Tuesday, 31st March: A fairly grey morning, though a little warmer as the westerly breeze eased.......
Selsey Bill: It remains quiet, though nine Great Northern Divers were on the sea, a Fulmar went west and a Swallow flew in. Full log below. (PB/JB/IP/AH/OM)
(0700-1045hrs) (W, F3)
Great Northern Diver - 9os
Red-throated Diver - 2E
Great Crested Grebe - 1W
Fulmar - 1W
Shag- 1E
Shelduck - 2W
Common Scoter - 5E
Red-breasted Merganser - 1E, 4os
Sparrowhawk - 1
Oystercatcher - 1
Turnstone - 12
Mediterranean Gull - 4E, 2W
Common Gull - 1W
Great Black-backed Gull - 4os
Sandwich Tern - 1E, 2W
Swallow - 1N
Chiffchaff - 2
(1145-1245hrs) (PB/JB/OM)
Gannet - 1W
Common Gull - 1W
Great Black-backed Gull - 1W
Sandwich Tern - 2W
Meadow Pipit - 1N
Great Northern Divers (above), Shag & Red-breasted Merganser at the Bill (AH)
Ferry Pool: There were two Ruff at the back again this morning, with two Avocets, four Redshanks, four Lapwings, c30 Black-tailed Godwits, a dozen Shelducks, five Gadwall, c60 Shovelers, c30 and c20 Wigeon present, too.
Also, two Willow Warblers, a Blackcap and three Chiffchaffs were in the Discovery Area. (AH/PB/JB/OM)
Avocet (above) & Black-tailed Godwits and Shovelers at the Ferry (AH)
This afternoon a moulting Spotted Redshank, a Greenshank and a Black-tailed Godwit were in Ferry Channel, two Little Ringed Plovers, three Ruff and two Avocets were around the pool/fields and a Blackcap was in the Discovery Area. (AB/AH/RN)
Spotted Redshank (above), Greenshank & Greenshank and Black-tailed Godwit at the Ferry (AH)
Church Norton: The harbour was fairly empty on the rising tide this morning, with a Greenshank, six Grey Plovers, two Ringed Plovers, three Bar-tailed Godwits and c60 Black-tailed Godwits the only waders of note, whilst wildfowl comprised a pair of Red-breasted Mergansers, a Brent Goose, c20 Teal, a handful of Wigeon and a dozen Shelducks, plus a pair of Canada Geese on the island.
There were also up to a dozen Sandwich Terns and c60 Mediterranean Gulls among the many Black-headed Gulls, but a Wheatear along the spit and a couple of Chiffchaffs in the hedges, was it for migrants. (PB/JB/AH)
Greenshank (above), Brent Goose, Shelducks & Sandwich Terns at Church Norton (AH)
This evening a Wheatear was on the blocks again and another was along the spit and a Blackcap was singing near the Mound, whilst the three Bar-tailed Godwits and c20 Black-tailed Godwits were in the harbour. (AH/GR/GW)
Bar-tailed Godwit (above) & Black-tailed Godwits at Church Norton (AH)
North Wall: A Wheatear was in the fields at Halsey’s Farm, as well as two Long-tailed Tits, six Linnets and three Skylarks, and the usual Cattle Egrets, Little Egrets and Grey Herons were at Owl Copse.
The lone Brent Geese was still in Honer 2, and two Chaffinches, a Chiffchaff, a Song Thrush and six Reed Buntings were in the bushes along the wall, whilst two Shovelers and a Great Crested Grebe were on the Breech Pool.
Out in the harbour there was a mixed flock of c100 waders, mostly Grey Plovers and Dunlin, but also a Turnstone and a Bar-tailed Godwit, whilst there were still a few Teal, about but Wigeon numbers were reduced to just six,
Also, a White Wagtail was in the paddock and both the male and female Marsh Harriers were over the reeds. (TRH/LP/MJa/IH/JDW)
Marsh Harrier (above), Linnet, Chaffinch, Brent Goose, Shoveler & Great Crested Grebe at the North Wall (LP)
An update on one of the released and flagged Curlews - KP - which was first noted in the harbour last August, before briefly relocating to Portsmouth Harbour in September, then being seen again in the harbour on 2nd November and again yesterday. (GHi)
.JPG)
flagged Curlew at the North Wall (GHi)Fishbourne Creek: On the rising tide this morning there were three Greenshank and 50 Curlews at the top of the creek, with small numbers of Teal and Wigeon and three Red-breasted Mergansers mid channel, and two Brent Geese dropped in.
