28th - 30th September 2018

Sunday, 30th September: A  cooler morning, with a freshening westerly breeze and increasing cloud after a bright start....

Selsey Bill: (0700-0830hrs) (SH) 

Gannet - 1E, 2W

Shelduck - 2W

Sandwich Tern - 7os

Great Spotted Woodpecker - 1p

Meadow Pipit - 48W

Pied Wagtail - 22W

Swallow - 2W

Stonechat - 1p

Chiffchaff - 4p

Siskin - 3N

Linnet - 43N

Great Spotted Woodpecker at the Bill (SH)

Ferry Pool: Once again, the interest was in Ferry Channel, where there were a Spotted Redshank, a Whimbrel and a Common Sandpiper present, along with a few Redshank and Black-tailed Godwits, plus at least 50 Teal, with half a dozen Chiffchaffs in the adjacent hedges. By contrast, the pool itself held just 50 or so Lapwing and 15-20 Teal and Shelduck. (AH/IP)

Spotted Redshank (above) & Common Sandpiper in Ferry Channel (AH)

A Great White Egret was found in Ferry Channel/Long Pool early afternoon and after giving the regulars a bit of a run around was re-located on the east side viewable from the west side around 1530pm. Also in the area were a Marsh Harrier, a Kingfisher and the usual waders. (PH/BI/AW et al)

Great White Egret at Ferry Channel (BI)

Late afternoon the Great White Egret appeared settled on the west side off the end of the Long Pool with a dozen Little Egrets. (AH/AW/P&JW)

Great White Egret (above) & with Little Egret at Church Norton (AH)

Park Farm, Selsey: A Wheatear and four Red-legged Partridges were on the lettuce fields, several Chiffchaffs were along the hedges and several Sparrowhawks were overhead, along with 50 Swallows and a few House Martins. (AH/IP/S&SaH)

Wheatear (above) & Chiffchaff at Park Farm, Selsey (AH)

Church Norton: There were at least three Wheatears on the spit and up to a dozen Stonechats spread along the front, with at least eight around the horse field, though the only other migrants seen were a Grey Wagtail and a few Meadow Pipits over, a dozen or so Chiffchaffs and a couple of Blackcaps in the hedges and 200+ Swallows and 50+ House Martins over. Also, half a dozen or so Reed Buntings and Jays were seen, along with at least that number of Sparrowhawks and eight Buzzards, whilst a single sandwich Tern was offshore. A Merlin also came through pursuing a Skylark, outcome unknown!
Around 40 Grey Plover and half a dozen Knot flew from the beach into the harbour, where there were also a couple of Bar-tailed Godwits among the commoner waders, at least 20 Little Egrets and a few Teal, Pintail and Wigeon, with a dozen of the latter going west offshore, too.
The Marsh Frogs were showing well again in the little pool by the path between the Severals. (AH/IP/S&SaH/PH)

Wheatear (above), Stonechat, Grey Plovers and Knot & Marsh Frog at Church Norton (AH)

North Wall: There were a total of five Spotted Redshanks around today as well as 30 Black-tailed Godwits, a Greenshank and two Kingfishers. Wildfowl included five Pintails, 40 Wigeon and c.150 Teal. There were also six each of Stonechats and Blackcaps, two Wheatears, a Grey Wagtail and a few Chiffchaffs along the wall. Overhead there were Meadow Pipits, two Siskins and two noisily arguing Peregrines, an adult male & immature female. A Red Kite was over Pagham village with an entourage of corvids in tow. (PH)

Saturday, 29th September: A dry, bright and mainly sunny day with some scattered cloud, but with a fresh, mainly easterly breeze keeping the temperature down......

