4th - 5th September 2024

Thursday, 5th September: A pretty awful morning's weather, with a cold and fresh north-easterly breeze and almost constant, often heavy, rain.........

Selsey Bill: Unsurprisingly quiet this morning, with a Shoveler and a Ringed Plover west the only birds beyond the regulars, which included another big feeding flock offshore. Full log below. (SR/AH)

(0705-0805hrs) (NE., F5-6)

Gannet - 7E, 8os

Shoveler - 1W

Ringed Plover - 1W

Curlew - 2

Turnstone - 35

Mediterranean Gull - 60os

Sandwich Tern - 12os

Common Tern - 1os

Sandwich Tern at the Bill (AH)

Ferry Pool: Two Ruff were on the field this morning, whilst around the pool there were two Spotted Redshanks, a Green Sandpiper, a Common Sandpiper, a Dunlin, three Avocets, c30 Lapwings and c40 Black-tailed Godwits, with a couple of Shovelers among the c40 Teal present, and a couple of Blackcaps were by the hide (AH)

Ruffs (above), Spotted Redshanks, Avocets, Black-tailed Godwit, Shovelers & Blackcap at the Ferry (AH)

Mill Pond Marsh: The Greenshank was still present this morning, with half a dozen Snipe, four Black-tailed Godwits, a Water Rail and c30 Teal also about. (AH)

Greenshank at Mill Pond Marsh (AH)

Church Norton: There wasn't much to report this morning in the dismal conditions, with a Shoveler among a few Wigeon and Teal, a handful of Mediterranean Gulls among the Black-headed and Herring Gulls and just the usual Redshanks, Curlews and Oystercatchers on the mud, with no passerines at all seen. (AH)

Mediterranean Gull (above) & Shoveler, Wigeon and Teal at Church Norton (AH)

North Wall: There was still a good selection of waders on the Breech Pool this afternoon, including nine Greenshanks, four Spotted Redshanks, two Green Sandpipers, seven Redshanks and 41 Black-tailed Godwits, whilst the Great White Egret was still around, and a Kingfisher was fishing from the posts. 

Elsewhere it was quiet, with just a Common Sandpiper in White’s Creek, seven juvenile Cattle Egrets in the trees at Owl Copse, another Kingfisher by the Halsey’s outfall, and just a Chaffinch, Dunnock and a Robin along the bushes. (LP)

Kingfishers (above), Spotted Redshanks, Greenshanks & Great White Egret at the North Wall (LP)

Fishbourne Creek: The Yellow-legged Gull was present again this evening, along with 20 Egyptian Geese (SM)

Wednesday , 4th September: After a surprisingly cool and grey start in a modest north-westerly, a warm sunny morning before the cloud pushed back in later.......

Selsey Bill: Nothing was moving offshore, but a Stonechat came in off the sea, a few Yellow Wagtails went over and six Wheatears were on the beach. (SR/AH)

(0710-0810hrs) (NNW, F3)

Gannet - 5E, 5W, 20os

Curlew - 1E

Mediterranean Gull - 40os

Sandwich Tern - 50os

Common Tern - 7os

Great Spotted Woodpecker - 1

Swallow - 3W

House Martin - 23

Yellow Wagtail - 4E, 7W

Wheatear - 6

Stonechat - 1

Willow Warbler - 1

Chiffchaff - 1

Wheatears (above), Willow Warbler & Chiffchaff at the Bill (AH)

Ferry Pool: Three Ruff were on the pool together early on, with one remaining through the morning and all three together later on, with three Spotted Redshanks also present early on, and there were also two Green Sandpipers, two Common Sandpipers, two Snipe, an Avocet, three Dunlin, four Redshanks, 48 Black-tailed Godwits and c40 Teal present. (AH/BFF/MRe et al)

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

Mill Pond Marsh: There were still two Green Sandpipers, a Greenshank, two Snipe and c30 Teal present this morning, with a couple of Reed Warblers in the reeds at the back. (AH)

West Itchenor: An Osprey flew west past the harbour office mid-morning today. (PH)

East Head: An Arctic Skua was offshore this morning chasing some of the 15 Common and 30 Sandwich Terns present, whilst 185 Mediterranean Gulls, including 85 in the car-park, were also present but there were few waders about.

There was a good selection of migrants, though, including a Tree Pipit, three Whinchats, four Wheatears, ten Yellow Wagtails, two Whitethroats and three Willow Warblers, plus five swallows over. (MRe)

Sidlesham: A Wheatear was along Cow Lane this afternoon. (AH)

Church Norton: There were a few migrants about today, particularly early on, when a Pied Flycatcher was by the concrete wall, with a male Redstart, half a dozen Spotted Flycatchers and a scattering of Blackcaps, Whitethroats and Willow Warblers in the hedges behind the hide and along the harbourside, though the Severals and beach were quiet, except for a constant flow of Sand Martins and Swallows, with a few House Martins among them.

About 20 Grey Plovers and a couple of Whimbrel were the only waders beyond the usual, with, otherwise c20 Teal and a dozen Wigeon about, and a Sandwich Tern and a few Mediterranean Gulls were among the roosting Black-headed Gulls. (MRe/JMo/AH/BFF)

This evening an Osprey, carrying a catch went over the harbour heading towards the Ferry, and shortly afterwards, two Spoonbills went over, heading towards Selsey. (DH)

Redstart (above), Spotted Flycatcher, Blackcap & Grey Plovers at Church Norton (AH)

North Wall: There was a good selection around Halsey’s Farm, with two Redstarts, seven Wheatears, three Whinchats, a Spotted Flycatcher, a Lesser Whitethroat, 15 Yellow Wagtails and a few Whitethroats, Willow Warblers and Chiffchaffs about, with lots of Swallows, Sand Martins and House Martins passing overhead. In Owl Copse two young Cattle Egrets are still being fed by the adult birds and in the hedgerows, there was a mixed flock of Long-tailed Tits, Blue Tits, Great Tits, Whitethroats, a Lesser Whitethroat, and a Reed Warbler.
The Great White Egret was again on the Breech Pool and there were also 42 Lapwings, a Green Sandpiper, two Spotted Redshanks, two Greenshanks, two Redshanks, three Little Egrets, four Black-tailed Godwits, two Grey Herons and a Kingfisher, together with the usual Teal and Mallards, whilst a Wheatear was along the wall by the sluice, two Linnets were on the saltmarsh, a Common Sandpiper flew along White’s Creek, and a Great Spotted Woodpecker was by the paddock. (LP/GHi/AHu/JDW/SR/EB et al)

Wheatear (above), Spotted Flycatcher, Whitethroat, Green Sandpiper, Spotted Redshank & Great White Egret at the North Wall (LP)

Medmerry: Easton Lane to the Stilt Pool - A good count of 37 Yellow Wagtails were seen from the banks this evening, with eight Wheatears, a Dartford Warbler, three Willow Warblers, two Cetti's Warblers, two Whitethroats, four Stonechats and eight Yellowhammers also seen, along with c20 Sand Martins over.

Also, a Common Sandpiper was on the stilt Pool, a Cattle Egret was on the reserve and a Kestrel went over. (S&SaH)