Birding the Selsey Peninsula: 14th

Wednesday, 16th July: A warm and mostly sunny morning, though the breeze remains fresh and blustery and from the west.....

Selsey Bill: It was a slow morning for variety, but there was a vast feeding flock stretching across the whole of the horizon, mainly comprising of Herring Gulls, but with at least 500 Mediterranean Gulls among them. Full log below. (SR/AH)

(0705-0820hrs) (W, F4-5)

Gannet - 1E, 2W

Oystercatcher - 2W

Mediterranean Gull - c500os

Black-headed Gull - c500os

Herring Gull - c3000os

Sandwich Tern - 4E, 3W, 12os

Common Tern - 4W

Swift - 1

House Martin - 12

Hummingbird Hawk-moth - 1

Mediterranean Gull (above), House Martin & Hummingbird Hawk-moth at the Bill (AH)

Ferry Pool: There were just seven Black-tailed Godwits on the small amount of water that remains on the pool this morning. (AH)

Black-tailed Godwit on the Ferry (AH)

Mill Pond Marsh: The Greenshank was still around this morning, along with three Black-tailed Godwits and four Teal, with a few Reed Warblers around the reed-beds and half a dozen Swallows feeding over the water. (AH)

This evening the Greenshank was still present, along with six Black-tailed Godwits, and c50 Sand Martins and a Buzzard went over. (S&SaH)

Greenshank at Mill Pond Marsh (AH)

Church Norton: There were at least 500 Mediterranean Gulls on the beach before they started drifting into the harbour, and there were still 300+ Sandwich Terns spread around the harbour and feeding offshore, with plenty bringing in fish.

There were also 20+ Little Terns and a dozen Common Terns about, but waders were restricted to a couple of Whimbrel, a dozen Curlews and c20 Redshanks, whilst two or three Whitethroats and Linnets were all the bushes had to offer. (AH)

Mediterranean Gulls (above), Sandwich Tern, Little Tern, Little and Sandwich Terns, Sandwich Terns and Mediterranean Gulls, Whimbrel & Whitethroat at Church Norton (AH)

East side: A Roseate Tern was on the mud this evening, with 50 Little Terns, including seven juveniles, seven Common Terns, 300 Sandwich Terns, two Common Gulls, an adult Yellow-legged Gull and 150 Mediterranean Gulls also present.

Waders included two Common Sandpipers, four Whimbrel, a Greenshank, 21 Turnstones, 85 Dunlin,, seven Black-tailed Godwits, ten Grey Plovers and 15 Ringed Plovers, with a Kingfisher, three Skylarks, 25 Sand Martins, a Meadow Pipit, nine Chiffchaffs and four Whitethroats also logged. (MRe/PA)

Roseate Tern at Pagham Spit (as seen from Church Norton by PA)

North Wall: The Spotted Redshank was again along White’s Creek this morning, then later near the herons' island, whilst eight Black-tailed Godwits, 14 Redshanks, four Curlews, two Whimbrels, and three Common Sandpipers were also along the creek, with a Common Tern and a few Swallows were over the water and a Kingfisher flew out from the sluice.

A Little Ringed Plover was on the Breech Pool and two Pied Wagtails were also present, as well as a lone Lapwing. A few reed Warblers were in the reeds and four Linnets were along the wall, whilst out on their island were 17 Cattle Egrets, four Little Egrets and eight Grey Herons. (LP/TS/GHi/JDW/MJa/EB/AW et al)

This evening there were three Spotted Redshanks about, along with five Little Ringed Plovers, a Common Sandpiper, a Green Sandpiper, eight Black-tailed Godwits, a Kingfisher, a Teal, a juvenile Water Rail and 17 Cattle Egrets.

Along the wall there were a dozen Reed Warblers and two Cetti's Warblers, with c20 Swallows and c50 Sand Martins over, and there were also a Stoat about and four Common Seals were hauled out in the harbour. (S&SaH/MRe)

Spotted Redshank (above), Whimbrels, Cattle Egrets and Grey Herons, Linnet & Pied Wagtail at the North Wall (LP)

Tuesday, 15th July: A very windy day, heading towards a gale-force south-westerly by lunchtime, with fairly heavy, but fast-moving cloud and the odd heavy shower.........

