Friday, 29 August 2025

29th - 30th August 2025

Saturday, 30th August: A return to more usual weather this morning, with a moderate and freshening south-westerly breeze pushing through banks of cloud and the occasional shower......

Selsey BillTwo juvenile Arctic Skuas were lingering offshore this morning, with lots of gulls and a few Common and Sandwich Terns offshore, whilst eight Wheatears were along the front and a good count of 17 Grey Wagtails, 22 Yellow Wagtails and a Tree Pipit went over. (SH/PB/BI/IP/AH/JFi)
(0615-0900hrs) (SW, F4)
Gannet - 3E, 48W
Shag - 8E
Little Egret - 1W
Mute Swan - 3S
Oystercatcher - 2W
Turnstone - 24
Arctic Skua - 2os
Mediterranean Gull - 200os
Kittiwake - 1W
Sandwich Tern - 17E, 7W, 30os
Common Tern - 5W, 3os
Swallow - 6E
House Martin - 18W
Yellow Wagtail - 22W
Grey Wagtail - 17W
Tree Pipit - 1W
Wheatear - 8


Arctic Skua (above), Shag, Sandwich Tern & Mediterranean Gull at the Bill (AH)



Ferry Pool: There were just a Common Sandpiper, the juvenile Redshank, six Black-tailed Godwits and four Teal on the pool this morning. (AH)

Common Sandpiper at the Ferry (AH)
 
Mill Pond Marsh: There was a Greenshank on the flooded field this morning, along with two Green Sandpipers, a Lapwing, a Redshank, four Gadwall and a dozen Teal.
The bushes were busy again, with a dozen Blackcaps, four Whitethroats, two Lesser Whitethroats and Chiffchaffs and a Cetti's Warbler present, plus a dozen Swallows over. (AH)

Greenshank (above) & Blackcaps at Mill Pond Marsh (AH)


Church Norton: Early this morning there were two Spotted Flycatchers and a Redstart behind the hide, along with a Whitethroat and a Willow Warbler, with a steady trickle of Sand Martins and Swallows overhead. A mixed flock of tits included a calling Coal Tit, as well as a Garden Warbler and a few Blackcaps and Chiffchaffs. A Wheatear was along the beach, where there were seven Common Terns among a roosting flock of Sandwich Terns. (AW/E&SB)

Wheatear (above), Spotted Flycatcher, Common and Sandwich Terns (AW), Spotted Flycatcher, Redstart, Willow Warbler & Whitethroat (EB) at Church Norton







North Wall: Two Wheatears were along the wall, and three Spotted Redshanks, four Greenshanks, an adult Yellow-legged Gull, and a Kingfisher were along White’s Creek, with two more Kingfishers - an adult with a juvenile - in the bushes at Owl Water. 
Five Yellow Wagtails and a Pied Wagtail flew over as well as two Swifts, a handful of Sand Martins and c100 Swallows, but there was just a couple of juvenile Cattle Egrets left in the trees at Owl Copse.
At Halsey’s Farm, two Redstarts were along the bushes, as well as a Lesser Whitethroat, four Whitethroats and two Linnets. (MJa/SP/LP/AH et al)


Wheatears (above), Redstart (LP), Kingfisher (LP top, AH lower), Spotted Redshank & Yellow-legged Gull (AH) at the North Wall





Medmerry: Easton Lane to Marsh Barn - A Whitethroat, a Blackcap, two Willow Warblers, a Chiffchaff, a Yellow Wagtail, two Pied Wagtails and a Yellowhammer were along the banks, with a Kingfisher and a Greenshank on on the reserve and three Swallows, 37 Sand Martins, a Kestrel and a Buzzard over. (S&SaH)




Friday, 29th August: A highly variable morning's weather, starting with exceptionally heavy rain before and after dawn, with the breeze freshening considerably before dropping back to a flat calm and eventually settling down to a brisk westerly and sunshine and showers.....

