Sunday 17 March 2019

17th - 19th March 2019

Tuesday, 19th March: A mostly grey and mild morning, with just a light westerly breeze.....

Selsey Bill: There was little evidence of migration this morning, though at least four Great Northern Divers and 32 Common Scoter were offshore. Full log below....
0700-1030hrs: (C&ME/OM/AH/IP/NS/DF/DS/RP)
Red-throated Diver - 7E
Great Northern Diver - 4+ os
Great Crested Grebe - 3E, 2W
Fulmar - 1E
Shag - 1W
Gannet - 1E, 13W
Common Scoter - 6W, 32os
Red-breasted Merganser - 12E, 5W, 3os
Sandwich Tern - 2E, 3os
Kittiwake - 1W
Mediterranean Gull - 8W
Common Gull - 3W
Meadow Pipit - 3N
Long-tailed Tit - 3 Bill House garden
Chiffchaff - 3 gardens

Fulmar (RP) (above), Great Northern Diver & Sandwich Tern (AH) at the Bill



Medmerry: Coastguard Station - Four Great Northern Divers and six Red-breasted Mergansers were offshore this morning. (BFF/DM)

Ferry Pool: There were still a Green Sandpiper and five Snipe around the concealed pool this morning, whilst seven Avocets were also about, along with four Gadwall, four Shelduck, c30 Teal, c50 Shoveler and c200 Wigeon, and a Buzzard went over. (AH/IP)


Snipe (above) & Avocet at the Ferry (AH)


Church Norton: A Wheatear was on the beach this morning and two Ravens were calling from Priory Wood - later appearing at the churchyard - where two Chiffchaffs were also present (A&YF/CRJ). Later on a Red Kite went over and five Slavonian Grebes were distantly offshore. (BFF/DM).
Otherwise the harbour was fairly quiet, with c50 Brent Geese, 10 Wigeon, 5 Pintail, a pair of Gadwall and 8 Teal present, plus the pair of Peregrines and a few Redshank, Ringed Plovers and a couple of Bar-tailed and a Black-tailed Godwits, whilst a Linnet was along the path to the beach, two or three Chiffchaffs were around the Mound and a pair of Mistle Thrushes were briefly in the car-park, (AH/IP/CRJ et al)
On Tern island there were 220 Black-headed Gulls and a small number of Mediterranean Gulls, while on the West side were 3 Chiffchaffs, 6 Linnets, a Buzzard and singles of Green and Great Spotted Woodpecker. (CRJ)

Linnet (above) & Ringed Plovers at Church Norton (AH)



Red Kite over Church Norton (BFF)


Marsh Farm to Bramber Farm: A Red Kite went low over the fields at Marsh Farm this morning, whilst a single Cattle Egret was present nearby.
Also about were 20 Redwings and a couple of Fieldfares near Bramber Farm, with a singing male Reed Bunting nearby, a couple of Buzzards and Kestrels over, a Yellowhammer in Church Farm Lane and  at least four calling Chiffchaffs. (IP)

Ivy Lake complex: A total of 11 Cattle Egrets flew out from New Lake late this morning, all heading south, and with three of them seen carrying sticks in their bills - surely a sign that they are nesting (or at least thinking about it) somewhere in the vicinity. The nesting colony of Cormorants is now in full swing, and 60 Shoveler and 20 Pochard were also present.
Also, the pair of Egyptian Geese, plus ten goslings, were on Copse Lake , with a Blackcap singing along Peckhams Copse Lane nearby, at least half a dozen Chiffchaffs and a couple of Cetti's Warblers were widely spread, whilst wildfowl included 20 Greylag Geese, c30 Pochards and c30 Shovelers. (AH/OM/SR)

Blackcap (above), Cattle Egrets & Egyptian Geese around Ivy Lake (AH)





Chi GPs - Westhampnett: A Swallow was present over the north pit this afternoon. (GH)




Monday, 18th March: A morning of much lighter winds - though still westerly - with a mix of sunshine and cloud.....and a few isolated showers by afternoon.

Selsey BillIt was fairly quiet this morning for a good crowd, though a Great Northern Diver was on the sea and a few Meadow Pipits were coming in. Full log below.....
0700-1100hrs: (C&ME/OM/IP/AH/AM/A&YF/TR/R.Self et al)
Red-throated Diver - 4E
Great Northern Diver - 1os
diver sp - 2E
Great Crested Grebe - 3E, 6W, 1os
Fulmar - 1W
Gannet - 1E, 22W
Shag - 1E
Brent Goose - 2E, 1W
Common Scoter - 7E, 30os
Red-breasted Merganser - 13E, 11W, 6os
Grey Plover - 20W
Dunlin - 10W
Kestrel - 1N
Sandwich Tern - 2os
Mediterranean Gull - 2os
Pied/alba Wagtail - 4N
Meadow Pipit - 27N
Chiffchaff - 3 gardens (Broadreeds)

Sandwich Tern (above) & Common Scoters at the Bill (AH)


Ferry Pool: There were two Green Sandpipers and five Snipe around the concealed pool this morning, with four Avocets, c30 Black-tailed Godwits, ten Redshank and c30 Lapwing also present, whilst wildfowl included two Gadwall, six Shelducks, c30 Teal, c50 Shoveler and c300 Wigeon.
At least four Chiffchaffs were around the Discovery area and another 30 Black-tailed Godwits, plus plenty of Curlews, Redshanks, Grey Plovers and Dunlin were out in the harbour from the Tramway. (AH)


