Sunday, 31st August: A fairly bright and breezy morning in a freshening south-westerly, with a mix of sunshine and cloud and the odd brief squally shower..........
Selsey Bill: In conditions that were similar to many other mornings, there was an impressive least of species today, including a juvenile Long-tailed Skua that lingered offshore before drifting off east, two Balearic Shearwaters - one east and one, a Sooty Shearwater, two Fulmars, an Arctic Tern and two Black Terns west, and a good supporting cast including up to five Arctic Skuas and 37 Shags. Full log below. (SH/BI/MRe/IP/AH/P&LH/PA et al)
(0615-0930hrs) (WSW, F6)
Sooty Shearwater - 1W (0755hrs)
Balearic Shearwater - 1E (0705hrs), 1W (0848hrs)
Fulmar - 2W
Gannet - 7E, 78W
Shag - 33E, 4os
Common Scoter - 2W
Oystercatcher - 1W
Sanderling - 3E
Turnstone - 11
Long-tailed Skua - 1os, then E (0640hrs)
Arctic Skua - 2W, 3os
Mediterranean Gull - 52W
Common Gull - 1W
Yellow-legged Gull - 2W
Sandwich Tern - 4E, 43W
Arctic Tern - 1W
Common Tern - 28W
Black Tern - 2W
auk sp - 2W
House Martin - 2
Yellow Wagtail - 12E
Wheatear - 1
(1330-1545hrs) (SH/P&LH/MRe/AH)
Gannet - 4W
Turnstone - 3
Mediterranean Gull - 20W
Kittiwake - 2W
Sandwich Tern - 2E, 124W, 10os
Common Tern - 4W
Arctic Skuas (above), Common Terns, Shags & Mediterranean Gulls at the Bill (AH)
Ferry Pool: There were still a Common Sandpiper, the juvenile Redshank and six Black-tailed Godwits, plus a Lapwing, on the pool this morning. (AH)
Black-tailed Godwits at the ferry (AH)
Mill Pond Marsh: Early this afternoon, an Osprey was seen from here, heading south over the harbour, and a Kingfisher was at Sidlesham Quay.
There were a Green Sandpiper, two Common Sandpipers, two Curlews and half a dozen Teal of note on the flooded field, with the bushes quiet, save a Whitethroat, a Chiffchaff and a Cetti's Warbler. (P&LH/AH)
Green Sandpiper at Mill Pond Marsh (AH)
Church Norton: A Pied Flycatcher and up to three Spotted Flycatchers were in the churchyard this morning. (M&LL)
Later, an Osprey went over the harbour and drifted off east, whilst the three Spoonbills were off the benches, along with a Greenshank, a Bar-tailed Godwit, a Black-tailed Godwit, a Knot, two Whimbrel, two Grey Plovers, a handful of Dunlin and c20 Ringed Plovers, whilst c160 Sandwich Terns, with half a dozen Common Terns among them, were roosting on the mud.
There was no further sign of the Pied Flycatcher, though the three Spotted Flycatchers were behind the hide, along with a Garden Warbler, four Willow Warblers and a handful of Whitethroats and Blackcaps, with a Swift, eight House Martins and c50 Swallows over. (BI/IP/AH/PA/P&LH/PB/MRB et al)
Osprey (above), Spoonbills, Common and Sandwich Terns, Spotted Flycatchers & Whitethroat at Church Norton (AH)
This afternoon there were still two Spotted Flycatchers behind the hide, with a Swift and 20 House Martins over, whilst the three Spoonbills were still in the harbour, along with just a handful of Sandwich Terns, six Grey Plovers and c25 Dunlin. (GM/AH/MRe)
Spotted Flycatcher (GM) (above), Spoonbills (GM top, AH lower) & Grey Plovers (AH) at Church Norton
West Wittering: There were at least 2000 gulls in a stubble field this afternoon, divided between Herring, Black-headed and Mediterranean Gulls. (GM)
Mediterranean, Black-headed and Herring Gulls at West Wittering (GM)
Saturday, 30th August: A return to more usual weather this morning, with a moderate and freshening south-westerly breeze pushing through banks of cloud and the occasional shower......
