29th - 30th APRIL

Tuesday, 30th April: The last day of the month and what should be a peak date for spring migration, yet following the protracted cold spell earlier it still isn't really happening. Surely there must be loads yet to come; where are all the terns, waders and skuas? All we can do is keep watching and waiting, but it is uncannily quiet right now and surely must start soon.... just hope I'm at the Bill when it does!
Selsey Bill: (0700-1040hrs)    Dry, sunny, cool wind N3. (Obs: CRJ/MJ/GH/C&ME/SR et al)
Great Northern Diver - 3 os
Red-throated Diver - 1E, 1W
Common Scoter - 12E, 4 os

Fulmar - 1E,  5W

Gannet - 9E

C/A Tern - 8E

Sandwich Tern - 6E

Little Tern - 19E
Rook - 1N

Swallow- 4N

Goldfinch - 3N

Redstart - 1 - gardens

evening watch: 18.00-19.00 hrs (Obs: SH)
Common Scoter - 15E
Gannet - 6E, 2W
Whimbrel - 1E
Auk sp - 3W
Sandwich Tern - 2E, 3W
C/A Tern - 1E.
Wind ESE force 3 and still NO passage!!!
 

Pagham Hbr: Church Norton: 1 Spotted Flycatcher and1 Lesser Whitethroat (CRJ,MJ).

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Monday, 29th April: Apologies for yesterday's varied postings, but I encountered a number of unexpected technical problems! I'm currently looking at the best way to present the blog in the future to make it as reader-friendly as I can.
On with the bird news... in short, not much today and it just was one of those days - ah, the joys of a bright clear sky, a dead clear horizon and a cool, brisk north-westerly wind - just about as bad as it gets for the south coast sea-watcher in spring! Predictably sea-passage was minimal and migrant activity was little better. After just a couple of hours watching the sea I grew restless and with CRJ and MJ had a quick look at Medmerry, before we abandoned the Peninsula in favour of a visit to a couple of inland heaths - even that was a bad idea as we saw very little indeed.

Selsey Bill (0645-0945hrs): Bright, sunny, clear and cool. Wind NW 3-4. (Obs:GH/MJ/OM/CRJ)
Great Northern Diver - 4 os
Brent Goose - 3E
Eider - 2 os (drakes)
Common Scoter - 38E
Fulmar - 1E
Gannet - 17E, 6W
Oystercatcher - 1E, 1os
Common Tern - 3W
C/A Tern - 6E
Sandwich Tern - 5E
Little Tern - 2E, 4os
Swallow - 3N
Linnet - 4N


Two drake Eiders off Selsey Bill
 

An evening watch by Sam Hill produced little except for a smart s/p Slavonian Grebe. 

SR had a walk round Park Farm, Selsey today but couldn't find the Turtle  Dove. At nearby Park Copse just inside the entrance on the right-hand side where the puddle is, a Firecrest came as a nice surprise...it showed well for a good 20 minutes. Also: 2 Blackcaps, 2 Long-tailed Tits, 6 Chiffchaffs.