Thursday, 28th August: The morning started almost still and clear, before banks of cloud grew and produced several heavy squalls as the breeze freshened from the west ......
The Selsey Pioneers: In recent times we have sadly lost a number of our birding friends as time takes its inevitable toll, but perhaps none have been more influential than the late Tony Marr (BAEM). Tony was the driving force in establishing sea-watching activities at Selsey Bill in the late 1950's and continuing until the mid-1960's, during which time observatory status was achieved, and many young and enthusiastic birders of the day, and a few less youthful ones, formed an active group to give comprehensive coverage to the site.
At Tony's recent funeral, I was privileged to meet several surviving members of the group that watched with Tony in those times, including Richard Porter (RFK), Alan Kitson (ARK) and Robin Jolliffe (RLKJ) - the latter being my first ever meeting. As a result, a certain amount of new material has been forwarded to me, which is worthy of being added to our archive. I therefore propose to update our 'The History of Selsey Bill' - but in the meantime will add the occasional photo from those times here on the main blog - which I hope will be of interest, but which I also dedicate as a tribute to Tony for all he did for Selsey Bill and the Peninsula, and also for the help he gave me over the years. (OM/Eds)
(above) The Selsey Bill Log 1960 and (below) notebook entry. This was from a time when the technology of today would not even have been dreamed of. Detailed notes such as this were the order of the day. (photos: courtesy of RLK Jolliffe)
Selsey Bill: There were large numbers of Sandwich Terns and Mediterranean Gulls among the many Herring and Black-headed Gulls offshore, but a Common Tern and a Yellow Wagtail were the only birds beyond the regular. Full log below. (KT/AH)
(0710-0810hrs) (N, F1-2)
Shag - 7E, 7os
Turnstone - 6
Mediterranean Gull - 150os
Sandwich Tern - 90os
Common Tern - 1os
Swallow - 22E, 15W
House Martin - 1W
Yellow Wagtail - 1E
Shags (above) & Sandwich Tern at the Bill (AH)
Ferry Pool: The three juvenile Little Ringed Plovers were back on the muddy area this morning, along with a Common Sandpiper, a Lapwing, the juvenile Redshank and six Black-tailed Godwits. (AH)
Little Ringed Plovers (above) & Common Sandpiper at the Ferry (AH)
Mill Pond Marsh: The two Green Sandpipers were again present this morning, along with two Common Sandpipers, four Snipe, a Lapwing, three Water Rails and eight Teal, whilst a Yellow Wagtail, a Cattle Egret and a dozen Swallows went over.
There were plenty of warblers back in the bushes, comprising a Sedge Warbler, two Reed Warblers, two Cetti's Warblers, five Willow Warblers, a Chiffchaff, a Lesser Whitethroat, two Whitethroats and three Blackcaps, plus a Song Thrush, with another c20 Swallows on the wires along Mill Lane. (MRe/AH)
Lesser Whitethroat (above), Blackcap, Reed Warbler, Swallow, Snipe & Green Sandpiper and Teal at Mill Pond Marsh (AH)
Church Norton: A Spotted Flycatcher was reported by visiting birders this morning, whilst, otherwise, the churchyard/hide area held a Garden Warbler, three or four Blackcaps and a couple of Whitethroats, plus a dozen House Martins and Swallows over, with a few more Whitethroats along the front.
Also, a Greenshank was in the harbour, along with a Whimbrel, a couple of Grey Plovers, a dozen Ringed Plovers and Curlews and c50 Redshanks. (AW/AH)
Garden Warbler (above), Blackcap Greenshank at Church Norton (AH)
North Wall: This evening there were two Snipe on the Breech Pool and a tagged Curlew was in the paddocks. (AHa)
Snipe (above) & Curlew at the North Wall (AHa)
Sidlesham: There two of the most stunning British moths together in the trap this morning - namely a Clifden Nonpareil and a Striped Hawkmoth. (PA)
Clifden Nonpareil and Striped Hawkmoth in a Sidlesham garden (PA)
Wednesday, 27th August: After a cool, grey start, and an unexpectedly heavy downpour, a fairly warm and hazy morning in a freshening south-westerly breeze......
Selsey Bill: The roost on the shingle bar off Hillfield Road held most of the interest this morning, including 66 Sandwich Terns, three Common Terns and four juvenile Yellow-legged Gulls, but there was very little else. (AH/MRe)
(0700-0830hrs) (SSW, F4)
Gannet - 12os
Shag - 1E, 1os
Oystercatcher - 1W
Turnstone - 7
Mediterranean Gull - 35W, 30os
Yellow-legged Gull - 4os
Lesser Black-backed Gull - 2os
Sandwich Tern - 8W, 86os
Common Tern - 1E, 3os
Sandwich Terns (above), Sandwich Terns, Common Tern and Mediterranean Gulls, Shag & Mediterranean Gull at the Bill (AH)
Ferry Pool: There were two Common Sandpipers, the juvenile Redshank, a Lapwing, eight Black-tailed Godwits and a Teal on the muddy patch this morning. (AH)
Later on, five Cattle Egrets were in the field. (BFF)
Common Sandpiper and Redshank (above) & Black-tailed Godwit at the Ferry (AH)
Mill Pond Marsh: The two Green Sandpipers were back on the flooded field this morning, along with two Common Sandpipers, a Lapwing and six Teal, with a few Swallows and House Martins over, though the bushes were empty again. (AH/BFF)
Green Sandpiper (above) & Common Sandpiper and Lapwing at Mill Pond Marsh (AH)
Church Norton: A Ruff and a Kingfisher were in the harbour late this morning, along with a Greenshank and two Common Sandpipers (BFF), whilst earlier there were just two Whimbrel half a dozen Ringed Plovers and the usual Redshanks, Curlews and Oystercatchers about, plus half a dozen Sandwich Terns that flew in and back out.
