Birding the Selsey Peninsula: 4th

Wednesday, 6th August: A warm and sunny morning in just a light northerly breeze..........

Selsey Bill: An Arctic Skua went west offshore and a few hirundines and Swifts were about this morning, along with a high-flying Budgerigar. (AH/IP)

(0700-030hrs) (N, F1-2)

Gannet - 5E, 2W

Oystercatcher - 2W

Arctic Skua - 1W

Mediterranean Gull - 1E

Sandwich Tern - 41E, 19W, 8os

Common Tern - 1E

Swift - 12

Sand Martin - 22

House Martin - 20

Budgerigar - 1

Sandwich Tern (above), Sand Martin & House Martin at the Bill (AH)

Ferry Pool: There were just two Common Sandpipers and one juvenile Little Ringed Plover on the pool this morning, along with three Black-tailed Godwits and five Redshanks. (AH)

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

Mill Pond Marsh: There were two Common sandpipers present this evening, though just one Black-tailed Godwit, and c40 sand Martins ewre feeding over the water. (S&SaH)

North Wall: Six Yellow Wagtails were around the cows by the rife at Halsey’s Farm tjhis morning, as well as eight Cattle Egrets, and along the hedgerows there was a Spotted Flycatcher, two Redstarts, three Willow Warblers, two Lesser Whitethroats, a Chiffchaff, six Linnets, and two Buzzards.

Fourteen juvenile Cattle Egrets were in the trees at Owl Copse, six Swallows and a Swift flew over, but apart from a few Reed Warblers and Whitethroats it was quiet along the wall.

An Egyptian Goose was on the Breech Pool and 19 Canada Geese flew into the harbour, and along White’s Creek there were seven Grey Plovers, two Knot, four Dunlin, a Common Sandpiper, two Kingfishers, 12 Black-tailed Godwits, a Greenshank, 37 Curlews and numerous Redshanks. (LP/PB/MJa/CT/GR et al)

This evening four Willow Warblers, a Reed Warbler and a Cetti's Warbler ere along the wall, with three different Kingfishers, a Common Sandpiper and 18 Cattle Egrets present, too, with two Swallows, a Buzzard, a Sparrowhawk and three Kestrels going over. (S&SaH)

Yellow Wagtails (above), whitethroat, Common Sandpiper & Egyptian Goose at the North wall (LP)

Medmerry: Easton Lane to Marsh Barn - A White Stork of unknown origin was over the Marsh Barn area early this afternoon before drifting off towards Selsey. (TG-P/MWh)

Medmerry: Ham Farm - A Whinchat was in the field west of the viewpoint this morning, with three Corn Buntings there and another three around the big field by the breech, where there were also a family of Stonechats and a family of Meadow Pipits, whilst half a dozen Sandwich Terns and up to four Common Terns could be seen feeding offshore..

There were Whitethroats everywhere, but most of the other warblers - half a dozen Willow and a couple of Sedge Warblers were around the bottom of the maize field at the start of the Medmerry Trail, with an adult and a juvenile Yellowhammer nearby the only other thing of note. (MWh/AH)

Later, two Wheatears and a YHellow Wagtail were on the fences along the banks, and a Clouded Yellow and a Jersey Tiger were in the vicinity. (LL)

Corn Bunting (above), Whitethroat, Meadow Pipit, Stonechat & Yellowhammer at Medmerry (AH)

Tuesday, 5th August: A mostly sunny, but very breezy morning in a fresh and blustery north-westerly.....

More sad and unexpected news was received today when I learned of the very recent passing of yet another stalwart of earlier years, Mick Hay, one of the group of Hampshire boys who visited Selsey Bill regularly. His distinctive initials (MJWH) appeared frequently in the Selsey Log and other reports through the 1980's. Mick was a character; physically strong and committed to birding and conservation, he had little time for those that disrespected nature and they often knew it after they met him!

I recall he came with a group of Selsey regulars that included me when we went to the Scillies in 1981 and again in 1983. It was the intervening year of 1982 when I got to know him best however, as the two of us went on a birding trip to Majorca in the autumn. All went well until a few days in, when he got food poisoning and eventually couldn't lift his head off the pillow without vomiting. He just wouldn't give in though and somehow hung on until we hatched a plan to get him on the plane and homeward bound... I shudder to think of it now, but he was determined, although I had to carry literally all our bags and equipment....but get him home we did!

The Selsey crew at Scilly airport in Oct 1983 before departure (left to right are: Eric Soden, Chris Janman, Mervyn Jones, Keith Maycock, and the late Mick Hay)

Mick Hay, 17th Sept 1988 at Church Norton for the American Golden Plover

In the years that followed Mick began to ease back from Bill visits and eventually concentrated just on his local area of Hampshire. Newer birders will probably not know his name, but like others that have now passed, he was very much part of the birding history of the Bill and the Peninsula and he will much missed. And on a personal note, thanks Mick for your company and the many laughs we had....and the Sibe Stonechat! Rest in peace my friend. (OM/Eds)

Selsey Bill: A Little Tern, seven Sand Martins and a few Sandwich Terns went west in a quiet morning. Full log below. (AH/IP)

(0700-0800hrs) (NW, F5)

Gannet - 2E, 19W

Little Egret - 2W

Sparrowhawk - 1

Oystercatcher - 1W

Mediterranean Gull - 3W

Sandwich Tern - 2E, 34W

Little Tern - 1W

Swift - 1

Sand Martin - 7W

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

Ferry Pool: Three Common Sandpipers and three juvenile Little Ringed Plovers were on the remains of the pool this morning, along with two Black-tailed Godwits and six Redshanks. (AH)

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

Mill Pond Marsh: Four Yellow Wagtails were on the flooded field this morning, along with the Common Sandpiper, seven Black-tailed Godwits, a Shoveler and four Teal.

