10th - 12th September 2024

Thursday, 12th September: An unseasonably cold morning, despite plenty of sun and white cloud, with the breeze still fresh and from the north-west.......

Selsey Bill: There was a massive flock of feeding gulls offshore this morning, with a Little Tern, two Black Terns and a few Common and Sandwich Terns dropping into it at various points, and there were also three Wheatears about, with three Tree Pipits and a few wagtails over. Full log later. (SH/AH/SR/IP)

(0620-0835hrs) (NW, F3-4)

Gannet - 10W, 40os

Common Scoter - 1E

Sparrowhawk - 1

Turnstone - 41

Mediterranean Gull - c200os

Sandwich Tern - 7E, 11os

Common Tern - 6os

Little Tern - 1os

Black Tern - 2os

Swallow - 38W

Sand Martin - 8W

House Martin - 35W

Yellow Wagtail - 10W

Grey Wagtail - 2W

Pied Wagtail - 6W

Tree Pipit - 3W

Meadow Pipit - 39W

Wheatear - 3

Chiffchaff - 1

This evening, a Black Tern was offshore and a Sanderling was on the beach. (LL)

Wheatear (above), House Martin, Sandwich Tern & Gannets at the Bill (AH)

Ferry Pool: A Spotted Redshank, a Green Sandpiper and two Common Sandpipers were about early this morning, along with five Avocets,  c40 Black-tailed Godwits and Lapwings, and similar of Teal, whilst a Kingfisher flew down the channel opposite. (AH/RH)

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

Mill Pond Marsh: There were 47 Black-tailed Godwits roosting on the flooded field late this morning, presumably displaced from the Ferry, but not much else beyond a Greenshank and a dozen Teal. (AH)

Greenshank, Black-tailed Godwits and Teal at Mill Pond Marsh (AH)

Park Farm, Selsey: There were a few birds on and around the fields this morning, including a Wheatear, two Yellow Wagtails, a Willow Warbler, two Chiffchaffs, two House Martins, c20 Swallows and a Sparrowhawk. (SH) 

Church Norton: There was a fair selection of raptors about again, including a juvenile Hobby, an adult Peregrine and a juvenile Marsh Harrier, whilst a Redstart was behind the hide, a Whinchat was along the path to the beach and four Wheatears were on the spit.

Thee were also a dozen Blackcaps, a Willow Warbler and 20+ Chiffchaffs around the churchyard/hide area and a couple of Whitethroats at the several, whilst a Yellow Wagtail, a dozen Meadow Pipits and up to a dozen Swallows, Sand Martins and House Martins went over, but there was little in the harbour beyond c150 Mediterranean Gulls and a scattering of the regular species. 

There were also up to half a dozen Painted Ladies and good numbers of Red Admirals about. (AW/AH/IP/RJS/SH/TR et al)

Hobby (above), Whinchat, Blackcap, Chiffchaff, Marsh Harrier (AH) & Painted Lady (AW) at Church Norton 

This evening there was a large hirundine flock over the Severals made up mostly of House Martins, but also including a few Sand Martins and Swallows and just one Swift. (AW)

Swift (above), Sand Martin & House Martin at Church Norton (AW)

North Wall: There were 40 Yellow Wagtails amongst the cows in Honer 1 field this morning, with a similar number of House Martins and a few Swallows and Sand Martins over the fields, whilst the water level on the Breech Pool is dropping again and there was a bit more activity, with 36 Lapwings, six Black-tailed Godwits, two Common Sandpipers, three Little Egrets, a Grey Heron, a Kingfisher and 26 Teal joining the regular Mallards and Great Crested Grebes.

Two Grey Wagtails were by the sluice, and along White’s Creek there were two Spotted Redshanks, a Greenshank, a Bar-tailed Godwit, a Dunlin, 150 Redshanks, 32 Lapwings, 18 Wigeon and five Pintail, with a Yellow-legged Gull and a Lesser Black-backed Gull out on the mud.

Also, a Whinchat, a Stonechat, a Reed Warbler and a few Chiffchaffs and Willow Warblers were along the wall, and a Redstart and two more Whinchats were in the fields at Halsey’s Farm. (LP/SP/TRH/CT/GHi/AHu/ARK)

Whinchat (above), Stonechat, Common Sandpipers & Great crested Grebe at the North Wall (LP)

Wednesday, 11th September: After a very chill start, a morning of sunshine and fast-moving cloud in a brisk westerly breeze.......