Green Sandpiper (above), Snipe, Teal, Chiffchaff & Black-tailed Godwits and Wigeon around the Ferry (AH)





Church Norton: Early on there was a Slavonian Grebe in smart summer plumage off the spit, which stayed a few minutes before drifting out to sea and eventually flying off east. (AW)


Slavonian Grebe at Church Norton (AW)

Otherwise, it was quiet, with few waders viewable at high tide, though the Whimbrel and one or two ringed Plovers were about, whilst at least 50 Brent Geese, a few Wigeon and Teal and two Red-breasted Mergansers were also in the harbour, with another couple of the latter offshore.
The only passerines noted were a handful of Chiffchaffs and Goldfinches, plus a couple of Song Thrushes, around the Mound and a few Skylarks along the spit. (AH/IP/TR)


Whimbrel (above) & Wigeon at Church Norton (AH)


North Wall: A Wheatear was close to the sluice gates this morning, whilst in the White's Creek area were 48 Brent Geese and a few Wigeon and Teal. On the Breech Pool there were 60 Teal and a handful of Mallard whilst in the field behind were 74 Curlew. Two Cetti's Warblers were calling along the lower wall and there were three Roe Deer in the reeds behind the Breech Pool. 
Also, it was encouraging to see a Greenfinch in my garden this morning and then another four along Church Lane. (JDW)


Wheatear (above) & Greenfinches around the North Wall (JDW)


Medmerry - Windmill - breach: A flock of 36 Curlews was feeding in the big field just to the east of the Windmill. At the breach viewpoint 4 Red-breasted Mergansers were on the tidal lagoon, plus 10 Brent Geese and 25 Shelduck around the saltings and mudflats, whilst on the rough ground and rocks at Toe End there were just 20+ Goldfinch, several pairs of Skylarks, a few Linnets and a dozen Meadow Pipits. (OM)

Chi Marina & Birdham Pool: Little to report once again: Birdham Pool held single pairs of Great Crested Grebe, Teal and Shelduck, plus a few Little Grebes, whilst at the Marina reedbed/pool there were just 2 Cetti's Warblers, a Chiffchaff, a pair of active Long-tailed Tits (presumably nesting), a Buzzard and half a dozen Shelduck. (OM/RP)
Nearby, a Water Rail was on the canal (IP)



Water Rail on the Chichester canal near to the Marina (IP) (above) & Great Crested Grebes on Birdham Pool (RP)











Sunday, 17th March: A bright and breezy day, with sunshine and some cloud and a very brisk westerly wind.....

Church Norton: Highlights were an Osprey that flew east over the far end of the harbour this morning at about 1020hrs and a Wheatear that was on the concrete slabs.
There wasn't too much else, though a couple of Red-breasted Mergansers, a Sandwich Tern, a few Mediterranean and Common Gulls and 100+ Brent Geese were in the harbour, a few Knot, Dunlin and Grey Plovers were on the beach and one or two Chiffchaffs were along the front and a few Meadow Pipits and Skylarks were along the spit. (BI/AH/IP/RM/S&SaH/PB/A&YF/RJS)
A brief late afternoon visit produced 20 Avocets, a Marsh Harrier hunting over the saltings and seven Chiffchaffs around the hide area. (S&SaH) 



Wheatear, above,  (SH/AH//BI ) & Brent Geese, Knot, Dunlin and Grey Plovers (AH) at Church Norton



Selsey Bill: A couple of Great Northern Divers offshore and 15 Eiders west were about the highlights on a slow morning.....
(0645-0900hrs) (SH/PB/BI/IP/AH et al)
Red-throated Diver - 1E
Great Northern Diver - 2os
diver sp - 1os
Great Crested Grebe - 1E, 1W
Shag - 1E, 1os
Gannet - 3E, 9W
Brent Goose - 6W
Eider - 15W
Common Scoter - 5E, 36os
Red-breasted Merganser - 8E, 13W
Sandwich Tern - 1os
Meadow Pipit - 18N
Pied Wagtail - 1W
Jackdaw - 1N from sea
Chiffchaff - 1 gardens


Great Northern Diver (above) & Eider at the Bill (AH)


Selsey: Three Chiffchaffs were in the Manor Road area to the north of the town. (SH)


Chiffchaff at Manor Road, Selsey (SH)

Ferry Pool: A Green Sandpiper was on the concealed pool and four Avocets, six Redshank, 12 Black-tailed Godwits, c30 Teal and c50 shovelers were on the pool, with c50 Lapwing and c300 Wigeon, plus half a sozen Shelduck, were on the field. (AH)


Green Sandpiper (above) & Redshank, Teal and Shovelers on the Ferry (AH)


North Wall: A Red Kite went over mid-morning & a Spotted Redshank was in White's Creek. (BI)


Red Kite (above), and Spotted Redshank at the North Wall (BI)

Ivy Lake: There was a surprise this morning, in the form of a pair of Egyptian Geese with nine goslings at the eastern end of the main lake. (BI/IP)
y lake (BI)

Egyptian Goose family on Ivy Lake (BI)







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