4th - 6th April 2019

Saturday, 6th April: A slightly warmer morning of hazy sunshine, with the wind easing slightly as it shifted to the north-east...... 

Selsey Bill: It was a predictably quieter morning for sea passage, though there were still a few Common Scoters, Sandwich and Common Terns going east and the Red-necked Grebe popped up a couple of times offshore.
There was, however, quite a bit of visible migration, including the first Tree Pipit and Yellow Wagtails of the spring, a couple of Siskins, five Wheatears and four Swallows, plus nearly 150 Meadow Pipits. Full log below..... 
(0615-1100hrs): (JA/SH/PB/PM/BI/IP/AH/CRJ/JF et al)
Great Northern Diver - 3os
Red-throated Diver - 4E
Red-necked Grebe - 1os
Great Crested Grebe - 2os
Gannet - 58E, 9W
Shag - 1os
Common Scoter - 264E
Eider - 1os
Red-breasted Merganser - 5E
Whimbrel - 2E
Turnstone - 5E
Common Gull - 2E
Mediterranean Gull - 7E
Sandwich Tern - 105E
Common Tern - 38E
'Commic' Tern - 8E
Guillemot - 1W
Razorbill - 3W
Tree Pipit - 1N
Meadow Pipit - 297N
Yellow Wagtail - 4N
Swallow - 9N
Wheatear - 6N
Willow/Chiff - 2N
Linnet - 22N
Siskin - 2N

Later on in the morning, a Merlin went along the beach. (NM)

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

(1230-1500hrs) (C&ME)

Red-throated Diver - 3E

Red-necked Grebe - 1os

Gannet - 4W

Brent Goose - 3E

Common Scoter - 17E

Red-breasted Merganser - 1os

Sandwich Tern - 55E

Meadow Pipit - 2N

Swallow - 3N

(1600-1730hrs) (SH/JA)

Great Northern Diver - 3os

Red-necked Grebe - 1os

Gannet - 37E, 6W, 1os

Common Scoter - 19E, 2os

Velvet Scoter - 6E

Marsh Harrier - 1N (female in off sea at 16.17pm)

Turnstone - 12E
Sandwich Tern - 13E

Swallow - 1N

Ferry Pool: There were a dozen Avocets on the pool, plus six Redshank, ten Lapwing, c20 Teal and similar of Shovelers, whilst the Spotted Redshank and half a dozen Black-tailed Godwits were in the channel opposite. (AH)

Spotted Redshank (above) & Black-tailed Godwit in Ferry Channel (AH)

Park Farm, Selsey: A Swallow went over this morning and both Green and Great Spotted Woodpeckers were seen. (IP/RM)

Church Norton: Two Yellow Wagtails flew in off the sea and a few Linnets went over, but otherwise it was the usual Blackcaps and Chiffchaffs around the churchyard/Mound area, a Reed Bunting on the Severals and a Willow Warbler and a Chiffchaff in Bluebell Wood.
There were at least 50 Sandwich Terns and Mediterranean Gulls in the harbour, plus a Peregrine, but few waders beyond the regular Whimbrel, four Black-tailed Godwits and  a few Curlew and Redshank. (AH/IP/RM)
Later, two Sedge Warblers were singing at the Severals, and an Adder and several Speckled Wood butterflies were nearby. Three Blackcaps were around Bluebell wood and a Swallow and a Wheatear were also about, plus 10 Chiffchaffs.(SH)

Blackcap (above), Whimbrel & Sandwich Terns at Church Norton (AH)

Ivy Lake: This afternoon there were two Common Terns around the main Ivy Lake, with 100+ Sand Martins overhead, with at least one House Martin among them. A Marsh Harrier, a Buzzard and a Sparrowhawk flew over, while the Egyptian Goose family were on West Lake, complete with eight goslings. The other notable sight was a Great Tit eating a bee. (AW/MB)

Marsh Harrier (above), Buzzard, Sand Martin, House Martin & Egyptian Geese at Ivy Lake (AW)

Birdham Pool: I was very excited to see this morning, the bonding display of the Great Crested Grebes on the pool. (MR)

Great Crested Grebes at Birdham Pool (MR)

Medmerry: Porthole Farm - A dozen Swallows were over the settling tanks this evening - the first I've seen here this spring - along with 100+ Mediterranean and 200 Black-headed Gulls, whilst a Buzzard was eating something on an adjacent rooftop. Also, a Mistle Thrush and two Willow/Chiffs were seen. (AH)

Mediterranean Gulls (above) & Buzzard and Magpies at Medmerry (AH)

Friday, 5th April: Another fairly cool and grey morning, but with the wind moderating slightly and shifting round to the south-east...... 