Selsey BillA Wheatear and a Sanderling were along the beach this morning, but a few Common Terns among the many Sandwich Terns was the best offshore. Full log below. (BI/IP/AH)
(0730-0845hrs) (S, F-1-3)
Great Crested Grebe - 1os
Gannet - 24E
Shag - 7E
Sanderling - 1
Turnstone - 18
Mediterranean Gull - 10E
Sandwich Tern - 63E, 5W
Common Tern - 4E, 2W
Wheatear - 1

Wheatear (above), Sanderling, Sanderling and Turnstones, Shags & Sandwich Tern at Selsey Bill (AH)




A female Eider west was the best mid-morning, whilst later, three Little Gulls and four Whimbrel went west, too. Full log below.
(0915-1115hrs) (PB)
Gannet 10E,31W, 30os
Eider - 1W
Turnstone - 5
Mediterranean Gull - 18W
Sandwich Tern - 5E, 46W
Common Tern - 6W
House Martin - 7

(1245-1545hrs) (PB/SH)
Common Tern 9W
Gannet 24W 8E
Shag 1W
Oystercatcher 4E
Whimbrel 4W
Turnstone 17
Mediterranean Gull 2os
Little Gull 3W
Sandwich Tern 79W 5E 70os
Razorbill 1W

This afternoon, a striking leucistic Turnstone was among the flock on the beach, and there were also two Wheatears about. (AW)

leucistic Turnstone at the Bill (AW)

Ferry Pool: There was a surprising increase in the water level this morning, but there were just the same birds present, namely a Common Sandpiper, the three juvenile Little Ringed Plovers, the juvenile Redshank, the Lapwing and six Black-tailed Godwits. (AH)

Little Ringed Plovers at the Ferry (AH)

Mill Pond Marsh: There were two Green Sandpipers, a Common Sandpiper, a Lapwing and a Redshank on the flooded field this morning, along with eight Teal, whilst two or three Reed Warblers and Whitethroats and a Chiffchaff were in the bushes and c20 Swallows went over. (AH/PA)

Green Sandpiper (above) & Reed Warbler at Mill Pond Marsh (AH)

Pagham Spit: There was a big gathering of terns off the spit today, with a Black Tern, two Little Terns and a dozen Common Terns among c100 Sandwich Terns present, and there were also four Wheatears about. (PA)

North Wall: There were two Redstarts, a Whinchat, a Wheatear and a few Lesser Whitethroats, Whitethroats and Willow Warblers around Halsey's Farm this morning, plus 50 or so Swallows and House Martins and c20 Sand Martins, though the wall was fairly quiet,
Three Spotted Redshanks were in the Breech Pool early on, whilst a couple of Greenshank, Common Sandpipers, Whimbrel and Knot, 15 Black-tailed Godwits were in White's Creek, along with four Wigeon and an eclipse drake Pintail, and both a Hobby and a Peregrine went over. (LP/MJa/SP/GHi/AH/EB/PA et al)

Whinchat (above), Redstarts & Whitethroat at the North Wall (AH)



Medmerry: Easton Lane to the Stilt Pool - A Whinchat, two Wheatears, five Whitethroats, c20 Willow Warblers, a Cetti's Warbler and a Yellowhammer were along the banks today, with nine Sand Martins and three Swallows over.
Also, the Stilt Pool just held a Greenshank and a Ringed Plover, with an Egyptian Goose and a Greylag Goose on the reserve and a Marsh Harrier, a Sparrowhawk, three Buzzards and two Kestrels seen, too. (S&SaH)

Church Norton: There were at least three Spotted Flycatchers around the churchyard/hide area this morning along with  Graaden Warbler, four Blackcaps and two Chiffchaffs. The harbour remianed quiet, however, with just a Whimbrel of note. Along the severals were five Whitethroats and two Cetti's Warblers whilst a Water Rail was on the lake. On the shingle bank offshore were six Sandwich Terns and a Wheatear was logged along Rectory Lane. (BI)

Spotted Flycatcher (above) & Wheatear at Church Norton (BI)








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