13th - 15th April 2019

Monday, 15th April: Another cold bright morning, but with the very fresh breeze shifting slightly more towards south-easterly....

Selsey Bill: The subtle shift in wind direction brought immediate dividends this morning, including three Garganey east early on, with another in a flock of Teal, three Black-throated Divers, six Bonxies and the first pale-phase Arctic Skuas of the spring. Full log of eight hours coverage below..... 

(0600-1415hrs)  (JA/JF/PB/PM/IP/C&ME/AH/AF/RB/RHa/BI et al)
Great Northern Diver - 3 os
Black-throated Diver - 3E

Red-throated Diver - 2E

Great Crested Grebe - 1W

Fulmar - 12E, 8W

Gannet - 576E, 26W

Brent Goose - 20E

Shelduck - 2os

Garganey - 4E

Teal - 8E

Shoveler - 2E

Mallard - 3E

Common Scoter - 242E
Red-breasted Merganser - 2E

Whimbrel - 16E
Sanderling - 2E

Arctic Skua - 5E (4l/p, 1d/p)

Bonxie - 6E

Common Gull - 6E, 1W

Mediterranean Gull - 2W

Kittiwake - 2E, 2W

Sandwich Tern - 260E

Common Tern - 48E

'Commic' Tern - 5E

Razorbill - 1E

auk sp - 5E, 7W

Swallow - 4N

Wheatear - 1N

Linnet - 10p

Light-phase Arctic Skua passing the Bill this morning (RB)

Black-throated Divers (above), Bonxie, Whimbrel, Common Scoters, Sandwich Tern & Gannets at the Bill (AH)

(1640-1800hrs) ( SH)
Great Northern Diver - 1os
Red-throated Diver - 2E, W
Gannet - 21E, 6W
Shag - 1W
Sanderling - 1E
Sandwich Tern - 22E, 12os
Common Tern - 2E
Swallow - 1N
Sand Martin - 1N

Ferry Pool: There were just four Avocets on the pool,along with c60 Black-tailed Godwits, ten Redshank and Lapwings, two Gadwall, three Shoveler and c60 Teal.
The channel opposite held just four Wigeon and four Gadwall, whilst the central channel from the Tramway had five Whimbrel and a dozen Curlews spread around it, but the bushes were very quiet beyond half a dozen Blackcaps and a couple of Chiffchaffs. (AH)
Later on a Snipe was in the roadside reeds and the pair of Little Ringed Plovers were showing again. (IP)

Whimbrel (above), Wigeon, Gadwall, Avocets & Black-tailed Godwits around the Ferry (AH)

Medmerry: Porthole Farm - There was a Lesser Whitethroat and two Common Whitethroats along the new Medmerry Trail path from the visitor centre this morning (MB)

Later on, Sand Martins, House Martins and Swallows were over the settling tanks, with a pair of Common Whitethroats, a Willow Warbler and several Long-tailed Tits and Reed Buntings in the hedges. (IP)

Ivy Lake: There were still five Common Terns over the lake today. (MB)

Dell Quay: I made a brief visit on the way home early afternoon, and had 7 Greenshank, 6 Grey Plover, 5 Turnstones and 20 Black-tailed Godwits. (RB)

Church Norton: There were again no birds on Tern Island, with just 30 or so Sandwich Terns and Black-headed Gulls, plus a dozen Mediterranean Gulls on the adjacent mud. There was little else in the harbour, or the bushes beyond a Mistle Thrush, a Jay and two or three Blackcaps. (AH/IP)

Sandwich Terns and Black-headed Gulls at Church Norton (AH)

Sunday, 14th April: A decidedly cold - if fairly bright - morning after a frosty start, with the nagging north-easterly freshening through the morning......and becoming more east-south-easterly as the day progressed.

Selsey Bill: A slow-ish morning, though an Arctic Tern was among the Common Terns that went east, 180 Sandwich Terns and 150 Common Scoter were logged and a Wheatear came in off the sea. Full log below. (JA/SH/JF/PB/AF/IP//BI/AH/OM et al)
(0550-1300hrs)
Red-throated Diver - 2E
Great Northern Diver - 2os
Fulmar - 5E
Gannet - 89E, 27W
Eider - 1 os
Shelduck - 2W
Common Scoter - 151E
Whimbrel - 12E
Sanderling - 3E
Sandwich Tern - 180E
Common Tern - 12E
Arctic Tern - 1E
Common Gull - 2E
Meadow Pipit - 24N
Sand Martin - 7N
Wheatear - 1N
Chiffchaff - 1p
Linnet - 5N

Fulmar (above) & Sandwich Tern at the Bill (AH)

