21st - 22nd September 2013

Sunday, 22nd September: High pressure still prevailing; mild, but remaining fairly dull and overcast all day. Just off our patch, 2 Red-backed Shrikes are on offer at Thorney Island (thanks to Barry and Margaret Collins and Ads Bowley), but on the Peninsula it was much the same as the last few days...
 

Selsey Bill 0630-0900hrs: Calm, mild, cloudy. (Obs; SH et al)
Gannet - 1E

Brent Goose - 24W

Wigeon - 13W

Common Scoter - 3E

Curlew - 1W

Sparrowhawk - 1 gardens
Med Gull - 16 os
Sandwich Tern - 13 os
Wheatear - 1 ob
Pied Flycatcher -  1 in gardens, (Don Nicklelson only observer)
Meadow Pipit -  8 p
Swallow - 217 SW
Chiffchaff - 10 in gardens
Grey Wagtail -  2W
Pied Wagtail - 1 ob
Common Seal 1 offshore

Pagham Hbr: North Wall/Breech Pool: Two Curlew Sandpipers and a Spotted Redshank were showing well in White's Creek together with c.300 Wigeon and a few Pintail. Probably 60 Black-tailed Godwits present, spread between various locations. Masses of Swallows and House Martins were over the Pool and everywhere, plus a high-up Hobby and a Kestrel as escorts! I met Mr & Mrs JW on a pre-WeBS count recce and exchanged pleasantries, before setting off to cover the East side. The latter site produced 3 Greenshank, 12 Yellow-legged Gulls (all but one adults), another Curlew Sandpiper, plus 60 Grey and 3 Golden Plover (OM).

 

Yellow-legged Gull, Pagham Hbr East side.

 

North Fields (WeBS): Moorhen 5, Coot 4, Mallard  28, Teal 81, Tufted 1, Little Grebe 1, Cormorant 2, Grey heron 3, Little Egret 1, Snipe 5, Black-tailed Godwit 102, Redshank 1, Spotted Redshank 1, Lapwing 79, Curlew 34, Mute Swan 2 (Jim W).

Church Norton (15.30hrs): Redstart (male) 1, Spotted Flycatcher - 2, Blackcap 4, Chiffchaff 30+, Swallow 500+, House Martin 200+, Whitethroat 2 (SH).

On the weedy sunflower field next to Honer Reservoir were 3 Whinchat, only a single Tufted and 2 Little Grebe on the water. Nearby at Honer Farm a sheltered spot held 3 Spotted Flycatchers, 4 Blackcaps and 2 Whitethroats. Despite hearing the “clack-clack-clack “ of a Ring Ouzel at Mill Pond Marsh I was unable to get a visual; c. 10 Chiffchaff en-route. Still no Shrike !!! (CRJ).

 
Selsey to Church Norton (09.30 hrs)  (S&SaH)
Grey Wagtail - 2
Hobby - 2
Stonechat -1
Chiffchaff - 20+
Willow Warbler - 6
Whitethroat - 4
Blackcap - 2
Huge numbers of hirundines, 5000+ swallows,1000+ House Martins and 10+ Sand Martins.

 

Saturday, 21st September: A variety of species at the Bill included a Hobby, 2 Arctic Skuas and the first returning Brent Geese. Otherwise a reasonable spread of migrants across the Peninsula though nothing outstanding.

Selsey Bill: 0630-0830hrs: Cloudy, wind light SW3.  (Obs: SH et al)
Gannet - 4E, 1W
Eider - 1W
Common Scoter - 25E
Teal - 6W
Pintail - 1W
Wigeon - 4W
Dunlin - 1W
Hobby- 1 over beach
Med Gull - 20 os
C/A Tern - 2W
Common Tern - 1W
Sandwich Tern - 13 os
Chiffchaff 6 in garden
Meadow Pipit - 54N
Yellow Wagtail - 39 ob
White Wagtail - 1 ob
Grey Wagtail - 1 ob
Swallow - 106 S
Sand Martin - 7 S
0830 to 1030Hrs:  (Obs: C&M Eames, DS)
Mute Swan - 4W 
Brent Goose - 3W (first returning birds)
Eider - 1W (male)
Common Scoter - 8W
Wigeon - 14W
Arctic Skua - 2W
Meadow Pipit - 40 W
Swallow - 242 E

I made a quick visit to the horse paddock off Warner Lane (Selsey) late this afternoon and found the 3 Whinchats, 1 Whitethroat, 1 Blackcap, 3 Chiffchaffs, 17 Swallows and 4 House Martins (SR).

Walk from Selsey to Church Norton (0900hrs) (S&SaH)
Sandwich Tern - 6
Wheatear - 1
Whitethroat - 1
Chiffchaff - 30+
Willow Warbler - 6
Blackcap - 2
Swallow - 500+ S
Sand Martin - 10
House Martin - 2 
Same walk (1500hrs): (S&SaH)
Sandwich Tern - 9
Wheatear - 1
Swallow 20+
Chiffchaff - 30+
Willow Warbler - 2
Blackcap - 6
Whitethroat - 2
Long tailed Tit - 40+ in 3 flocks

With RJS today we cycled from Runcton to Honer Reservoir, 2 Little Grebe, Summer Lane Sewage Farm 1 Spotted Flycatcher, White’s Creek/Breech Pool 3 Curlew Sandpiper and 3 Spotted Redshank and Yeoman’s Field 1 Redstart, about 20 Chiffchaffs on route (CRJ).