1st September 2026

Tuesday, 1st September: A pleasant, early autumn morning of sun and white cloud, cool early on but warming up as the westerly breeze steadily freshened.......

Selsey Bill: Nothing was really moving offshore, but a bit of visible migration included three Tree Pipits, one of which dropped in briefly in Bill House garden, 17 Yellow Wagtails, six Grey Wagtails and good numbers of hirundines, and there were also two Peregrines chasing each other along the beach. Full log below. (PM/AH/IP/P&LH)

(0600-0830hrs) (W, F2-3)

Little Egret - 1E

Common Scoter - 1W

Peregrine - 2W

Oystercatcher - 3

Turnstone - 17

Mediterranean Gull - 28os

Sandwich Tern - 76os

Common Tern - 8os

Swallow - 164E

Sand Martin - 67E

House Martin - 283E

Yellow Wagtail - 17E

Grey Wagtail - 6E

Pied Wagtail - 1E

Tree Pipit - 3E

Wheatear - 2

Willow Warbler - 1

(1300-1400hrs) (P&LH)

Dunlin - 60W, 17 present

Turnstone - 7

Mediterranean Gull - 22W

Great Black-backed Gull - 1os

Sandwich Tern - 31W, 40os

Common Tern - 4W

Swallow - 7E

House Martin - 2E

Tree Pipit (above), Yellow Wagtail, Swallow, Peregrines (PM), House Martin, Sand Martin & Swallows, Sand and House Martins (AH) at the Bill

Ferry Pool: There was nothing on the pool, and just a handful of Redshanks in the channel opposite, with a couple of Whitethroats and Chiffchaffs in a roaming tit flock. (AH)

Mill Pond Marsh: There were just a Kingfisher and two Teal about this morning, and a Raven went over this afternoon, whilst the trees overhanging the Mill Pond there were six Willow Emerald damselflies, two Common Darters and two Migrant Hawkers. (LL)

Church Norton: There was a good selection of migrants this morning, including at least 14 Wheatears, six Yellow Wagtails and two Whinchats along the beach and spit, with two more of the latter in the horse field, a Spotted Flycatcher was along the Severals, with another by the concrete wall and two more near the hide, with a Lesser Whitethroats a Garden Warbler, three Willow Warblers, a Sedge Warbler and a Redstart - chased off by a Robin, were around the churchyard, and a few Whitethroats, Chiffchaffs and Blackcaps around, too,

Also, an Osprey dropped in to catch a fish before heading off south and a juvenile Peregrine was chasing a Wood Pigeon around the harbour, whilst on the mud there were a Bar-tailed Godwit, ten Knot, eight Grey Plover, 20 Dunlin, c80 Ringed Plovers and three Whimbrel. with a Kestrel and a Sparrowhawk going over, along with c300 Swallows and c25 House Martins and Sand Martins. (AW/PM/P&LH)

Osprey (above), Whinchat, Spotted Flycatchers & Sand Martin at Church Norton (PM)

North Wall: An Osprey flew over Halsey’s Farm before heading out over the harbour late this morning, and around the fields and bushes there were at least seven Whinchats, three Wheatears, a Redstart, a Spotted Flycatcher, two Yellowhammers, 14 Linnets, 18 Whitethroats, a Blackcap, a Jay a Green Woodpecker, and a Great Spotted Woodpecker, whilst a Yellow Wagtail flew over, and two Common Sandpipers, a Water Rail, a Snipe, a Reed Bunting and a few Sedge Warblers, and Reed Warblers were around the reeds by the rife.

Along the wall, two more Wheatears were on the rocks, a Kingfisher flew along Owl Water, and a good selection of Willow Warblers, Chiffchaffs, Blackcaps, Whitethroats, and Sedge Warblers were along the bushes, as well as, unusually for here, a Coal Tit.

The two Spotted Redshanks were still along White’s Creek along with a Whimbrel, two Black-tailed Godwits and numerous Redshanks, with two Wigeon on the water, and a few Swallows and Sand Martins overhead. (DHo/TRH/LP)

Osprey (above), Redstart, Spotted Flycatcher, Whinchat, Wheatears, Spotted Redshank, Snipe & Whimbrel at the North Wall (DHo)

Honer Reservoir: Most of yesterday's birds were still on the reservoir this morning, including two Ruff, a Greenshank, a Green Sandpiper and a Common Sandpiper, whilst the adjacent hedges and fields held two Wheatears, six Yellow Wagtails, three Spotted Flycatchers and half a dozen Whitethroats and Reed Warblers, with a Sparrowhawk and c50 Swallows going over. (AH)

Ruff (above), Green Sandpiper, Spotted Flycatcher, Reed Warbler, Wheatear & Yellow Wagtails at Honer Reservoir (AH)

Chichester GPs: Two Spotted Flycatchers and a Whitethroat were around Deep Lake this morning. (CRJ)

East Head: A Greenshank was in Snowhill Creek this morning and 20+ Yellow Wagtails and four Pied Wagtails were among the cattle in the fields by the car-park. (RWi)