Selsey Bill: There were three Wheatears about this morning, and three Tree Pipits and a Yellow Wagtail went over, but the sea was decidedly quiet. Full log below. (SR/AH/IP/AW)

(0710-0810hrs) (WNW, F5-6)

Gannet - 1E, 5W, 10os

Shag - 1E

Common Scoter - 1W

Oystercatcher - 1W

Turnstone - 5

Mediterranean Gull - 1E

Sandwich Tern - 30E, 1W, 1os

Swallow - 5W

House Martin - 1E

Yellow Wagtail - 1W

Tree Pipit - 3W

Wheatear - 3

Wheatear (above) & Sandwich Tern at the Bill (AH)

Ferry Pool: Two Spotted Redshanks were on the concealed pool early on, along with a Green Sandpiper, whilst later there were two of the latter and two Ruff on the main pool, with six Avocets, c30 Lapwings, c40 Black-tailed Godwits and c50 Teal also present. (AH/BFF et al)

Spotted Redshank (above) & Green Sandpiper at the Ferry (AH)

Mill Pond Marsh: The water level is still high, but there were a Greenshank, two Redshanks and 15 Black-tailed Godwits present, along with c25 Teal, and four or five Chiffchaffs were in the willows by the gate. (AH)

Greenshank and Teal (above) & Chiffchaff at Mill Pond Marsh (AH)

Church Norton: There were a lot of raptors about this morning, including two Ospreys and two Marsh Harriers over the harbour, with another over Greenlease Farm, with two juvenile Peregrines and a juvenile Hobby, plus a couple of Sparrowhawks, a Kestrel and a Buzzard also present.

There had clearly been an arrival of Chiffchaffs overnight, with probably 80 birds spread along every bit of sheltered hedgerow, with half a dozen Willow Warblers, a couple of Blackcaps, Whitethroats and Lesser Whitethroats and a handful of Goldcrests among them, whilst two Firecrests were in Bluebell Wood, a Sedge Warbler and two Reed Warblers were at the Severals and another of the latter was by the hide.

There were also a Whinchat, four Stonechats and at least four Wheatears along the front, with a Tree Pipit, eight Meadow Pipits, eight Yellow Wagtails, c20 Sand Martins and Swallows and c35 House Martins all going over.

There were c175 Sandwich Terns, plus a Common Tern and c300 Mediterranean Gulls roosting on the southern end of the beach, and a Ruff flew out of the fields along Rectory Lane, but the harbour just held a few Wigeon and Teal and the regular waders. (MRe/AW/AH/IP/AB/CD et al)

Whinchat (above), Mash Harrier, Common Tern, Sandwich Tern and Mediterranean Gulls (AW), Wheatear, Osprey, Chiffchaff, Whitethroat & Sparrowhawk (AH) at Church Norton

North Wall: An Osprey was over White’s Creek this morning and 42 Black-tailed Godwits were along the channel, together with c150 Redshanks and 40 Lapwings, whilst four Wigeon were on the water and a few Swallows passed through.

A Merlin, a Peregrine and a juvenile Marsh Harrier were also about, but it was again quiet on the Breech Pool, where a Greenshank landed briefly, but it was otherwise just a few Mallards, the two Great Crested Grebes, a Grey Heron and a Little Egret.

A Wheatear was along the wall and two Whinchats, a Sedge Warbler, and three Whitethroats were along the hedges, whilst a few Yellow Wagtails were in with the cows, and there was plenty of activity from the Kingfishers with two together by Owl Copse and another on the Breech Pool. (BFF/MRi/LP)

Osprey (above), Wheatear, Black-tailed Godwits & Cormorant at the North Wall (LP)

East Side: A couple of Sanderlings were out on the mud this morning, along with 100 Ringed Plovers, and a few Grey Plovers, Dunlins, a Bar-tailed Godwit, a Whimbrel and lots of Curlews and Redshanks, but there were just eight Wigeon and three Great Crested Grebes along the channel, and a Yellow Wagtail passed overhead. (LP)

Grey Plover (above), Sanderling & Ringed Plover along the East side (LP)

Runcton: Around the village this morning there were four Mute Swans, eight Canada Geese, six Egyptian Geese, 18 Mallards, nine Shovelers, two Teal, ten Tufted Ducks, two Little Grebes, a Little Egret, two Buzzards, 25 Black-headed Gulls, a Lesser Black-backed Gull, two Jays, three Sand Martins, a Spotted Flycatcher, a Cetti’s Warbler, two Whitethroats and five Chiffchaffs. (CRJ)

Medmerry: Easton Lane to the Stilt Pool - Two Ospreys, a Marsh Harrier and a Kestrel were about this evening, with a Greenshank, a Common Sandpiper and c20 Yellow Wagtails and Meadow Pipits on the reserve, too.

