Birding the Selsey Peninsula: 1st

Sunday, 3rd August: A very grey, fairly mild morning in a moderate to fresh westerly breeze.........

Selsey Bill: Three Arctic Terns - an adult and two juveniles - went west this morning, along with four Common, a Little and 51 Sandwich Terns. Full log below. (SH/BI/AH/IP/SR)

(0600-0830hrs) (W, F4)

Gannet - 9E, 25W

Shelduck - 9W

Common Scoter - 1E, 3W

Oystercatcher - 1E

Turnstone - 13

Mediterranean Gull - 3W

Sandwich Tern - 12E, 51W, 10os

Arctic Tern - 3W

Common Tern - 4W

Little Tern - 1W

Swift - 2

Swallow - 10W

Sand Martin - 5W

House Martin - 8

(1445-1545hrs) (SH)

Gannet - 1E, 3W

Turnstone - 1

Kittiwake - 1W

Sandwich Tern - 3E, 2W

Common Tern - 1W

Arctic Terns (above), Sandwich Tern, Sand Martin & Turnstone at the Bill (AH)

Ferry Pool: There were three Common Sandpipers and four juvenile Little Ringed Plovers on the pool this morning, along with a Lapwing, three Black-tailed Godwits and four Redshanks. (AH)

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

Mill Pond Marsh: The Common Sandpiper, three Black-tailed Godwits, three Little Grebes, three Teal, two Whitethroats, a Reed Bunting and a dozen Willow Warblers were around were the flooded field and adjacent hedges this morning. (IP)

Later, the Osprey was viewable from nearby Sidlesham Quay, and c40 Swallows were over the harbour. (AH)

North Wall: The highlight of the morning was an Osprey that was hovering over the Breech Pool for a few minutes before heading slowly out across the harbour, visiting all points before settling out in the middle.

Also, along White’s Creek there were two Common Sandpipers, two Spotted Redshanks, 26 Black-tailed Godwits, five Whimbrels, six Dunlin, two Lapwings and numerous Redshanks, with a Yellow-legged Gull out on the mud.

It was otherwise quiet along the wall, although a juvenile Marsh Harrier was over the fields and a Green Sandpiper flew over at Halsey’s Farm, where a Kingfisher was along the rife, two Willow Warblers, a Chiffchaff and a Whitethroat were in the bushes, and 28 Cattle Egrets were around the cows.

Two Pied Wagtails were in the paddock, a Green Woodpecker and two Jays were along Church Lane, and two Swifts and few Swallows passed overhead. (MRi/MJa/LP/AB/JEv)

The Osprey was also viewable from Pagham Spit, where a Wheatear was also present. (BI)

Osprey (above), Cattle Egret, Common Sandpiper & Pied Wagtail at the North Wall (LP)

Church Norton: A good selection of warblers, including half a dozen or so Willow Warblers, Chiffchaffs and Whitethroats and a couple of Lesser Whitethroats and Blackcaps were very mobile around the churchyard/hide area early this morning, but c40 Sandwich Terns, including at least eight very young juveniles were about it in the harbour beyond a Greenshank, a couple of Whimbrels and a scattering of Curlews, Redshanks and Oystercatchers. (BI/AH)

Later, the Osprey was seen from here. (IP)

Sandwich Terns (above) & Greenshank at Church Norton (AH)

Late this afternoon there were two Wheatears and a Whitethroat along the path to the spit, whilst a dozen juvenile and c40 adult Sandwich Terns were in the harbour, along with c30 juvenile Black-headed Gulls, two Whimbrel, a Black-tailed Godwit, a Ringed Plover and c50 Redshanks. (AH/S&SaH/JC)

Wheatear (above), Whitethroat, Sandwich Tern and Black-headed Gulls & Sandwich Terns at Church Norton (AH)

Medmerry: Easton Lane to the Stilt Pool - Two Greenshanks, four Common Sandpipers, four Dunlin and a Redshank were on the Stilt Pool this morning, with a Green Sandpiper and another Greenshank out on the reserve.

The banks were very quiet in the wind, with just a Whitethroat and a couple of Yellowhammers seen, along with c20 Swallows and three Kestrels over. (S&SaH)

Saturday, 2nd August: A mostly overcast morning in a moderate northerly breeze, though mild and muggy, and warm in the odd sunny interval........

We said our final goodbyes to the legend Tony Marr at his funeral yesterday, when some fitting tributes were paid to the man who was the driving force behind the setting up of the old Selsey Bill Observatory, followed by the formation of the SOS in those early 1960's days.

