27th - 28th October 2014

Tuesday, 28th October: Another glorious day, with a bit of southerly breeze and bright sunshine.... and with most of us local old boys out bush-bashing today, hoping to find a gem, it fell to Chris Janman to strike gold with a Pallas's Warbler in the oak copse at Church Norton (just west of the second Several).... well done CRJ! The Dartford Warbler was still present at Pagham and a Short-eared Owl was in the dunes at East Head; a flock of 12 Bearded Tits was then reported late afternoon.

Church Norton: A  Pallas's Warbler was present this morning in the oak copse (Bluebell wood), though it was being typically elusive. Also several Goldcrests and a Chiffchaff there, whilst a Black Redstart was briefly in the churchyard, and another near 'Wych Way' alog Rectory Lane. (CRJ)
The Pallas's Warbler was still present late afternoon. (SR)

 Pallas's Warbler at Church Norton (IL}

 

Selsey Bill: (0820-0940) SSW 5 Breezy and Sunny (CRJ et al)
Great Crested Grebe - 1os
Gannet - 1E
Common Scoter - 20E
Red-breasted Merganser - 3E
Little Gull - 1E
Mediterranean Gull - 3E
Sandwich Tern - 3W

Medmerry: Chainbridge to the breach - This morning the Merlin was present again, along with 2 Wheatears, 3-4 Stonechats and 2 Kestrels. (PH)

Ferry Pool: Still 3 Green Sandpipers present, along with 2 Black-tailed Godwits, 30 Lapwing, 18 Shoveler and 60 Wigeon. (AH)
A Sand Martin was with 3 Swallows over the pumps opposite the Ferry today. (AB)

Wigeon on the Ferry (AH)

Yeoman's Field: An unusual record of 12 Bearded Tits at this location this afternoon; it would seem likely they may have originated from Mill Pond Marsh (EM&P Raynor, per IL).

 

Long Pool: The Water Rail was in the Small Pool again, there were 3 Spotted Redshank in the channel, about a dozen Reed Buntings, 20 Long-tailed Tits and 20 Goldcrests were along the hedges and about 15 Grey Partridges in the adjacent stubble field. (AH)

 

Long-tailed Tit & Reed Bunting (above) & Grey Partridge along the Long Pool (AH)

 

North Wall: Along the wall this morning there was a Rock Pipit, 4+ Stonechats, 10+ Reed Buntings and 30 Linnets over. A Water Rail was on the Breach Pool along with 60 Black-tailed Godwits, 30 Teal and 8 Wigeon, but there were few waders in White's Creek. (AH)

 

Water Rail (above), Stonechats & Rock Pipit from the North Wall (AH)

Pagham Spit/Lagoon: The Dartford Warbler was still present along the same area of the spit as at the weekend, though it flew off into the saline vegetation and didn't reappear! Not much else to report, though there were plenty of Brent Geese dropping into the harbour and 200+ Wigeon and 50+ Pintail on the water.
On the Lagoon there were 30+ Little Grebes, 6 Great Crested Grebes and 20 Tufted Duck. (AH)

 

Little Grebes on the Lagoon (above) & Brent Geese over the harbour (AH)

 

East Head & West Wittering: An early start this morning was a wise move, as by ten o'clock the place was absolutely heaving with traffic, dog walkers and families taking advantage of the sunny weather and half term holidays. Best bird here was the Short-eared Owl, out on the Head in the dunes, but there wasn't a lot of other interest to go with it.... several Stonechats, a Spotted Redshank in the harbour, Brent Geese in increasing numbers, 10 Sanderlings on the sand flats and just a couple of Great Crested Grebes in the channel. A brief scan of Snowhill Marsh found nothing out of the ordinary, and with the imminent arrival of a junior outing it was time to move on. We scoured the sallows and churchyard looking for eastern promise but only came up with 3 Chiffchaffs and 6 Goldcrests. There was a bit of vis mig going on, with finches passing through and also c.30 Skylarks, 120 Woodpigeons, 20 Stock Doves, 4 Jays and a flock of c.200 Jackdaws, but with the visitors by now flooding in, it was definitely time to leave. (OM/BFF/DM).

Short eared Owl at East Head (DM}

 

Fishbourne Creek: At least 2 Greenshank were in the channel and a dozen Yellowhammers in the bushes, with a couple of Stonechats on the fences and a Chiffchaff and several Goldcrests calling nearby. However, before we could get into our stride we got a phone call from CRJ...... exit stage left and we were soon on our way to Church Norton! (OM/BFF/DM).

 

Monday, 27th October: Another unseasonably mild morning, bright and breezy with the wind from the south...

Selsey Bill (0750 - 0930hrs): Sunny, wind S 3-4.(Obs: OM/AH) Three juvenile Pomarine Skuas were reported moving west early on (per GH), but otherwise little activity offshore during the above times, though there was a Great Northern Diver on the sea and quite a few passerines moving about, many moving east but others not particularly in any direction. Log.....
Great Northern Diver  1 os
Gannet - 30E, 5W
Little Egret  1E
Brent Goose - 1E, 4W
Kestrel - 1W
Woodpigeon - 120 SW
Med Gull  6 os
Razorbill - 1E
Swallow - 2 SW
Skylark - 9 SE
Pied Wagtail - 5 SE
Linnet - c.250, (various directions!)
Goldfinch - 300, mainly E

Selsey area: A look around various sites this morning produced the following:
Northcommon Farm - 1 Buzzard, 6 Goldcrests, 1 Chiffchaff
Warner Lane Paddocks - 5 Stonechats
Coastguard Field - 1 Stonechat
Chainbridge Field to Porthole Farm - 67 Brent Geese feeding on grass. (CRJ/OM)
Additionally at Drift Lane marsh there were 13 Snipe and a single Chiffchaff (OM).

Medmerry: West Sands to the Breach - The two Wheatears were still along the sea-defence rocks, and there were c200 Linnets, c50 Meadow Pipits, c20 Skylarks and c10 Pied Wagtails around, plus the regular Kestrel, though the only waders were a single Curlew on the pools and c150 Lapwing and c40 Golden Plover out in the middle. (AH)

 

Wheatear (above) & Kestrel at Medmerry (AH)

 

Ferry Pool: There were 3 Green Sandpipers again this morning, plus the 7 Avocets, 40 Lapwing, 16 Shoveler and 60 Wigeon (AH)

Green Sandpiper (above) & drake Shoveler on the Ferry (AH)

 

Church Norton: Not much to report on a walk round Greenlease Farm and the Severals. No sign of the Marsh Tit or the Black Redstart in the breezy conditions, though there were 200+ Linnets on the newly cultivated fields, and half a dozen Pied Wagtails around the farm buildings. Also the Whimbrel and the leucistic Curlew were in the harbour. (AH)

Pied Wagtail at Greenlease Farm (AH)

 

Chi. G Pits: Drayton Pits - A pretty routine visit with the regular common wildfowl present in fairly low numbers. Eighteen Shoveler and 24 Gadwall were probably the most notable of the bunch, whilst a low-flying Buzzard scattering the ducks provided some brief excitement, and 4 Chiffchaffs and a Cetti's Warbler were the only other birds worthy of mention (OM).