22nd - 24th September 2018

Monday, 24th September: A complete contrast to yesterday, with a bright and sunny day, after a very chilly start, with a moderate northerly breeze....

Selsey Bill: The first Red-throated Diver of the autumn was on the sea mid-morning, but besides a couple of Brent Geese and a few Wigeon, Gannets and Sandwich Terns there wasn't much else on the move offshore, though five Yellow Wagtails, three Grey Wagtails and 400+ Meadow Pipits were heading north/west, five Wheatears were along the beach and a dozen Chiffchaffs were around the Bill House garden. Full log below.... 
0745-1115hrs: (C&ME/AH/MJ)
Red-throated Diver - 1 os
Gannet - 2E, 23W
Little Egret - 2N
Brent Goose - 15E
Common Scoter - 10E
Wigeon - 34W
Sandwich Tern - 10 os
Meadow Pipit - 417N
Yellow Wagtail - 5E
Pied Wagtail - 18E
Grey Wagtail - 3N
Swallow - 405NE
House Martin - 43E
Wheatear - 5 ob
Chiffchaff - 12 gardens

Wheatears (above), Chiffchaff, Sandwich Tern & Mediterranean Gull at the Bill (AH)

The Waverley - the last sea-going paddle-steamer - crossing with a tall ship off the Bill (AH)

North Wall: A Wryneck was seen along the top of the Wall early on (0840hrs), when it unexpectedly flushed from the path and flew to a nearby bush. It briefly dropped onto the path again, then returned to the bush, staying half-obscured for a minute or so before being flushed by a jogger and moving slightly north (OM). It had not been re-located by early afternoon....
On the Breech Pool were 2 Greenshank, 3 Snipe, 30 Lapwings and 25 Black-tailed Godwits, plus 2 Cetti's Warblers and five Reed Buntings. Two Stonechats were present between there and Halsey's Farm, and along the hedgerows there were also at least half a dozen Blackcaps, 10 Chiffchaffs, 60 Meadow Pipits and 200 House Martins.(OM)

Another masterclass from the OM photo gallery..... (above) Panic to get any sort of record shot with the bird about to disappear, so grab a hasty hand-held phone-scope image of the bush...

(centre)...then crop hard and enlarge.....can you spot the Wryneck centre of image, just to the right of the tip of the upright pale stalk? .... then (below) crop further to obtain a blurry larger image. Yep, I think I'm improving!  (OM)

Ferry Pool/Long Pool: There were c120 Lapwings, c40 Black-tailed Godwits, c30 Teal and c20 Shelducks on the pool at high tide, whilst a Whimbrel was in the channel opposite ealier on, as was a brief fly-by Kingfisher.
The Tramway circuit held at least 20 Blackcaps, along with half a dozen Chiffchaffs and a Whitethroat, whilst a Lesser Whitethroat, a Blackcap and a Chiffchaff were along the Long Pool hedges, half a dozen Reed Buntings, Meadow Pipits and Swallows went over and a Snipe was in the reeds of the pool itself. (AH)

Blackcap (above), Chiffchaff, Song Thrush, Snipe, Whimbrel & Shelduck around the Ferry (AH)

Church Norton: Nineteen Spoonbills flew over the harbour at 1115hrs (per IL)....(quite possibly the same flock as seen in the Cambridgeshire and London areas in previous days). Later on, four Stonechats were around the horsefield. (AW)

 Spoonbills over the harbour (with thanks to Andy & Lorraine Goddard)

Medmerry: West side - A look at all of the pools on the west side still failed to produce anything other than Canada Geese, Tufted Ducks, Gadwall and Wigeon and there were no waders at all on the Stilt Pool. The most numerous birds were Meadow Pipits of which there were many hundreds along the banks and fence-lines. There was also a Stonechat at Earnley, two Whinchats near the Stilt Pool and a Wheatear by Easton Lane (the car park here is now closed until October 1st). A few Skylarks were overhead and there were plenty of Yellowhammers and Linnets near the easterly hedgerow as well as two Corn Buntings. (BI)

Later on, a Barn Owl was out hunting at 5.15pm, as was a Short-eared Owl, along with a Merlin, a Hobby, two Buzzards and at least ten Kestrels. 

A Greenshank, a Kingfisher and 100+ Mediterranean Gulls were around the poplars area, whilst along the banks there were two Whinchats, four Stonechats, a Wheatear, two Chiffchaffs, a Cetti's Warbler, a Corn Bunting, 20+ Yellowhammers, 15 Yellow Wagtails and 100+ Meadow Pipits, with 100+ Swallows and 50+ House Martins over. (S&SaH)

Barn Owl (above) & Yellow Wagtail at Medmerry (SH)

Medmerry: Ham Farm - Towards dusk this evening a Short-eared Owl was hunting between the banks and the breach and a Barn Owl was over the rough field near the farm, whilst a pair of Grey Partridges were in the big field stubble south of the bank. There were also 3-400 Meadow Pipits in the fields, a Yellow Wagtail over and a Chiffchaff in the hedges. (AH/BO'D)

Short-eared Owl at Medmerry (AH)

Sunday, 23rd September: A grey, wet and dismal morning, with moderate to heavy rain and a fresh, cool N/NW wind......though due to brighten by afternoon.