A reminder: Just a short note to remind you all that OM & AH will be away on Shetland for a week as from Monday (1st Oct), so all info please to our capable deputy Bart Ives, who will do his best to keep things running as smoothly as possible. Meanwhile, we'll be fretting in case we miss a 'Peninsula biggie'.......and rumour has it the locals will be doing their best to find one! (OM/AH)

Selsey Bill: A bit of a mixture, though nothing unusual, with some hirundines and passerines passing through, and over 70 Sandwich Terns logged.....
0700-0930hrs: (SH) 
Gannet - 2E, 5W
Brent Goose - 1W
Shelduck - 5W
Teal - 1E
Common Tern - 1W
Sandwich Tern - 20E, 4os and a large loose flock of 50+ feeding distantly os (then drifted W)
Kittiwake - 1E
Common Gull - 1E
Mediterranean Gull - 4E, 1W
Meadow Pipit - 87NE
Pied/alba Wagtail - 63NE
Grey Wagtail - 1E
Sand Martin - 1E
House Martin - 29E
Swallow - 211E
Chiffchaff - 8 gardens
Linnet - 74E
Goldfinch - 20E, 20p
Chaffinch - 14E

Park Farm, Selsey: A Stonechat and at least ten Meadow Pipits were along the fields this morning, with a Chiffchaf in the hedges and two Buzzards over. (S&SaH)

Church Norton: Five Spoonbills went west over the harbour at 7.35am and shortly afterwards an Osprey caught a large fish, flushing an Avocet and four Brent Geese from the harbour, with ten of the latter seen heading werst well offshore.
There were also eight Stonechats in the horse field, three Siskins, a couple of Reed Buntings and 100+ Meadow Pipits flying over, a Redwing briefly in the car-park, a Wheatear, a female Redstart and two Skylarks on the spit, a Rock Pipit on the old ironwork and a Greenshank in the harbour. (IP/AH/P&JW et al) A ringtail Hen Harrier was reported to also be in the area late morning per Birdguides.

Spoonbills (above), Osprey & Stonechat at Church Norton (AH)

Later on a Spoonbill was roosting with the Cormorants, nine Brent Geese were in the harbour, a Wheatear was on the beach, along with four Stonexhats, with another eight in the horse field. Also a Kingfisher and two Sparrowhawks were seen, and there were 11 European Marsh Frogs sat out in the little pool at the start of the path between the Severals. (S&SaH) 
Also, there were three Rock Pipits along the concrete blocks this afternoon. (AW)

European Marsh Frogs at Church Norton (SH)

North Wall: The Osprey (see above) was seen with its fish, out on the mud off Owl Point, whilst a Redstart was at Halsey's Farm. The hedgerows held a few Blackcaps and Chiffchaffs and there was a scattering of Reed Buntings along the wall. The gorse area was much the same with more Blackcaps and Chiffchaffs here, and the nearby Hornet's nest seems to be doing well with many active today. The Breech Pool was largely quiet but there was a Dunlin in with 14 Black-tailed Godwits as well as a few Teal and Mallard. (BI/IH) 
Three Cattle Egrets were reported by a visiting birder to be in the harbour at the usual Little Egret roost site (per BO'D), and one was seen briefly early afternoon, flying over the Wall (CRJ)

Hornets at the North Wall (BI)

Ferry Pool: A Spotted Redshank and a Whimbrel were in Ferry Channel early this morning, but there were just the usual Lapwings, Teal and Shelduck, plus a few Black-tailed Godwits on the pool. (AH/IP)

Medmerry: Easton Lane to the Stilt Pool - There were two Wheatears near the Stilt Pools and half a dozen Stonechats along the banks, along with 100+ Meadow Pipits, a few Linnets, Skylarks and Yellowhammers, plus at least three Corn Buntings and a couple of Chiffchaffs, with several hundred Swallows and lesser numbers of House Martins overhead.

Waders were few beyond a Greenshank near Marsh Barn and a Common Sandpiper, a Black-tailed Godwit and a few Lapwings on the Stilt Pool, where there were also a handful of Shoveler and Wigeon, along with 20+ Teal and Gadwall, plus the three Black Swans.

