Birding the Selsey Peninsula: 17th

Tuesday, 19th August: A hazily sunny and fairly warm morning, but still with the brisk north-easterly breeze persisting.....

Selsey Bill: It was another slow morning, with a Common Tern east the only bird beyond the very regular. Full log below. (IP/AH)

(0700-0815hrs) (NE, F4)

Gannet - 3E, 5W

Common Scoter - 1E

Sparrowhawk - 1

Turnstone - 11

Mediterranean Gull - 1E, 1os

Sandwich Tern - 6E, 5W

Common Tern - 1E

Turnstone at the Bill (AH)

Ferry Pool: There were just two juvenile Little Ringed Plovers, the juvenile Redshank, a Lapwing and seven Black-tailed Godwits present early this morning. (AH)

Little Ringed Plovers (above) & Lapwing at the Ferry (AH)

Mill Pond Marsh: The Snipe, Green Sandpiper and Common Sandpiper were all still on the flooded field this morning, together with a Black-tailed Godwit, two Water Rails and 18 Teal, but there were just a Reed Warbler, a Whitethroat and two Reed Buntings in the bushes, possibly due to the presence of a male Sparrowhawk. (MRe)

North Wall: Three Spoonbills went east over Halsey's Farm early this morning (and kept going, being later seen over Climping), whilst a selection of passerines in the bushes there included a female Redstart, three Yellow Wagtails,, eight whitethroats, two Reed warblers and Chiffchaffs and singles of Willow Warbler, Blackcap and Lesser Whitethroat, with a Kingfisher also about.

Along the wall there were a Wheatear, a Lesser Whitethroat, two Willow Warblers, four Whitethroats and eight Yellow Wagtails, plus 12 Sand Martins over, with 22 Teal, a Whimbrel and two Ringed Plovers, two Snipe, a Common Sandpiper, four Lapwings and 22 Teal on the Breech Pool and up to 20 Cattle Egrets in the fields.

Also, three Spotted Redshanks, two Whimbrel, c30 Black-tailed Godwits and c100 Redshanks were in White's Creek and a Green Sandpiper was in the creek at Halsey's Farm. (MRe/TG/MJa/LP et al)

This afternoon, a probable Honey Buzzard went distantly west over the wall. (CS)

East side: In the harbour on the dropping tide there were seven Greenshanks, three Knot, 21 Dunlin, six Whimbrel, 35 Grey Plovers, 35 Ringed Plovers, 33 Turnstones and ten Curlew, with a Wigeon among 35 Gadwall, and there was also a Yellow-legged Gull and three Sandwich Terns about again.

Five Sand Martins and 21 Swallows went over, but the bushes were quiet, with just a Lesser Whitethroat, a Whitethroat, a Cetti's Warbler and a Reed Bunting of note. (MRe/AH/THG/LP)

Grey Plovers, Knot, Dunlin & Sandwich Terns (above), Ringed Plover, Whimbrel and Curlew, Gadwall, Teal & Wigeon and Gadwall (AH), Greenshank, Wigeon, Whimbrel & Grey Plover at the North Wall

Fishbourne Creek: The roost off Dell Quay held 13 Greenshanks and c30 Redshanks this morning, whilst further up the creek there were 90 Curlew on the west bank and three Whimbrel at the top of the creek. (RW)

West Itchenor: The Nuthatch was seen and head calling again this morning near Chalkdock, with a Yellowhammer along the nearby path and a Sparrowhawk was in the vicinity, too, whilst out in the harbour there were a Greenshank, a Lapwing, three Whimbrel, three Curlews, 25 Grey Plovers, nine Black-tailed Godwits and c250 Mediterranean Gulls. (MRe)

West Wittering: A pair of cronking Ravens went over the house this afternoon. (GM)

Monday, 18th August: A grey and somewhat muggy morning in a brisk north-easterly breeze.....

