17th August 2026

Monday, 17th August: Another mostly overcast and muggy morning in a moderate north-westerly breeze.....

Selsey Bill: A Little Egret flew out and landed on the Mile Basket rocks and two Grey Herons went west, but otherwise it was just the usual species this morning. Full log below. (AH/P&LH)

(0645-0900hrs) (NW, F3)

Gannet - 2W

Little Egret - 1os

Grey Heron - 2W

Sparrowhawk - 1

Turnstone - 6

Mediterranean Gull - 4W, 80os

Lesser Black-backed Gull - 3os

Great Black-backed Gull - 11os

Sandwich Tern - 5E, 11W, 40os

Common Tern - 2W, 7os

Swallow - 9W

Sand Martin - 2W

House Martin - 14

Sparrowhawk at the Bill (AH)

A quick look before high-tide found a dozen Turnstones along the beach, mostly in summer plumage, whilst a Kittiwake and c50 Sand Martins went west. Full log below. (AW)

(1400-1500hrs)

Turnstone - 12

Kittiwake - 1W

Sand Martin - 50W

Kittiwake (above), Sand Martins & Turnstones at the Bill (AW)

Ferry Pool: An Avocet and a Lapwing were on the pool this morning, and two more Lapwings, four more Redshanks, Whimbrel and five Black-tailed Godwits were in the channel opposite. (AH)

Black-tailed Godwit (above), Whimbrel & Avocet and Lapwing at the Ferry (AH)

Mill Pond Marsh: A juvenile Turtle Dove dropped into our garden in Mill Lane early this afternoon, though sadly it didn't linger, and, also, a Raven went over. (LL)

Turtle Dove at Mill Pond Marsh (LL)

Church Norton: A Wheatear was on the beach, half a dozen Whitethroats were along the front and a handful of Willow Warblers, a Lesser Whitethroat, a Garden Warbler, a Blackcap and a couple of Chiffchaffs were around the churchyard/hide area, but beyond c250 Sand Martins, c60 Swallows and a couple of Yellow Wagtails that went over, that was it for migrants.

Also, a Common Sandpiper was in the harbour, along with six Whimbrel, a couple of Ringed Plovers, half a dozen Curlews and c25 Redshanks and Oystercatchers, but that was about it. (PA/AW/AH/P&LH et al)

Willow Warbler (above) & Whimbrel at Church Norton (AH)

Also of note, a dead Water Stick-insect - a native British species not familiar to most, was on the car bonnet in the car-park this morning. (RS)

Water stick-insect at Church Norton (RS)

Pagham Spit: Around 200 sandwich Terns, three Common Terns, two probable juvenile Yellow-legged Gulls, three Lesser Black-backed Gulls, four Common Gulls and 40 Turnstones were among the roosting birds this afternoon, whilst earlier, up to 1000 Mediterranean Gulls were among a huge offshore feeding flockj. (PA)

North Wall: Four Spotted Redshanks were along White’s Creek this morning, along with a Curlew, a Whimbrel, a Black-tailed Godwit, a Knot, four Greenshanks and c30 Redshanks, with the Mute Swan family and two Shelducks on the water.

In the reeds behind the sluice there were a few Sedge Warblers and Reed Warblers, and in the bushes a Willow Warbler was with a few Goldfinches and Greenfinches, whilst a female Pheasant was along the reeds in the now almost completely dry Breech Pool, and one of the Spotted Redshanks briefly dropped into the remaining small puddle there.

The bushes along the wall were very quiet and there were just two Cattle Egrets in Owl Copse, although another eight were out by their island, and at Halsey’s Farm two Kingfishers were together at the end of the rife, a Water Rail was seen briefly in the reeds, and a Snipe, a Wheatear, a couple of Whitethroats, Swallows and a Reed Buntings were also present.

Also, the Salt House was looking resplendent in its new thatch, which has now been completed. (LP/CT/MJa/SP/PA/TRH/P&LH et al)

Sedge Warbler (above), Spotted Redshanks and Redshanks, Kingfishers, Cattle Egret, Black-tailed Godwit, Pheasant and the newly re-thatched Salt House at the North Wall (LP)

Also, the now fully fledged young Barn Owls have been showing well recently. (AD)

Barn Owls at the North Wall (AD)