1st - 5th APRIL

Note: Several of the pages have now been updated and Vol 3 of The Archives added.
Friday, 5th April: Weather basically the same as yesterday although the wind was perhaps even stronger and from the NNE. Just when you think it can't get worse it does. Sea-passage was again minimal with migrants few and far between - the main interest today being the large flock of Common Scoter offshore moving about back and forth, looking like they were getting ready to go.
Selsey Bill (0755-1125hrs): Dull, cloudy, cold, wind penetrating NNE6. (Obs: OM/GH/CRJ et al).
Great Northern Diver - 3 os
Red-throated Diver - 3E
Diver sp - 6E, 3W
Slavonian Grebe - 1 os (partial s/p)
Great Crested Grebe - 1E
Pintail - 3E
Wigeon - 10E
R/b Merganser - 11E, 3 os
Common Scoter - 50E, 180 os (repeatedly moving E-W in large flocks then dropping back onto sea)
Gannet - 7E, 12W
Auk sp - 3E, 32W
Med Gull - 1 os
Kittiwake - 1E
Sandwich Tern - 8 os

Northcommon farm, Selsey produced nothing except 3 Song Thrushes (probably continental), whilst Sidlesham Ferry Pool was also quiet, the best being 61 Med Gulls in the field.
Westhampnett pit (Chi GPs) held 25 Sand Martins and 1 Swallow (CRJ). A male Marsh Harrier was hunting over the west side of Pagham Hbr at 1820hrs (AH). In a Selsey garden 4 Blackcaps (3m,1f) (SaH/SH)
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Thursday, 4th April: Another bitterly cold day with a strong and biting NE wind; it's been going on for weeks now so surely there must be a change soon. Sea-watching isn't for the faint-hearted at present and the rewards are pretty sparse - but of course you never know. I didn't make it out into the field today, but my thanks to those who did....
Selsey Bill (0825-1135hrs): Dry, cloudy, some sun then sleet/snow flurries. Wind NE6. (Obs:GH)
Red-throated Diver - 6E, 1W
Great Northern Diver  - 2 os
Diver sp - 3E, 4W
Gannet - 10E, 8W
Common Scoter - 18E, 75 os
R/b Merganser - 5E, 1W
Shoveler - 3E
Auk sp - 48W, 20 os
Guillemot - 1 os
Razorbill - 1E, 6W
Curlew - 2E
Med Gull - 3 os
Sandwich Tern - 28E, 7 os


So what do you think of the blog so far?
Ok, this pic has got nothing to do with today's events, but with the dearth of migrants and the unseasonally cold and static weather, I thought a bit of cheering up was needed. This actually dates from Oct 2003 and shows a good number of the Selsey regulars of the time in jovial mood on the Scilly Isles, having just returned from the pub, to find me on cooking duties dressed only in my new trendy underpants!

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Wednesday, 3rd April: Selsey Bill (0745-1230hrs): Dry, cloudy with some sun, wind bitingly cold NE 5. (Obs: GH/C&ME et al): Still a wintry feel with a very cold wind, but the first Manx Shearwater logged today, and only the second Arctic Skua of the season. Details as follows:-
Great Northern Diver - 6 os
Red-throated Diver - 1E, 3W
Diver Sp - 3E, 1W
Great Crested Grebe - 1E, 1 os
Slavonian Grebe - 3 os
Manx Shearwater - 1w (1010hrs)
Gannet - 8E, 1W
Brent Goose - 22E
Goldeneye - 1E (drake, 0943hrs)
Common Scoter - 7E, 2W & large flock of c.180 os
R/b Merganser - 13E, 1W & 8 os
Bar-tailed Godwit - 1E
Curlew - 1E
Oystercatcher - 1E
Sandwich Tern - 22E, 37 os
Med Gull - 5 os
Arctic Skua - 1 os (dk-phase, 1125hrs, drifted off E)
Auk sp - 1E, 2W
Woodpigeon - 4N
Meadow Pipit - 5N
Carrion Crow - 4N
evening watch (1800-1900hrs): (SH)
Red throated Diver - 1E
Great Crested Grebe - 1E
Gannet - 1E, 1W
R/b Merganser - 2E, 4 os
Common Scoter - 100 os
Sandwich Tern - 6E, 64 os

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Tuesday, 2nd April: Selsey Bill (0645-1135hrs): Dry and sunny with a persistent cold wind NE5.

