10th - 12th August 2025

Sunday, 10th August:  Light winds from the north early on then forecast to move southerly through the day...staying dry and sunny...

Selsey Bill:  Updates awaited...

7th - 9th August 2025

Saturday, 9th August: It was less breezy early on, though the westerly soon picked up again, leaving a warm morning of sunshine and white cloud.........

Selsey Bill: A totally unexpected Jack Snipe flew east, then returned and dropped in briefly on the beach before moving off again early his morning, and there were also three Tree Pipits over, a Wheatear on the beach and a few Willow Warblers in the scrub. (0545-0800hrs) 

(NW F3) (SH/PB/BI/IP/MO-W/AH)

Full log below: 

Common Scoter - 1E

Gannet - 7E 8W

Oystercatcher - 1E

Turnstone - 27

Jack Snipe - 1E @ 0600hrs, then flushed off beach @ 0612hrs

Mediterranean Gull - 8E

Lesser Black-backed Gull - 1os

Common Tern - 10W

Sandwich Tern - 7E 4W 6os

Swift - 3

Sand Martin - 26W

House Martin - 22W

Swallow - 12W

Tree Pipit - 3E

Pied Wagtail - 1W

Yellow Wagtail - 2N

Wheatear - 1

Willow Warbler - 5

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

Ferry Pool: The three Common Sandpipers were still present this morning, along with three Black-tailed Godwits and five Redshanks. (AH/MO-W)

Common Sandpiper (above) & Black-tailed Godwit on the Ferry (AH)

Park Farm, Selsey: A Whinchat and a Garden Warbler were seen here this morning. (MRe)

Mid morning found a juvenile Pied Wagtail here along with an increase in Swallows to about twenty birds, however, House Martin numbers were only around a dozen. Over the north of the village a Buzzard was circling and a lone Swift was also present. Also, two Reed Warblers were in the rife beside the fields and a Jay was at the eastern end of the fields. (IP)

Northcommon Farm: A Spotted Flycatcher and at least 20 Willow Warblers were around 'Flycatcher Corner' this morning, with a Blackcap, a Lesser Whitethroat and several Whitethroats and Chiffchaffs also present. (AH) Later, three Spotted Flycatchers & a Wheatear were present. (PA) This evening the first Pied Flycatcher of the year was well found associating with the three Spotted Flycatchers along the middle hedge. (MRe/IP/BI/AB et al)

Spotted Flycatcher (above) & Willow Warbler at Northcommon Farm (AH), Spotted Flycatcher (BI)

Mill Pond Marsh: The Common Sandpiper, four Black-tailed Godwits and six Teal were on the flooded field this morning, with at least a dozen Willow Warblers, half a dozen Reed Warblers and Whitethroats, a Cetti's Warbler and a couple of Sedge Warblers and Chiffchaffs around the bushes. Also present earlier were two Lesser Whitethroats and a Great Spotted Woodpecker. (AH/BI)

Common Sandpiper (above) & Willow Warbler at Mill Pond Marsh (AH)

Sidlesham: A Tree Pipit went over Cow Lane early this morning. (PA)

Church Norton: Two Redstarts and five Willow Warblers were at Greenlease Farm this morning, with another 20 of the latter around the Severals and Bluebell Wood and ten more around the hide/churchyard area.

The Severals area also produced a Sedge Warbler, 18 Reed Warblers, seven Whitethroats, three Blackcaps and Lesser Whitethroats and two Cetti's Warbler, along with a calling water Rail and 13 Sand Martins over. A Lesser Whitethroat was flying around the bushes where the path exits between the Severals and on the beach opposite there were two Wheatears that were still there an hour later; just a single Cetti's Warbler called briefly here. A lone Common Buzzard was also here along with a Jay. A Wheatear was on the concrete blocks, a Goldcrest was in the hedges and a Mistle Thrush flew over.

The harbour was very quiet except for the very noisy group of a dozen juvenile and c20 adult Sandwich Terns. The few waders present included a Whimbrel, a Ringed Plover and a Greenshank. (MRe/AH/BI/IP)

Sandwich Terns at Church Norton (AH)

Chi GP's: Drayton House pits - There wasn't a great deal to report from my WeBS count at the pits this morning, but the highlight was probably the three Common Terns coming and going with fish. The birds were clearly visiting to collect food, then flying off generally northwards, returning later to repeat the process. These terns do not breed at these pits, but they must presumably be breeding and feeding young nearby....perhaps at New Lake or the Quarry Lane pits for example. Eyes down please for any sightings...as yet we do not have any breeding terns reported in the general area on the Peninsula.

