22nd - 24th September 2019

Tuesday, 24th September: After a period of very heavy rain early on, the morning improved to heavy cloud, squally showers and a strong south-south-westerly....easing later to SW5 following a prolonged shower passing through.

Selsey Bill: The morning was dominated by Gannets, with over 600 going west in a constant flow, though a juvenile Arctic Tern west with a Sandwich Tern was the only bird of note. Full log below...... 
0800-1330hrs:  (SSW6-7, decreasing to SW5 later)  (AH/BFF/DM/OM/C&ME) 
Gannet - 680W
Shag - 6 o/s
Arctic Tern - 1 juv W
Sandwich Tern - 5W
Mediterranean Gull - 1W
Kittiwake - 3W
Swallow - 17W
Chiffchaff - 2 Bill House garden

Gannets (above) & Turnstone at the Bill (AH)

Ferry Pool: A Greenshank was on the pool this morning, along with a Wigeon, two Gadwall, 25 Teal, c50 Lapwing and c60 Black-tailed Godwits. (AH)
Late afternoon update: A juvenile Rose-coloured Starling was present amongst a small Starling flock along the Tramway at 1630hrs (AW) 
It was still present in the area at 1720hrs, and there was also the first Merlin of the autumn, as well as an Osprey over the harbour, a Kingfisher, a couple of Sand Martins and a few Swallows. (BI/Sa&SH)

Juvenile Rose-coloured Starling at the Tramway this afternoon (AW)

Greenshank (above) & Teal and Gadwall on the Ferry (AH)

Fishbourne Creek: The Ruff was still in the creek, along with two Greenshanks and two Spotted Redshanks, whilst a Sparrowhawk and four Stonechats were also present. (SR)

North Wall: This evening there were two Spotted Redshanks in White's Creek, with ten Yellow Wagtails flying about and four Cattle Egrets around the cattle at the west end of the wall. (IH)

Church Norton: There wasn't much of note in the harbour, though 220 Wigeon around the old harbour mouth was a big increase in numbers, whilst there were also two Sandwich Terns, c50 Teal, two Bar-tailed Godwits, a few Dunlin and Grey Plovers and at least 80 Redshank present. (AH/BFF/DM)

Bar-tailed Godwit (above), Grey Plover & Wigeon at Church Norton (AH)

Monday, 23rd September: A return to a blustery westerly airflow, with a fresh south-westerly breeze and a mix of quite warm sunshine and fast-moving cloud, though rain was due later.....duly arriving late afternoon.

Selsey Bill: There were plenty of Gannets heading west, but not much else was about, though a few more Shags went east and Brent Geese went west. Full log below. (C&ME/AH/IP)
(0645-0930hrs) (SW4)
Gannet - 5E, 320W
Shag - 8E
Brent Goose - 2E, 17W
Common Scoter - 1E
Kestrel - 1
Mediterranean Gull - 12W
Sandwich Tern - 2E, 7W
Swallow - 5E
Meadow Pipit - 28W
Pied Wagtail - 2W
Chiffchaff - 2

1700-1800hrs:  (S/SW5)  (SH)
Gannet - 16E, 1W
Shag - 8W
Sandwich Tern - 1W

Gannets at the Bill (AH)

Ferry Pool: It was quiet early on, but later a  Spotted Redshank and two Green Sandpipers were present, along with the usual 70+ Black-tailed Godwits, 50+ Lapwing, 20 Teal and three Shelducks.
There were also three Whinchats and four Stonechats along the fence-line through the middle of Ferry Field, plus a Buzzard. (AH/IP/AW)

Green Sandpipers (above), Spotted Redshank and Black-tailed Godwits & Buzzard at the Ferry (AH)

Spotted Redshank (above) & Whinchat the Ferry (AW)

Long Pool: The Spotted Redshank re-located to the Long Pool before flying back into the channel, whilst along the hedges were a Lesser Whitethroat, a Sedge Warbler, two Stonechats and a Reed Bunting. Also, a few Meadow Pipits and Swallows went over.(AH/AW)

Spotted Redshank (top AW & lower AH) (above) & Lesser Whitethroat (AH) along the Long Pool

