1st - 3rd April 2019

Wednesday, 3rd April: A cold and mostly bright morning, after a sharp frost, with just a light northerly, veering round as the day progressed...... 

Selsey Bill: A Bonxie sat on the sea before flying off east was the highlight of a quiet morning. Full log below. (C&ME/IP/A&YF/RP)
(0715-1115hrs)
Great Northern Diver - 2os
Red-throated Diver - 3E
Gannet - 9E, 17W
Brent Goose - 1E, 1W
Common Scoter - 24E
Red-breasted Merganser - 2E, 7W
Bonxie - 1os, then E
Sandwich Tern - 7E, 30os
Meadow Pipit - 4p
Pied Wagtail - 1N
Chiffchaff - 2p
Willow Warbler - 3p

Shelduck off the Bill (RP)

Ferry Pool: There were 14 Avocets and a Little Ringed Plover on the pool, plus 20 Lapwing, c30 Teal, c40 Shoveler and four Gadwall, with 24 Black-tailed Godwits in the channel opposite. (AH)

Little Ringed Plover (above) & Avocet at the Ferry (AH)

Church Norton: There were three or four Blackcaps and Willow/Chiffs around this morning, but not much else of a migratory nature! The harbour was quiet, too, though there were at least 20 Sandwich Terns and c30 Mediterranean Gulls present, plus one of the Peregrines. (AH/IP)

Sandwich Tern (above) & Blackcap at Church Norton (AH)

Pagham Lagoon/Spit: This morning on the Lagoon there were several Great Crested Grebes, the usual boisterous Black-headed Gulls, a pair of Mediterranean Gulls, a lone Little Grebe and an obliging Common Redshank. 

A single Northern Wheatear made an appearance along with a good number of Skylarks and Linnets on the spit, whilst a single Peregrine was sat on a stump out on one of the islands with Oystercatchers and a few Curlew close by. 

Also, I noted that the edge of the shingle path is now extremely close to the edge of the small lagoon and it won't take much to break through. (GWh)

Linnet (above) & Redshank on Pagham Spit (GWh)

North Wall: A male Sparrowhawk was seen sheltering from the hailstorm near the sluice gates in a tree in the gardens to the house, whilst the Breech Pool held a large number of Teal (counted 37), a couple of Black-tailed Godwits (with many more on the harbour mudflats) and a single Water Rail, which made a brief appearance. Also, several Little Egrets were dotted around and a male Blackcap played hide and seek in the May blossom. (GWh)

Sparrowhawk (above) & Black-tailed Godwit at the North Wall (GWh)

Sidlesham: A Tawny Owl was calling, then seen to fly off from our garden on the west of the village at dusk this evening. The first time I have seen or heard one here since last spring. (AH)

Runcton: The Reed Buntings were back again today - we often get them at this time of year and I suspect they breed in rife along Marsh Lane. (CRJ)

Reed Bunting in a Runcton garden (CRJ)

Chichester Pits: A brief look for the Brambling was unsuccessful, though the Common Tern was still on on Ivy Lake and c 50 Sand Martins and a few Swallows before they moved off high. (CRJ)
This evening there were at least 150 Sand Martins, 20+ Swallows and a few House Martins feeding low over the water, and the Common Tern was still present. (AB/CG/AH)

Common Tern (above) & Sand Martins at Ivy Lake (AH)

Tuesday, 2nd April: A fairly cold and dank day of heavy cloud, drizzle and some persistent showery rain, with a fresh, westerly breeze.....though brightening up by mid-afternoon. 

Selsey Bill: There were over 450 Brent Geese and 150 Common Scoters east, whilst at least half a dozen Wheatears were on the beach and over 250 Meadow Pipits flew in off the sea, heading north. Full log below...... 
0715-1315hrs: (AH/OM/IP/RP/DF/DS/MO-W)
Red-throated Diver - 5E
Great Crested Grebe - 1W
Fulmar - 1W
Gannet - 53E, 20W
Brent Goose - 465E
Common Scoter - 151E, 4W
Red-breasted Merganser - 3E, 1W
Dunlin - 2W
Curlew - 1E
Sandwich Tern - 8E, 15W
Pied/alba Wagtail - 4N
Meadow Pipit - 260N
House Martin - 1N
Wheatear - 9 ob
Linnet - 2N

Wheatears (above), Brent Geese, Fulmar & Gannet at the BIll (AH)

Ferry Pool: There were just 12 Avocets and the usual c20 Teal and c40 Shovelers on the pool this morning, with a Swallow over and a dozen Black-tailed Godwits in the channel opposite. (AH)
Also, a pair of Grey Wagtails were working their way around the Discovery Area pool this morning and there were two Blackcaps and three Chiffchaffs in the bushes. (SR)

Black-tailed Godwits in Ferry Channel (AH)

Chi GPs - Ivy Lake complex: The female Brambling was still in the trees by the west end of Deep Lake this morning, and again this afternoon, though elusive, whilst up to 150 Sand Martins and a few Swallows and House Martins were feeding over Ivy Lake. (BI/CRJ)
This afternoon a Common Tern was feeding over Ivy Lake and 30+ Sand Martins and a Swallow were still present. (MO-W)

