Birding the Selsey Peninsula: 7th

Friday, 9th August: After persistent overnight rain lingering beyond dawn, eventually it was a bright and very breezy morning in a brisk westerly.....

Selsey Bill: A juvenile Black Tern west early on was the highlight, but there was also a selection of waders seen, including seven Black-tailed Godwits and five Sanderlings west. Full log below. (PA/BI/AH/SR)

(0615-0830hrs) (W, F5)

Great Crested Grebe - 1os

Gannet - 3E, 41W, 2os

Common Scoter - 3E

Oystercatcher - 1W

Grey Plover - 1W

Ringed Plover - 1

Sanderling - 5W

Dunlin - 4W

Black-tailed Godwit - 7W

Turnstone - 8W, 7 present

Mediterranean Gull - 2W

Sandwich Tern - 4E, 5W, 10os

Black Tern - 1W (juv at 0622hrs)

Swift - 1W

Black Tern (PA) (above), Sanderlings and Dunlin, Sandwich Tern & Swift (AH) at the Bill

Ferry Pool: It was much the same as yesterday this morning, with a Spotted Redshank and a Common Sandpiper both around the pool again, along with eight Avocets, c30 Black-tailed Godwits, an adult and eight juvenile Shelducks and c25 Teal, with seven Gadwall on the concealed pool the only additions. (AH)

Spotted Redshank (above), Common Sandpiper, Gadwall & Shelduck at the Ferry (AH)

Church Norton: The Semi-palmated Sandpiper was tracked down again, feeding among a small flock of Dunlin and Ringed Plovers in the middle of the harbour, and there were also at least three Whimbrel, a Greenshank and 50+ Redshanks about, along with a couple of Sandwich Terns.

A family of Swallows and c40 House Martins were consistently overhead, but the bushes were quiet, with just two or three Willow Warblers, Blackcaps and Whitethroats in the churchyard and a handful more of the latter along the sheltered hedges. (AH et al)

Semi-palmated Sandpiper and Ringed Plovers (above), Greenshank, House Martin, Willow Warblers, Blackcap & Whitethroat at Church Norton (AH)

North Wall: There were still three Curlew Sandpipers along White’s Creek this morning, along with five Common Sandpipers, a Spotted Redshank, four Black-tailed Godwits, two Dunlin, a Whimbrel, two Oystercatchers, four Curlews, a Little Grebe and a few Redshanks and Lapwings, with a Yellow-legged Gull and a Lesser Black-backed Gull sat out on the mud.

The Great Crested Grebe family were on the Breech Pool, and five Linnets, a Lesser Whitethroat, a Common Whitethroat, a Greenfinch and 16 Goldfinches were in the bushes along the wall.

Also, a juvenile Marsh Harrier and a Sparrowhawk were over Owl Copse, and 55 Cattle Egrets, 11 Little Egrets, five Grey Herons and a Green Woodpecker were also about, and a Kingfisher was along Owl water, but it was quiet at Halsey’s Farm with just a few Swallows over the fields. (LP/DHi/TRH/SP)

Common Sandpipers (above), Kingfisher, Cattle Egrets and Little Egret, Linnets & Great Crested Grebes along the North Wall (LP)

Thursday, 8th August: The morning started quite bright in a light south-westerly, but quickly clouded over as the breeze freshened, though it remained mild and muggy.....

Selsey Bill: There was very little to report again this morning, though there were good numbers of Sandwich Terns on the shingle bar and offshore. Full log below. (SR/AH/IP/P&LH)

(0700-0815hrs) (SW, F3-4)

Gannet - 3E, 8W, 4os

Common Scoter - 1W

Turnstone - 2

Mediterranean Gull - 2W

Sandwich Tern - 5E, 11W, 27os

Sand Martin - 1W

House Martin - 1

(1630-1845hrs) (SH/AW)

Fulmar - 1W

Gannet - 4W

Common Scoter - 5W

Turnstone - 4

Kittiwake - 1W

Sandwich Tern - 5W

Common Tern - 1W

Common Tern (above) & Common Scoters at the Bill (AW)

Ferry Pool: A Spotted Redshank and a Common Sandpiper were on the pool early on, but otherwise there were just nine Avocets, c30 Black-tailed Godwits, four Little Egrets, 14 Canada Geese, seven juvenile Shelducks and c25 Teal present, with a Buzzard over and a Whimbrel and c25 Redshanks in the channel opposite. (RBe/AH/PB)

Spotted Redshank (above), Avocet and Black-tailed Godwit & Common Sandpiper at the Ferry (AH)

Long Pool: There was a good selection of warblers in the hedge at the start of the pool this morning, including a Garden Warbler, a Blackcap, two Sedge Warblers and two Whitethroats, whilst a Wheatear flew up from the path at the far end.