Selsey Bill: It was slow this morning, with a Wheatear on the beach and two Bottle-nosed Dolphins lingering relatively close behind the shingle bar the highlights. Full log below. (AH/IP/P&LH/M&LL)

(0705-0835hrs) (NE, F4)

Gannet - 3E, 2W

Shag - 3E

Oystercatcher - 1W

Turnstone - 10

Sandwich Tern - 17E, 5W

Swallow - 1E

House Martin - 2E

Wheatear - 1

Bottle-nosed Dolphin - 2os

Shags (above), Gannet, Sandwich Tern & Wheatear at the Bill (AH)

Ferry Pool: Three juvenile Little Ringed Plovers were present this morning, along with the Common Sandpiper, juvenile Redshank and ten Black-tailed Godwits. (AH)

Little Ringed Plovers (above) & Common Sandpiper at the Ferry (AH)

Mill Pond Marsh: A Snipe, a Green Sandpiper and a Common Sandpiper were on the flooded field this morning, along with half a dozen Teal, whilst a Water Rail was calling from the reeds.

Also, the bushes were busy again, with at least a dozen Willow Warblers and half a dozen Chiffchaffs present, along with two or three Lesser Whitethroats, Whitethroats, Blackcaps, Reed and Sedge Warblers. (KT/AH)

Later, there were also 14 Black-tailed Godwits and a Sparrowhawk present. (AWi)

Willow Warbler (above), Blackcap (AH), Lesser Whitethroat (AH above, KT lower), Snipe & Green Sandpiper (KT) at Mill Pond Marsh

North Wall: A Spotted Flycatcher was in the garden of Halsey's Farmhouse late this morning, whilst two female Redstarts were in the bushes at Halsey’s Farm, and a Whinchat was on the fence, with a few Whitethroats and Linnets also about, and a Common Sandpiper by the rife.

Twelve Yellow Wagtails and 18 Cattle Egrets were around the cows in Honer 1, and there were c100 mostly Swallows, with a few Sand Martins, over the back of the fields.

A Green Woodpecker and a Kingfisher were along the wall, and on the Breech Pool there were four Spotted Redshanks, six Lapwings, two Black-tailed Godwits, 11 Teal and 12 Little Egrets, whilst out in the harbour a dozen Grey Plovers were on the mud with two Knot, six Dunlin, a Whimbrel, lots of Redshanks and Curlews and a Yellow-legged Gull.

A Curlew with a yellow flag marked KP from the Sussex head-starting scheme was in the paddock, and a Great Spotted Woodpecker was in the nearby trees along with a couple of Chiffchaffs. (KT/LP/MJa/TRH/PB/AW et al)

Spotted Flycatcher (KT) (above), Redstarts (top KT, lower two LP), Spotted Redshanks, Common Sandpiper, Curlew, Green Woodpecker (LP), Whimbrel & Yellow-legged Gull (AW) at the North Wall

Church Norton: A Whinchat and a Wheatear were along the front this morning, whilst a Garden Warbler, a Reed Warbler, Blackcap and a couple of Whitethroats and Chiffchaffs were around the churchyard/hide area and seven Swallows and two House Martins went over.

The harbour was very slow, though, aside from c30 Sandwich Terns, with just a few Redshanks, Curlews and Oystercatchers about, along with two Grey Herons and eight Little Egrets. (P&LH/AH/KT/AW)

This evening along the west side there were 21 Grey Plovers, with many summer- plumaged birds among them 20 Dunlin, 15 Ringed Plovers, two Turnstones, a Common Sandpiper, three Greenshanks, a Black-tailed Godwit, 90 Oystercatchers, two Whimbrel, a Shelduck, ten Teal and many Curlews and Redshank , plus a flock of 20 Mediterranean Gulls over, heading west and a juvenile Marsh Harrier over the harbour. (AWi)

Sandwich Terns (AH) (above), Wheatear & Reed Warbler (AW) at Church Norton

Medmerry: Medmerry Trail - A look along the Trail early this afternoon was pretty quiet, with birds going over proving most of the interest, namely, a Swift, 75 Swallows, two Sand Martins and a House Martin, with, otherwise, just a Cattle Egret, a Lesser Black-backed Gull, three Stock Doves, two Kestrels, a Willow Warbler and two Chiffchaffs noted. (P&LH)

Medmerry: Easton Lane to the Stilt Pool - Along the banks this evening there were a Dartford Warbler, three Willow Warblers, three Stonechats, a Wheatear, a Yellow Wagtail, a Yellowhammer and five Green Woodpeckers, plus 13 Swallows, a Hobby, a Buzzard and four Kestrels over.

