16th - 18th September 2024

Wednesday, 18th September: Another very sunny morning, and quite warm despite the very fresh and blustery north-easterly breeze ..........

Selsey Bill: There was another big early movement of hirundines this morning, including over 1500 House Martins, with smaller numbers of Swallows and Sand Martins, plus 32 Meadow Pipits and a dozen Yellow Wagtails, but two flocks of Wigeon going west, totalling 58 birds, was about it offshore. Full log below. (AH/SR)

(0700-0830hrs) (ENE, F5-6)

Gannet - 4E, 3W, 60os

Wigeon - 3E, 58W

Dunlin - 1

Turnstone - 24

Mediterranean Gull - 1W

Sandwich Tern - 1E, 2W

Common Tern - 1E

Swallow - 518E

Sand Martin - 175E

House Martin - 1510E

Yellow Wagtail - 12E

Grey Wagtail - 3E

Pied Wagtail - 3E

Meadow Pipit - 32E

Meadow Pipit (above), Grey Wagtail & House Martin at the Bill (AH)

Ferry Pool: There were three Common Sandpipers, plus the Green Sandpiper, around the pool this morning, along with five Avocets, c60 Lapwings, c40 Black-tailed Godwits and two Shelducks. (AH)

Green Sandpiper (above), Common Sandpiper & Lapwings a the Ferry (AH)

Church Norton: There was a bit of visible migration along the front again this morning, including nine Yellow Wagtails, seven Grey Wagtails, c80 Meadow Pipits, 35 Sand Martins, c150 Swallows and c200 House Martins going east, but there was very little in the hedges in the windy conditions, with a Stonechat, four Cetti's Warblers and a handful of Chiffchaffs about it, and nothing of note in the harbour. (MRe/AH)

Swallow at Church Norton (AH)

Late this afternoon the nine Pintail were flying around the harbour as the tide receded, and a Whimbrel was in front of the hide, with four Black-tailed Godwits and the Bar-tailed Godwit also out on the mud. (AW)

Whimbrel (above) & Pintails at Church Norton (AW)

North Wall: A White-tailed Eagle flew across the back of the fields early this morning, heading east, and a Marsh Harrier went across the harbour, but the water level on the Breech Pool has risen again and there were just a few Lapwings with the Teal and Mallards.
A Kingfisher flew along White’s Creek and there were lots of Wigeon and Pintail on the water, with two Black-tailed Godwits and a Bar-tailed Godwit along the banks, with lots of Redshanks, Curlews, Ringed Plovers, Dunlin, Grey Plovers and Lapwings out on the mud.
It was busy around the paddock with three Whinchats, a Stonechat, two Whitethroats, a Redstart and a Spotted Flycatcher on the fences, and two Jays, a Great Spotted Woodpecker, a Green Woodpecker and a Sparrowhawk overhead. (LP/TRH/CT/JDW/M James)

Whinchat (above), Redstart, Spotted Flycatcher, Bar-tailed Godwit & Pintail at the North Wall (LP)

Medmerry: Easton Lane to the Stilt Pool - The Spoonbill was asleep on the Stilt Pool, waking momentarily to have a scratch, and there was at least one Common Sandpiper and a Greenshank present along with a few Lapwing, Teal and Mediterranean Gulls, though the pool was dominated by a large flock of Canada Geese.
Two Whinchats and a Stonechat were along the windswept banks, along with two Yellowhammers, a Green Woodpecker, a Kestrel, a calling Cetti's Warbler, half a dozen Chiffchaffs, three Meadow Pipits and eight Swallows.
Also of note was a Clouded Yellow butterfly and a single spike of flowering Grass Vetchling. (SR)

There was no sign of the Spoonbill this evening, though a few birds along the banks included a Dartford Warbler, a Willow Warbler, four Chiffchaffs, six stonechats, a Reed Bunting and three Yellowhammers, with two Cattle Egrets, 15 Yellow Wagtails and c20 Meadow Pipits on the reserve and a House Martin, c30 Sand Martins and Swallows, a Sparrowhawk, four Buzzards and five Kestrels over. (S&SaH)

Spoonbill (above) & Common Sandpiper at Medmerry (SR)

Tuesday, 17th September: It was bright and sunny again, but with the north-easterly breeze freshening considerably as the morning progressed..........