(Obs: GH/OM): Another cold windy day with slow passage, the best bird being an incoming male Marsh Harrier, the second within a week. First spotted by GH's sharp young eyes, it was way out, battling low over the sea and occasionally lost to view, before being watched coming in NW and heading towards the Solent (1114hrs). Totals for the morning were:-

Diver Sp - 8E, 2W

Red-throated Diver - 5E

Great Northern Diver - 4 os

Slavonian Grebe - 1E

Great Crested Grebe - 3E

Brent Goose - 4E

Common Scoter - 12E, 4W & large flock of c.140 o/s

R/b Merganser - 5E, 2W

Tufted Duck - 2E

Auk sp - 2W

Heron - 1W over gardens

Gannet - 9E, 6W

Fulmar - 1W

Grey Plover - 1W

Ringed Plover - 3 ob

Oystercatcher - 1W

Med Gull - 1E, 5W

Sandwich Tern - 48E, 12W

Woodpigeon - 12N

Carrion Crow - 4N

Rook- 3N

Meadow Pipit - 42N

Chaffinch - 1N

Blackcap - 1 in gardens

Northcommon Farm, Selsey held 40+ Curlews feeding in the fields, but little else except a Green and a Great Spotted Woodpecker. At Sidlesham Ferry pool c.60 Shoveler, 4 Avocets, 2 Dunlin, c.40 Med Gulls and 2 Buzzards (GH); also a Red Kite over NW (BFF/DIS/DM). At Long Pool a Bearded Tit was heard calling (BFF et al). East Beach pool still holds a Water Rail, but according to SR the council are busily removing reeds and a bush - I think some representations may be in order. Just to prove my estimate wrong, Andy House counted the Common Scoter flock from the Selsey Coastguards and came up with a total of 180. Also a Great Northern Diver off there (see record shot) and a Rock Pipit.                               Great Northern Diver, Selsey coastguards, 2nd April (photo: Andy House)

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Easter Monday, 1st April: A happy Easter and April Fools' to all readers. This blogsite has been going for less than a month now, but judging by the number of visits made to the site it seems to be worthwhile and serving its purpose in bringing current birding news to those interested in the Selsey Bill and Manhood Peninsula area. I will try to keep the site as up-to-date as possible, but as I've mentioned previously there will no doubt be times when commitments prevent this. Many thanks to all those who supply news and photos; like sea-watching it's a team game and your input in invaluable. I've also listened and taken on board some of your suggestions, though I still have some difficulty in actually applying the technology, and time is often in short supply! Ok, on we go, let's hope for a good spring passage......(OM).

Selsey Bill (0635-1030hrs): ENE4/5, dry, cool, cloudy (Obs: JA et al). The biting NE wind continues, on another of those days that didn't produce anything like the numbers at sites further east:

Red-breasted Merganser - 14E, 4W, 16 os

Common Scoter - 80E, 117 os

Med' Gull - 9E, 2 ob

Slavonian Grebe - 2 os

Black-headed Gull - 34E

Brent Goose - 74E, 5 os

Meadow Pipit - 228N

Gannet - 49E, 15W

diver sp - 7E, 2W

Great Northern Diver - 5 os

Great Crested Grebe - 2E, 2 os

Sandwich Tern - 16E, 18 os

Ringed Plover - 4 ob

Sanderling - 2E, 1 ob

Curlew - 1E

Goldfinch - 4N

Fulmar - 2E

Pied Wagtail - 4N

Woodpigeon - 2N

Turnstone - 5 ob

Red-throated Diver - 5E, 3W

Pintail - 6E, 1W

Wheatear - 1N, 1 ob

Kittiwake - 1E, 1W.

Additional watch 1030-1120hrs included 6 Shoveler os (GH). 

Black Redstart, Sidlesham SF, 1st April (photo: Andy House)

Selsey: Belated news of a Water Rail which came into a garden at Park Road, on 30th March.

Pagham Harbour: The Black Redstart still present at the North Wall around the stables area and nearby 2 Green Woodpeckers. At Medmerry just one Wheatear reported. The Black Redstart (first spotted by the Eames and Moores yesterday) was at the Sidlesham SF this morning (pic attached) and still a dozen or more Chiffchaffs around. The best thing about Fishbourne Creek was being out of the wind, and certainly the birds had a wintry feel to them - 200 Brent Geese, 400 Wigeon, 20 Pintail, 8 Gadwall, 80 Teal and about 180 Black-tailed Godwits (some in summer plumage) being the pick (AH).

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