Great Crested Grebes seem to have done well, with a total of nine broods seen so far and other adults present too. Pochard numbers totalled just 45, whilst two Egyptian Geese were the only ones I could find, together with 29 Greylags. (OM)

(top two) Common Terns at Drayton House pits and (below) Great Crested Grebes seemed to be quite numerous with at least 27 adults present plus nine broods of young.

North Wall: Three Common Sandpipers, a Kingfisher, a Whimbrel, 16 Black-tailed Godwits and numerous Redshanks were along White’s Creek this morning, with a Green Woodpecker and a family of House Sparrows by the sluice. There were just a few Mallards on the Breech Pool and the bushes and reeds were quiet with only a couple of Reed Warblers, Whitethroats and Reed Buntings about.

At Owl Copse, 14 juvenile Cattle Egrets were in the trees, and a Water Rail was along the banks, as well as a Little Grebe on the water. Out in the harbour, two Greenshanks were roosting at high tide, and both a Sparrowhawk and a Peregrine flew over.

A Yellow Wagtail was on the mud by the rife at Halsey’s Farm, as well as another Common Sandpiper, a Dunlin, two Lapwings, two Black-tailed Godwits and a Redshank, but there was just a Kestrel on the fence posts at Owl Point and a couple of Willow Warblers along the path. (LP/MJa/BI et al)

Green Woodpecker, top, & Cattle Egrets, Common Sandpiper, Yellow Wagtail & Dunlin at the North Wall (LP)

Ham: There were two Whinchats on the fenceline here this morning and a Clouded Yellow butterfly and a Hummingbird Hawk-moth were also in the vicinity (LL)

Medmerry Easton Lane to the Stilt Pool:  Raptors today included three Kestrels, three Buzzards and two Sparrowhawks and there were two Swifts, two House Martins, c.100 Swallows and c.Sand Martins also noted overhead. Along the banks were five Yellowhammers, three Stonechats, a Reed Buntings, a Willow Warbler and nine Whitethroats whilst a Greenshank and a Whimbrel were near the sluice. Seven Common Terns were noted and a Sandwich Tern was on the Stilt Pool, which also held 5 Common Sandpipers and two Greenshank with a Cattle Egret nearby. (SaH/SH/PB)

Friday, 8th August: Another breezy morning, with a brisk westerly pushing through a lot of cloud, though warm in the brief sunny interludes.........

Selsey Bill: Another very quiet morning, the highlight being a Hummingbird Hawk-moth along the concrete wall... Full log below. (BI/AH/IP)

(0610-0810hrs) (WSW, F4-5)

Gannet - 7E, 13W

Turnstone - 27

Lesser Black-backed Gull - 1E

Mediterranean Gull - 2W

Sandwich Tern - 10E, 19W

Swift - 1

Sand Martin - 5W

House Martin - 6

Gannets (above) & Turnstones at the Bill (AH)

Ferry Pool: Three Common Sandpipers were on the remnants of the pool again this morning, along with a Lapwing, a Black-tailed Godwit and two Redshanks. (AH)

Common Sandpiper (above), Lapwing & the almost completely dried-out pool at the Ferry (AH)

Mill Pond Marsh: A Common Sandpiper, six Black-tailed Godwits, five Gadwall and four Teal were on the flooded field this morning, with a Water Rail calling from the reeds and a handful of Swallows over whilst a Kingfisher flew through.

Once again, despite it being quiet elsewhere, the bushes were full of warblers, with at least three Lesser Whitethroats, half a dozen Whitethroats and Willow Warblers, a couple each of Chiffchaffs, Blackcaps and Sedge Warblers and up to ten Reed Warblers coming and going. (AH/BI)

Lesser Whitethroat (above), Reed Warbler, Willow Warbler, Whitethroat & Gadwall at Mill Pond Marsh (AH)

Church Norton: The first Tree Pipit of the autumn - and, indeed, the year - went south over the Severals early this morning. (MRe) 

The churchyard was birdless early this morning but a look later found three Whitethroats and a Lesser Whitethroat whilst a Wheatear was out on the concrete blocks. (BI)

West Itchenor: Two Crossbills went north over West Itchenor early this morning. (PH)

North Wall: A Whinchat and two Wheatears were around Owl Point this morning and single Yellow Wagtails were at Halsey's Farm and along the wall, but the bushes were generally quiet beyond a few Whitethroats and the odd Willow and Reed warbler, plus a few Swallows over.