 Common Tern and Sand Martins at Ivy Lake (AW)

Medmerry: Windmill area - There were at least five Wheatears on the shingle near the rocks this morning, two Swallows went over and there were several Meadow Pipits present, including one that was displaying. (AH/IP)

Wheatear at Medmerry (AH)

Church Norton: Both Peregrines were about, and were seen mating, this morning, though the harbour didn't hold much else of note  beyond half a dozen Sandwich Terns and a few Mediterranean Gulls, plus the Whimbrel, whilst a single Red-breasted Merganser went west offshore.
Around 80 Meadow Pipits and a Swallow were seen heading north over the harbour, but the bushes were quiet in the poor conditions, though one or two Blackcaps and Willow/Chiffs were about. (AH/IP/DF/DS)

Later on the bushes remained quiet but easily the highlight was a male Redstart, initially behind the hide then moving toward the mound/path. Also, in the harbour, only one Peregrine could be found, though there were nine Sandwich Terns present and the Whimbrel was still around. (C Murphy)

Whimbrel (above) & Sandwich Tern at Church Norton (AH)

Runcton: Two Reed Buntings were briefly present on my garden feeders this afternoon. (CRJ)

Monday, 1st April: Another dry, bright and sunny day after a decidedly chilly start, with the fresh north-easterly wind persisting...... 

Selsey Bill: A Red-necked Grebe west early on was the highlight of an otherwise quiet morning.  Full log below. (AM/IP/BI/AH/RP)

(0630-0930hrs)

Red-throated Diver - 1E

Red-necked Grebe - 1W

Gannet - 30E, 8W, 3os

Common Scoter - 4E

Red-breasted Merganser - 1E, 1W

Sandwich Tern - 4E, 8os

Meadow Pipit - 12N

Chiffchaff - 1p

Goldfinch - 4N

Also 1315-1445hrs: (C&ME)
Gannet - 2E, 1W
Shag - 1E
Common Tern - 3E
Sandwich Tern - 9os
Swallow - 1N

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

Ferry Pool: The two Little Ringed Plovers were in the dried out creek in the field again, whilst the pool held 15 Avocets, ten Lapwing and 25 Black-tailed Godwits (with another 40 on the channel opposite), along with c20 Teal and c40 Shovelers. (AH)

Avocets on the Ferry (AH)

Long Pool: A Willow Warbler was singing along the hedges first thing this morning, and there were also a Chiffchaff and a Reed Bunting present, whilst there were up to half a dozen noisy Little Grebes on the water. (AH)

Little Grebe (above) & Reed Bunting along Long Pool (AH)

Church Norton: A Willow Warbler was in the hedges near the Mound, along with a couple of Chiffchaffs and Blackcaps, but it was generally very quiet, with half a dozen Sandwich Terns in the harbour the only other birds of note. (AH/IP)
Also a number of butterflies on the wing, especially around the Severals, with Peacock, Red Admiral and Small Tortoiseshell of note. (AM)

Willow Warbler (above) & Sandwich Terns at Church Norton (AH)

Red Admiral (above) and Small Tortoiseshell near the Severals (AM) 

North Wall: In the flooded field SE of the Honer reservoir were 2 Little Ringed Plovers, whilst on the reservoir itself were 18 Tufted Ducks, 5 Gadwall and 2 Little Grebes.

It was chilly along the Wall early on in the NE wind, but on White's Creek were just 31 Black-tailed Godwits, a Spotted Redshank and 12 Common Redshank, together with 2 Little Grebes. A lot of mud is now showing on the Breech Pool, but the only waders present were 121 Black-tailed Godwits (including the ones earlier from White's Creek), whilst on the duck front there were 87 Teal, 3 Gadwall and a few Mallard, plus a couple of Little Egrets. (JDW) 

 Little Egret and Black-tailed Godwits on the Breech Pool (JDW)

Birdham Pool: Unusually, there were four Great Crested Grebes on the pool early this morning, all chasing each other about. (MR)

Agitated Great Crested Grebe at Birdham pool (MR)

Medmerry: Easton Lane to the Stilt Pool - Three Wheatears were along the banks this afternoon, along with three reed Buntings and 20+ Yellowhammers, whilst two Swallows and a Buzzard went over and six Little Ringed Plovers were still on the Stilt Pool, along with six Dunlin, but just 12 Avocets.

Also, two Barn Owls were hunting the banks later on and mammals were out and about, including four Foxes, three Brown Hares and a Roe Deer. (S&SAH)

Earlier on, a Sedge Warbler was singing near Easton Lane. (TG-P)

Marsh Farm, Sidlesham: Twelve Cattle Egrets were in the fields south of the dairy buildings. (TG-P)

Ivy Lake: A female Brambling was in the lakeside trees this afternoon,, whilst 120 Sand Martins and two Swallows were over the water, up to 15 Blackcaps were spread around the hedges and the pair of Egyptian Geese still had nine goslings with them. (G Kinnard per Twitter)

The Brambling was still present at 6pm this evening. (AH)

Brambling at Ivy Lake (AH)