23rd - 25th April 2015

Saturday, 25th April: Rain overnight and into the early morning was the first for some while, but it cleared to give a cloudy then sunny morning with a moderate SW wind...

Selsey Bill 0530 - 1200hrs: Rainy, cloud, sun SW4. A gathering of observers around the bench this morning; nothing out of the ordinary seen though several Arctic Skuas and a Bonxie passed through and a Hobby arrived. (Obs; JA/SH/JF/CRJ/OM et al) Log below...

Red-throated Diver - 4E
Great Northern Diver - 2 os
Diver sp - 1E
Fulmar - 6E, 12W
Gannet - 36E, 54W
Brent Goose - 49E
Eider - 7W
Common Scoter - 55E
Whimbrel - 3W
Bar-tailed Godwit - 1E
Sanderling - 4W
Hobby - 1N
Auk sp - 3W
Razorbill - 3W
Arctic Skua - 3E (2 l/p, 1 d/p)
Great Skua - 1E
Little Tern - 8E
Common Tern - 14E
Commic Tern - 20E (of which 11 probably Arctics), 40os
Sandwich Tern - 37E, 10os
Kittiwake - 2W
Mediterranean Gull - 4E
Wheatear - 1N / beach
Swallow - 18N
Additional: 16.00 - 18.30hrs (SH/JA/AH)
Fulmar - 2W
Gannet - 24E, 2W
Manx Shearwater - 3E
Kestrel - 1 p
Arctic Skua - 2E (d/p)
Commic Tern 19E, 11os
Sandwich Tern - 9E, 12os
Swallow - 13N

Fulmar past the Bill (AH)

Oh dear...a bit of a chair malfunction leads to a loss of dignity as yours truly nosedives into the undergrowth.... and there's always someone with a camera! (CMcKee)

Selsey - Northcommon Farm: Not much to record on a fairly brief visit this morning, the meagre best being a Whitethroat, a Chiffchaff, 3 Red-legged and 1 Grey Partridge (OM).

Church Norton: A visit around midday found a fair few migrants and a bit more activity than of late...in no particular order the log was as follows (S&SaH/C&ME/C&JG):
Hobby - 1 (west side)
Lesser Whitethroat - 1
Blackcap - 2
Garden Warbler - 4 (1 car park, 1Park farm 2 Severals)
Swallow - 40+ (20 in off sea)
Wheatear - 3 shingle spit
Whinchat - 1 cracking male horse field
Cuckoo - 2 males, very active
Whitethroat - 10+
Chiffchaff - 10+
Willow Warbler - 1
Mediterranean Gull - 3 os
Whimbrel  - 2 W os
Gannet - 3W
Sandwich Tern - 6 os
Common Tern - 6 os

Blackcap and Whinchat at Church Norton (SH)

Ferry Pool: Six Avocets and a Dunlin with the reducing flock of Black-tailed Godwits, plus the usual Shelducks and a couple of Shoveler (OM/JF). Nearby on the Visitor Centre area, the Nightingale was on the path to the Tramway again, and a Lesser Whitethroat and several Whitethroats were around the cycle path Also a Kingfisher was in Ferry Channel. (C&ME).Early this morning a Greenshank and a Spotted Redshank briefly dropped into the Ferry, and late afternoon there were two Spotted Redshanks roosting the high tide, along with c120 Black-tailed Godwits, and there were 12 Gadwall and six Shoveler on the water. (AH)

Spotted Redshank on the Ferry (AH)

East Side: A Cuckoo was at the Slipe Field (C&ME).

Medmerry: Easton Lane to the Stilt Pool - A Cuckoo was around the Marsh Barn area and a Wheatear and a Peregrine were near Easton Farm, and along the banks there were 12+ Yellowhammers, several Whitethroats, Reed Buntings, Meadow Pipits and Swallows, plus around 20-30 Skylarks. 

Three Spoonbills were snoozing out on the reserve together, whilst on the Stilt Pool the Avocets were all paired up and seeing off all-comers, including a pair of Mute Swans, and at least three Little Ringed Plovers were in almost constant display-flight. (AH)

Cuckoo (above), Little Ringed Plovers & Avocet seeing off a Mute Swan at Medmerry (AH)

Friday, 24th April: Somehow, overnight, the promise of light south-south-easterly winds turned into dense fog which didn't really lift until mid-morning, whereupon the breeze picked up and shifted south-west....