Amongst the mourners were several who had been present with Tony in those early times, especially Richard Porter (RFP), Alan Kitson (ARK) and Robin Jolliffe (RLKJ), probably the first time these Selsey 'pioneers' had all been gathered together again since those times. I should also perhaps include Paul James, who as a child actually visited the old hut, having been taken there by his parents Charles and Beryl! Robin's name will be unknown to most in these current days, but although I had never met him before yesterday, it felt as if I'd known him for a long time, having researched the early reports so many times that I became familiar his name.

Thanks for all you did Tony and your legacy will live on, for the Selsey Bill and Peninsula scene is still thriving to this day. Duty done. (OM/Eds)

Tributes to Tony Marr, to whom we said our final goodbyes yesterday. (The framed picture was presented to him by the good people of Ness, Isle of Lewis when he left after ten years dedicated birding).

Selsey Bill: There were three Wheatears and 11 Willow Warblers along the front this morning, but not much offshore. Full log below. (SH/PB/BI/AH/IP/SR)

(0600-0815hrs) (N, F3-4)

Gannet - 6E, 12W

Common Scoter - 2E

Oystercatcher - 2W

Turnstone - 4W

Sandwich Tern - 46E, 26W, 14os

Swift - 6

Sand Martin - 1

House Martin - 31

Pied Wagtail - 1

Wheatear - 3

Willow Warbler - 11

Sandwich Tern (above) & Willow Warbler at the Bill (AH)

Ferry Pool: There were a Common Sandpiper, an adult and three juvenile Little Ringed Plovers, three Black-tailed Godwits and a Lapwing on the pool this morning. (AH)

Also, a Garden Warbler was in the hedges by the hide. (TG)

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

Park Farm, Selsey: A Garden Warbler was in the bushes early this morning and a Wheatear was on a roof in Park Lane, with a Peregrine and a Buzzard over, and a mixed flock of over 100 hirundines were high above, with all three species well represented, but at least 50% being House Martins.

Also, a minimum of six Swifts were still around the north of the village. (IP)

Wheatear at Park Farm, Selsey (IP)

Long Pool: There was very little along the pool beyond a couple of Willow Warblers, Whitethroats and Reed Buntings and half a dozen Linnets, with just a dozen Lapwings and c50 Redshanks in Ferry Channel. (AH)

Whitethroat (above) & Lapwings at the Long Pool (AH)

Mill Pond Marsh: A Common Sandpiper and seven Black-tailed Godwits were on the flooded field, but there just a couple of Whitethroats and Reed Warblers in the bushes. (AH/S&SaH)

Common Sandpiper at Mill Pond Marsh (AH)

Church Norton: A Spotted Flycatcher was in the churchyard this morning, but beyond a good scattering of Willow Warblers, there were just two Lesser Whitethroats, a Chiffchaff and a few Whitethroats, a Cetti's Warbler, a Jay and a Great Spotted Woodpecker about.

There were still 100+ Sandwich Terns in the harbour and offshore, plus a lone Common Tern, but the only waders were a Whimbrel, two Curlews and a few Redshanks and Oystercatchers. (CRJ/IP)

Spotted Flycatcher at Church Norton (CRJ)

There was no sign of the Spotted Flycatcher this afternoon, though a Garden Warbler, a Lesser Whitethroat, several Whitethroats and Willow Warblers and a vocal Coal Tit were around the churchyard/hide area.

Also, there were a dozen or so young Sandwich Terns among the c50 present, with a first-year Common Tern, a Greenshank and two Whimbrel present. (AWi/BI/AH)

Sandwich Terns at Church Norton (AH)

North Wall: It was pretty quiet this morning, but there were a few bits about, including a Kingfisher, a group of eight summer-plumage Knot, a Spotted Redshank, three Greenshanks, two Whimbrel, 22 Dunlin, eight Grey Plovers,24 Curlews, c20 Black-tailed Godwits and c60 Redshanks were in White's Creek and the adjacent harbour whilst a Water Rail was in the Breech Pool, a dozen scattered Cattle Egrets included several young ones in Owl Copse and a Raven went over.

Passerines were few, though, with just a Lesser Whitethroat, three or four Willow Warblers and a few Whitethroats and Reed Warblers seen, along with plenty of goldfinches, with a couple of Sand Martins and c30 Swallows over.

