29th - 31st March 2017

Friday, 31st March: Another cool, grey start with a few spots of rain, the wind then backing from south to south-west, but brightening up during the day....

Selsey Bill: There were still a few bits on the move, including another seven Velvet Scoters, 100+ Brent Geese, 40 Sandwich Terns and 80 Common Scoters, plus an unusually large, tight  flock - of 19 - Gannets. Also a dozen Sandwich Terns were feeding offshore, seven Great Northern Divers, plus the Eider, were on the sea and a Wheatear and a Lesser Black-backed Gull were along the beach. Full log below.....

0630-1200hrs: (JA/OM/C&ME/BI/AH/SR)

Red-throated Diver - 5E

Great Northern Diver - 7os

diver sp - 1E

Fulmar - 1W

Gannet - 47E, 6W, 2os

Shag - 2E

Brent Goose - 145E

Shelduck - 2W

Eider - 1os
Common Scoter - 79E, 1W
Velvet Scoter - 7E
Red-breasted Merganser - 11E, 5W
Common Tern - 2E
Sandwich Tern - 40E, 13os
Common Gull - 1E
Mediterranean Gull - 17E
Lesser Black-backed Gull - 1ob departed W
Wheatear - 1 ob
Chiffchaff - 1 gardens

Gannets (above), Lesser Black-backed Gull at the Bill (AH) and Wheatear on the beach (BI)

(1600-1715hrs) (SH)
Red-throated Diver - 1E
gannet - 10E, 6W
Common Soter - 3E
Arctic Skua - 1E (d/p)

Sandwich Tern - 4E, 2W
Swallow - 1N

Selsey Golf Club:  A Black Redstart was around the clubhouse early this morning. (SR)

Ivy Lake: There were 20 or so Sand Martins and a couple of Swallows over the lake this morning. (PH) Half a dozen Sand Martins were still around at lunchtime and there were six Chiffchaffs along the path, two Cetti's Warblers in the scrub and two Blackcaps near the parking. A Comma butterfly was on the brambles. (BI)

Ferry Pool/Ferry Channel: A pair of Avocets was on the pool, along with the Green Sandpiper and a couple of Little Ringed Plovers first thing, and a Greenshank flew over the Visitor Centre. A Cetti's Warbler was also very vociferous near the roadway.
Also the Spotted Redshank was in the channel early on, as were c30 Black-tailed Godwits later, and a Blackcap and a couple of Chiffchaffs were singing from the corner by the Tramway. (AH/OM/BO'D/C Corrigan)

Avocet (above), Black-tailed Godwit & Shelduck around the Ferry (AH)

Church Norton: A male Black Redstart - presumably the one on the beach yesterday - was in the churchyard, though elusive, and a Blackcap and one or two Chiffchaffs were singing nearby, but there wasn't much other evidence of migration. Also a Gadwall was in the marsh by the horse field, and a few Mediterranean Gulls, Brent Geese and Black-tailed Godwits were in the harbour. Along the Severals were at least three calling Cetti's Warblers and two Chiffchaffs and the two Grey Herons were on the concrete wall. (BI/AH)

Gadwall at Church Norton (AH), above, & Black Redstart in the churchyard, below (BI)

Sidlesham: About 30 Mediterranean Gulls were in with Black-headed Gulls in the paddocks opposite our house on the west of the village, and a Blackcap and a couple of Chiffchaffs were singing from the hedgerow. (AH)

Mediterranean Gulls in Sidlesham (AH)

Medmerry: Easton Lane to the Stilt Pool: Late this afternoon there were a Green Sandpiper by the second sluice, 13 Golden Plovers which flew off from the nearby fields, and a Common Sandpiper, a Little Ringed Plover and lots of Avocets around the Stilt Pool. (IP)

Thursday, 30th March: Generally a very pleasant morning, with a light but chilly south-westerly breeze soon becoming more southerly, and the cloud breaking to give some genuine warmth in the hazy sunshine....

Selsey Bill: There was not masses of eastward movement, but a flock of eight Velvet Scoters was notable, and there were also c300 Brent Geese and 40+ Sandwich Terns, plus a Common Tern moving through. Unusual were the three Canada Geese and three Pochard that also passed through, whilst the first-year drake Eider was still about, up to seven Great Northern Divers were offshore and as many as seven Wheatears dropped in on the beach. Full log below......
0630-1330hrs: (C&ME/OM/AH/IB/BFF/DM et al)
Red-throated Diver - 18E, 1os
Great Northern Diver - 7os
diver sp - 3E
Great Crested Grebe - 2os
Fulmar - 1W
Gannet - 8E, 3W
Canada Goose - 3os on shingle bar departed E
Brent Goose - 308E
Eider - 1os
Red-breasted Merganser - 3E
Common Scoter - 39E
Velvet Scoter - 8E (0900hrs)
Shoveler - 2E
Pochard - 3E
Common Tern - 1E
Sandwich Tern - 41E, 6W
Common Gull - 2os
Mediterranean Gull - 5E
Meadow Pipit - 3N
Wheatear - 7 (most seen arriving N from sea)

Eider (above), Sandwich Tern & Brent Geese at the Bill (AH)

(above) Not a sight often seen on a Bill sea-watch..... Canada Geese heading east. 