Along the banks there were four Wheatears, two Stonechats, a Dartford Warbler, nine Willow/Chiffs, a Goldcrest and a Yellowhammer, with ten or so Swallows and Sand Martins and five House Martins overhead. (SH)

Tuesday, 10th September: Another cool and very grey morning in a brisk westerly breeze.....

Selsey Bill: Two juvenile Little Terns went west this morning, as did six Knot and seven Sanderling, and there were also a couple of Arctic Skuas and good numbers of Sandwich Terns about, with 170 Gannets feeding offshore. Full log below. (PB/PM/IP/AH/CRJ)

(0630-0930hrs) (WNW, F5-6)

Gannet - 40W, 170os

Shag - 1E

Common Scoter - 6E, 5W

Oystercatcher - 1W

Knot - 6W

Sanderling - 7W

Turnstone - 23

Arctic Skua - 2W

Mediterranean Gull - 65os

Lesser Black-backed Gull - 1W

Sandwich Tern - 57E, 14W

Common Tern - 1E, 2W

Little Tern - 2W

auk sp - 1E

Swallow - 22W

Yellow Wagtail - 1W

Little Tern (above), Sandwich Tern, Gannet, Mediterranean Gull & Shelduck at the Bill (AH)

(1630-1730hrs) (SH/AW)

Gannet - 4W

Shag - 1os

Turnstone - 2

Kittiwake - 1W

Sandwich Tern - 3E, 35W

Common Tern - 2W

Shag at the Bill (AW)

Ferry Pool: Two Ruff and two Spotted Redshanks were on the pool early on, but not later, and there were also a Green Sandpiper, a Common Sandpiper, four Avocets, c40 Black-tailed Godwits and c60 Lapwings about, along with a juvenile Shelduck, four Shovelers and c50 Teal, whilst a Kingfisher flew down the channel opposite. (AH)

Ruffs (above) & Green Sandpiper at the Ferry (AH)

Church Norton: There was no sign of the Red-backed Shrike this morning, and passerines were at a premium generally, though a Pied Flycatcher and a Spotted Flycatcher wee behind the hide, with otherwise just the odd Blackcap, Whitethroat, Chiffchaff and Goldcrest in the sheltered hedges and a handful of Sand Martins over.

A juvenile Marsh Harrier,at least three Pintail and 20 or so Wigeon in Teal were in the harbour, along with a few Mediterranean Gulls, but very few waders were about, whilst offshore an Arctic Skua was seen chasing some of the 50 or so Sandwich Terns present, and there were also half a dozen Gannets about. 

There was also a covey of 24 - presumably freshly released - Red-legged Partridges walking down Rectory Lane. (RAI/CRJ/PB/PM/AH et al)

Pintail (above), Mediterranean Gull & Red-legged Partridges at Church Norton (AH)

Later in the morning a Firecrest was in Bluebell Wood, whilst a Whinchat and two Wheatears were along the spit (RBe/SaH), whilst this afternoon two Swifts were over the Severals (CS) and there was an unconfirmed report of the Red-backed Shrike (per Birdguides).

There wasn't much to report this evening as the weather deteriorated, but a juvenile Common Tern was roosting with 32 Sandwich Terns in the harbour and there were also a Whimbrel and a couple of Ringed Plovers about. (AH)

Common Tern and Sandwich Terns at Church Norton (AH)

Fishbourne Creek: On the low tide this morning off the Lavant Outfall there were two Wigeon, ten Egyptian Geese , 58 Oystercatcher and c200 Mediterranean Gulls, whilst seven Greenshanks were between Dell Quay and Fishbourne, and among the roosting gulls at the top end, there were c50 Common Gulls and two Lesser Black-backed Gulls. (RW)