28th - 30th September 2024

 Saturday, 28th September:  Another cold start with thermometers reading c.3C early on...dry and sunny with light northerly winds...

Selsey Bill: There was some overhead interest this morning with three Woodlarks heading west, the first Siskin & Rock Pipit of the autumn moving through. Two Stonechats were in the hedges with a scattering of Chiffchaffs but the sea remined quiet.  

Full log to follow... (SH/BI/SR/IP/P&LH et al)

(0645-0930hrs) (NNW F2-3)

Stonechat, top, & Oystercatcher at the Bill (BI)

Selsey Bill - gardens: A walk along the front found a Stonechat, 16 Chiffchaffs, a Yellow Wagtail, four Meadow Pipits and four Swallows mid-morning. (SR)

West Sands: There were two Wheatears, 50+ Meadow Pipits, 10 Pied Wagtails, a few Stonechats & Reed Buntings and a trickle of Swallows moving overhead today. (AW)

Wheatear at west sands (AW)

Ferry Pool & Long Pool: The Common Sandpiper was still on the ferry this morning along with c.10 Avocets and 30 Black-tailed Godwits plus the regular mix of wildfowl including several Shovelers. Along the Long Pool hedges were 20 Chiffchaffs, 25 Linnets, two Cetti's Warblers, four Stonechats and two Spoonbills flew over here. (BI et al)

Spoonbills over the Long Pool, above, Shovelers and Common Sandpiper on the Ferry Pool (BI)

Church Norton: A total of 32 Chiffchaffs were around the churchyard and paths this morning as were four Blackcaps, two Chaffinches, four Long-tailed Tits and a Green Woodpecker. A Jay was also present, a Raven flew over, as did five Rooks and a Skylark, 70 Swallows and 3 House Martins were also logged. Raptors here included a Common Buzzard and a Sparrowhawk.

At the Severals, three or four Green Woodpeckers were around, a lone Sand Martin flew over the Greenlease fields and two Blackcaps were in the trees that separate the two Severals. Two Jays flew over Priory Wood, whilst a Sparrowhawk flew into the wood and a Buzzard was soaring above surrounded by circa 100 Swallows. A Yellow Wagtail flew over and two female Stonechats were around the gorse bushes. 

In the Harbour, 58 Grey Plovers were around the metalwork and benches with 25 Dunlin, two Knot, six Turnstones, four Black-tailed Godwits, a Bar-tailed Godwit and two Whimbrel, along with the regular species which included 40 Curlews.  Plenty of Teal and Wigeon were also present with eight Pintail also. Two Common Gulls were roosting on the shingle whilst three Sandwich Terns flew east along the Spit before flying into the Harbour. A single Wheatear was on the Spit. (P&LH/IP)