There were also a Lesser Whitethroat, three or four Whitethroats and Willow Warblers and a couple of Reed Warblers in the bushes and half a dozen Swallows over the water. (AH)

Common Sandpiper (above) & Yellow Wagtails at Marsh Pond Marsh (AH)

Church Norton: There was very little new to report this morning, with c30 adult and a dozen juvenile Sandwich Terns still in the harbour, but beyond a Whimbrel and a handful of Curlews and Oystercatchers there were no other waders, whilst the sheltered hedges eventually gave up a Lesser Whitethroat and a handful of Whitethroats and Willow Warblers, with half a dozen Sand Martins over. (AH)

Sandwich Terns (above), Lesser Whitethroat, Whitethroat & Willow Warblers at Church Norton (AH)

This evening a juvenile Cuckoo flew across the churchyard and a Kingfisher was briefly by the concrete blocks, but otherwise there was just half a dozen Whimbrel and the c30 adult and 12 juvenile Sandwich Terns in the harbour. (AH)

Sandwich Terns (above) & Sandwich Tern and Whimbrel at Church Norton (AH)

North Wall: A Redstart was along the fence line at Owl Point this morning, along with three Willow Warblers, two Whitethroats, three Linnets and 17 Goldfinches, until a Sparrowhawk dropped in and they all dispersed.

There were still a few young Cattle Egrets in Owl Copse, and along the wall a Wheatear was on the rocks and a Sedge Warbler was in the reeds, whilst on the Breech Pool six Black-tailed Godwits, a Curlew and a Whimbrel were the only waders present, and a lone Teal was among the Mallards on the water.

Three Common Sandpipers were along White’s Creek, but otherwise there were just the regular Redshanks, Black-tailed Godwits, Curlews, Whimbrels and Lapwings, although a Kingfisher was around the sluice early on. (MJa/LP/CT/TRH)

Redstart (above), Wheatear, Common Sandpiper, Whimbrel, Black-tailed Godwits & juvenile Cattle Egrets at the North Wall (LP)

A Wheatear was seen along the North Wall this afternoon, two Common Sandpipers where at the sluice along with two Mute Swans with just the one cygnet, whilst in Whites Creek the normal birds where around, including Redshanks, Black-tailed Godwits and just the one Whimbrel. (GHi)

Whimbrel at the North Wall (GHi)

Medmerry: Easton Lane to the Stilt Pool - A good selection along the banks this evening included a Dartford Warbler, two Yellow Wagtails, nine Stonechats, three Willow Warblers, a Cetti's Warbler, five Whitethroats and a couple of Yellowhammers, plus six Swifts, 21 Sand Martins and c50 Swallows over.

There were also two Greenshanks, two Common Sandpipers and a Redshank on the Stilt Pool, a Whimbrel on the reserve, eight Common Terns around the rafts and two Buzzards and two Kestrels over. (S&SaH)

Monday, 4th August: A heavily overcast, though dry, morning, with the south-westerly steadily increasing towards gale-force.....

Selsey Bill: A steady westward flow of Sandwich Terns and a few Gannets going both ways was about it this morning. Full log below.(SH/IP/AH/OM et al)

(0615-0930hrs) (SW, F4-5)

Gannet - 36E, 29W

Turnstone - 5

Mediterranean Gull - 3E, 4W

Sandwich Tern - 15E, 70W

Common Tern - 2W

It was hard going later on but three juvenile Arctic Terns did fly west.(BI)

(1100-1230hrs) (WSW, F6)

Gannet - 2E, 13W, 4os

Turnstone - 5

Kittiwake - 3E, 1W

Sandwich Tern - 1E, 9W

Arctic Tern - 3W

(1340-1540hrs) (SH)

Gannet - 1E, 7W

Arctic Skua - 2E (together)

Sandwich Tern - 2E, 9W

Gannet (above), Sandwich Tern & Turnstone at the Bill (AH)

Ferry Pool: There were just a Black-tailed Godwit and nine Redshanks on the pool this morning. (AH)

Black-tailed Godwit on the Ferry (AH)

Mill Pond Marsh: A Common Sandpiper, seven Black-tailed Godwits, a Shoveler and four Teal were on the flooded field this morning. (AH)

Common Sandpiper (above) & Shoveler at Mill Pond Marsh (AH)

Church Norton: The Osprey was again out in, and over, the harbour this morning, before being seen heading off north, whilst a Redstart was behind the hide and five Wheatears were on the concrete blocks, but a couple of Whitethroats and Willow Warblers in the bushes and a few Swallows and Sand Martins over was about it, otherwise.

There were still c30 adult and up to a dozen juvenile Sandwich Terns in the harbour, along with c25 young Black-headed Gulls, but three Knot, a couple of Whimbrel and a few Curlews and Redshanks was about it for waders. (S&SaH/BFF/SL/AH/OM)

Sandwich Terns (above) & Whimbrel at Church Norton (AH)

North Wall: The Osprey was still around the harbour early on, and along White’s Creek there were two Spotted Redshanks, three Common Sandpipers, 18 Black-tailed Godwits, two Greenshanks, c120 Redshanks, eight Grey Plovers, c100 Dunlin, 32 Oystercatchers, six Ringed Plovers, 34 Turnstones and two juvenile Shelducks, with a Great Crested Grebe in the channel and six Common Seals hauled out on the mud. (LP/MJa/TRH/CRJ)