29th August 2025

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 Bill:A 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)