(1400-1530hrs) (SH)
Great Northern Diver - 1os
Red-throated Diver - 2E
Gannet - 19E, 4W
Grey Plover - 12W
Sandwich Tern - 25E, 28os

Later, at 1720hrs, a lone Velvet Scoter went east. (AW)

Ferry Pool: There were two Little Ringed Plovers, eight Avocets and c70 Black-tailed Godwits on the pool this morning, plus a dozen or so Lapwings and Redshank, a pair of Gadwall, five Shovelers and c40 Teal, with another 20 Black-tailed Godwits and another pair of Gadwall in the channel opposite. (AH)

Black-tailed Godwits on the Ferry (AH)

Selsey, Park Farm: A Red Kite flew east over Park Lane late this morning and was then over the Selsey Centre/Manor Road to the north of the village. Otherwise, there were two Grey Wagtails on the spoil heaps and a few Linnets about, but otherwise quiet. (AH/IP/RM/S&SaH/PB)

Red Kite over Selsey (SH), Grey Wagtail (SH), Red Kite & Linnet (AH) over Park Farm, Selsey

Church Norton: It was very quiet in the harbour, with 30 or so Sandwich Terns present, but all the gulls seem to have disappeared from the island. A pair of Brent Geese and a few Dunlin and Grey Plovers were at the back, the female Peregrine on her island, a fly-through Gadwall and three Swallows over were about the only birds of note.

The only other passerines seen were a Yellow Wagtail that flew over the beach, the Sedge Warbler in the first Several and a small scattering of Chiffchaffs, Blackcaps and Linnets. (AH/IP/RM/BI/S&SaH/PB)

Sandwich Terns (above), Curlew & Shelducks at Church Norton (AH)

Medmerry: Porthole Farm - This evening there were c50 Swallows, c30 House Martins and two or three Sand Martins over the settling tanks, with a Mistle Thrush and a couple of Linnets nearby. (AH)

House Martin (above) & Swallow at Medmerry (AH)

Ivy Lake: There were six Common Terns over Ivy Lake this afternoon along with plenty of hirundines. (AW)

Common Terns at Ivy Lake (AW)

Saturday, 13th April: Another cool and mostly bright morning, with the moderate but chilly north-easterly breeze persisting....but gradually slipping round to the east then even south-east by afternoon.

Unfortunately, we start today with some bad news concerning two of our long-term Peninsula regulars Alan and Yvette Ford. Yesterday, whilst crossing the road in Chichester, they were both struck by a moving car, albeit at a fairly slow speed, resulting in serious injury to Yvette and more minor injury to Alan. Both were taken to St Richard's Hospital at Chichester, where it was discovered that Yvette has a badly broken leg and knee injury. She is currently detained for ongoing treatment and may be in hospital for a little while. Alan was treated for more minor injuries including cuts and bruising and he was subsequently released. 

I am sure that everyone who knows them - which must be most of the readership of this blog - will wish them both all the best for a speedy recovery at this difficult time. So, from all our your many friends, including the editors of the blog, we would like to say we are thinking of you and GET WELL SOON!  (Eds)

An interesting ringing report was received from Graham Hicks for a colour-ringed Black-tailed Godwit in Ferry Channel earlier in the week, showing just how widely birds roam within this country - 

Colour-ringed Black-tailed Godwit in Ferry Channel (G Hicks)

29-Sep 2012 Harty, The Swale, Kent, SE England
8-9 Jul 2013 Pilning Reserve, Seven Beach, south Gloucestshire, W England
25-Jul 2013 Lymington-Keyhaven NNR, NW Solent, Hampshire, S England
15-30 Aug 2013 Oare Marshes Nature Reserve, Kent, SE England
24-Mar 2014 Fishbourne, Chichester Harbour, W Sussex, S England
13-Aug – 7-Nov 2014 Oare Marshes Nature Reserve, Kent, SE England
19-Jul -18-Oct 2015 Oare Marshes Nature Reserve, Kent, SE England 

15-18 Nov 2015 Conyer, Swale Estuary, Kent, SE England

28-Jan – 16 Feb 2016 Avon, Avon Valley, Hampshire, S England
22-Mar 2016 Pagham Harbour, Chichester, West Sussex, S England
25-Aug 2016 Titchfield Haven NNR, Fareham, Hampshire, S England
7-Sep – 6-Oct 2016 Oare Marshes Nature Reserve, Kent, SE England
24-Mar - 14 Apr 2017 Slimbridge WWT reserve, The Severn, Gloucestershire, W England
4-Aug – 10 Sep 2017 Oare Marshes Nature Reserve, Kent, SE England
17-Aug 2018 Oare Marshes Nature Reserve, Kent, SE England
8-Apr 2019 Pagham Harbour, Chichester, West Sussex, S England 

Selsey Bill: A day that started desperately slowly in a brisk north-easterly, but improved as the wind slipped round to the E/SE, when a steady trickle of passage was noted including 140 Sandwich Terns east, with a couple of Arctic Skuas thrown in and a few passerines arriving from the sea. A newly-arrived White Wagtail was also present on the Oval Field.  Full log below.......

