Friday 21 August - Pagham

With a day spare and the weather looking dry after yesterdays deluge,  I decided to visit Pagham. Spurred on by several migrants reported at the start of the week although having noticed that these had largely dispersed over the last few days.

I arrived at Church Norton around 8.15am seeing a Wheatear in the fields on the way in. What on earth have they done to the car park !! - A resurfacing job to infill the potholes was probably a good idea but maybe with a limited budget ? ...they've resorted to using an unsuitable rough aggregate that turns into an orange clay goo when wet. so after yesterdays rain it was like walking on a sticky playdough, that cakes your tyres, car and shoes.. be warned.

The field behind the hide had a single Blackcap and a male Redstart but little else to suggest there had been an influx of migrants. I walked towards the beach passing Andrew House on the way, who had seen nothing and no sign of the recent Wryneck. A couple of Whitethroats were visible and I caught up with Bart Ives who had found the Wryneck sitting in a bramble. I set the scope up on the bird, took a single quick picture and it promptly disappeared over the hedge. Another hour and half of waiting in the area produced Reed and Sedge Warblers and a steady movement of c100 Sand Martins, but other than a very brief glimpse no further sighting of the Wryneck .

Walking back to the mudflats the tide was well out a few Grey Plover still in summer plumage were scattered with Oystercatcher, Curlew and a single Whimbrel a few Ringed Plover, Dunlin, a single Bar-tailed Godwit and surprisingly a single Little Stint.

I drove to the visitor centre and walked to scan the Ferry. 2 Avocet 2 Common Sandpipers, 4 Green Sandpipers and 2 Ruff flew in which was a reasonable haul at low tide. ~The bushes held more Blackcap, Whitethroat, a Lesser Whitethroat and Reed Warbler.

The North Wall was next and a few waders were scattered on the mud , although viewing was hazy directly into the glaring light. I counted 8 Greenshank, 2 Spotted Redshank and 140 Black-tailed Godwit. Sandwich Terns were still in with the Gull roost and distantly on the fence line behind the breach pool at least 2 Whinchat and a single Wheatear.  A reasonable list for Autumn birding.

Wryneck .. moments before it disappeared 

Sand Martin

from left.. Redshank, Spotted Redshank, Greenshank

Black-tailed Godwit

Kestrel