20th August 2025

Wednesday, 20th August: A fairly warm and intermittently sunny morning, dominated by the fresh and blustery north-easterly breeze....

Selsey Bill: It remains slow offshore, with a Yellow Wagtail and a Ringed Plover east the best, and there were also four Bottle-nosed dolphins heading east. Full log below. (IP/AH)

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

Gannet - 8E, 3W, 8os

Shag - 1E, 1os

Sparrowhawk - 2

Ringed Plover - 1E

Turnstone - 9

Mediterranean Gull - 2E

Sandwich Tern - 17E, 4W

House Martin - 10

Yellow Wagtail - 1E

Chiffchaff - 1

Bottle-nosed Dolphin - 4E

Shag and Cormorant (above) & Mediterranean Gull at the Bill (AH)

Ferry Pool: A Snipe was on the muddy patch this morning, along with a Common Sandpiper, two juvenile Little Ringed Plovers, the juvenile Redshank and six Black-tailed Godwits. (AH)

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

Mill Pond Marsh: The Green Sandpiper and Common Sandpiper were still at the back this morning, with a Lapwing, six Black-tailed Godwits and eight Teal also on the flooded field, whilst a Lesser Whitethroat, a Blackcap and three or four whitethroats and Reed warblers were around the bushes. (AH)

Green Sandpiper (above), Lesser Whitethroat, Whitethroat & Blackcap at Mill Pond Marsh (AH)

North Wall: A Spoonbill was on the Breech Pool early on, as well as a Grey Heron, a Water Rail and four Teal, whilst ten Yellow Wagtails were around the cows in Honer 1, but it was otherwise quiet along the wall with just a Linnet and a few Goldfinches and Greenfinches about, in the blustery conditions. (LP/MJa)

Spoonbill (above), Spoonbill and Grey Heron & Yellow Wagtails at the North Wall (LP)

East Side: A Kingfisher flew along White’s Creek, and further along there were 38 Grey Plovers, three Knot, two Greenshanks, 12 Ringed Plovers, ten Dunlin, two Whimbrel, eight Turnstones, a Sandwich Tern, eight Gadwall, two Wigeon, 32 Teal and three Snipe, but elsewhere it was quiet with just a couple of Chiffchaffs in the bushes and a Sparrowhawk overhead. (LP)

Greenshank (above), Grey Plovers & Sandwich Tern along the East side (LP)

West Wittering: A Spotted Flycatcher, a Firecrest and a Goldcrest were in the garden this morning, and the two Ravens were still in the vicinity, too. (GM)

Medmerry: Easton Lane to the Stilt Pool - The banks were very quiet in the stiff breeze, with just half a dozen Whitethroats and Yellowhammers seen, plus about 20 Swallows over, whilst c20 Yellow Wagtails were among the cows opposite the Stilt Pool.

The pool itself held four Greenshanks and Common Sandpipers, six Lapwings and c30 Canada Geese, whilst there were still at least eight Common Terns, including a couple of juveniles, around the rafts and another Greenshank, Common Sandpiper, c30 Redshanks and c50 Canada Geese were near the poplars. 

Also, a juvenile Shelduck, four Gadwall, c20 Teal and c50 Mallard flew out from the reservoirs when a Grey Heron dropped in. (AH)

Greenshanks (above), Common Sandpiper, Common Tern & Shelduck, Gadwall and Teal at Medmerry (AH)