22nd - 24th September 2024

Tuesday, 24th September: After another rainy night, a very grey and muggy - though dry - morning under leaden skies, but only in a fairly light north-westerly breeze.......

Selsey Bill: A Purple Sandpiper flew west, as did five Brent Geese and 70 Gannets, but there was very little on the move overhead. Full log below. (AH/IP/SR)

(0710-0825hrs) (NW, F3-4)

Gannet - 1E, 70W, 5os

Shag - 6E, 1os

Brent Goose - 5W

Wigeon - 3W

Common Scoter - 1W

Purple Sandpiper - 1W

Turnstone - 25

Mediterranean Gull - 4E, 1W

Sandwich Tern - 7E, 2W

Swallow - 1

Grey Wagtail - 1N

Meadow Pipit - 11N

Chiffchaff - 1

Brent Geese (above), Shags, Sandwich Terns & Mediterranean Gull at the Bill (AH)

Ferry Pool: The five Spotted Redshanks were on the pool again early on, with, otherwise, a Greenshank (that was later in Ferry channel), two Green Sandpipers, a Common Sandpiper, seven Avocets, c30 Black-tailed Godwits and c80 Lapwings also present, along with four Shelducks, four Shovelers and c30 Teal.

Also, a Marsh Harrier and a Grey Wagtail flew over, and half a dozen Chiffchaffs and a Blackcap were around the Tramway. (AH et al)

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

Church Norton: At least four Spotted Flycatchers were around the churchyard/hide area this morning, along with 20 or so Chiffchaffs, two Rooks and at least four Jays, whilst along the Severals there were a Reed Warbler, four Cetti's Warblers, two Reed Buntings and another c20 Chiffchaffs, with a Tree Pipit, eight Meadow Pipits, two House Martins and c30 Swallows over. 

In the harbour there were a Whimbrel, five Bar-tailed Godwits and two Black-tailed Godwits, along with15 Dunlin and plenty of Redshanks, whilst a dozen Pintail were among c30 Wigeon and similar of Teal and 30 Linnets were flying about. 

Also, 21 Canada Geese and 13 Mallards were in the fields behind the church, two Kestrels and three Green Woodpeckers were along the beach and several Little Grebes were on the second Several (AH/CRJ et al)

Spotted Flycatcher (AH above, CRJ lower), Chiffchaff, Jay, Black-tailed Godwit, Bar-tailed Godwit and Pintails (AH), Whimbrel & the very low tide (CRJ) at Church Norton

Mill Pond Marsh: This evening there were a Greenshank, a Redshank, two Shovelers and eight Teal on the flooded field. (AH)

Greenshank at Mill Pond Marsh (AH)

North Wall: This morning there were six Little Grebes on Owl Water, with two by Bremere sluice and another on the Breech Pool. (JDW)

This evening, the first Rock Pipit of the autumn was along the wall. (LP)

East Head: There were a few birds about and going over this morning, including seven Stonechats together, 16 Chiffchaffs, three Reed Buntings, two Skylarks, three Grey Wagtails, 23 Meadow Pipits and 84 Linnets.

Also, there were 20 Brent Geese in the harbour, along with c40 Wigeon, two Greenshanks, four Grey Plovers, 25 Redshank, and four Sandwich Terns, plus a Sparrowhawk over. (MRe)

Medmerry: Easton Lane to Stilt Pool - Only birds of note, beyond the commoner species were a Greenshank on the Stilt Pool and a Greenshank and Spotted Redshank at the top end of the rife up through Ruth's Marsh.

Otherwise, very little was moving in the bushes, though over 200 Canada Geese were on the Stilt Pool. (JMo)

This evening there were two Greenshanks on the Stilt Pool, with a Sandwich Tern offshore from there, two Kingfishers , good numbers of Mediterranean Gulls, c30 Meadow Pipits and a dozen Yellow Wagtails on the reserve and a Swallow, two female Marsh Harriers,, a Buzzard and four Kestrels over.

Also, a Whinchat, up to a dozen Stonechats, a Dartford Warbler, two Cetti's Warblers, c15 Chiffchaffs and five Yellowhammers were along the banks. (S&SaH)

Monday, 23rd September: After slow-to-clear, heavy overnight rain, a fairly bright and breezy morning in a fresh westerly breeze.....