Around high tide there were 18 Great-crested Grebes present, with 37 Turnstones roosting on a moored yacht and c100 Black-tailed Godwits and a Dunlin roosting on the saltmarsh, and also, three Sand Martins flew up the creek. (RW)
Monday, 30th March: A morning of hazy sun and white cloud, but cool in the fresh and blustery westerly......
Selsey Bill: It was predictably slow, given the wind direction, with absolutely nothing on the move. Full log below. (IP/AH et al)
(0715-0830hrs) (WNW, F6)
Great Crested Grebe - 1W
Gannet - 5E
Shag - 1E
Common Scoter - 2E
Red-breasted Merganser - 2E, 1W
Oystercatcher - 1E, 1W
Turnstone - 2
Mediterranean Gull - 1W
Black-headed Gull - 22W
Great Black-backed Gull - 1os
Sandwich Tern - 5os
Linnet - 1N
Sandwich Tern at the Bill (AH)
Ferry Pool: A Ruff, four Lapwings, two Redshanks, a Snipe and a Curlew were on the fields this morning, with two Avocets and c60 Black-tailed Godwits around the pool, along with 11 Shelducks, eight Gadwall, c60 Shovelers, c50 Teal and c25 Wigeon.
Also, a Willow Warbler, a Blackcap and two or three Chiffchaffs were in the Discovery area. (AH)
Also, this morning, the first Sedge Warbler of the year was heard singing near the Water Treatment Works. (TG-P)
Avocets and Shovelers (above), Black-tailed Godwits and Teal, Shovelers & Chiffchaff at the Ferry (AH)
Later, there were four Avocets on the pool and a Greenshank in the channel opposite, whilst the Willow Warbler was showing in the Discovery Area. (JC/AW et al)
Willow Warbler at the Ferry (AW)
Church Norton: There were just half a dozen Black-tailed Godwits, a dozen Grey Plovers and a couple of Dunlin in the harbour, along with a pair of Red-breasted Mergansers, c20 Shelducks, a dozen Sandwich Terns, c40 Mediterranean Gulls and c100 Black-headed Gulls.
Also, a Marsh Harrier was over the Severals and two or three Chiffchaffs were in the hedges, but that was about it. (AH/RPa)
Late this afternoon, there were three Wheatears on the concrete blocks, with two Chiffchaffs and three Cetti's Warblers in the bushes and a Marsh Harrier over. (S&SaH et al)
Mediterranean Gulls (above), Sandwich Terns and Mediterranean Gulls & Grey Plovers at Church Norton (AH)
Birdham: A Swallow has been back on territory in the garden over the last three days - the earliest ever date. (AB)
Chichester GPs: The first-winter Little Gull was on West Trout Lake this afternoon, whilst a Kingfisher was on Triangle Lake and a family of Egyptian geese were by the house. (JC/AW)
Little Gull (above) & Egyptian Goose family at Chichester GPs (AW)
Sunday, 29th March: A cool and mostly grey morning in a light to moderate, though freshening, south-westerly breeze......