Also, a Water Rail was heard on the pool and four Tufted Ducks were on the water, whilst half a dozen Sand Martins and Swallows were over the adjacent fields. (RBe)

Church Norton: The Semi-palmated Sandpiper was finally relocated out on the mud, halfway down the harbour, but, otherwise, there were just a few Ringed Plovers and Dunlin, plus a couple of Whimbrel present.

The bushes at the far end of the churchyard were surprisingly busy, with a Garden Warbler, a couple of Whitethroats, half a dozen Blackcaps and at least a dozen Willow Warblers present, whilst c60 House Martins and a handful of Swallows were overhead or settling on the big dead pine. (AH/IP/PB/PM/CRJ/RJS/BFF/JJE/P&LH et al)

Garden Warbler (above), Willow Warblers, Blackcaps & House Martins at Church Norton (AH)

Sidlesham: A Hobby went over Cow Lane this evening. (PA)

West Itchenor: There were still at least two active House Martin nests on the Harbour Office and nearby there was a roosting flock of c100 Mediterranean Gulls, five Bar-tailed Godwits, two Swallows, a Green Woodpecker and a Jersey Tiger Moth.

Also, at Itchenor Pond there was a Goldcrest, a Blackcap, a Willow Warbler, a Song Thrush, a Green Woodpecker, two Jays, a Buzzard and four Green-veined White Butterflies. (SR)

Wednesday, 7th August: After a cool and fairly grey start, a warm, bright and breezy morning in a freshening westerly.....

Selsey Bill: Another slow morning. Full log below. (SR/AH/IP)

(0645-0800hrs) (W, F4-5)

Gannet - 2E, 9W

Turnstone - 8

Mediterranean Gull - 1W, 2os

Sandwich Tern - 1W, 15os

House Martin - 5

(1500-1800hrs) (PB/SH)

Gannet - 12W

Oystercatcher - 3W

Grey Plover - 1W

Whimbrel - 4W

Turnstone - 4E, 2W, 4 present

Kittiwake - 2W

Sandwich Tern - 1E, 14W

Common Tern - 1W

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

Ferry Pool: Three Spotted Redshanks were at the back of the pool this morning, and there were also a Green Sandpiper and two Common Sandpipers present, along with eight Avocets, c40 Black-tailed Godwits, an adult and seven juvenile Shelducks and c30 Teal. (AH)

Spotted Redshanks (above), Green Sandpiper & Common Sandpipers at the Ferry (AH)

Church Norton: The Semi-palmated Sandpiper was again in the harbour this morning, seen from the benches. (AW/ARK et al)

A Common Blue and a Hummingbird Hawk-moth in the churchyard at Church Norton this afternoon, with dozens of House Martins and Swallows overhead, plus a Whitethroat, a Blackcap and a few Chiffchaffs in the hedges. (AW)

Semi-palmated Sandpiper (above), Hummingbird Hawk-moth & Common Blue at Church Norton (AW)

The Semi-palmated Sandpiper went missing again early this evening, but re-appeared again later on.

Also, a Wheatear was on the concrete blocks, with another along the west side path, with, otherwise, just a couple of Sandwich Terns and Whimbrel, plus a few Ringed Plovers and Dunlin in the harbour, whilst a Buzzard was on the stubble along Rectory Lane. (/MB/AB/CD/AH/PB/A Haines et al)

Wheatear (A Haines) & Buzzard (AH) at Church Norton

North Wall: At least two Curlew Sandpipes were in White's Creek this morning, along with a Common Sandpiper, half a dozen Dunlin, three Whimbrel, four Black-tailed Godwits, a dozen Lapwings and c50 Redshanks, with the adult Yellow-legged Gull sat out at the far end.

The Great white egret flew out from the Beech Pool and landed further back in the reeds, a Marsh Harrier was over Halsey's Farm and up to 30 Cattle Egrets were spread around Owl Copse and adjacent fields, but even the sheltered bushes were very quiet, with just a couple of Whitethroats and a Willow Warble at Halsey's Farm and just a couple of Reed and Sedge Warblers along the wall. (AH/CT et al)