The two Spotted Redshanks were again in White's Creek before the tide rose, along with a Kingfisher, a Greenshank, a a Common Sandpiper, a couple of Whimbrel, six Turnstones, a dozen Black-tailed Godwits, c40 Redshanks and five Gadwall, whilst c50 Curlews flew into the harbour, but there was not a wader on the Breech Pool, despite conditions looking ideal.

Also, a Marsh Harrier went over the harbour and half a dozen juvenile Cattle Egrets were in Owl Copse, whilst a clouded Yellow and a Brown Hairstreak were along the east side and several more of the latter were reported from Halsey's Farm by a visiting birder. (AH/MJa/LP/RBe/TS/BI et al)

Whinchat (above), Wheatear, Yellow Wagtail, juvenile Cattle Egrets (AH), spotted Redshank and Black-tailed Godwit, Common Sandpiper, Whitethroats, Clouded Yellow (LP) & Brown Hairstreak (LP top, EB lower) ) at the North Wall 

Medmerry: Easton Lane to the Stilt Pool - Three Common Sandpipers and a Dunlin were the highlights on the pool with flyover birds including just a few Linnets and Meadow Pipits. A small murmurration of Starlings was along the banks and c.45 Canada Geese were out on the saltmarsh where two Kestrels were hunting. (BI

Thursday, 7th August: A grey and cloudy morning, cool early on, but warmer and muggier later, in a moderate south-westerly breeze......

Selsey Bill: A quiet morning, with a Common Tern west among the Sandwich Terns the only thing of note. Full log below. (AH/IP/MO-W/P&LH)

(0650-0820hrs) (WSW, F4)

Gannet - 6E, 25W

Common Scoter - 1E

Turnstone - 3

Sandwich Tern - 16E, 41W

Common Tern - 1W

(1345-1445hrs) (P&LH)

Gannet - 2E, 1W

Sparrowhawk - 1

Turnstone - 1

Mediterranean Gull - 1W

Lesser Black-backed Gull - 1W

Sandwich Tern - 1E, 20W

House Martin - 4

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

Ferry Pool: There were three Common Sandpipers, three Black-tailed Godwits, a Lapwing and a juvenile Redshank on the pool this morning, with a Whimbrel in the channel opposite. (AH)

Common Sandpiper and Black-tailed Godwit (above) & Redshank at the Ferry (AH)

Mill Pond Marsh: A Green Sandpiper and two Common Sandpipers were on the flooded field this morning, along with a Shoveler, a Teal, three Little Egrets and two Yellow Wagtails, with a Swallow over.

The adjacent bushes were busy again, with a Lesser Whitethroat, three or four Whitethroats and Blackcaps, a couple of Chiffchaffs, Sedge and Cetti's Warblers and at least half a dozen Reed Warblers and Willow Warblers all being very active. (AH/P&LH)

Green Sandpiper (above), Willow Warbler, Willow Warbler and Blackcap & Sedge Warbler at Mill Pond Marsh (AH)

Selsey: A Coal Tit - possibly a juvenile - has been in the garden, near Paddock Lane - for the last few days. (JWo)

Church Norton: It was very quiet here, with a Peregrine sat out oh Tern Island and the dozen juvenile and c20 adult Sandwich Terns the most conspicuous birds in an empty harbour, with just four Whimbrel, up to ten Curlews and c30 Redshanks otherwise, and the bushes were almost bird-free, with just a couple of Whitethroats and a handful of Linnets seen. (AH/CRJ/Rs/P&LH)

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

North Wall: A Spotted Redshank in summer plumage was along White’s Creek this morning, as well as a Common Sandpiper, and the usual Redshanks, Black-tailed Godwits and Lapwings.

Elsewhere it was quiet in the dull and windy conditions, with just a single Little Ringed Plover on the Breech Pool and a couple of Whitethroats along the hedges.

At Halsey’s Farm, a Greenshank, a Redshank, and two Lapwings were by the rife and two Skylarks were in the field, but apart from a few Linnets and Goldfinches in the bushes, that was about it. (TRH/MJa/LP/SP/CT/GHi)

Spotted Redshank (above), Common Sandpiper, Little Ringed Plover & Redshank at the North Wall (LP)

Medmerry: Easton Lane to the Stilt Pool - A Greenshank and two Common Sandpipers were on the Stilt Pool this evening, with a Whimbrel on the reserve and nine Common Terns still round the rafts, but just two Yellowhammers and three Willow Warblers were showing along the breezy banks, plus three Swallows, a Buzzard and three Kestrels over. (S&SaH)

Sidlesham: A Tree Pipit flew over this morning and a Spotted Flycatcher was along Cow Lane this afternoon. (PA)