Are you a member of the Sussex Ornithological Society (SOS)? If so, this brief message is directed at you and apologies to other readers (though if a Sussex resident you surely are a member!) You will be receiving the quarterly SOS newsletter very shortly and you will find therein a questionnaire based around the Society's annual publication - the Sussex Bird Report - seeking your honest views as to how you would like the SOS to proceed in the future. All members are urged to respond and I hope you will take a little time to give your feedback, which will shape the SOS direction in the future. Note that if you have currently opted for receiving your newsletter in digital form, there is a link that will allow you to respond digitally, or if you would prefer to reply in this manner a link can be sent to any SOS member. Many thanks. (OM/Eds)
Selsey Bill: It was another slow morning, with a Slavonian Grebe and 15 Sanderlings going east the only things beyond the usual. Full log below. (SH/BI/IP/JA/AH)
(0630-0900hrs) (SW, F3-4)
Great Northern Diver - 3os
Red-throated Diver - 3E, 1os
Slavonian Grebe - 1E
Great Crested Grebe - 1W
Gannet - 18W
Shag - 2E
Common Scoter - 4E, 2W
Red-breasted Merganser - 1E, 6W, 7os
Oystercatcher - 4E, 4W
Sanderling - 15E
Turnstone - 16
Mediterranean Gull - 2W
Common Gull - 1W
Great Black-backed Gull - 1W, 3os
Sandwich Tern - 7E, 3W
Chiffchaff - 1
Linnet - 1
This afternoon, the first Arctic Skua of the year - a dark-phase bird - was lingering offshore and a Bonxie went west, and, also, a Marsh Harrier came in off the sea. Full log below. (SH)
(1515-1645hrs) (SW, F7)
Great Northern Diver - 1os
Gannet - 2E
Shag - 1W
Brent Goose - 23E
Marsh Harrier - 1N
Arctic Skua - 1os
Great Skua - 1W
Great Black-backed Gull - 1E, 5os
Sandwich Tern - 3W, 5os
Shag (above), Red-throated Diver & Mediterranean Gull at the Bill (AH)
Ferry Pool: It was quieter around the pool and fields this morning, with two Avocets, four Lapwings and c50 Black-tailed Godwits the only waders present, together with a dozen Shelducks, eight Gadwall, c30 Wigeon and Teal and c50 Shovelers.
There were also a Blackcap and three Chiffchaffs around the Discovery Area. (AH)
Gadwall (above) & Black-tailed Godwits at the Ferry (AH)
North Wall: A pair pair of Grey Wagtails were in the paddocks, a Kingfisher was by the sluice and there were still c100 Teal in the harbour, but there were just eight Teal and three Pintail about, whilst out on the mud there were plenty of Redshank and more distant, a mixed group of c70 waders containing mostly Grey Plovers, with a handful of Dunlin, two Knot and a Bar-tailed Godwit.
The three White-fronted Geese flew over the Breech Pool early on, but on the water, there was just a Great Crested Grebe, a Little Grebe, the pair of Mute Swans and four Teal, with the last remaining Brent Goose, two Canada Geese, two Little Egrets and four Curlews in the fields.
Three Buzzards and both male and female Marsh Harriers were about, and there was the usual activity from the Grey Herons, Cattle Egrets and Little Egrets around Owl Copse, also two Little Grebes were nest building on Owl Water and at Halsey’s Farm, two Avocets were along the Rife and and a few Skylarks were over the fields. (MJa/LP/CT/AWr)
There were also three Willow Warblers singing along Mill Lane, towards Halsey's Farm early this morning. (ML)
Skylark (above), Brent Goose, Avocets (LP). Cattle Egret, Grey Wagtail & Seven-spotted Ladybird (EB) at the North Wall
Park Farm, Selsey: A Cetti's Warbler was calling again here, early this morning, a pair of Great Spotted Woodpeckers were in the treeline and a Buzzard was sat in the conifers. (IP)
Church Norton: The female Wheatear was around the concrete blocks again this morning, with a male moving west along the spit, and a Willow Warbler was singing nearby, but the hedges were generally quiet, though a Reed Bunting. a couple of Long-tailed Tits, a Green Woodpecker and a few Stock Doves were around the Severals, a pair of Red-legged Partridges flew out of Bluebell Wood and a female Marsh Harrier, a Kestrel and two Buzzards were in the vicinity.
A dozen Black-tailed Godwits were in the harbour, along with a Knot, three Grey Plovers and four Ringed Plovers, but there were few waders about on the rising tide, whilst seven Brent Geese were in the harbour mouth and a dozen or so Wigeon and two dozen Shelducks and Teal were present, too.
Also, up to 20 Sandwich Terns and 60 Mediterranean Gulls were among the Black-headed Gulls on and around the islands, with another four Sandwich Terns, three Great Crested Grebes and a Gannet seen offshore. (AH/AB/IP)
Wheatear (above), Sandwich Tern, Black-tailed Godwits, Jay & Robin at Church Norton (AH)
Chichester GPs: Ivy Lake complex - The first Common Tern of the year was present this morning, along with an adult and a first-winter Little Gull and c20 Sand Martins.
There were also eight Chiffchaffs, four Cetti's Warblers, nine Egyptian Geese and 13 Pochard noted. (S&SaH/BI/AB)