0550-1300hrs:  (SH/JA/BI/JF/AH/MO-W/AF/OM et al)
Red-throated Diver - 3E
Great Northern Diver - 4os
Great Crested Grebe - 1E
Fulmar - 2E, 2W
Gannet - 138E, 28W
Brent Goose - 3E
Eider - 1os
Shelduck - 3E
Common Scoter - 78E, 5W
Red-breasted Merganser - 6E
Shoveler - 4E
Whimbrel - 8E
Bar-tailed Godwit - 1E
Turnstone - 12E
Kestrel - 1N
Merlin - 1 area
Common Tern - 2E
Commic Tern - 2E
Sandwich Tern - 143E
Mediterranean Gull - 5E, 8os
Arctic Skua - 2E (d/p)
Sand Martin - 2N
Swallow - 8N
Meadow Pipit - 12N
Yellow Wagtail - 1N
'White' Wagtail - 1 Oval Field
Goldfinch - 2N
Linnet - 6N
Willow Warbler - 1 gardens

White Wagtail on the Oval Field at the Bill and Whimbrels with Bar-tailed Godwit (centre bird) (OM)

Also 1400-1700hrs:  (SH/JA/BI) A good bit more passage this afternoon, the highlight being two Puffins on the sea and then east and nine Arctic Terns east, too.
Red-throated Diver - 2E
Great Northern Diver - 1os
Fulmar - 1W
Gannet - 18E, 4W
Shag - 1W
Common Scoter - 11E
Red-breasted Merganser - 1W
Knot - 4E
Grey Plover - 2E
Bar-tailed Godwit - 2E
Puffin - 2E (1617hrs)
Common Tern - 13E
Arctic Tern - 9E
Commic Tern - 5E
Sandwich Tern - 78E
Little Gull - 2E
Arctic Skua - 1E, 1os
Great Skua - 1E

Selsey, Park Farm: A Swallow, 2 Grey Wagtails and 2 Buzzards were noted this morning. (SH)

Marsh Farm, Selsey: There were at least a dozen Cattle Egrets among the cows near the dairy buildings today. (SA)

Ferry Pool: There were a good selection of waders present, involving three Little Ringed Plovers, eight Avocets, 70 Black-tailed Godwits, ten Redshank and 20 Lapwings, whilst wildfowl included six Shelduck, three Gadwall, five Shovelers and c40 Teal.

Also, there were three Mediterranean Gulls on the pool and several singing Chiffchaffs and Blackcaps about. (AH)

Avocet (above), Black-tailed Godwits, Mediterranean and Black-headed Gulls & Chiffchaff around the Ferry (AH)

Long Pool: A Spotted Redshank was at the far end of Ferry Channel, but the pool was quiet, with just one Sedge Warbler singing. Also, a Peregrine went over.(AH)

Peregrine over the Long Pool (AH)

Church Norton: A female Redstart was at the back of Greenlease Farm late morning. Around the harbour were 30+ Sandwich Terns, 30+ Mediterranean Gulls and a Peregrine, whilst a Marsh Harrier was over the rear of Tern island and four Blackcaps were around the Bluebell wood area. (S&SaH)

Ivy Lake: There were large numbers of Swallows and House Martins, plus a few Sand Martins, over the lake this afternoon. (PH)

Fishbourne-Dell Quay: The highlight this morning on the low tide was  a Common Tern in with the gulls at Fishbourne, which later in the morning contained a few Mediterranean Gulls. There were 7 Greenshank in the channel above Dell Quay, with small numbers of Black-tailed Godwit, Redshank and Dunlin. A few Teal and Wigeon were present along with 3 Brent Geese, but the only migrants noted were a couple of Blackcap and Chiffchaffs. (RW)

Chichester Marina: A Cetti's Warbler was showing very well this morning in a small oak next to the reed-beds. (PH)

Medmerry: Porthole Farm - The Whitethroat was still in the hedges on the west side of the sewage farm, whilst a Sand Martin was among a dozen House Martins and 20+ Swallows. A couple of Linnets were about, too, plus at least a dozen Mediterranean Gulls and a Peregrine went over. (AH)

Linnet (above) & Peregrine at Medmerry (AH)