Selsey Bill: Two juvenile Arctic Skuas were lingering offshore this morning, with lots of gulls and a few Common and Sandwich Terns offshore, whilst eight Wheatears were along the front and a good count of 17 Grey Wagtails, 22 Yellow Wagtails and a Tree Pipit went over. (SH/PB/BI/IP/AH/JFi)
(0615-0900hrs) (SW, F4)
Gannet - 3E, 48W
Shag - 8E
Little Egret - 1W
Mute Swan - 3S
Oystercatcher - 2W
Turnstone - 24
Arctic Skua - 2os
Mediterranean Gull - 200os
Kittiwake - 1W
Sandwich Tern - 17E, 7W, 30os
Common Tern - 5W, 3os
Swallow - 6E
House Martin - 18W
Yellow Wagtail - 22W
Grey Wagtail - 17W
Tree Pipit - 1W
Wheatear - 8
This afternoon, an Arctic Tern was among a dozen Common Terns and 87 Sandwich Terns heading west. Full log below. (SH/BI)
(1445-1715hrs)
Gannet - 31W
Shag - 1W
Oystercatcher - 1W
Turnstone - 15
Mediterranean Gull - 9W
Kittiwake - 3W
Sandwich Tern - 87W
Common Tern - 12W
Arctic Tern - 1W
Arctic Skua (above), Shag, Sandwich Tern & Mediterranean Gull at the Bill (AH)
Ferry Pool: There were just a Common Sandpiper, the juvenile Redshank, six Black-tailed Godwits and four Teal on the pool this morning. (AH)
Common Sandpiper at the Ferry (AH)
Mill Pond Marsh: There was a Greenshank on the flooded field this morning, along with two Green Sandpipers, a Lapwing, a Redshank, four Gadwall and a dozen Teal.
The bushes were busy again, with a dozen Blackcaps, four Whitethroats, two Lesser Whitethroats and Chiffchaffs and a Cetti's Warbler present, plus a dozen Swallows over. (AH) Earlier, a Firecrest was in the willows and a Common Sandpiper and a Black-tailed Godwit were also present. (BI)
Greenshank (above) & Blackcaps at Mill Pond Marsh (AH)
Church Norton: Early this morning there were two Spotted Flycatchers and a Redstart behind the hide, along with a Whitethroat and a Willow Warbler, with a steady trickle of Sand Martins and Swallows overhead. A mixed flock of tits included a calling Coal Tit, as well as a Garden Warbler and a few Blackcaps and Chiffchaffs. A Wheatear was along the beach, where there were seven Common Terns among a roosting flock of Sandwich Terns. (AW/E&SB)
Also, three Spoonbills were along the west side. (TG)
This evening, a juvenile Little Gull, a Black Tern, seven Common Terns and 239 Sandwich Terns were on the mud, with a Greenshank, a Bar-tailed Godwit, four Grey Plovers and a female/eclipse Pintail present, too, whilst the two Spotted Flycatchers were still behind the hide. (AWi)
Wheatear (above), Spotted Flycatcher, Common and Sandwich Terns (AW), Spotted Flycatcher, Redstart, Willow Warbler & Whitethroat (EB) at Church Norton
North Wall: Two Wheatears were along the wall, and three Spotted Redshanks, four Greenshanks, an adult Yellow-legged Gull, and a Kingfisher were along White’s Creek, with two more Kingfishers - an adult with a juvenile - in the bushes at Owl Water.
Five Yellow Wagtails and a Pied Wagtail flew over as well as two Swifts, a handful of Sand Martins and c100 Swallows, but there was just a couple of juvenile Cattle Egrets left in the trees at Owl Copse.
At Halsey’s Farm, two Redstarts were along the bushes, as well as a Lesser Whitethroat, four Whitethroats and two Linnets. (MJa/SP/LP/AH et al)
Wheatears (above), Redstart (LP), Kingfisher (LP top, AH lower), Spotted Redshank & Yellow-legged Gull (AH) at the North Wall
Medmerry: Easton Lane to Marsh Barn - A Whitethroat, a Blackcap, two Willow Warblers, a Chiffchaff, a Yellow Wagtail, two Pied Wagtails and a Yellowhammer were along the banks, with a Kingfisher and a Greenshank on on the reserve and three Swallows, 37 Sand Martins, a Kestrel and a Buzzard over. (S&SaH)
Sidlesham: There were three Convolvulus Hawk-moths in the trap this morning. (PA)
Convolvulus Hawk-moths in a Sidlesham garden (PA)
Friday, 29th August: A highly variable morning's weather, starting with exceptionally heavy rain before and after dawn, with the breeze freshening considerably before dropping back to a flat calm and eventually settling down to a brisk westerly and sunshine and showers.....