Selsey Bill: Plenty of Gannets and five Brent Geese went west and a Wheatear was on the rooves, but not too much else was going on. Full log below. (AH/SR/IP/P&LH)

(0715-0845hrs) (W, F4-5)

Gannet - 4E, 122W

Shag - 1E, 1os

Little Egret - 1E

Brent Goose - 5W

Common Scoter - 6E

Oystercatcher - 1E

Turnstone - 14

Common Gull - 1E

Swallow - 1W

House Martin - 1W

Meadow Pipit - 1W

Wheatear - 1

Chiffchaff - 1

(1630-1730hrs) (SH)

Gannet - 1E, 10W, 22os

Shag - 1W, 2os

Teal - 1W

Mediterranean Gull - 1W

Sandwich Tern - 4W

Wheatear (above), Shag, Brent Geese, Gannet & Little Egret at the Bill (AH)

Ferry Pool: There was just the mix of regulars this morning, including two Green Sandpipers, seven Avocets, 25 Black-tailed Godwits, c120 Lapwings, four Shelducks, five Shovelers and c30 Teal. (AH/P&LH)

Avocets (above) & Lapwings at the Ferry (AH)

Church Norton: A juvenile Grasshopper Warbler sitting in the open by the second Several was a surprise, with a Reed Warbler also in the Severals/Bluebell Wood area, along with 40+ Chiffchaffs, 25 Blackcaps, a Spotted Flycatcher, two Stonechats and a Goldcrest, plus a Grey Wagtail, three Meadow Pipits and half a dozen Swallows over. Also a Hobby went over the Severals and a Water Rail was calling from within them.

There were another 40+ Chiffchaffs around the sheltered hedges by the hide, churchyard and concrete wall, along with a dozen Blackcaps, a Firecrest, two Goldcrests, three Spotted  Flycatchers, five Jays and a Mistle Thrush, with two Yellow Wagtails, c50 Swallows and two Sparrowhawks over.

Also, a Greenshank was in the harbour, along with a Whimbrel, four Bar-tailed and four Black-tailed Godwits, 19 Grey Plovers, three Ringed Plovers, c50 Redshanks, 19 Shelducks and 30+ Wigeon and Teal. (MRe/AH/P&LH)

Spotted Flycatcher (above), Blackcap, Whimbrel & Bar-tailed Godwit at Church Norton (AH)

North Wall: A Pintail was with the Wigeon along White’s Creek this morning, with a Spotted Redshank and a Whimbrel also about, with 120 Ringed Plovers and 65 Dunlin further down.

Also, a Kingfisher, a Grey Wagtail and a Common Sandpiper by the sluice, and a Peregrine and 12 Swallows passed overhead, whilst two Marsh Harriers were around their usual area over the reeds, but the Breech Pool again held just a few Mallards and the juvenile Great Crested Grebe.

A Whinchat, four Sonechats and a Spotted Flycatcher were in the paddocks, but It was quiet along the wall in the blustery conditions with just a Blackcap, a Reed Bunting and a couple of Chiffchaffs about, and a Kingfisher was on the fence between the fields, but apart from a Goldcrest along the lane that was it. (LP/TRH/JDW)

This evening a Peregrine was heard over the Church Farm caravan park. (P Gomersall)

Grey Wagtail (above), Common Sandpiper, Kingfisher, Whimbrel & Pintail and Wigeon at the North Wall (LP)

Hunston: This evening a flock of up to 20 White Storks - presumably originating from the Knepp Estate - were on the 15th green of the Tower Course, in the company of 15 Greylag Geese. (KJ)

West Wittering: There were at least 15 Chiffchaffs in the garden this morning. (GM)

Chiffchaff in a West Wittering garden (GM)

Sunday, 22nd September: A very grey morning, with intermittent spells of heavy rain, though quite mild and muggy in a moderate south-easterly breeze and brightening up later.....