Selsey Bill: There was a huge eastward movement of over 2000 House Martins early this morning, with just a few Sand Martins and Swallows among them, as well as 17 Yellow Wagtails and four Grey Wagtails, whilst offshore ten Brent Geese and a few ducks went west. Full log below. (SH/AH/IP/SR)

(0615-0830hrs) (NE, F3-4)

Gannet - 2E, 50os

Brent Goose - 10W

Shelduck - 1E

Wigeon - 19W

Teal - 15W

Pintail - 3W

Common Scoter - 1E

Sanderling - 1E

Turnstone - 9

Mediterranean Gull - 11E

Sandwich Tern - 20E, 1W

Swallow - 31E

Sand Martin - 5E

House Martin - 2052E

Yellow Wagtail - 17E

Grey Wagtail - 4E

Pied Wagtail - 3W

Meadow Pipit - 9W

Chiffchaff - 2

Jay - 2

Rook - 2

Linnet - 5N

Grey Squirrel - 1

Brent Geese (above), Swallow, House Martin & Grey Squirrel at the Bill (AH)

Ferry Pool: The Green Sandpiper and the Common Sandpiper were at the back early this morning, with seven Avocets, c30 Black-tailed Godwits, c60 Lapwings and c25 Teal also present. (AH)

Green Sandpiper (above), Common Sandpiper & Avocets at the Ferry (AH)

Church Norton: There was a bit of migration taking place this morning, with 11 Brent Geese west offshore, c120 Teal and 15 Wigeon flying in off the sea into the harbour, with a bit of visible migration along the beach, including c200 House Martins, c100 Swallows, c20 Sand Martins, 16 Yellow Wagtails, 11 Grey Wagtails, 25 Linnets, a Tree Pipit and c220 Meadow Pipits, plus a Merlin that flew in off the sea.

Also, a  Firecrest was in the churchyard, a Reed Warbler, five Blackcaps and 15 Chiffchaffs were behind the hide, a Sedge Warbler, half a dozen Whitethroats and a Stonechat, plus a Kingfisher, were along the Severals and a Spotted Flycatcher, four Blackcaps and 24 Chiffchaffs were around Bluebell Wood.

There wasn't much to report from the harbour, though there were four Whimbrel seen, along with a couple of Pintails among a few Wigeon and Teal, plus a Marsh Harrier and a Sparrowhawk. (MRe/AH et al)

Sand Martin (above), Chiffchaff, Blackcap & Teal at Church Norton (AH)

Medmerry: Easton Lane to the Stilt Pool - The Spoonbill was still around the Stilt Pools this morning, along with two Common Sandpipers, and an Osprey, a Hobby, a Red Kite, a Marsh Harrier, two Buzzards and seven Kestrels were about, too, whilst two Cattle Egrets and two Kingfishers were on the reserve.

There was a fair selection along the banks, considering the breezy conditions, including a Dartford Warbler, a Whitethroat, three Stonechats, a dozen Chiffchaffs, three Cetti's Warblers and a Yellowhammer, with c15 Yellow Wagtails and Meadow Pipits on the reserve and c50 swallows and House Martins and about ten Sand Martins over. (S&SaH/MT/JMo et al)

Red Kite (above) (SaH), Spoonbill (SaH above, MT lower), Marsh Harrier, Stonechat, House Martin & Kestrel (MT) at Medmerry

Medmerry: Porthole Farm - Two Whinchats and at least seven Stonechats were along the sheltered hedges this evening, with a handful of Whitethroats and Yellowhammers about, too, whilst a Marsh Harrier and c20 Swallows went over. (AH)

Whinchats (above), Stonechat & Marsh Harrier at Medmerry (AH)

Monday, 16th September: Despite the moderate north-easterly breeze, another warm and sunny morning......

