20th July 2026

Monday, 20th July: After a cool start, another warm and sunny day in the moderate to fresh north-easterly breeze...

Selsey Bill: The first returning Willow Warbler and a Turnstone were the highlight of another slow morning. Full log below. (IP/AH)

(0705-0805hrs) (NE, F4)

Gannet - 2W

Turnstone - 1

Mediterranean Gull - 2W

Great Black-backed Gull - 2os

Sandwich Tern - 20os

Little Tern - 1os

Swift - 10

House Martin - 10

Willow Warbler - 1

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

Ferry Pool: It was just the usuals on the pool this morning, namely an adult and three juvenile Little ringed Plovers, the pair of shelducks and five growing ducklings, the pair of Oystercatchers and two juveniles and five adult and four young Avocets.

A look round the Tramway found a couple of Blackcaps and Whitethroats, but not too much else, though a couple of Whimbrel and a dozen Black-tailed Godwits and Redshanks were in the adjacent harbour. (AH)

Little Ringed Plovers (above), Shelduck family, Blackcap & Whitethroat at the Ferry (AH)

Mill Pond Marsh: There were two Green Sandpipers present this morning, though only one Common Sandpiper, along with nine Black-tailed Godwits and a couple of Teal, whilst a couple of Sedge and Reed Warblers were at the front and a handful of Swallows went over. (AH/PA)

Green Sandpiper (above) & Sedge Warbler and Wood Pigeon at Mill Pond Marsh (AH)

Church Norton: Two Lesser Whitethroats were in the churchyard and two Ravens went over together, but there was nothing else on the land-side, whilst in the harbour there were still c200 Sandwich Terns and similar of Black-headed and Mediterranean Gulls, though Tern Island was completely deserted.

There were a few waders further down the harbour, including four Whimbrel, eight Curlews, c25 Redshanks and Black-tailed Godwits and c200 small waders that were, presumably, Dunlin. (AH)

Later on, a Common Sandpiper and four Common Terns were among the birds in the harbour. (PA)

Lesser Whitethroat (above), Raven, Whimbrels & Sandwich Terns at Church Norton (AH)

East side: A summer-plumaged Curlew Sandpiper was among a good selection of waders this morning, including 34 Knot, 161 Dunlin, c30 Grey Plovers, a Snipe, two Common Sandpipers, six Bar-tailed Godwits, six Whimbrel, eight Ringed Plovers and four Turnstones.

There were also six adult and four juvenile Little Terns around the spit, an unexpected Pochard flew along the side of the harbour and c60 Sand Martins and six Swallows went over..(PA)

Little Tern (above), Knot & Pochard along the East side (PA)

North Wall: In Whites Creek this morning there were four Greenshanks, four Spotted Redshanks, six Black tailed Godwits and four Redshanks, plus the six Mute Swan cygnets, whilst also a Peregrine went over.

Behind the sluice gates there was quite a bit of Reed Warbler activity., but in the ever-decreasing Breech Pool there was just a Lapwing, a Black-tailed Godwit, three Little Ringed Plovers and there was still just enough water for a Grey Heron to catch two small fish.

Along the wall it was fairly quiet, apart from a mixed flock of eight Long-tailed Tits and ten juvenile Blue Tits, whilst in Owl Copse the three Cattle Egret chicks were moving around the nest area and stretching out their wings, with 14 more fling into the area, whilst at Halsey's Farm the Water Rail showed briefly, 12 Swallows went through, a Kingfisher came in from the harbour and three Buzzards were further back. (GHi/LP/BFF/MJa/PA et al)

Water Rail (above), Cattle Egrets, Grey Heron, Long-tailed Tit & Blue Tit at the North Wall (GHi)

Medmerry: Easton Lane to the Stilt Pool - This evening two Arctic Skuas were offshore from the Stilt Pool, chasing terns, whilst on the pool itself there were a Green Sandpiper, three Common Sandpipers, three Greenshanks, three Lapwings, four Redshanks and six adult and two young Oystercatchers, with a Whimbrel on the reseve and ten Common Terns around the rafts.

The banks were quiet, with just a Dartford Warbler, two Whitethroats and 11 Yellowhammers noted, but it was busy overhead, with a Hobby, a Kestrel, a Marsh Harrier, a Buzzard, c30 Swallows and c70 Sand Martins seen. (SH)