17th July 2025

Thursday, 17th July: A heavily overcast, but warm and muggy morning in a slowly freshening south-westerly breeze.....

Selsey Bill: There were a few Swifts and House Martins about, but apart from large numbers of Mediterranean Gulls again offshore, it remains quiet. Full log below. (AH/SR

(0700-0800hrs) (SW, F2)

Gannet - 2E, 1W

Oystercatcher - 2W

Mediterranean Gull - 250E, 300os

Sandwich Tern - 17E, 6W, 20os

Swift - 14

Sand Martin - 1

House Martin - 25

Mediterranean Gulls (above), Black-headed and Mediterranean Gulls & Sandwich Tern at the Bill (AH)

Ferry Pool: There were just 11 Black-tailed Godwits present this morning. (AH)

Black-tailed Godwits on the Ferry (AH)

Long Pool: Up to a dozen Reed Warblers were seen this morning, along with a couple of Whitethroats, a Yellowhammer carrying food, two family parties of Reed Buntings and one of Linnets, plus a couple of Skylarks over the fields.

The mother Tufted Duck only seemed to have three well-grown young with her on the pool, whilst a Common Sandpiper was also on the pool, three Gadwall, two Whimbrel and a dozen Redshanks were along Ferry Channel and two Common Terns and four Sandwich Terns went west overhead. (AH)

Reed Warbler (above), Whitethroat, Yellowhammer, Reed Bunting & Common Tern along the Long Pool (AH)

Mill Pond Marsh: The Greenshank and a Black-tailed Godwit were still present, along with four Shovelers, four Teal, two families of Little Grebes and a Grey Heron, whilst a curlew and two Whimbrel few over, heading west.

The adjacent hedges and reeds were quite busy, with at least four Sedge Warblers, ten Reed Warblers, two Chiffchaffs and half a dozen Whitethroats seen, along with a couple of Swallows over. (AH)

Sedge Warbler (above), Reed Warbler, Greenshank, Little Grebe & Whimbrel at Mill Pond Marsh (AH)

North Wall: There ere still two Spotted Redshanks present this morning - one in the rife at the Halsey's farm end and one on the Breech Pool, where there were also three Little Ringed Plovers, a juvenile Water Rail and a Pied Wagtail, plus a gathering of 18 Little Egrets feeding together there.

There were also up to five Common Sandpipers along White's Creek, 16 Cattle Egrets in Honer 2 field, a couple of Whimbrel in the harbour, a Cetti's Warbler and a Green Woodpecker along the wall and 16 Sand Martins over. 

Also, a Sparrowhawk, with a House Sparrow in its talons, was sat on the road along Rectory Lane for a full minute before flying off. (PB/MJa/LP et al)

Spotted Redshank at the North Wall (LP)

Church Norton: A fairly brief look at the harbour this morning found it still full of birds, including at least 300 Sandwich Terns, 500 Mediterranean Gulls and a few Little and Common Terns, whilst there were also seven Whimbrel present, along with a few Ringed Plovers, Curlews and Redshanks. (AH)

Common Tern and Sandwich Terns (above), Sandwich Terns & Whimbrel at Church Norton (AH)