Selsey Bill: A fresh south-easterly always brings promise at the Bill, and it didn't disappoint  the good turn-out of expectant watchers this morning, with a good selection of species, including the first big eastward movement of terns.
Highlights included the first Little Tern of the year, over 600 Sandwich Terns, 300 Common/Comic Terns, ten Velvet Scoters, 24 Arctic Skuas, eight Bonxies, three Manx Shearwaters, two Black-throated and over 50 Red-throated Divers, 600+ Common Scoter and 600+ Gannets. Full log for 9.5 hrs below..........
(0610-1540hrs) (JA/PB/PM/OM/AH/BI/IP/CN/CRJ/C&ME et al) 

Red-throated Diver - 59E

Black-throated Diver - 2E
Great Northern Diver - 3 os
diver sp - 4E
Great Crested Grebe - 1E
Fulmar - 5E, 14W
Manx Shearwater - 3E
Gannet - 658E, 3W
Brent Goose - 20E
Eider - 1W
Common Scoter - 679E, 4W
Velvet Scoter - 10E
Red-breasted Merganser - 7E, 1W
Grey Plover - 1E
Sanderling - 1E
Curlew - 1E
Arctic Skua - 24E, 1W (all d/p birds)
Great Skua - 8E
Little Gull - 2E
Mediterranean Gull - 2E, 1W
Common Gull - 9E, 1W
Kittiwake - 65E, 2W
Lesser Black-backed Gull - 3E
Sandwich Tern - 640E
Little Tern - 1E
Common Tern - 134E
'Commic' Tern - 202E
auk sp - 3E, 2W
Swallow - 1N
Meadow Pipit - 1S, 3N
Linnet - 6N

Late this afternoon a summer-plumaged Black-necked Grebe was sat offshore and there were still a few Common Scoters, Sandwich and Common Terns heading east. Full log below. (SH/JA/AH)
(1600-1800hrs)
Great Northern Diver - 9os
Red-throated Diver - 5E
Black-necked Grebe - 1os
Gannet - 17E, 6W
Brent Goose - 4E
Common Scoter - 62E, 20os
Turnstone - 16E
Sandwich Tern - 56E
Common Tern - 16E
Swallow - 1N

Early morning at the Bill and there is already precious little viewing space at the 'south-east corner' for observers arriving later! (OM)

Bonxie (above), Arctic Skua, Black-throated Diver, Velvet Scoters, Common Terns, Sandwich Terns, Gasnnet, Brent Geese & Common Scoters past the Bill (AH)

Ferry Pool: The two Little Ringed Plovers were present again, along with 12 Avocets, four Black-tailed Godwits, eight Avocets, seven Shelduck, 26 Shovelers and 40+ Teal, plus a Buzzard sat at the back. (AH/IP)

Little Ringed Plover (above) & Avocets on the Ferry (AH)

Long Pool: A Sedge Warbler was singing again this morning, whilst two Reed Buntings were in the hedges and a Great Crested Grebe and a pair of Little Grebes were on the pool.
At least 50 Grey Plover and half a dozen Knot were in Ferry Channel on the high tide, along with 20+ Black-tailed Godwits and similar of Redshank and Curlew. (AH/IP)

Little Grebe (above) & Grey Plovers and Knot from Long Pool (AH)

Thursday, 4th April: A very cold and grey morning, with a near gale-force southerly wind and intermittent squally showers...... 

Selsey Bill: The first eight Manx Shearwaters of the year went west this morning, along with over 15 Fulmars and a steady flow of Gannets, whilst easterly movement included 450 Brent Geese (some of which were very distant), four Arctic Skuas and two cracking summer-plumaged Black-throated Divers. Full log below....... 
(0625-1325hrs) (GH/AH/OM/C&ME/RJS et al)
Red-throated Diver - 7E
Black-throated Diver - 2E 
diver sp - 6E
Fulmar - 17W
Gannet - 68E, 70W
Manx Shearwater - 8W
Little Egret - 1E
Brent Goose - 453E
Common Scoter - 72E, 3W
Red-breasted Merganser - 6E, 1W, 4os
Pintail - 2W
auk sp - 1E
Great Skua - 1E, 1W
Arctic Skua - 4E (all d/p)
Sandwich Tern - 15E, 8os
Kittiwake - 10E, 3W
Mediterranean Gull - 4E
Common Gull - 3W
Linnet - 2W

 Arctic Skua and Brent Goose flocks passing the Bill this morning (OM)

Fulmars (above), Sandwich Tern, Gannets, Pintail & Common Gull at the Bill (AH)

And there was some further movement through the day........
(1445-1600hrs) (SR)
Red-throated Diver - 2E
Gannet - 49E
Brent Goose - 98E
Great Skua - 1E
Sandwich Tern - 12E

(1630-1800hrs) (JA/SH)
Great Northern Diver - 3os
Red-throated Diver - 3E
diver sp - 1E
Manx Shearwater - 1E
Fulmar - 1E
Gannet - 158E, 5W
Brent Goose - 11E
Common Scoter - 4E
Red-breasted Merganser - 1E
Arctic Skua - 5E (all d/p)
Kittiwake - 13E
Sandwich Tern - 16E

Ferry Pool: There were just ten Avocets, a dozen or so Lapwings, four Redshank, c20 Teal, c40 Shoveler, six Shelducks and four Gadwall on the pool this morning, with a pair of the latter and 25 Black-tailed Godwits in the channel opposite. (AH)

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

Church Norton: The bushes were more or less birdless in the poor conditions this morning, whilst the harbour was equally quiet on the high tide, though the regular Whimbrel and a few Curlews were present, as were half a dozen Sandwich Terns among the Black-headed and Mediterranean Gulls. (AH)

Ivy Lake: Early this evening the Common Tern and two Mediterranean Gulls were among at least 200 Black-headed Gulls, whilst at least 200 Sand Martins and 50 Swallows were feeding low over the water. (AH)

Sand Martin (above), Swallow & Mediterranean Gulls at Ivy Lake (AH)