Also, five Common Sandpipers and five Greenshanks were on the Stilt Pol, with another of the latter and two Whimbrel on the reserve and a dozen Common Terns, including two juveniles, around the rafts. (S&SaH)

Sunday, 17th August: After a distinctly chilly start, warm and sunny morning in a brisk north-easterly breeze.....

Selsey Bill: There was a bit of activity this morning, including three Arctic Terns east and 54 Common Terns going west, whilst six Shags went east and a Buzzard drifted over west, high up. Full log below. (SH/IP/AH)

(0600-0830hrs) (NE, F4)

Gannet - 18E, 6W, 20os

Shag - 6E

Common Scoter - 2E, 1W

Buzzard - 1W

Sparrowhawk - 1

Oystercatcher - 1E

Ringed Plover - 1E

Sanderling - 4E

Turnstone - 15

Mediterranean Gull - 3E

Sandwich Tern - 37E, 27W

Arctic Tern - 3E

Common Tern - 54W

Swallow - 1E

House Martin - 2E

Willow/Chiff - 2

Common Scoters (above) & Shag at the Bill (AH)

Ferry Pool: There were two Ringed Plovers on the pool this morning, along with the Common Sandpiper, juvenile Redshank, Lapwing and a dozen Black-tailed Godwits.

A look around the Discovery Area just produced a handful of Whitethroats and a couple of Chiffchaffs. (AH)

Common Sandpiper (above), Ringed Plovers, Black-tailed Godwit and Lapwing & Whitethroat at the Ferry (AH)

Mill Pond Marsh: A Tree Pipit was in the bushes again this morning, along with half a dozen Whitethroats and Reed Warblers and two or three Lesser Whitethroats, Willow Warblers and Sedge Warblers.

Also, the Common Sandpiper was on the flooded field, along with six Black-tailed Godwits and eight Teal. (AH)

Tree Pipit (above), Sedge Warbler & Reed Warbler at Mill Pond Marsh (AH)

North Wall: The highlight of the morning was seven Spoonbills on the Breech Pool, before they were all disturbed, with six flying into the harbour and one returning to the Breech Pool where it spent the morning feeding and sleeping.

Also on the pool were a Spotted Redshank, five Lapwings and a Kingfisher, whilst a Spotted Flycatcher and a Green Woodpecker were around the paddock.

Two Greenshanks and another Spotted Redshank were in White’s Creek, along with a Whimbrel, a Lesser Black-backed Gull, a Kingfisher, a dozen Lapwings and Black-tailed Godwits and c40 Redshanks, while further out, two Knot were with 24 Grey Plovers on the mud, and four Gadwall were on the water.

At Halsey’s Farm, 34 Yellow Wagtails were with the cows by the rife, but the bushes were quieter than of late with just a couple of Lesser Whitethroats, six Whitethroats, five Linnets, two Reed Buntings and two swallows. (MJa/LP/MRi/DHi/IP/EB/AH et al)

Spoonbills (MJa, then EB, then IP next three, LP lower two) (above), Yellow Wagtail, Kingfisher, Knot and Grey Plovers (LP), Whimbrel & Lapwing (AH) at the North Wall

Medmerry: Ham Farm - A Wheatear was present late this morning. (LL)

Medmerry: Easton Lane to the Stilt Pool - A sub-adult male and two juvenile Marsh Harriers were out hunting, along with eight Buzzards and two Kestrels, whilst a Cattle Egret was on the reserve, seven Common Terns were around the rafts, with two Greenshanks, a Common Sandpiper and a Ringed Plover were on the Stilt Pool.

It was fairly quiet along the banks in the wind, with a Dartford Warbler, a Whitethroat, two Willow/Chiffs and half a dozen Yellow Wagtails and Yellowhammers the sum, plus c20 Swallows and Sand Martins over. (S&SaH)

Runcton: South of the village this morning there were 47 Mallard, 12 Tufted Ducks, six Little Grebes, two Common Buzzards, two Sparrowhawks, five Coots, two Little Ringed Plovers, two Green Sandpipers, two Common Sandpipers, a Greenshank, 50 Stock Doves, a Swift, a Green Woodpecker, 20 Sand Martins, five House Martins and 10 Willow Warblers.

Also present were a Roe Deer, a Fox and a Brown Hare. (CRJ)