Birding the Selsey Peninsula: 1st

Friday, 3rd May: Another pleasant morning, with plenty of sun, with a light north-westerly freshening as it went west later on........

Selsey Bill: It was another very quiet morning, with little offshore movement, though a Wheatear and a Lesser Whitethroat were new in. Full log below....
(0530-1015hrs): (JA/C&ME/IP/BI/AH)
Great Northern Diver - 4os
Red-throated Diver - 1E
Great Crested Grebe - 2os
Fulmar - 2E, 5W
Gannet - 33E, 36W
Brent Goose - 1E
Shelduck - 2os
Common Scoter - 9E
Sandwich Tern - 10E, 8os
Little Tern - 19os
Common Tern - 1E
'Commic' Tern - 4E
Swallow - 16N
House Martin - 4p
Wheatear - 1N
Lesser Whitethroat - 1p

House Martin (above) & C&ME left holding the fort at the Bill (AH)

(1630-1800hrs) (SH/JA)
Great Northern Diver - 1os
Fulmar -1E
Gannet - 15E, 7W
Curlew - 3E
Mediterranean Gull - 1E
Kittiwake - 1E, 1W
Sandwich Tern - 4os
Little Tern - 11os
Common Tern - 12os
auk sp - 1E
Swift - 1N
Swallow - 1N

Ferry Pool: There were eight Dunlin, plus the Knot on the pool this morning, along with 14 Avocets, four Little Ringed Plovers, 30 Black-tailed Godwits and ten Redshank, whilst the Shelduck family was still present, along with another or so adults, two Teal and six Gadwall.

Later, a White Wagtail was on the concealed pool, whilst a couple of Lesser Whitethroats and Chiffchaffs and plentiful Blackcaps and Whitethroats were around the Tramway.. (AH/IP)

Lesser Whitethroat (above), Whitethroat, Avocet & Gadwall around the Ferry (AH)

Long Pool: There was a lot of song from Reed and Sedge Warblers along the pool this morning, with Blackcap, Cetti's Warbler and several Whitethroats also present.

The only birds in Ferry Channel were a couple of Whimbrel, c20 Black-tailed Godwits and a pair each of Wigeon and Gadwall. (AH)

Reed Warbler (above), Blackcap & Wigeon around the Long Pool (AH)

Church Norton: There was plenty of activity around Tern Island, including two Common, up to ten Little and 50+ Sandwich Terns, though waders were few, comprising of six Whimbrel, 14 Bar-tailed Godwits and the odd Dunlin and Ringed Plover.

A fleeting Redstart behind the hide was about the only evidence of migration, though Sedge Warblers, Whitethroats, Blackcaps and a couple of Lesser Whitethroats were all about, along with a Swallow back at the hide and three Buzzards over. (AH/BI/IP/RM)

Swallow (above) & Buzzard at Church Norton (AH)

North Wall & Halsey's Farm: Highlight for me this morning was a very vocal Cuckoo - my first of the year - at Halsey's farm, seen flying to and from various song-posts but always evading the camera. Good numbers of Whitethroat and Blackcap were also present there but little else.
On the Breech Pool conditions looked ideal for waders, but the best I could do was an Avocet and 12 Black-tailed Godwits, plus 7 Teal. Reed, Sedge and Cetti's Warblers were all singing stridently in the area, with Blackcaps and Whitethroats now widespread, whilst in the harbour there were up to 6 Whimbrel.
Pagham churchyard looked ideal for something decent but was actually devoid of migrants; the best on offer was a pair of cooing Stock Doves (presumably nesting), a pair of Long-tailed Tits and 4 Mediterranean Gulls circling overhead and constantly calling. (OM)

Stock Dove at Pagham churchyard and Avocet on the Breech Pool (OM)

Ivy Lake: The first-winter Little Gull was still present, along with 15 common Terns late this afternoon. (AH)

Common Tern at Ivy Lake (AH)

North Selsey: A Streamer moth was a new one for our garden. (SH)

Streamer moth in a Selsey garden (SH)

Thursday, 2nd May: The wind shifted round to the north-west today, light early on, but freshening through the morning as the clouds built up....

Selsey Bill: It was predictably quiet this morning, though 20+ Little Terns were offshore and five Chiffchaffs and a Willow Warbler were in the gardens and a newly-arrived female 'Greenland' Wheatear was briefly on the Oval field. Full log below....