The bushes were very quiet again, with just a couple of Blackcaps, Chiffchaffs, Whitethroats seen, Jays and Green Woodpeckers seen, though c50 Swallows and c25 Sand Martins and House Martins went over. (MRe/AH/NR)
This evening there were two Wheatears on the beach. (MRe)
Whimbrel (above), Ringed Plover, Sand Martin & House Martin at Church Norton (AH)
North Wall: The Spoonbill was again on the Breech Pool early on, along with five Spotted Redshanks, two Snipe, 12 Little Egrets and four Grey Herons, and a few Sedge Warblers were in the reeds.
A Wigeon was along White’s Creek with the usual Teal, Mallards, Black-tailed Godwits and Redshanks, and further out there was a Greenshank and a few Ringed Plovers and Dunlin, whilst a Kingfisher was by the sluice and a Stonechat, a Curlew, a Great Spotted Woodpecker, a Green Woodpecker and a Chiffchaff were around the paddock.
At Halsey’s Farm, a Redstart, a Blackcap, four Whitethroats, a Lesser Whitethroat, six Linnets and a few Greenfinches and Goldfinches were around the bushes, and c40 Swallows, six Sand Martins, a Kestrel and a Sparrowhawk were over the fields. (MJa/LP/HB/LT)
Spoonbill (above), Spotted Redshanks, Wigeon, Stonechat, Redstart & Snipe at the North Wall (LP)
Tuesday, 26th August: A mostly grey and muggy morning in a fresh and blustery westerly breeze......
Selsey Bill: A total of 22 Shags went east this morning, including 11 on the sea together at one point, and c75 Sandwich Terns were around the Mile Basket, but it was otherwise slow going. Full log below. (AH/IP)
(0705 - 0805hrs) (WSW, F4)
Gannet - 3W, 15os
Shag - 22E
Grey Heron - 1W
Little Egret - 1E
Oystercatcher - 1E
Turnstone - 5
Mediterranean Gull - 2E, 9W
Sandwich Tern - 3E, 9W, 75os
Swallow - 31W
House Martin - 1
Yellow Wagtail - 1E
Shags (above) & Sandwich Tern at the Bill (AH)
Ferry Pool: There were just two juvenile Little Ringed Plovers, the juvenile Redshank, a Lapwing and three Black-tailed Godwits on the muddy area this morning, whilst a look around the Tramway circuit just produced a handful of Whitethroats. (AH)
Little Ringed Plovers (above) & Little Ringed Plover and Black-tailed Godwit at the Ferry (AH)
Mill Pond Marsh: There were just two Common Sandpipers, three Black-tailed Godwits and four Teal on the flooded field this morning, and nothing in the bushes. (AH)
Common Sandpiper at Mill Pond Marsh (AH)
Selsey: A Swift went over Meadowland, just north-west of the Bill, at 1130hrs.(IP)
Church Norton: Early this morning there was a Kingfisher and a Common Sandpiper along the path to the beach, while a Peregrine was again over the Severals.
There was also a steady passage west of Sand Martins and Swallows, together with a few Yellow Wagtails, and a Marsh Harrier was over the harbour. (AW)
Marsh Harrier (above), Peregrine, Common Sandpiper & Sand Martins at Church Norton (AW)
There wasn't too much going in the harbour on the falling tide this evening, with a Whimbrel, a dozen Curlews, half a dozen Dunlin and Grey Plovers, c25 Ringed Plovers and c75 Redshanks about it, plus a Marsh Harrier and a few Swallows over. (AH)
Marsh Harrier (above), Whimbrel, Grey Plover & Ringed Plover at Church Norton (AH)
North Wall: A Spoonbill was on the Breech Pool again early this morning, along with a Water Rail, four Spotted Redshanks, a Little Ringed Plover, 32 Little Egrets, six Teal and eight Grey Herons, but later there was just a single Teal and the Ruff.
Two Spotted Redshanks and two Kingfishers were along White’s Creek with the usual Redshanks, Black-tailed Godwits, Lapwings and Curlews, whilst in the bushes behind the sluice there were four Sedge Warblers, a Willow Warbler, a Lesser Whitethroat, two Whitethroats and a Song Thrush.
At Halsey’s Farm, a handful of Yellow Wagtails were around the cows, and a Redstart, a Reed Bunting, two Whitethroats, c30 Linnets, c20 Goldfinches, 12 Greenfinches and a Kestrel were along the bushes, with two Swifts and c50 Swallows over. (TRH/LP/CT/OM/BFF)
Ruff and water Rail on the Breech pool (OM) (top two), Spoonbill (above), Spoonbill and Spotted Redshank, Yellow Wagtail, Sedge Warbler, Chiffchaff & Song Thrush at the North Wall (LP)
West Itchenor: A flock of c40 White Storks flew east up the Fishbourne Channel towards west Itchenor early this afternoon. (NR)
Medmerry: Ham Farm - A Merlin was about early this afternoon. (LL)
Medmerry: Easton Lane to the Stilt Pool - A Green Sandpiper, two Greenshanks, three Common Sandpipers, four Dunlin and two Redshanks were on the Stilt Pool this evening, with a Snipe and six Egyptian Geese on the reserve.The banks were very quiet though, with just three Stonechats, a Cetti's Warbler and a Yellowhammer noted, plus a Swift, 15 Sand Martins, c30 Swallows and a Kestrel over. (S&SaH)
