4th August 2026

Tuesday, 4th August: A very warm and increasingly muggy morning under fairly heavy cloud cover, almost still first thing before the breeze steadily freshened from the south-west.....

How was the Spring for you this year - good or bad? I know what I think - but do the facts confirm it? The Selsey Bill Spring Sea-watch Summary for 2026 has been compiled by our official Log-keeper JA and is now available by clicking the link on the above title bar. (Eds/OM)

Selsey Bill: It was another morning with just the regular few species. Full log below. (AH/IP)

(0700-0800hrs) (SW, F1-2)

Gannet - 1E

Oystercatcher - 1W

Turnstone - 2

Mediterranean Gull - 2os

Sandwich Tern - 5W, 4os

Swift - 9

Swallow - 10

Sand Martin - 4E

House Martin - 20

Sandwich Terns (above), Mediterranean Gulls, Turnstone & Sand Martin at the Bill (AH)

Ferry Pool: There were just a Lapwing and two adult and three juvenile Avocets on the pool, whilst two Common Sandpipers were in the channel opposite, along with half a dozen Redshanks and Black-tailed Godwits. (AH)

Lapwing (above) & Avocets at the Ferry (AH)

Mill Pond Marsh: Five Little Ringed Plovers were on the flooded field this morning, along with a Green Sandpiper and four Teal, whilst the nearby bushes held a Garden Warbler, a Blackcap, a couple of Sedge Warblers and half a dozen Reed Warblers and whitethroats, plus a Reed Bunting, with a couple of Swallows, a Sparrowhawk and a Whimbrel going over, too. (PB/JBo/AH/JFi)

Little Ringed Plovers (above), Reed Warbler, Sedge Warbler & Sparrowhawk at Mill Pond Marsh (AH)

North Wall: An Osprey went over the wall into the harbour and caught a fish before settling on the Church Norton side, but generally it was very quiet with just four Willow Warblers in the tamarisk by the sluice and a few Reed Warblers, Sedge Warblers, Reed Buntings and Whitethroats along the wall.

Eight Cattle Egrets were still in Owl Copse and at Halsey’s Farm a Kingfisher was by the outfall, and the Water Rail was again showing well in it usual spot. (EB/LP/KU/MJ/GR/J Kirkman et al)

Water Rail (above), Kingfisher & Cattle Egret at the North Wall (LP)

East Side: On the falling tide early this morning there was a selection of waders spread across the mud including c50 Dunlin, eight Grey Plovers, eight Knot, six Ringed Plovers, two Greenshank, two Spotted Redshanks, two Turnstones, seven Lapwing, nine Black-tailed Godwits, c20 Curlews and c50 Redshanks.

Also, two juvenile Common Terns were sat out on the bank, with an adult regularly bringing in fish to feed them. (LP)

Common Terns (above), Spotted Redshanks, Knot, Grey Plover, Ringed Plovers & Dunlin on the East side (LP)

Medmerry: Easton Lane to the Stilt Pool - There were five Greenshanks and four Common Sandpipers on the Stilt Pool, along with a few Dunlin and Redshanks, whilst a juvenile Peregrine went over, but the banks were fairly quiet. (PB/JBo)

Medmerry: Ham Farm - A Wheatear was along the base of the bank this morning, but it was generally very quiet, with a dozen Linnets and a Skylark the only other small birds about, whilst, otherwise, four Cattle Egrets were among the cows and c40 Mediterranean Gulls were near the breach. (AH)

Wheatear at Medmerry (AH)