Selsey Bill: A good effort in the increasingly heavy rain this morning by two of the hardy regulars produced a few bits and pieces, including a Hobby and five Wheatears along the beach. Full log below......

0645-0830hrs: (SH/PB)
Gannet - 1E
Hobby - 1 in area
Sandwich Tern - 7E, 3W
Mediterranean Gull - 12E, 2W
Meadow Pipit - 47NE
Swallow - 1E
House Martin - 13E
Wheatear - 5 ob
Chiffchaff - 4 gardens

A wet Wheatear on the beach at the Bill (SH)

Also, it is worthy of comment here that following the recent report of a probable Sooty/Bridled Tern heading west fairly distantly off the Bill (16th Sept, SH/PB), a Sooty or Bridled Tern was seen passing Whitburn (Co. Durham) this morning, though fairly distantly.  Surely not a co-incidence? (Eds)

Selsey, Park farm: There were at least 200 House Martins, plus a few Sand Martins and Meadow Pipits, and also three Chiffchaffs and a Sparrowhawk, once the rain had eased. (SH)

Pagham Lagoon & Spit: There were half a dozen Mediterranean Gulls on the lagoon this morning as well as nine Little Grebes and a few Great Crested Grebes. The spit held a single Wheatear and a small flock of Linnets whilst on Little Lagoon were another seven Little Grebes and three Redshanks. There was also a notable House Martin movement here with at least 300 moving through. (BI)

Ferry Pool: Little to report in the poor conditions this morning, with just the usual Teal, Shelduck and Lapwings present on the main pool and a few Black-tailed Godwits on the smaller pool. (BI)

Church Norton: A Mistle Thrush was in the churchyard, ten Meadow Pipits went over,  a couple of Chiffchaffs were along the back path and six Redshanks were in the harbour but not much else of interest in the rain early on. (BI) 
This afternoon at least 500 House Martins were moving through the harbour on a wide front, with a few Swallows and Meadow Pipits mixed in. Twenty Chiffchaffs were present along the hedgerows, whilst a Sparrowhawk went over and 12 Sandwich Terns were offshore. (SH)
Later, there was a Spoonbill over the end of the spit and there were two Wheatears along the beach whilst a Marsh Harrier was over Tern Island and there were two Peregrines in the harbour. (AW)

Spoonbill, above, and Wheatear at Church Norton (AW)

Chi GPs - Ivy Lake: A  flock of hirundines consisting mainly of House Martins with a few Swallows & Sand Martins mixed in was present but nothing else of note during a brief visit. (BI)

Saturday, 22nd September: A grey and overcast day with a fresh to strong W/SW wind and the promise of heavy rain later....which duly arrived by early afternoon.

Selsey Bill: A few Sandwich and Common Terns passed through, but the morning was dominated by a heavy movement of 1700 Meadow Pipits and 250+ Swallows heading west, plus 30 Siskins. Full log below......
0645-0900hrs:  (SH/PB)
Gannet - 2E, 1W
Brent Goose - 1os
Common Scoter - 5W
Common Tern - 9W
Sandwich Tern - 39W
Mediterranean Gull - 12W
Grey Wagtail - 1W
Meadow Pipit - 1705W
Swallow - 267W
House Martin - 35W
Siskin - 30W

North Selsey & Park farm: There was a good movement of 250 Meadow Pipits here too, heading over SW. A Merlin, a Buzzard and a Sparrowhawk were also recorded, plus a Grey Wagtail, a Wheatear and a Blackcap.  (Sa&SH)

Church Norton: An Osprey was over the harbour, and 200+ Meadow Pipits and 50+ Swallows went over SW. A Sandwich Tern and 7 Jays were also present, plus 3 Chiffchaffs and 5 Wheatears. (S&SaH)

Osprey at Church Norton (SH)

North Wall: Two Spoonbills were in White's Creek early this morning, as were six Spotted Redshanks, and a Yellow-legged Gull was also present, sat out on the mud. There were plenty of Chiffchaffs around the hedges, especially around Halsey's Farm/North Wall corner, and several Blackcaps & Whitethroats, three Cetti's Warblers and a flock of Long-tailed Tits were also in this area. The Breech Pool had plenty of muddy margins but was fairly quiet with only three Snipe, 21 Lapwings and 14 Black-tailed Godwits to be found along with the regular mix of wildfowl. One or two Reed Buntings were along the wall with a Wheatear and there was a steady stream of Meadow Pipits and hirundines moving overhead. (BI/IH)

Spoonbill in White's Creek (BI)

Chi GP's: Ivy Lake pits - This afternoon a good number of hirundines were present, with 100+ each of Swallows and House Martins, plus 20 Sand Martins. There were also at least 10 Chiffchaffs in the trees and hedges. (SH)

Medmerry, West side: A somewhat soggy look at the pools & creeks late this afternoon failed to turn much up other than the usual Canada Geese, a few Gadwall, Wigeon &Tufted Ducks and  a single Greenshank near the poplars. (BI)