28th - 29th March 2014

Saturday, 29th March: A cold, hazy start but dry, sunny and deceptively cool in the brisk ESE wind, though gradually warming up later. Conditions dictated it just had to be another sea-watching session, though it turned out to be a good deal slower than yesterday. I'd planned to be at the Bill until mid-afternoon, but in the event I was lured off the Peninsula at noon by news of a Hoopoe at Climping.....meanwhile AH had found a smart Black Redstart at Church Norton! (OM)

 

Selsey Bill: 0620-1200hrs: Dry, sunny, wind ESE4 5. (Obs: JA/CRJ/S.Hat/DF/OM/AH).

A slow start at the Bill, but eventually more evidence of migration, with a steady flow of Common Scoters and Sandwich Terns, plus four Little Gulls - full log below....

Great Northern Diver - 5 os

Diver sp - 1E

Great Crested Grebe - 1E, 1 os

Fulmar - 2E, 4W

Gannet - 20E

Brent Goose - 76E

Common Scoter - 195E

Shoveler - 1E

R/b Merganser - 29E, (inc 4os which later flew off E)

Sanderling - 2 ob

Turnstone - 10 ob

Curlew - 1E

Oystercatcher - 3E

Sandwich Tern - 29E

Little Gull - 4E

Common Gull - 7E

Meadow Pipit - 28N

Linnet - 2 p

Pied Wagtail - 2E

 

Sanderling on the beach at the Bill (OM)

More Brent Geese on the move today (OM)

Common Scoters passing Selsey Bill (AH)

 

Church Norton: A bright male Black Redstart at Greenlease Farm was the highlight this morning. Otherwise quiet - 120 Brent Geese and 5 female Red-breasted Mergansers in the harbour, and a few Chiffchaffs and Meadow Pipits about being the best of the rest. (AH)

 

Black Redstart at Greenlease Farm (AH)

 

Friday, 28th March: A cold grey start, with some heavy rain and showers before the sun finally came out, then rain again later. A fresh, cool E/SE wind force 3-4 dominated throughout, but at long last there was some proper spring passage at the Bill.... nothing unusual, but for the huddle of regulars on the 'southeast corner' it was nice to see birds on the move, especially as many were at fairly close range having obviously come through the Solent. This favourable wind direction is set to last for several days, so hopefully some interesting birds will oblige us.

A huddle of Bill regulars on the south-east corner this morning (OM)

 

Selsey Bill 0600 to 1400hrs: Cloud, rain, squally showers. Cool wind E/SE 3-4.
(Obs: JA/OM/SR/AH/C&ME).
Great Northern Diver - 5 os
Red-throated Diver - 1E
Brent Goose - 330E
Shoveler - 2E
Pintail - 4E
Common Scoter - 236E
R/b Merganser - 25E, 5 os
Fulmar - 2E, 7W
Gannet - 5E, 4W
Shag - 1E
Dunlin - 2E, 1W
Grey Plover - 3E
Curlew - 1E, 1W
Little Gull - 1E
Common Gull - 21E
Black-headed Gull - 26 on playing field
Sandwich Tern - 23E, 2W
Meadow Pipit - 7N

Count this lot then!! Flocks of Dark-bellied Brent Geese passing the Bill close inshore (OM)

Common Scoters passing Selsey Bill (AH)

 

Medmerry: (West Beach) Three Green Sandpipers were briefly together on the flooded area between the caravans and the bank before swiftly disappearing again round the bend of the bank. Also there were 6 Avocets swimming on the biggest pool, with up to 10 displaying Lapwings, 6 Redshank, 2 Ringed Plovers and 140 Brent Geese around the other pools, and a dozen Linnets on the grass. (AH)

Avocets on Medmerry (AH)

Ferry Pool: Just 2 Avocets here this morning, along with the usual wildfowl. (AH)  

Chi GP's: I took a walk down the footpath by Ivy Lake around 11am today. Not too much to report though there was a drake Goldeneye on Trout Lake. 2 singing male Chiffchaffs along the footpath and two singing male Blackcaps too (one was actually in Peckham Copse Lane). No Hirundines present though whatsoever. Probably the most attractive bird seen was a Bar-headed Goose with the Greylags on the Lake south of the footpath just before Peckham Copse Lane. (Jeff Goodridge)