Selsey Bill (0715-1215hrs): A big turnout of watchers, with all frustrated by the weather! There was dense fog which didn't really lift until gone 0930, leaving observers kicking their heels for the early part of the morning - the mood not being helped when a local lady non-birder gave a credible account of finding a Hoopoe yesterday around the Green Lane playing field! Needless to say a forlorn search today was to no avail... ah joy! As the fog gradually cleared 250+ Brent Geese moved east, plus a few Whimbrel, at least ten Little Terns were among the feeding flock of Common and Sandwich Terns and half a dozen Great Northern Divers were offshore.... but it wasn't what we expected! Full log below... (OM/JA/CN/PM/C&ME et al)
Red-throated Diver - 4E

Great Northern Diver - 6os

Great Crested Grebe - 1os

Fulmar - 3E, 1W

Gannet - 3E, 6W

Brent Goose - 254E

Eider - 2W

Shelduck - 2 p (local birds)

Common Scoter - 40E

Whimbrel - 27E, 8W

Razorbill - 1E

Arctic Skua - 1E (d/p)

Little Tern - 14os

Common Tern - 18E, 70os

Sandwich Tern - 10E, 12os

Swallow - 50N

Sand Martin - 1N

Meadow Pipit - 2N

Linnet - 10 p

Willow Warbler - 1 gardens

Views of the Bill this morning: the shoreline just about visible in the murk, and (below).. if you can't see the birds let them come to you...PM being entertained by Turnstones on the Wall (OM)

Great Northern Diver off the Bill (AH)

Classic Bill views - Brent Geese behind the triangle (above) & birders huddled up along the wall (AH)

(1600-1830) (IP/SH/AH/JA)

Great Crested Grebe - 1os

Fulmar - 2W

Gannet - 10E, 7W

Kestrel - 1P

Oystercatrcher - 2E

Curlew - 1W

Sandwich Tern - 20E, 24W

Common Tern - 2E, 5os

Little Tern - 1E, 2os

Swallow 3N

Wheatear 2ob (both females)

Sandwich Tern (above) & Wheatear at the Bill (AH)

Medmerry: West Beach - Yesterday's Whinchat was still around the Go-Kart track behind the windmill with a couple of Wheatears, and a couple of Meadow Pipits were displaying over the field. (TR/AH/GH)

Whinchat (above) & Wheatear at Medmerry (AH)

Ferry Pool: A Nightingale was singing again from the same location as a week ago, along the path from the Visitor Centre to the Tramway. Is it the same bird, or a new one? Also a Cuckoo, a Lesser Whitethroat and several Whitethroats and Blackcaps in the vicinity. (TR et al)

Little of note on the pool, even when the fog lifted, with a dozen Black-tailed Godwits being the only waders present. Later on there was a single Common Sandpiper, too. (AH)

Church Norton: Up to 20 Whimbrel in the harbour, along with a flock of 100+ Dunlin, 40+ Black-tailed Godwits and a flock of unseen Sandwich Terns went over, calling noisily in the fog. A solitary Willow Warbler sang intermittently by the concrete wall, a couple of Sedge Warblers likewise in the Severals and Chiffchaff, Whitethroat and Blackcap were all thinly distributed around the hedgerows. (AH)

Sedge Warbler (above), Whitethroat & the fog at Church Norton (AH)

Selsey (West): A visit to several sites produced nothing exciting; Warner Lane paddocks held a singing Lesser Whitethroat and a Willow Warbler, Northcommon Farm was no better with a Lesser Whitethroat and a Chiffchaff, whilst Chainbridge Field produced 6 Whitethroats, a Reed Warbler, a Sedge Warbler, a Chiffchaff and a Cetti's Warbler (OM).

In the horse paddocks in Golf Link's Lane, one Grey Partridge and four Red-Legged Partridges, one Wheatear breifly on a fence and a Green Woodpecker (BI).

 Green Woodpecker and Grey Partridge at Selsey Golf Links Lane (BI)

Chichester GPs: Ivy Lake - No sign of the Little Gull late this afternoon, though there were at least 20 Common Terns present, plus similar of Great Crested Grebe, and a Sedge Warbler, a Cetti's Warbler and several Chiffchaffs and Blackcaps were in the bushes, though no hirundines at all. (AH)

Common Terns on Ivy Lake (AH)

Thursday, 23rd April: The north-east wind finally eased somewhat, and after a grey start the sun finally came through....with the wind then becoming notably more easterly. That was the cue for a bit more sea-passage to start...