 (below) An altogether more regular sight..... AH my esteemed co-editor returning from the beach after another 'photo the Eider' mission! (OM)

1650-1735hrs: (JA) A short watch late afternoon produced....
Red-throated Diver - 1E
Great Northern Diver - 3os
Gannet - 12E, 4os
Common Tern - 1os
Sandwich Tern - 4E, 4os
Wheatear - 1ob

Coastguard Station to the Windmill: There was just one Wheatear and a few Meadow Pipits along the field, and offshore there were a dozen distant Common Scoter and a Gannet and eight Brent Geese east. (AH)

Wheatear at Medmerry (AH)

Northcommon Farm:  A Little Owl was soaking up the sunshine this morning, and there were also two Curlews in the fields, a Green Woodpecker and 49 active Rook nests. (SR)

Little Owl at Northcommon Farm (SR)

Ferry Pool/Tramway: There was a bit of activity around the pool this morning, including the Green Sandpiper, three Little Ringed Plovers, a Grey Wagtail and a Water Rail, along with eight Shelduck , five Shoveler and c20 Teal.
There were at least eight singing Chiffchaffs around the Tramway, plus a Blackcap and Cetti's Warbler, but no other migrants were on offer, though the noisy flock of 50+ Linnets were still in the hedge adjoining Yeoman's Field.. (AH/OM)

Water Rail (above), Grey Wagtail and Little Ringed Plovers, Little Ringed Plovers, Shovelers & Chiffchaff around the Ferry (AH)

Long Pool: Early this morning the Spotted Redshank dropped into Ferry Channel near the road. (OM)
Later on, there were still three pairs of Little Grebes on the pool, plus at least half a dozen Chiffchaffs, a couple of Reed Buntings and a dozen Linnets, but there was nothing beyond c50 Redshank and a few Teal in Ferry Channel. (AH)

Little Grebe on the Long Pool (AH)

Church Norton: A stunning male Black Redstart was present, plus five Wheatears feeding around the old concrete harbour entrance. In the harbour there were the Whimbrel, 30 Mediterranean Gulls, four Sandwich Terns and two Peregrines, plus a Marsh Harrier .(HR/BFF/DM)

Chi GPs - Ivy Lake: The only bird of note was a singing Sedge Warbler. (BFF/DM)

Wednesday, 29th March: A cool and grey day, with a brisk south-westerly breeze and intermittent periods of drizzle....

Selsey Bill: Predictably quieter than yesterday with the change in wind direction, but still c140+ Brent Geese, 60+ Sandwich Terns, a Bonxie and a few Common Scoter heading east, with the two Eider and up to half a dozen Great Northern Divers on the sea. Full log below....

0640-1200hrs: (PB/C&ME/JF/ML/OM/AH et al)
Red-throated Diver - 5E

Great Northern Diver - 1E, 5os

diver sp - 4E

Fulmar - 1W

Gannet - 28E, 47W

Shag - 1E

Brent Goose - 148E

Eider - 1W, 2os

Common Scoter - 44E, 13W, 3os

Red-breasted Merganser - 6E, 5W, 2os

Pintail - 10E

Curlew - 3E

Sparrowhawk - 1 gardens

Great Skua - 1W

Sandwich Tern - 61E, 5W

Mediterranean Gull - 4E

Common Gull - 3W

 

Eiders (above) & Brent Geese at the Bill (AH)

Ferry Pool: Five Little Ringed Plovers appeared out of the undergrowth at the back, disturbed by volunteers putting up the electric fencing, and earlier on there had been a couple of Black-tailed Godwits, half a dozen Redshank, 12 Teal and a pair of Shelduck. 

Also, a Kingfisher went over into the harbour, a Grey Wagtail was along the side, a Wheatear was at the back, a Peregrine went over and one of the Cetti's Warblers showed very well by the road.

Visiting birders reported two Whitethroats along the Tramway, and there was also a singing Blackcap and several Chiffchaffs in the vicinity. (AH /OM/JF et al)

This evening two Swallows were feeding over the Discovery area. (AH)

Cetti's Warbler (above) & Little Ringed Plover at the Ferry (AH)

Church Norton: Very quiet again this morning, with just a couple of Chiffchaffs and a Song Thrush singing, and a pair of Teal in the moat of the Mound, with little to be seen in the harbour on the lowish tide, and just a pair of Red-breasted Mergansers and a distant Gannet offshore. (AH)

Teal at Church Norton (AH)

Ivy Lake complex: Not much to report from here, though a Blackcap and several Chiffchaffs were singing, several pairs of Great Crested Grebes were displaying and one or two Shoveler and Pochard were still about, plus the Black Swan. (BI/AH)
Later on, c40 Sand Martins were over Triangle Lake and a Willow Warbler was singing nearby, and a Hobby went over at around 5.30pm. (AB)

Chiffchaff (above) & Great Crested Grebes on Ivy Lake (AH)

Medmerry: Stilt Pool - There were two Little Ringed Plover on the pool this morning, plus the regular Common Sandpiper, though generally it was quiet. (AB) Later, on an evening walk from Easton Lane to the Stilt pool, the Little Ringed Plovers were still present, with two Ringed Plovers. Also logged were 18 Avocets on the first viewpoint and 11 on the pool, 80 Mediterranean Gulls, two Buzzards, two Kestrels, a Sparrowhawk and a feeding flock of 20+ Yellowhammers. (SH)

Little Ringed Plover on Medmerry Stilt pool (SH)