Birding the Selsey Peninsula: 26th

Wednesday, 27th March: Another bright and sunny morning, with a light to moderate north-westerly breeze gradually veering north-east....

Selsey Bill: Just over 40 Brent Geese moving east was about the only evidence of migration on another quiet morning. Full log below......
0700-1100hrs: (C&ME/OM/AH/IP/RP)
Red-throated Diver - 1E
Great Northern Diver - 4os
Great Crested Grebe - 2E
Gannet - 10E, 18W
Brent Goose - 41E
Shelduck - 2W settled os
Red-breasted Merganser - 10E, 4os
Shoveler - 1E
Sandwich Tern - 2E, 1os
Turnstone - 11E
Meadow Pipit - 5N
Chiffchaff - 2 gardens
Long-tailed Tit - 1 Bill House garden

Brent Geese at he Bill (AH)

Ferry Pool: There were eight Avocets present this morning, plus a dozen Redshank and Lapwing, with c20 Teal, c40 Shovelers and six Gadwall also in attendance.
Also, the Spotted Redshank was once again in the channel opposite, along with c60 Black-tailed Godwits. (AH/OM)
Early this evening a Little Ringed Plover was present, too. (AB)

Spotted Redshank (above), Black-tailed Godwits & Shovelers around the Ferry (AH)

Hunston: There were still 13 Cattle Egrets in the field east of the substation this morning. (CRJ)

Bramber Farm: One of the Little Owls was sitting out again this morning and at least six Buzzards were in the vicinity. (CRJ)

Little Owl at Bramber Farm this morning (CRJ)

Marsh Farm, Sidlesham: A Peregrine circling at great height before stooping down at speed was the avian highlight, with three singing Chiffchaffs and a couple Meadow Pipits the only other birds of note, whilst a pair of Brown Hares were getting frisky in one of the grass fields. (AH/IP/CRJ)

Chiffchaff (above) & Brown Hares at Marsh Farm, Sidlesham (AH)

Medmerry: Easton Lane to the Stilt Pool - There was no sign of the Little Gull on the Stilt Pool, though there were still three pairs of Little Ringed Plovers present, including a pair mating, along with 46 Avocets and seven Curlews, plus the usual mix of wildfowl.

A male Stonechat along the banks was the only bird not seen yesterday, though there were still plenty of Yellowhammers, Skylarks and Linnets, plus a couple of Reed Buntings. (AH/IP)

This evening one of the Barn Owls was out, whilst a Stonechat, a Sparrowhawk, two Buzzards, 20+ Yellowhammers and 39 Avocets were also seen. (SH)

Little Ringed Plovers (above), Avocets, Stonechat, Skylark, Curlews & Gadwall and Teal at Medmerry (AH)

North Mundham: A total of 62 nests were counted in the rookery along the B2166. (CRJ)

Chi GPs: New Lake - A count at the Cormorant colony revealed a total of 74 nests, (but no sign of any egrets) (CRJ).

Itchenor: The Nuthatch in the Chaldock marsh area was calling stridently and making its presence felt early afternoon. (PH)

Tuesday, 26th March: A pleasantly bright and sunny morning, with just a light north-westerly breeze....

Selsey Bill: It was slow going again this morning, though the Water Rail popped up in the Bill House garden again and several Great Northern Divers and Sandwich Terns were offshore. Full log below. (C&ME/AH/IP/TR)

(0700-1030hrs)

Great Northern Diver - 4os

Red-throated Diver - 1E

Gannet - 9E, 3W

Brent Goose - 11E

Common Scoter - 14E

Red-breasted Merganser - 3os

Water Rail - 1p

Curlew - 3E

Sandwich Tern - 7os

Later on, a Merlin was seen to come in off the sea from some distance out. (KJ/GWh/KF et al)

Also, a single, very tired, Meadow Pipit dropped onto the fishing boat, well out to sea from Selsey. (CW)

Meadow Pipit on a fishing boat from Selsey (CW)

Ferry Pool: The Avocet count had risen to nine this morning and there were still at least ten Snipe along the front, plus a few Redshank, whilst wildfowl included four Gadwall, c25 Teal and c40 Shovelers. (AH)

Snipe (above), Avocet & Shovelers on the Ferry (AH)

North Wall: It was pleasing to note that the pair of Little Owls was still present and sitting out near Bramber Farm. White's Creek was very quiet and the only waders were 27 Redshank, 48 Black-tailed Godwits and 3 Curlew, and not much was happening on the Breech Pool either, with just a 2 Tufted Ducks and a handful of Teal and Mallard. Along the Wall were 2 calling Cetti's Warblers, 4 male Reed Buntings and a pair of Linnets. whilst a lone Swallow was around Honer cottages. Honer reservoir was much the same as yesterday, with 17 Tufted Duck and 4 Gadwall and in the large flooded field just SE of the reservoir were 2 Shelduck and 2 Common Snipe. Three Chiffchaffs were at Macracarpa Copse along with a Green and a pair of Great Spotted Woodpeckers. It was nice to see signs of spring with Red Admiral and Brimstone butterflies on the wing and Blackthorn and Gorse now in blossom. A pair of Stock Doves has taken up residence in Pagham churchyard. (JDW)

Little Owl at Bramber Farm, Pagham and spring blossom at the North fields. (JDW)

Marsh Farm, Sidlesham: There were ten Cattle Egrets on the south side of the dairy buildings this morning. (JDW)

Hunston: Whether these are different birds is not clear, but there were still 15 Cattle Egrets in the field east of the substation. (BI)

Church Norton: It was a good morning for raptors, with two Red Kites drifting over south-west at 09.20, the two Peregrines on their island, up to six Common Buzzards soaring, some displaying, and a Sparrowhawk was up as well.
In the harbour c200 Black-headed Gulls, 33 Mediterranean Gulls, 13 Shelduck, 10 Teal, four Ringed Plover, and six Sandwich Tern were seen, with Green and Great Spotted Woodpeckers, plus three singing Chiffchaffs in the hedges. Offshore there was just a lone Gannet and the only passerine migrants were c30 Meadow Pipits flying north, high up. (CRJ)

Medmerry: Easton Lane to the Stilt Pool - There were no indications of migration this morning, beyond a Chiffchaff and a couple of Meadow Pipits, though there were plenty of Yellowhammers, Linnets and Skylarks about the banks, plus a couple of Reed Buntings and a Sparrowhawk.
There were three pairs of Little Ringed Plovers on the Stilt Pool, along with 42 Avocets, a dozen Mediterranean Gulls, c30 Shoveler and a handful of Teal and Gadwall. (AH/IP)

Later on, an adult winter Little Gull was on the Stilt Pool and a Merlin was seen from Easton viewpoint. (BI/KJ/GWh/KF et al)

This evening a Barn Owl was out hunting the banks near the Easton Viewpoint. (AH/SR)