 (0700 - 1400hrs) : Cloud then sun, dry, wind NE4 - E3. After a slow start a few birds started moving, including three incoming Hobbies, a couple of Swifts and plenty of hirundines in off the sea, and a steady eastward movement of waders plus several Arctic Skuas.  (Obs: GH/OM/JF/AH/CN/C&ME et al) Further observers arrived through the morning and the Log was duly handed over at 1400; hopefully there will be near full coverage today. Full log below:

Red-throated Diver - 7E
Great Northern Diver - 6os
Diver sp - 2E
Great Crested Grebe - 1E, 1os
Gannet - 13E, 2W
Fulmar - 2E, 2W
Brent Goose - 12E, (including a Pale-bellied Brent Goose with 4 Dark-bellied)

Common Scoter - 135E
Dunlin - 2E
Sanderling - 4E
Turnstone - 10E
Grey Plover - 8E
Bar-tailed Godwit - 31E
Whimbrel - 101E
Razorbill - 2E
Hobby - 3N
Arctic Skua - 6E (4 d/p, 2 l/p)
Little Tern - 44E
Common Tern - 15E
Commic Tern - 157E
Sandwich Tern - 50E
Kittiwake - 1E
Swift - 2N
Swallow - 102N
House Martin - 2N
Meadow Pipit - 5N
Willow Warbler - 1N - gardens
14.00-18.10hrs (PB/AB/JF/JA/SH/IP/CN)
Great Northern Diver - 3os
diver sp - 1E
Gannet - 9E, 2W
Eider - 2E
Common Scoter - 2E
Whimbrel - 2E
Arctic Skua - 3E (2d/p, 1l/p)
Mediterranean Gull - 2E
Little Gull - 7E, 2os
Kittiwake - 1E

Sandwich Tern - 43E, 10os

Common Tern - 14E

Commic Tern - 102E

Little Tern - 8E, 3os

18.10 to 19.15hrs (SH/CN)
Gannet - 3E, 1W
Shoveler - 4E
Bar-tailed Godwit - 11E
Whimbrel - 6E
Sandwich Tern - 11E
Commic Tern - 1E
Mediterranean gull - 2E
Swallow - 1N

Arctic Skua (AB) (top), Whimbrels (above) (OM) & Sandwich Tern (AH) passing the Bill

Medmerry: West Beach (Windmill area) - Early on there were two Black Redstarts around the back of the Go-kart track (GH), but they had moved on mid-morning, when there was a Whinchat and half a dozen Wheatears, including a very good candidate for a Greenland bird, as consolation. They all, too, seemed to have moved on within a few minutes. (AH)

Breach area - Two Yellow Wagtails went over north, and five Whimbrel went over eastwards. (GH)

Stilt Pool area - Still four Spoonbills on the reserve this morning. (PH)

Probable 'Greenland' Wheatear at Medmerry (AH)

Ferry Pool: There were four Common Sandpipers on the pool first thing, plus a Spotted Redshank and three Avocets. (AH/OM/DF/CN)

Common Sandpiper on the Ferry (AH)

Long Pool/West Side: A Greenshank was along the channel early on, and there were also two different Spotted Redshanks present, plus a Gadwall and three Whimbrel. Plenty of Sedge Warblers singing along the pool, plus a few Reed Buntings and Whitethroats, and a Mistle Thrush went over

It was very quiet along the west side, with just a few Whitethroats and Skylarks in evidence, and probably another Whimbrel across the harbour. (AH)

Spotted Redshanks (above) & Whitethroat from Long Pool (AH)

Halsey's Farm/North Wall: A singing Lesser Whitethroat by the farm was one of very few migrants seen or heard early this evening. Otherwise, bar a bit of Sedge Warbler activity in the reeds it was very quiet, and there was nothing of note on the Breech Pool except a Little Ringed Plover, though there was plenty of activity from the Grey Herons and Little Egrets in Owl Copse. (AH)

Grey Heron from North Wall (AH)

Chichester GPs: Ivy Lake - An adult Little Gull was hawking over the lake this evening, and there were eight Swifts feeding up high. (AB)

Little Gull over Ivy Lake (AB)