0620-1310hrs: (JF/PB/OM/C&ME/AH/RJS et al)
Red-throated Diver - 2E
Great Northern Diver - 1os
Fulmar - 3W
Gannet - 37E, 48W
Shelduck - 2 ob
Common Scoter - 41E, 18W
Whimbrel - 2W
Bar-tailed Godwit - 1W
Grey Plover - 8W
Sanderling - 12E, 20W
Kestrel - 1N (fem)
Razorbill - 3E
auk sp - 6E, 1W
Little Tern - 2E, 20os
Commic Tern - 2E
Sandwich Tern - 49E
Kittiwake - 1W
Mediterranean Gull - 3W
Swift - 7N
House Martin - 5N, 2 area
Swallow - 72N
Pied Wagtail - 1N
Wheatear - 1 Oval Field
Chiffchaff - 5 gardens
Willow Warbler - 1 gardens

Shelducks (above) & Common Scoters at the Bill (AH)

The current leader in this year's Pom-king challenge is PB; however we think the pressure is now getting to him as shown by this strange ritual he carried out this morning...... (OM)

At high tide, there were 26 Sanderling on the shingle at the end of Hillfield Road. (KJ)

Sanderling at the Bill (KJ)

(1630-1800hrs) (SH/JA)
Great Northern Diver - 3os
Gannet - 20E, 4W
Common Scoter - 1W
Whimbrel - 1E
Sandwich Tern - 20os
Common Tern - 8os
Little Tern - 2E, 1os
Swallow - 2N
House Martin - 2N

Selsey,Northcommon Farm: A Turtle Dove was tucked away in the far corner of the playing field west of 'Flycatcher Corner' this morning, feeding on the ground before eventually settling on a fence and then the wires of the adjacent farm fields.

Also, a very elusive male Redstart and a Blackcap were in the hedges at 'Flycatcher Corner.' (JF/OM/SH/AH/BI/AB/AW et al)

Turtle Dove at Northcommon Farm (AH)

Warner Lane paddocks: A female Redstart was in the hedges here, early this morning. Nearby, a couple of House Martins were present, near the windmill.(AW)

Redstart at Warner Lane paddocks and House Martin nearby (AW)

Ferry Pool: A summer-plumaged Spotted Redshank dropped in late this morning, but it was generally the same birds present as recently, including a Knot, four Dunlin, 14 Avocets, two Little Ringed Plovers, ten Redshank, two Teal, four Gadwall and 20+ Shelducks, plus the young family.

Also, the pair of Wigeon and three Gadwall were in the channel opposite.(AH/AB)

Early this evening, a Common Sandpiper was in Ferry Channel and a Cuckoo flew over the Discovery area. (AW/AH)

Spotted Redshank and Redshank (above), Knot & Shelduck family at the Ferry (AH)

Church Norton: There were barely half a dozen Whimbrel remaining in the harbour this morning, though there were still ten Bar-tailed and c40 Black-tailed Godwits present, plus 10 Grey Plover, 4 Knot and a small flock of Sanderlings.

Eight Common Terns and 25+ Little Terns were around the old harbour mouth and island at high tide, along with 50+ Sandwich Terns in the vicinity, but the bushes were quiet beyond the odd Blackcap and Chiffchaff, plus the Cuckoo calling from Priory Wood and, later on, a Hobby went west over the beach (AH/AW)

Sandwich Terns at Church Norton (AH)

Medmerry: Easton Lane to the Stilt Pool - It was very quiet along the banks, save for lots of Whitethroats, a few Reed Warblers and a Lesser Whitethroat, with otherwise just a few Linnets and Skylarks, plus four Little Egrets.
The Stilt Pool still held c40 Avocets, with many looking like they were on eggs, along with three or four Little Ringed Plovers, but a lone Black-tailed Godwit was the only other wader seen. (AH)

Whitethroat (above), Skylark, Avocet & Little Egret at Medmerry (AH)

Ivy Lake: The first-winter Little Gull was feeding (mostly) high over the lake late this afternoon, with at least 20 Swifts among the many hirundines and four Common Terns. Also of note was a creche of a dozen or more of juvenile Long-tailed Tits, all together with a number of attendant adults. (AW/AH)

Little Gull (top two AH, lower AW), Little Gull and Common Tern, Swift & Long-tailed Tits (AW) at Ivy Lake

Wednesday, 1st May: A fairly murky, hazy morning, though mild in the gentle north-easterly breeze, later going round to the south-south-west and becoming a little cooler.