Also, eleven Sandwich Terns went west close offshore, visiting birders reported a few Yellow Wagtails among the cattle on the reserve and there were several Kestrels and Sparrowhawks, plus a Buzzard, out and about. Also, a Clouded Yellow and a couple of Common Blues were seen. (AH)

Wheatear (above), Corn Bunting, Meadow Pipit, Greenshank, Common Sandpiper, Sandwich Tern & Black Swan at Medmerry (AH)

Medmerry: Ham Farm - There were a dozen Yellowhammers and a couple of Chiffchaffs in the hedges near the farm this evening, with up to four Stonechats and 100+ Linnets from the banks, whilst there were still at least 60 Sandwich Terns around the breach area. (AH)
Nearby, a Short-eared Owl showed late afternoon, plus a Buzzard, a Wheatear and 2 Kestrels (C.Bishop)

 Short-eared Owl and Kestrel at Medmerry (C.Bishop)

Yellowhammer (above) & Linnets at Medmerry (AH)

Friday, 28th September: A much colder morning, with a mix of sunshine and cloud, pushed through by a freshening north-easterly breeze.......

Selsey Bill: There wasn't much movement offshore or overhead this morning, with much smaller numbers of Swallows and House Martins about and just a few Meadow Pipits and Pied Wagtails moving, though a few Gannets, Sandwich Terns and Common Scoter were offshore, a Wheatear was on the beach and a few Chiffchaffs were in the Bill House garden. Full log below...... 
0730-1030hrs:  (C&ME/AH)
Gannet - 22E, 48W
Little Egret - 1E
Grey Heron - 1 ob
Common Scoter - 12E, 1W
Wigeon - 2W
Teal - 1E
Curlew - 1W
Sparrowhawk - 1 area
Peregrine - 1 os, with prey
Sandwich Tern - 6os
Mediterranean Gull - 40 os
Meadow Pipit - 32N
Pied Wagtail - 11E
Grey Wagtail - 2E
House Martin - 25E
Swallow - 240E
Wheatear - 1ob
Chiffchaff - 3 gardens

Wheatear (above), Sandwich Tern, Mediterranean Gull & Grey Heron at the Bill (AH)

Ferry Pool: Early on there was a Redstart briefly in the hedge near the sluice gates. (AW)
Later, a Spotted Redshank and two Whimbrel were in Ferry Channel, along with 25 Black-tailed Godwits, 20 Redshank and c150 Teal, with c100 Lapwing, 16 Shelducks, 12 Black-tailed Godwits and c40 Teal on the pool itself. (AH)

Redstart (above) (AW), Spotted Redshank & Whimbrel (AH) around the Ferry

Church Norton: A Greenshank was in the harbour, joined by c40 Grey Plover and a dozen Knot that flew in from the beach, whilst there were at least six Stonechats (and possibly as many as ten) around the first Several and the horse-field, with a Kingfisher flying over. 
Around 150 Meadow Pipits and 40 Linnets went low along the beach heading east as the wind picked up, and there were two Mistle Thrushes and two Jays in the churchyard, along with a Blackcap and several Chiffchaffs and Long-tailed Tits, whilst a Raven was calling nearby. (AW/AH)

Stonechats (above), Blackcap, Long-tailed Tit, Grey Plover & Grey Plovers and Knot at Church Norton (AH)

Medmerry: Easton Lane to the Stilt Pool - There was nothing out of the ordinary on any of the pools this morning but Wigeon & Teal numbers do seem to be building up now. The Greenshank was again in the channel near the poplars, there were six Kestrels around, a few Stonechats and two Corn Buntings were near Marsh Barn and plenty of Meadow Pipits were to be found along the banks. (BI)

Kestrel & Greenshank at Medmerry (BI)

Medmerry: Ham Farm - There were no Short-eared Owls about early this evening, but there were 66 Sandwich Terns around the breach area, a Stonechat, a few Skylarks, 50+ Meadow Pipits and 200+ Linnets around the banks, plus four Swallows, a Sparrowhawk and a couple of Kestrels over. (AH/S&SaH/BO'D)

Sandwich Terns (above) & Meadow Pipit at Medmerry (AH)