Selsey Bill: An Arctic Skua went east and five Whimbrel went west, but it was generally quiet this morning. Full log below. (SH/PB/AH/SR/IP)

(0600-0800hrs) (SW, F5-6)

Gannet - 1E, 13W, 6os

Oystercatcher - 3W

Whimbrel - 5W

Arctic Skua - 1E

Mediterranean Gull - 18E, 3W, 15os

Kittiwake - 1E

Sandwich Tern - 7E, 7W, 6os

Common Tern - 3W

Swift - 1

House Martin - 2

An Arctic Skua lingering offshore was the highlight this afternoon, with the south-westerly gale failing to bring anything much with it. Full log below. (SH/PB)

(1230-1530hrs) SW, F7-8)

Gannet - 2E, 20W, 4os

Curlew - 1W

Arctic Skua - 1os

Mediterranean Gull - 34W

Sandwich Tern - 2E, 80W, 36os

Common Tern - 7W, 2os

Swift - 1

Gannet at the Bill (AH)

Ferry Pool: There were three Common Sandpipers on the pool early this morning, along with a Lapwing and two Black-tailed Godwits. (AH).

Common Sandpiper (above ) & Black-tailed Godwit at the Ferry (AH)

Mill Pond Marsh: The Greenshank was still on the flooded field this morning, along with two Black-tailed Godwits and six Teal, with a Whitethroat, a Sedge Warbler and several Reed Warblers in the bushes and half a dozen Swallows over. (AH)

Greenshank (above) & Reed Warbler at Mill Pond Marsh (AH)

North Wall: The summer-plumaged Spotted Redshank was still along White’s Creek early on, as well as three Common Sandpipers, five Black-tailed Godwits, a Whimbrel, two Curlews and eight Redshanks, with a Yellow-legged Gull out on the mud, but it was quiet elsewhere in the very windy conditions, although a Song Thrush was in the paddock and c50 Swallows were around the Church Barton reservoir along with a couple of Sand Martins. (IP/MJa/LP)

Church Norton: There were probably 4-500 Sandwich Terns about this morning, including at least 200 on the mud and many more offshore and on the islands, with up to a dozen Common and Little Terns, as well, whilst at least 100 Mediterranean Gulls were in the harbour and 200 on the beach and up to five Gannets were among the big feeding flock.

The harbour also held two Common Sandpipers and a Whimbrel, plus a dozen Curlews and c40 Redshanks, but the bushes were very quiet inn the wind. (AH/S&SaH/PB)

Little Tern (above), Common Terns, Sandwich Tern and Redshank, Sandwich Terns, Gannet, Common Sandpiper & Whimbrel at Church Norton (AH)

Monday, 14th July: A switch round to a brisk westerly breeze this morning, bringing a drop in temperature and a mix of heavy cloud and sunny intervals.....

Selsey Bill: It was just a mix of the regular species this morning. Full log below. (AH/IP)

(0650-0805hrs) (W, F4-5)

Gannet - 12E, 2W

Common Scoter - 2E

Oystercatcher - 1E, 4W

Curlew - 1W

Mediterranean Gull - 14E, 20os

Sandwich Tern - 19E, 14W, 22os

Common Tern - 2W

Swift - 2

Swallow - 1

House Martin - 4

Mediterranean Gull (above), Common Scoters & Gannet at the Bill (AH)

Ferry Pool: There were just a Common Sandpiper and four Lapwings on the pool this morning. (AH)

Common Sandpiper (above) & Lapwing at the Ferry (AH)

Mill Pond Marsh: The Greenshank, a Green Sandpiper and a Common Sandpiper were on the flooded field this morning, along with three Black-tailed Godwits, six Teal, five Shovelers, 11 Gadwall and two families of Little Grebes. (AH)

Greenshank (above), & Black-tailed Godwits on Mill Pond Marsh (AH)

North Wall: A summer-plumage Spotted Redshank was in White's Creek this morning, whilst two adult and a juvenile Yellow-legged Gulls were in the harbour, along with a Whimbrel, a dozen Black-tailed Godwits, a Dunlin, 25 Turnstones, a Common Gull and a Lesser Black-backed Gull.

Also, a dozen Cattle Egrets were in the fields. six Sedge Warblers, three Reed Warblers, seven Whitethroats, four Chiffchaffs and a Blackcap were along the wall and 13 Sand Martins and eight Swallows went over. (PA/BFF)

Church Norton: There were at least 200 Sandwich Terns feeding offshore this morning, with a similar number on the mud in the harbour (plus those on the islands), suggesting an arrival from elsewhere, and there were also c300 Mediterranean Gulls about, whilst there were also a handful of Common Terns about and plenty of Little Terns on the far side of the harbour and a few feeding offshore.

Also, a Common Sandpiper and a few ringed Plovers were about, plus a few Redshanks and Curlews, whilst the odd Whitethroat popped up, a handful of Linnets were along the beach and a single Swallow went over. (AH)

Little Terns (above), Common Tern, Sandwich Terns, Common Sandpiper, Whitethroat & Mediterranean Gulls and Sandwich Terns at Church Norton (AH)

This evening there were at least 300 Sandwich Terns in the harbour, including good numbers of juveniles, with a few Common Terns families and Little Terns about, too, plus a lot of Mediterranean and Black-headed Gulls, also with a few youngsters among them. (AH)