Selsey Bill: Over 450 Meadow Pipits and 300 Swallows went east this morning, though only low numbers of other migrants were among them, whilst a flock of 11 Little Egrets dropped in on the beach before heading off east, 15 Brent Geese went west and an Avocet and 25 Sandwich Terns east was about it for offshore movement, though over 150 Gannets were feeding offshore. Full log below. (JA/SH/MRB/IP/AH/SR)

(0630-0900hrs) (ENE, F4)

Great Crested Grebe - 1os

Gannet - 9E, 15W, 151os

Shag - 8E, 4os

Little Egret - 11E

Brent Goose - 15E

Teal - 3E

Common Scoter - 1E

Kestrel - 1E

Oystercatcher - 1E

Avocet - 1E

Turnstone - 26

Mediterranean Gull - 29E

Common Gull - 2E

Sandwich Tern - 25E

Swallow - 334E

Sand Martin - 2E

House Martin - 1E

Yellow Wagtail - 10E

Pied Wagtail - 1E

Meadow Pipit - 469E

Chiffchaff - 1

Avocet (above) & Shags at the Bill (AH)

Ferry Pool: The five Spotted Redshanks were feeding on the pool again this morning, with two Common Sandpipers, two Green Sandpipers, six Avocets, 42 Black-tailed Godwits, c90 Lapwings, five Shelducks and c30 Teal also present. (AH/MRB)

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

Park Farm, Selsey: Four Yellow Wagtails and a Wheatear were around the fields this morning, with eight Swallows, a Kestrel, two Sparrowhawks and three Buzzards going over.

There were also around ten Chiffchaffs in the patch of waste ground opposite the Selsey Centre. (S&SaH)

Church Norton: A Spotted Flycatcher and a Firecrest were in the churchyard, with another of the latter in the car-park, too, with two Goldcrests, two Jays, a Mistle Thrush and at least five Chiffchaffs and 11 Blackcaps also in the vicinity, and another 14 Chiffchaffs and a Willow Warbler along the Severals.

There was a bit of visible migration along the front, too, including 15 Yellow Wagtails, a Tree Pipit, 120+ Meadow Pipits, three Skylarks and 220 Linnets, with a Ruff over the beach heading north and ten Brent Geese heading west offshore, with two more in the harbour

There wasn't too much else in the harbour, though there were three Whimbrel and half a dozen Black-tailed Godwits among the regular species, and eight Pintail, eight Shelducks and c40 Wigeon and Teal were about, too. (MRe/PA/AH)

Whimbrel (above) & Pintail at Church Norton (AH)

North Wall: There was still lots of action around the paddock this morning, with three Spotted Flycatchers, four Stonechats, six Chiffchaffs, a Green Woodpecker and a Jay, whilst a Marsh Harrier dropped into the reeds further back.

A Brent Goose was along White’s Creek, together with c150 Wigeon and 40 Teal, with a Common Sandpiper, a Kingfisher and a Grey Wagtail near the sluice, and a Yellow-legged Gull, two Lesser Black-backed Gulls, 36 Black-tailed Godwits and 22 Redshanks further along.

There was nothing to be seen on the Breech Pool, but six Cattle Egrets were in the fields with the cows, and there was lots of activity along the hedgerows, with 20 Chiffchaffs, joined by two Lesser Whitethroats, two Sedge Warblers, four Blackcaps and a Willow Warbler.

Also, at Halsey’s Farm, two Great White Egrets went over, heading towards Sidlesham, and a Hobby was chased over the trees by a pair of Carrion Crows. (LP/MRi/SP/DHi)

Spotted Flycatchers (above), Stonechat, Sedge Warbler, Yellow-legged Gull, Brent Goose & Common Sandpiper at the North Wall (LP)

Medmerry: Easton Lane to the Stilt Pool - An Osprey was sat out this afternoon, before flying off west, with a Merlin also sitting out, and a Peregrine, a Buzzard and three Kestrels over, whilst two Cattle Egrets, a Kingfisher and two Great Spotted Woodpeckers were on the reserve.

The banks were quite busy as the breeze eased, and included a Dartford Warbler, two Wheatears, nine Stonechats, c20 Chiffchaffs,, two Cetti's Warblers, three Yellowhammers, a Pied Wagtail and c20 Meadow Pipits, plus four Swallows over. (S&SaH)

Osprey at Medmerry (SaH)