozen Mediterranean Gulls, with at least double that figure on the mud offshore. Apart from three Whimbrel there were very few waders present with just a small mixed flock of Dunlin and Ringed Plovers, plus the usual Curlews and Oystercatchers to note. From the second Several, fifty Mediterranean Gulls, 20 Sandwich Terns and one Common Tern were in the roost whilst a Lesser Whitethroat was at the horse field. (CRJ/IP)

Lesser Whitethroat at Church Norton (IP)

Mill Lane Marsh: The new Peninsula hotspot produced five Green Sandpipers, a Greenshanks, five Snipe and three Black-tailed Godwits today whilst a Kingfisher was on Mill Pond. (PB/MRB/RJS/BI/IP et al)

Green Sandpipers (4) and wildfowl at the marsh (BI)

North Wall: A pair of Redstarts, two Spotted Flycatchers and a Willow Warbler were in the bushes at Halsey’s Farm this morning, a Kingfisher flew along the rife, and a few Cattle Egrets were in the fields with the cows. The water level has risen on the Breech Pool and there were no waders present, just the usual Teal, Gadwall, Mallards and Great Crested Grebes, with a Whinchat on the hedgerow behind and a Marsh Harrier overhead. A Common Sandpiper and a Pied Wagtail were along White’s Creek along with the usual Redshanks, Lapwings and Curlews, and further out there were three Greenshanks, a few Dunlin, six Grey Plovers and c50 Ringed Plovers. (LP/SP/DHi)

Cattle Egret, above, & Common Sandpiper at the North Wall (LP)

Chichester Canal: There were numerous warblers by the canal between Donnington and the Birdham Road again early this morning (many fewer by mid morning though).
Mainly they were Willow Warblers, Whitethroats and Chiffchaffs but also several Reed Warblers, Cetti's Warblers, Blackcaps as well as two Sedge Warblers. Also of note, three
Spotted Flycatchers in the alders near Birdham Road; two Green and one
Great Spotted Woodpecker; the usual Raven near Donnington Church and a
flock of 18 Cattle Egret heading from the Birdham area towards the
Gravel Pits. A dozen or so each of House Martin, Sand Martin and Swallow
were over the adjacent fields and there were three family groups of Long-tailed Tits.(RBe)

Spotted Flycatcher, top, Willow Warbler, Reed Warbler, Sedge Warbler & Cattle Egrets around the canal (RBe)

Medmerry, Easton Lane to the Stilt Pool: An Osprey drifted over the Poplars this afternoon and a Buzzard and a Kestrel were also overhead as were c.50 Sand Martins and four Swallows. The banks were vey quiet but a Yellowhammer and five Yellow Wagtails were noted. The Stilt Pool held, unfortunately, nothing of note. (SaH/SH)
Osprey at Medmerry (SaH)

Saturday, 24th August: The strong winds finally abated overnight, leaving just a light southerly, but it brought a morning of unrelenting, and often heavy, rain that only started to ease towards midday.....

Selsey Bill: There were a few Sandwich and Common Terns about this morning, and the flock of Common Scoter was back offshore, but not a lot else for those who braved the weather. Full log below: (SH/JA/BI/SR/IP/AH/KT/LP/S)

(0600-0830hrs) (SSW, F3)

Gannet - 28E, 8W

Shag - 4os

Common Scoter - 30os

Oystercatcher - 1E

Ringed Plover - 4

Sanderling - 2E

Turnstone - 8

Mediterranean Gull - 6E, 2W

Lesser Black-backed Gull - 1os

Sandwich Tern - 66E, 3W, 15os

Common Tern - 9E, 1W, 3os

Later, three dark phase Arctic Skuas went west as did a flock of 14 Ringed Plovers.

(1315-1445hrs) (WNW, F4) (SH)

Gannet - 2E, 19W

Arctic Skua - 3W all d/p

Ringed Plover - 14W

Turnstone - 17

Mediterranean Gull - 2W

Kittiwake - 5W

Sandwich Tern - 49W

Turnstone (above) & Ringed Plover at the Bill (AH)

Ferry Pool: Two Common Sandpipers were on the pool this morning, but, otherwise there were just five Avocets, c25 Black-tailed Godwits and similar of Teal. (AH)

Common Sandpipers at the Ferry (AH)

Mill Pond Marsh: There was more water on the flooded field and more birds this morning, including the Wood Sandpiper, three Green Sandpipers, six Snipe, six Black-tailed Godwits, at least four Water Rails, two Little Egrets and a dozen Teal, with half a dozen Reed Warblers active in the reeds and two Swallows over. (KT/BI/AH) Mid-afternoon found four Water Rails, three Green Sandpipers, a Greenshank, three Black-tailed Godwits and eight Snipe in situ and a Hobby flew over. (AB)

Water Rail (above), Water Rail and Black-tailed Godwit & Snipe, Little Egret and Teal at Mill Pond Marsh (AH)

Church Norton: There was a bit of activity behind the hide this morning whenever the rain eased slightly, including at least two Spotted Flycatchers, a couple of Lesser Whitethroats, Chiffchaffs and Blackcaps and at least half a dozen Willow Warblers, and there were also three Swallows along Rectory Lane.