Also, single Brown Hairstreaks were seen at both Owl Copse and along the east side, with a Purple Hairstreak there, too. (AH/LP/IH/BI et al)

This afternoon there were 31 Cattle Egrets about, with four whitethroats and four Willow Warblers in the hedges and four Swifts, two Swallows, c20 Sand Martins, two Sparrowhawks and five Buzzards over, and there were also six Common Seals hauled out in the harbour. (S&SaH)

Knot and Redshanks (above), Cattle Egret, Willow Warbler (AH), Kingfisher, Spotted Redshank, Greenshank, Grey Plover, Whimbrel, Brown Hairstreak & Purple Hairstreak (LP) at the North Wall

Medmerry: Easton Lane to the Stilt Pool - Two Greenshanks, three Common Sandpipers and a Redshank were on the Stilt Pool, with a Green Sandpiper, a Cattle Egret and eight Yellow Wagtails on the reserve and eight Common Terns around the rafts.

Along the banks there were a Wheatear, a Stonechat, a Dartford Warbler, a Willow Warbler, a Sedge Warbler, five Whitethroats and half a dozen Yellowhammers, whilst four Sand Martins, c20 Swallows and five Buzzards went over. (S&SaH/PB)

Friday, 1st August: A morning of sunshine and quite heavy cloud, cool early on, but warming up despite the brisk northerly breeze.....

Selsey Bill: The first Wheatear of the autumn at the Bill livened up another quiet morning. Full log below. (BI/AH/SR/IP et al)

(0625-0810hrs) (N, F4-5)

Gannet - 8E, 22W

Oystercatcher - 1W

Mediterranean Gull - 22W

Common Gull - 4W

Sandwich Tern - 35E, 44W, 5os

Common Tern - 2W

House Martin - 10

Pied Wagtail - 2

Wheatear - 1

Linnet - 3

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

Ferry Pool: There were two Common Sandpipers, three juvenile Little Ringed Plovers, five Black-tailed Godwits and six Redshanks on the pool this morning. (AH)

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

Mill Pond Marsh: Seven Black-tailed Godwits were on the flooded field and just two Willow Warblers were in the bushes late this afternoon. (S&SaH)

North Wall: A Spoonbill flew over Halsey’s Farm early this morning, before heading off towards Sidlesham, and a Common Sandpiper, a Kingfisher, a Redshank and two Lapwings were along the rife, while in the bushes around the fields there were three Willow Warblers, a Lesser Whitethroat, a Reed Warbler, eight Long-tailed tits, twelve Goldfinches and a Green Woodpecker.

Thirty four Cattle Egrets were in and around Owl Copse, a Brown Hairstreak was along the wall, and a Sparrowhawk was sat in the hedgerow, whilst along White’s Creek the Spotted Redshank was present again, as well as two Greenshanks, a Whimbrel, 12 Black-tailed Godwits, a Common Sandpiper, six Dunlin, c50 Redshanks, 23 Curlews, and an Oystercatcher, also a Marsh Harrier and c20 Swallows flew overhead. (MJa/LP/GHi/SP/IH/EB et al)

Late this afternoon, a Wheatear was at Owl Point, with a Willow Warbler and a Reed warbler in the bushes, whilst four very young a downy Cattle Egrets were with six adults in Owl Copse, and two Swallows, four Sand Martins, a Marsh Harrier and a Buzzard went over. (S&SaH)

Common Sandpiper (above), Sparrowhawk (LP) & Brown Hairstreak (MJa) at the North Wall

Church Norton: Around 150 Sandwich Terns were in the harbour this evening, including a dozen juveniles, and a couple of first-winter Common Terns and a Whimbrel were present, too, but not too much else. (AH)

Common Terns (above) & Sandwich Terns at Church Norton (AH)

Medmerry: Easton Lane to the Stilt Pool - A female Redstart was along the path from the car-park this morning, whilst at the opposite end, half a dozen Wheatears were around the rocks by the Stilt Pool, and along the banks there were three or four Lesser Whitethroats and Willow Warblers, a couple of Chiffchaffs and Sedge Warblers, a dozen Whitethroats and Yellowhammers, at least five juvenile Stonechats and 50+ Linnets and Goldfinches, with c20 Sand Martins and c30 Swallows over.

There were four Avocets on the Stilt Pool - the first here for a while, along with three Greenshanks, five Common Sandpipers, two Ringed Plovers and five Lapwings, whilst at least ten Common Terns were around the rafts, with a Whimbrel and a Cattle Egret nearby, but just a few Redshanks, a couple of curlews and c50 Canada Geese near the poplars. (AH)