Sunday, 1st November: The morning remained largely grey and murky after a foggy start, though mild later in the light to moderate north-easterly breeze.....
Selsey Bill: It was slow this morning, with 17 Brent Geese going west the only birds moving offshore, with a Fieldfare west, a Goldcrest in off the sea and three Swallows east the best of minimal visible migration. Full log below. (JA/SH/BI/AT/IP/AH)
(0630-0900hrs) (NNE, F3-4)
Great Crested Grebe - 1os
Shag - 2E
Brent Goose - 17W
Mallard - 2E
Sparrowhawk - 1
Oystercatcher - 1E, 3 present
Turnstone - 6
Mediterranean Gull - 14E
Great Black-backed Gull - 1E, 1W, 1os
Sandwich Tern - 5E, 2W
Razorbill - 1E
Skylark - 1N
Swallow - 3E
Pied Wagtail - 2E, 2W, 2 present
Meadow Pipit - 3E, 1W
Fieldfare - 1W
Blackbird - 1N
Goldcrest - 1N
Chaffinch - 1
Greenfinch - 1E
Goldfinch - 7E, 50 present
Brent Geese (above), Goldcrest & Sandwich Tern at the Bill (AH)
Ferry Pool: There were just a Shelduck, c60 Shovelers, c40 Wigeon, c100 Teal and similar of Lapwings on the pool, with an Avocet, four Redshanks and c20 Teal and Mallards in the channel opposite. (AH)
This evening a Kingfisher was in the channel opposite the pool (IP) and a Barn Owl went over the road just north of the Ferry Yard industrial estate (S&SaH).
Avocet (above) & Teal at the Ferry (AH)
Church Norton: Early this morning, a Redpoll, a Swallow, two Fieldfares,40 Skylarks, 16 Meadow Pipits, 13 Pied Wagtails,, six Reed Buntings, 45 Linnets, 35 Goldfinches, a Golden Plover and a Peregrine went over, whilst five Chiffchaffs, five Goldcrests, ten Song Thrushes and four Cetti's Warblers were in the bushes. (MRe)
Later, two Firecrests, two Chiffchaffs and a handful of Goldcrests were in the churchyard, with another Chiffchaff at Greenlease Farm, whilst four Stonechats, a Grey Wagtail, a couple of Pied Wagtails, 14 Stock Doves and three Mediterranean Gulls were around the horse field, but everywhere else was quiet.
The pair of Marsh Harriers were at the far end of the harbour, along with c250 Golden Plovers, whilst c50 Brent Geese were around the harbour, but waders were restricted to a Greenshank, a few Ringed Plovers and the usual Redshanks, Curlews and Oystercatchers. (IP/AT/AH)
This afternoon, the first returning Slavonian Grebe of the autumn was offshore. (AWi)
Greenshank (above), Brent Geese, Stonechat & Stock Doves at Church Norton (AH)
North Wall: Two Spotted Redshanks and a Bar-tailed Godwit were along White’s Creek, and a Grey Wagtail was by the sluice, together with two Pied Wagtails. A Pintail was with the Mallards on the Breech Pool and the male Marsh Harrier was further back over the reeds.
Two Rock Pipits were along the wall and six Yellowhammers, four Reed Buntings and c20 Long-tailed Tits were along the bushes.
At Halsey’s Farm a Kingfisher was along the rife, two Chaffinches and 12 more Long-tailed Tits were in the hedgerows, and three Mistle Thrushes were along Rookery Lane. (LP/MRi/DHi/JDW/KU)
Bar-tailed Godwit (above), Rock Pipit, Yellowhammer & Mistle Thrush at the North Wall (AH)
Sidlesham: A Barn Owl was briefly in our garden in Cow Lane well after dusk this evening. (AH)
Medmerry: Easton Lane to the Stilt Pool - This morning there were c400 Golden Plovers and c200 Lapwings on the reserve, along with a snipe and five Brent Geese, with a Raven, two Marsh Harriers, three Buzzards, a Sparrowhawk and two Kestrels over.
Also, the banks held five Dartford Warblers, two Chiffchaffs, five Cetti's Warblers, 11 Stonechats and three Yellowhammers. (SH)
This afternoon the Short-eared Owl was out hunting at dusk, with a Merlin and two Marsh Harriers out a bit earlier, whilst up to 500 Golden Plovers were on the reserve, along with 75 Lapwings, a Brent Goose, a Greylag Goose, 141 Canada Geese, 25 Teal, c70 Wigeon, a Pintail, eight Ringed Plovers and four Redshanks, with a Greenshank on the Stilt Pool, too, but a Goldcrest was the only bird along the banks not reported earlier. (IP/MT/AH/S&SaH)
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