Church Norton: Two Spotted Flycatchers were between the Severals, but there weren't many other migrants about beyond a scattering of Blackcaps and Chiffchaffs, plus 50 or more Swallows and a handful of Meadow Pipits over.
There were two Whimbrels in the corner of the harbour.between the concrete slabs and the beach, with at least half a dozen Bar-tailed Godwits and a few Dunlin and Grey Plover present, too.  Also, a Small Copper was in the churchyard.(AH/IP/A&YF)

Spotted Flycatcher (above), Blackcap, Whimbrel, Bar-tailed Godwits & Small Copper at Church Norton (AH)

Fishbourne Creek: The Ruff was again at the Lavant outflow this morning, though it was surprisingly elusive, showing briefly for a couple of minutes at the back amongst gulls and Redshanks, before flying further into the channel. At least a dozen Greenshank were also spread throughout the channel, plus 10 Wigeon, 80 Black-tailed Godwits, 150 Redshanks and a Grey Wagtail. (OM) 

Ruff at Fishbourne Creek (OM)

Chi Marina: There was nothing on the pool, but a Hobby put in an appearance, hunting mainly quite high over the reed-bed. In the channel at low tide were a flock of 48 Grey Plovers, 39 Knot and a Greenshank.  Nearby, Birdham Pool held 14 Little Grebes but little else. Passerines in the area consisted of a Blackcap, several Chiffchaffs and two Cetti's Warblers. (OM)

 Hobby over Chi Marina reed-bed (OM)

Sunday, 22nd September: An overcast and humid start, with a light south-easterly breeze, eventually gave way to very heavy rain before clearing again by lunchtime.....

Selsey Bill: Undoubted highlight of the morning was a ring-tail Hen Harrier that cruised east, about half a mile offshore, showing no inclination to make landfall as it passed by. 
Also of note was the first Red-throated Diver of the autumn and there were more Swallows and House Martins on the move. Full log below. (JA/SH/BI/AH/IP)

(0645-0945hrs) (SE2 veering to SW3)

Red-throated Diver - 1W

Gannet - 128E, 26W

Shag - 12E

Brent Goose - 1E, 9W

Common Scoter - 2E

Hen Harrier - 1E

Mediterranean Gull - 10E, 1W

Common Gull - 1W

Sandwich Tern - 5E, 2W

Swallow - 488E

Sand Martin - 2E

House Martin -51E

Meadow Pipit - 170E

Yellow Wagtail - 4E

Grey Wagtail - 3E

Pied Wagtail - 1E, 5W

Chiffchaff - 1

Siskin - 2E

Hen Harrier (above), Red-throated Diver, Shags, Gannets & Sandwich Tern at the Bill (AH)

1600-1700hrs: SSW5 (SH)
Gannet - 14E, 4W
Shag - 4W

Sandwich Tern - 3W


Selsey, Park Farm: There were 10 Chiffchaffs, two Willow warblers and two Stonechats this afternoon. 

Fishbourne Creek: Two Green Sandpipers flew off from the Lavant outflow this afternoon. (HB)

Ferry Pool: A Spotted Redshank was briefly at the back and the usual 70 or so Black-tailed Godwits and a few Teal were also on the pool, whilst a Greenshank and a Whimbrel were in the channel opposite. (IP)

North Wall: A walk along the wall this morning produced a male Blackcap and one or two Common Whitethroats and Reed Buntings, along with 12 Long-Tailed Tits and two Blue Tits. 

There were also three Pintails in Whites Creek. (IH)

Church Norton: A quick look in the heavy rain was unsurprisingly unproductive, though there were c20 Black-tailed Godwits, a handful of Dunlin, Grey and Ringed Plovers and  Curlews, along with plenty of Redshank present, with several flocks of Teal and Wigeon were flying about. (AH/IP)
This afternoon, as the rain stopped, a flock of 300+ Swallows moved through the area. Also logged around the first Several area were 4 Chiffchaffs, 6 Blackcaps, a Whinchat, 2 Cetti's Warblers and 6 Stonechats. 
Offshore were 30+ Gannets and 4 Brent Geese east, whilst in the harbour were 2 Grey Plovers, a Whimbrel and 3 Bar-tailed Godwits. (SH)

Grey Plover (above), Black-tailed Godwits & Wigeon at Church Norton (AH)