26th August 2025

Tuesday, 26th August: A mostly grey and muggy morning in a fresh and blustery westerly breeze......

Selsey Bill: A total of 22 Shags went east this morning, including 11 on the sea together at one point, and c75 Sandwich Terns were around the Mile Basket, but it was otherwise slow going. Full log below. (AH/IP)

(0705 - 0805hrs) (WSW, F4)

Gannet - 3W, 15os

Shag - 22E

Grey Heron - 1W

Little Egret - 1E

Oystercatcher - 1E

Turnstone - 5

Mediterranean Gull - 2E, 9W

Sandwich Tern - 3E, 9W, 75os

Swallow - 31W

House Martin - 1

Yellow Wagtail - 1E

Shags (above) & Sandwich Tern at the Bill (AH)

Ferry Pool: There were just two juvenile Little Ringed Plovers, the juvenile Redshank, a Lapwing and three Black-tailed Godwits on the muddy area this morning, whilst a look around the Tramway circuit just produced a handful of Whitethroats. (AH)

Little Ringed Plovers (above) & Little Ringed Plover and Black-tailed Godwit at the Ferry (AH)

Mill Pond Marsh: There were just two Common Sandpipers, three Black-tailed Godwits and four Teal on the flooded field this morning, and nothing in the bushes. (AH)

Common Sandpiper at Mill Pond Marsh (AH)

Selsey: A Swift went over Meadowland, just north-west of the Bill, at 1130hrs.(IP)

West Itchenor: A flock of c40 White Storks flew east up the Fishbourne Channel towards west Itchenor early this afternoon. (NR)

Medmerry: Ham Farm - A Merlin was about early this afternoon. (LL)

Church Norton: Early this morning there was a Kingfisher and a Common Sandpiper along the path to the beach, while a Peregrine was again over the Severals.

There was also a steady passage west of Sand Martins and Swallows, together with a few Yellow Wagtails, and a Marsh Harrier was over the harbour. (AW)

Marsh Harrier (above), Peregrine, Common Sandpiper & Sand Martins at Church Norton (AW)

North Wall: A Spoonbill was on the Breech Pool again early this morning, along with four Spotted Redshanks, a Little Ringed Plover, 32 Little Egrets, six Teal and eight Grey Herons, but later there was just a single Teal and the Ruff.

Two Kingfishers were along White’s Creek with the usual Redshanks, Black-tailed Godwits, Lapwings and Curlews, whilst in the bushes behind the sluice there were four Sedge Warblers, a Willow Warbler, a Lesser Whitethroat, two Whitethroats and a Song Thrush.

At Halsey’s Farm, a handful of Yellow Wagtails were around the cows, and a Redstart, a Reed Bunting, two Whitethroats, c30 Linnets, c20 Goldfinches, 12 Greenfinches and a Kestrel were along the bushes, with two Swifts and c50 Swallows over. (TRH/LP/CT/OM/BFF)

Spoonbill (above), Spoonbill and Spotted Redshank, Yellow Wagtail, Sedge Warbler, Chiffchaff & Song Thrush at the North Wall (LP)