23rd August 2025

Saturday, 23rd August: A pleasant morning of light cloud and hazy sun, warm after a chill start in just a light and variable breeze.....

Selsey Bill: A Whinchat was on the beach early on, a Fulmar went west, 12 Shags went east and a Swift, 43 Yellow Wagtails and a few hirundines went over, but the sea was quiet beyond the return of c150 Mediterranean Gulls. Full log below. (SH/JA/BI/PB/IP/AH)

(0600-0900hrs) (N, F2)

Fulmar - 1W

Gannet - 9E, 7W

Shag - 12E, 1os

Common Scoter - 4E

Oystercatcher - 6W

Turnstone - 3W

Mediterranean Gull - 150os

Sandwich Tern - 5E, 1W, 6os

Common Tern - 3E, 2W, 3os

Swift - 1W

Green Woodpecker - 1

Swallow - 7E

Sand Martin - 15E

House Martin - 15E

Yellow Wagtail - 43E

Grey Wagtail - 1E

Whinchat - 1

Shag (above), Yellow Wagtails & Sandwich Tern and Black-headed Gull at the Bill (AH)

Ferry Pool: There were just the Common Sandpiper, three juvenile Little Ringed Plovers, juvenile Redshank and three Black-tailed Godwits present this morning. (AH)

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

Mill Pond Marsh: Two Green Sandpipers, two Snipe and eight Black-tailed Godwits were on the flooded field, along with eight Teal, whilst seven Cattle Egrets were on the adjacent Yeoman's Field, but the bushes were very quiet.

There were also three Pipistrelle bats flying around at dawn.(BI/AH/PB)

Green Sandpiper (above) & Cattle Egret at Mill Pond Marsh (AH)

Park Farm, Selsey: A Coal Tit was calling from trees in Manor Road, to the north of the village, this morning, (SH), whilst the farm a couple of Yellow Wagtails and c100 House Martins ovre were the only things of note (IP).

North Wall: Two Spotted Flycatchers were at Halsey's Farm this morning (SR), and the Ruff was back on the Breech Pool (NM).

Church Norton: Two Spotted Flycatchers were behind the hide this morning and a Coal Tit was in the car-park, but there were very few small birds about, beyond a Blackcap and a couple of Whitethroats.

Early on, 14 Yellow Wagtails went along the beach, with three dropping in briefly, whilst later another Yellow Wagtail and a Tree Pipit went over, a Sedge Warbler, a Cetti's Warbler and c20 Whitethroats were around the Severals, and a continuous flow of Sand Martins, House Martins and Swallows headed south.

A Red Kite went over towards the North Wall, but a Greenshank, a Whimbrel, two Common Sandpipers, a Turnstone, a Grey Plover, a dozen Ringed Plovers and c25 Dunlin were about it around in the harbour beyond the usual Redshanks, Curlews and Oystercatchers, with the only two Sandwich Terns being seen offshore. (AW/KT/IP/AH)

Later, a Pied Flycatcher was reported from the churchyard (per Birdguides).

Spotted Flycatchers (above), Yellow Wagtail (AW), Red Kite (AH) & Greenshank (IP) at Church Norton

Medmerry: Easton Lane to the Stilt Pool - It looks like the Common Terns have finally left the rafts, with just two seen elsewhere this morning, whilst the Stilt Pool held four Greenshanks, five common Sandpipers and four Dunlin, with another Common Sandpiper, a Whimbrel, a juvenile Marsh Harrier, three Kestrels and right Buzzards on and over the reserve and a Sandwich Tern offshore..

There were a Whinchat and three Stonechats along the banks, along with a Lesser Whitethroat, six Whitethroats, a Chiffchaff, a Cetti's Warbler, four Meadow Pipits, a Reed Bunting and ten Yellowhammers, whilst c30 Yellow Wagtails were among the cows and two Sand Martins and c60 Swallows went over. (S&SaH/PB)