Selsey Bill: A Black Tern and ten Shags, including a flock of nine, went east and a Peregrine and two Arctic Skuas went west this morning, with the first Jay of the year here, a bit of visible migration and a fair gathering of hirundines, too. Full log below. (PB/PM/AH/IP/SR)

(0630-0830hrs) (NE, F3)

Gannet - 26E, 11W, 10os

Shag - 10E

Sparrowhawk - 1

Peregrine - 1W

Turnstone - 48

Arctic Skua - 2W

Mediterranean Gull - 3E, 21W

Sandwich Tern - 19E

Black Tern - 1E

auk sp - 1W

Great Spotted Woodpecker - 1

Swallow - 150

Sand Martin - 10

House Martin - 200

Yellow Wagtail - 2E

Grey Wagtail - 5W

Pied Wagtail - 2E

Meadow Pipit - 6W

Chiffchaff - 2

Jay - 1W

Linnet - 20E

Swallow (above), House Martin & Jay at the Bill (AH)

Ferry Pool: A juvenile Red Kite was sat on a post at the back of the pool this morning, with a Whinchat also on the fields, and a Ruff was present early on, whilst otherwise, there were still a Green Sandpiper, a Common Sandpiper, two Snipe and seven Avocets about, along with c30 Black-tailed Godwits, c80 Lapwings and c25 Teal, with two Grey Wagtails at the back, too. (PA/AH)

Red Kite (PA), Green Sandpiper & Common Sandpiper (AH) at the Ferry

Church Norton: Star bird of the morning was the Nuthatch in the back of the churchyard, heard and then seen briefly before it flew off. For a species that is common on the other side of Chichester, this is a very rare bird on the Peninsula, recorded just about annually from the Itchenor/Witterings area, but probably not for a dozen years or more at Church Norton.

A Spotted Flycatcher, two or three Blackcaps and Goldcrests and numerous Chiffchaffs were also in the churchyard/hide area, along with five Mistle Thrushes flying around together,  whilst a Whinchat, at east four Stonechats, a Wheatear, a Sedge Warbler, and up to five Whitethroats and Reed Buntings were along the front, together with with a Kingfisher, whilst six Yellow Wagtails, three Grey Wagtails, a dozen Meadow Pipits and 100+ House Martins and Swallows went over.

The harbour was fairly quiet, but a couple of Whimbrel and Bar-tailed Godwits were about, along with a few Grey Plovers, but not much else. (AW/MRe/PM/AH/IP/P&JW et al)

Nuthatch (above), Spotted Flycatcher, Wheatear, House Martin (AW), Whinchat, Stonechat, Mistle Thrushes & Whimbrel (AH) at Church Norton

Later on, a White-tailed Eagle was over the harbour, being mobbed by a Marsh Harrier, and. also, the first Golden Plover of the autumn went over and 26 Pintail and 86 Wigeon were on the water. (PA)

Late this afternoon the very elusive Wryneck popped up briefly, only seen in flight, along the front of the Severals. (AW)

White-tailed Eagle at Church Norton (PA)

North Wall: A White-tailed Eagle flew low across the harbour on the high tide before landing briefly on the saltmarsh and then drifting off towards Sidlesham, being mobbed by many other birds including a Marsh Harrier and a Sparrowhawk.

There was a noticeable increase in Wigeon and Pintail numbers along White’s Creek and three Common Sandpipers were along the banks with the usual Redshanks and Lapwings, and further out there were five Avocets, 60 Curlews and 36 Grey Plovers.

The Great White Egret was back on the Breech Pool, along with three Spotted Redshanks, a Greenshank, a Green Sandpiper, five Snipe, 31 Black-tailed Godwits, 18 Lapwings and two Water Rails, with a Shoveler in with the Teal and Mallards.

At Halsey’s Farm, a Whinchat, a Wheatear and a Meadow Pipit were on the fences, a Stonechat and a few Chiffchaffs and Willow Warblers were in the bushes, and ten Yellow Wagtails were with the cows in the field, along with six Cattle Egrets, whilst a Raven passed overhead and a Kingfisher was by the rife, with another on Owl Water. (BFF/SL/TRH/LP/CT et al).

White-tailed Eagle (above), Stonechat, Snipe, Common Sandpiper, Greenshank, Green Sandpiper & Great White Egret at the North Wall (LP)

Medmerry: Easton Lane to the Stilt Pool - A Spoonbill was on the stilt Pool this evening, along with a Common Sandpiper, whilst an Osprey, two Cattle Egrets and a Kingfisher were on the reserve and three Buzzards and five Kestrels were also seen.

The banks were fairly quiet, though a Dartford Warbler, a Stonechat, three Chiffchaffs, eight Yellowhammers, ten Meadow Pipits and c30 Yellow Wagtails were about and c200 Swallows and c20 Sand Martins went over. (S&SaH)

East Head: There was a spectacular high-tide gathering of as many as 1000 Oystercatchers on the shingle bar at Ella Nore this morning. (GM)