The harbour, though, was very quiet, with a Whimbrel, c20 Black-tailed Godwits and half a dozen Ringed Plovers the only waders beyond the usual Redshanks, Curlews and Oystercatchers, and a handful of Mediterranean Gulls were among the mix of Black-headed and Herring Gulls. (AH) This afternoon there were three Spotted Flycatchers behind the in the churchyard and an Osprey was sighted hovering near the North Wall. (DHi)

Spotted Flycatchers (above), Lesser Whitethroat, Willow Warblers, Swallow & Whimbrel at Church Norton (AH)

North Wall: A Spotted Flycatcher was at Halsey's Farm this evening where there was also a Wheatear, a Yellow Wagtail and a Lesser Whitethroat whilst along the wall were five Reed Warblers.

Thirty Swallows and ten Sand Martins were overhead and five Cattle Egrets were also noted. On the Breech Pool were two Spotted Redshanks, a Greenshank, a Snipe, one Common Sandpiper and three Black-tailed Godwits. (LP/SH)

Ivy Lake: Despite the rain there were few hirundines over the lake with just c.15 Sand Martins and a handful of Swallows noted. (BI/DBh)

Friday, 23rd August: The day started with gale-force south-westerly winds and heavy rain, though slowly improving towards mostly bright and very breezy by mid-morning.....

Selsey Bill: The best two birds of the morning - a Balearic Shearwater and a Black Tern - both went through after most of the large gathering of observers had admitted defeat in what was otherwise a very quiet morning. Full log below.

(JA//BI/SH/MRe/SR/LP/SP/AH/KT/P&LH/PA/JDa)

(0600-1115hrs) (SW, F8-9)

Balearic Shearwater - 1W (0905hrs)

Gannet - 3E, 146W

Common Scoter - 3W

Turnstone - 15

Mediterranean Gull - 17W

Common Gull - 1W

Lesser Black-backed Gull - 1W

Kittiwake - 6W

Sandwich Tern - 3E, 22W

Common Tern - 6W

Black Tern - 1W

auk sp - 1W

House Martin - 2

(1430-1700hrs) (BI/SH/JA)

Gannet - 3W

Common Scoter - 1W

Turnstone - 35

Mediterranean Gull - 1E

Common Gull - 1os

Lesser Black-backed Gull - 1W

Sandwich Tern - 4E, 1W

Common Tern - 1E

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

Ferry Pool: Not much was on the wind-blown pool again early on - just five Avocets, 32 Black-tailed Godwits and c30 Teal. (AH/PA/KT/LP/SP et al)

Teal (above) & Avocet and Black-tailed Godwits at the Ferry (AH)

This afternoon there were also a Common Sandpiper, a Greenshank and ten Lapwings on the pool. (CEv/AH)

Common Sandpiper at the Ferry (CEv)

Mill Pond Marsh: The Wood Sandpiper was again on the flooded field this morning, along with a Greenshank, four Green Sandpipers, two Common Sandpipers, a Snipe, a Black-tailed Godwit, a Lapwing, half a dozen Teal and a couple of Water Rails. (PA/KT/AH/LP/SP/P&LH)

Wood Sandpiper (above), Greenshank, Snipe & Black-tailed Godwit at Mill Pond Marsh (AH)

This evening there were a minimum of five Water Rails along the edges of the reeds, including an adult in close attendance of a juvenile, with four Snipe, the Greenshank, the Black-tailed Godwit, two Green Sandpipers and 15 Teal also present. (AH)

Water Rails at Mill Pond Marsh (AH)

Northcommon Farm: A Spotted Flycatcher, three Willow Warblers, a Green Woodpecker and half a dozen Swallows were at Flycatcher Corner this morning. (SR)

Spotted Flycatcher at Northcommon Farm (SR)

Church Norton: It was very quiet here this morning, with no small birds about at all, even in the sheltered spots, and very few waders in the harbour beyond a flock of Ringed Plovers and Dunlin out in the middle and the usual Redshanks, Curlews and Oystercatchers, along with a few Mediterranean Gulls and c300 Black-headed Gulls, all of which were put up by a low-flying Peregrine. (LP/SP/AH)

Later, there were 31 Sandwich Terns, four Whimbrel and a Common Sandpiper also seen in the harbour, with a Wheatear, a Whitethroat and two House Martins noted, too. (P&LH)

Mediterranean Gull at Church Norton (AH)

Sidlesham Common: A Cattle Egret was in a field with cows by the road. (P&LH)

Chichester Marina: A flock of 16 Cattle Egrets were among the cows in a field north of the Marina, whilst at least six Greenshanks were on the mudflats from Salterns Copse. (PH)

Medmerry: Easton Lane to the Stilt Pool - Just half a dozen Willow Warblers, a Chiffchaff and seven Yellow Wagtails were seen along the banks, with c20 Sand Martins and Swallows, a Sparrowhawk and three Buzzards over, whilst a Kingfisher was by the poplars, a Green Sandpiper was the only thing of note on the Stilt Pool and two Common Terns went west offshore. (S&SaH)

East Head: There were some good wader numbers among the WeBS count at Ella Nore today, including three Bar-tailed Godwits, 13 Black-tailed Godwits, 30 Whimbrel, 50 Grey Plovers, 150 Ringed Plovers and 600 Oystercatchers, as well as 500 Mediterranean Gulls. (SM)