Selsey Bill: A Wheatear and a Sanderling were along the beach this morning, but a few Common Terns among the many Sandwich Terns was the best offshore. Full log below. (BI/IP/AH)
(0730-0845hrs) (S, F-1-3)
Great Crested Grebe - 1os
Gannet - 24E
Shag - 7E
Sanderling - 1
Turnstone - 18
Mediterranean Gull - 10E
Sandwich Tern - 63E, 5W
Common Tern - 4E, 2W
Wheatear - 1
Wheatear (above), Sanderling, Sanderling and Turnstones, Shags & Sandwich Tern at Selsey Bill (AH)
A female Eider west was the best mid-morning, whilst later, three Little Gulls and four Whimbrel went west, too. Full log below.
(0915-1115hrs) (PB)
Gannet 10E,31W, 30os
Eider - 1W
Turnstone - 5
Mediterranean Gull - 18W
Sandwich Tern - 5E, 46W
Common Tern - 6W
House Martin - 7
(1245-1545hrs) (PB/SH)
Common Tern 9W
Gannet 24W 8E
Shag 1W
Oystercatcher 4E
Whimbrel 4W
Turnstone 17
Mediterranean Gull 2os
Little Gull 3W
Sandwich Tern 79W 5E 70os
Razorbill 1W
This afternoon, a striking leucistic Turnstone was among the flock on the beach, and there were also two Wheatears about. (AW)
leucistic Turnstone at the Bill (AW)
Ferry Pool: There was a surprising increase in the water level this morning, but there were just the same birds present, namely a Common Sandpiper, the three juvenile Little Ringed Plovers, the juvenile Redshank, the Lapwing and six Black-tailed Godwits. (AH)
Little Ringed Plovers at the Ferry (AH)
Mill Pond Marsh: There were two Green Sandpipers, a Common Sandpiper, a Lapwing and a Redshank on the flooded field this morning, along with eight Teal, whilst two or three Reed Warblers and Whitethroats and a Chiffchaff were in the bushes and c20 Swallows went over. (AH/PA)
Green Sandpiper (above) & Reed Warbler at Mill Pond Marsh (AH)
Pagham Spit: There was a big gathering of terns off the spit today, with a Black Tern, two Little Terns and a dozen Common Terns among c100 Sandwich Terns present, and there were also four Wheatears about. (PA)
North Wall: There were two Redstarts, a Whinchat, a Wheatear and a few Lesser Whitethroats, Whitethroats and Willow Warblers around Halsey's Farm this morning, plus 50 or so Swallows and House Martins and c20 Sand Martins, though the wall was fairly quiet,
Three Spotted Redshanks were in the Breech Pool early on, whilst a couple of Greenshank, Common Sandpipers, Whimbrel and Knot, 15 Black-tailed Godwits were in White's Creek, along with four Wigeon and an eclipse drake Pintail, and both a Hobby and a Peregrine went over. (LP/MJa/SP/GHi/AH/EB/PA et al)
Whinchat (above), Redstarts & Whitethroat at the North Wall (AH)
Medmerry: Easton Lane to the Stilt Pool - A Whinchat, two Wheatears, five Whitethroats, c20 Willow Warblers, a Cetti's Warbler and a Yellowhammer were along the banks today, with nine Sand Martins and three Swallows over.
Also, the Stilt Pool just held a Greenshank and a Ringed Plover, with an Egyptian Goose and a Greylag Goose on the reserve and a Marsh Harrier, a Sparrowhawk, three Buzzards and two Kestrels seen, too. (S&SaH)
Church Norton: There were at least three Spotted Flycatchers around the churchyard/hide area this morning along with Graaden Warbler, four Blackcaps and two Chiffchaffs. The harbour remianed quiet, however, with just a Whimbrel of note. Along the severals were five Whitethroats and two Cetti's Warblers whilst a Water Rail was on the lake. On the shingle bank offshore were six Sandwich Terns and a Wheatear was logged along Rectory Lane. (BI)
Spotted Flycatcher (above) & Wheatear at Church Norton (BI)