Selsey Bill: A generally slow morning had some highlights, including two drake Long-tailed Ducks and four Pomarine Skuas east and a Hobby that came in off the sea, along with large numbers of Swallows and a few House Martins. Full log below.......
(0545-1500hrs) (PB/OM/C&ME/JF/CRJ/AH/CN/IP/RB et al)
Red-throated Diver - 3E, 3W
Great Northern Diver - 6 os
Fulmar - 7E, 6W
Gannet - 67E, 8W
Shag - 1W
Shelduck - 2W, 5os
Common Scoter - 106E
Long-tailed Duck - 2E (drakes)
Whimbrel - 6E
Bar-tailed Godwit - 13E
Hobby - 1N
auk sp - 3W
Little Tern - 3E
Common Tern - 6E
Commic Tern - 10E
Sandwich Tern - 102E
Arctic Skua - 1E (d/p)
Pomarine Skua - 4E (1x08.05hrs, 3x11.10hrs)
Wheatear - 1N/ob
Pied Wagtail - 1N
Sand Martin - 2N
House Martin - 1N
Swallow - 264N
Whitethroat - 1 gardens

(1645-1800hrs) (SH)
Great Northern Diver - 2os
Fulmar - 1E
Gannet - 12E, 10W
Little Tern - 1E
Common Tern - 5E
Sandwich Tern - 11os
Swallow - 2N

Hobby (above), Shag, Fulmar, Sandwich Terns & Shelducks at the Bill (AH)

JF enjoying his birthday biscuits with OM and DM (AH)

PB diligently keeping the log, whilst CN takes it easy! (AH)

Ferry Pool: The Knot and five Dunlin were again present, along with three Little Ringed Plovers, eight Avocets, a dozen Redshank, c60 Black-tailed Godwits, four Teal, four Gadwall and 25 Shelducks, plus the family of ducklings. (AH/IP/RB)

Little Ringed Plover (above), Black-tailed Godwits and Shelducks, Shelduck family (AH) & Black-tailed Godwit (RB) on the Ferry

Long Pool: There was a Cuckoo calling from the trees along the west-side this morning and there were at least ten Reed Warblers, four Sedge Warblers, two Cetti's Warblers and two Whitethroats singing along the hedges of the pool, along with a couple of Reed Buntings.

Four Little Grebes and pairs of Gadwall and Canada Geese were on the pool and four Lapwings were over the uncropped fields, whilst there were just half a dozen Whimbrel in Ferry Channel. (AH)

Sedge Warbler (above), Reed Warbler & Little Grebe along Long Pool (AH)

Medmerry: Ham Farm - A Whinchat was along the banks near the farm, with another near Wilson's Farm, whilst there were three singing Corn Buntings in the vicinity, and there were lots of warblers about, including two Lesser Whitethroats, two Sedge Warblers, four Reed Warblers and what seemed like a Whitethroat in every suitable bush.

Also, a Whimbrel and a steady stream of Swallows went over. (HB)

Medmerry: Easton Lane to the Stilt Pool - There was no sign of the Spoonbills today,, but did see a Lesser Whitethroat, and an unexpected find in the shape of a Lesser Redpoll feeding in the gorse. Also, there were four Little Ringed Plovers and eight Dunlin on the Stilt Pool and one or two Reed |Warblers in the path-side pools.. (RB)

Reed Warbler at Medmerry (RB)

Ivy Lake: The first-winter Little Gull was again feeding over the lake today, but elusive and there were also c25 Swifts feeding, together with an equal numbers of hirundines - mainly Sand Martins, though there were at least five House Martins, plus a handful of Swallows, and there were also four Common Terns present. (RB/BI)

Church Norton: It was pretty quiet in the harbour, with most of the gulls and Sandwich Terns on the island and only ten or so Whimbrel evident on the high tide, whilst half a dozen Little Terns went west offshore.

A Cuckoo and a Lesser Whitethroat were heard, two Swifts went over, and several Sedge Warblers and Whitethroats, plus a Reed Bunting and a Sparrowhawk, were along the first Several, a few Swallows went over and a couple of Blackcaps were near the Mound. (AH/IP)