14th - 16th March 2017

Thursday, 16th March: A gloomy, murky day, with lingering fog and visibility down to a few metres on the coast.....and lingering most of the day.

Selsey: An early Cuckoo was singing repeatedly in the fog mid-afternoon, in the area of some trees at Crablands / Drift Lane, for 10-15 minutes at least. (BJ) The bird could not be seen due to the conditions, but fearing a prank by youngsters, the experienced finder - none other than Beryl James - took care to establish it was definitely a Cuckoo and nothing else imitating. Well done!
 

Northcommon Farm:  A Little Owl was perched on the pile of wood behind the cottages early this morning, a single Curlew was near the lane, two Chiffchaffs were calling and  a few Meadow Pipits flew over but couldn't be seen on the fog. (SR)

Medmerry: Windmill area - Nothing but a couple of Meadow Pipits on the ground and a heard-only Grey Plover over in the fog this morning. (OM/AH)

Meadow Pipit at Medmerry (AH)

Ferry Pool: Just the Black-tailed Godwit, two Shelducks and a dozen Teal on the pool this morning, and a couple of Chiffchaffs near the Visitor Centre. (OM/AH)

Black-tailed Godwit (above) & Teal on the Ferry (AH)

Long Pool: There were still a couple of Cetti's Warblers and a calling Chiffchaff along the hedges this morning, along with a couple of Linnets and Reed Buntings, and a squealing Water Rail, a couple of Little Grebes and half a dozen Tufted Ducks on the pool. (AH)


Itchenor Pond: Surprisingly sunny late afternoon, but not much on offer, a pair of Teal were on the pond, 2+ Treecreepers, 3 Goldcrests, 2 Great Spotted Woodpeckers and Skylarks were singing in the field beyond. (SR)



Wednesday, 15th March: The warmest day of the year so far, after a grey and misty start, with plenty of sunshine developing and a light north-westerly breeze, becoming variable from late morning.....

Selsey Bill: There were probably two different Wheatears present, though flighty, this morning, and an Eider west and another on the sea, but there weren't too many other indications of migration. Full log below...... 

0630-1130hrs: (PB/C&ME/OM/Y&AF et al)
Great Northern Diver - 5 os
Great Crested Grebe - 1 os
Fulmar - 1W
Gannet - 1E
Little Egret - 1E
Brent Goose - 1W
Eider - 1W (male), 1 os
Common Scoter - 2E, 20 os later flew W
Red-breasted Merganser - 9E, 1W, 2 os
Teal - 1E
Oystercatcher - 3E
Common Gull - 2E
Meadow Pipit - 12N
Pied Wagtail - 2 ob
Wheatear - 2 ob
Chiffchaff - 2 gardens

Eider off the Bill this morning (OM)

Ferry Pool: A Kingfisher flew through, but otherwise there were just a Black-tailed Godwit, four Redshanks, six Curlew, two Shelduck, 20 Teal and c40 Wigeon on the pool this morning. (AH)
Later on the Green Sandpiper was back on the pool and there were still 100+ Linnets on Yeoman's Field, off the Tramway. (TG-P)

Wigeon on the Ferry (AH)

Long Pool: There was a calling Cetti's Warbler at either end, plus a handful of Reed Buntings and Linnets this morning, and a Mistle Thrush flew over, heading for the Tramway, but generally it was quiet. 

A Spotted Redshank was among 80 Redshank and 20 Black-tailed Godwits in the channel, a pair of Gadwall went over, and there were 70+ Shelduck out in the harbour, but there were no Avocets about. (AH)

Cetti's Warbler (above), Reed Bunting & Linnet along Long Pool (AH)

Medmerry: Windmill area - A Wheatear and the Black Redstart were both around the rocks on the beach this morning, and a Great Northern Diver was offshore, with another three or four Wheatears along the fenceline on Medmerry Cliff. (AB)

Black Redstart (above) & Wheatears at Medmerry (AB)

Medmerry: Easton Lane to the Stilt Pool - There were plenty of the resident species - Yellowhammer, Reed Bunting, Meadow Pipit, Skylark and Stock Dove - about, but no sign of any migrants.

On the Stilt Pool there was a lone Ringed Plover, whilst Avocet numbers had risen to around 65, and there were a handful of Brent Geese, Wigeon and Teal, plus a pair of Gadwall and a Shoveler. (AH/TR/AB)

Also, later on the wintering Greenshank and Common Sandpiper were both present, along with a Raven. (ARK per SOS)

Avocets (above), Yellowhammer, Gadwall & Stock Dove at Medmerry (AH)

North Wall: A Grey Heron was sitting on a fence post in the stable field at Welbourne, and early on there was just one bird along White's Creek - a confiding Spotted Redshank. Breech Pool is still very full and held just a few Teal, Mallard and 4 Tufted Ducks. Reed Buntings were proclaiming territory along the Wall and 2 Cetti's Warblers were heard, as was a Great Spotted Woodpecker drumming at Honer Farm. Another Cetti's Warbler heard along Pagham Rife where there were still 15 Mute Swans who appear totally oblivious to the bird scarers in the field. Honer reservoir was almost overflowing and there were not many birds to be seen - 11 Coot, 2 Mute Swans, 2 Shelduck and a Mallard! Yellowhammers were singing near Bramber Farm and 2 Little Owls were sunning themselves nearby. Grey Herons are busy nest building/renovating in Owl Copse and Chiffchaffs were singing at several locations. (JDW)

Spotted Redshank in White's Creek and Reed Bunting and Great Spotted Woodpecker at the North Wall (JDW)

Tuesday, 14th March: An okay, if uninspiring, morning, with heavy cloud cover and a brisk westerly breeze....

Selsey Bill: 0715-10.45hrs  (M&CE/DF/DS/GJ et al)
Great Northern Diver - 4 os
Great Crested Grebe - 3 os
Gannet - 5W
Brent Goose - 22E
Shelduck - 1E
Eider - 1 os
Common Scoter - 1E, 10W
Red-breasted Merganser - 3W, 11 os
Grey Plover - 7W
Razorbill - 1E
auk sp - 1W
Mediterranean Gull - 3W
Meadow Pipit - 26N
Pied/alba Wagtail - 2N
Starling - 17N
Chiffchaff - 1 gardens


Medmerry: Windmill area - There were two smart male Wheatears on the beach beyond the Windmill this morning, plus a Meadow Pipit, but no sign of the Black Redstart around the rubble piles. Offshore there were three Great Northern Divers, five Red-breasted Mergansers and c40 distant Common Scoters. (AH)

Wheatears (above), Great Northern Divers & Red-breasted Merganser at Medmerry (AH)

Ferry Pool: There were just two Black-tailed Godwits and eight Teal present on the pool this morning, and only c50 Wigeon on the arable field. (AH)

Church Norton: It was very quiet all round, with just a Great Crested Grebe on the sea, nothing in the bushes and not much in the harbour, though there were c100 Brent Geese, c70 Shelduck and c60 Grey Plovers present. (AH)

Shelducks at Church Norton (AH)