13th - 15th October 2019

Tuesday, 15th October:  A brighter and much drier day in prospect with winds moving to the west

Selsey Bill:0700-1000hrs) (Wind NE2) (C&ME/IP): A mixed bag this morning with the most notable occurrence being a small Jackdaw movement.
Gannet - 25W
Shag - 26E
Common Scoter - 1E
Red-breasted Merganser - 2W
Sparrowhawk - 1
Mediterranean Gull  8E
Sandwich Tern - 2E, 7W

Auk sp. - 2W

Guillemot - 2os

Razorbill - 4W, 1E

House Martin  8W
Swallow - 36W
Meadow Pipit - 49E
Pied Wagtail  59W
Chiffchaff - 1
Goldcrest - 2
Jackdaw - 27N
Chaffinch - 4

Northcommon Farm: A Lesser Redpoll flew over the construction site this morning. (SH)

Church Norton: The Firecrest remained in the churchyard this morning as did the Redstart, two Mistle Thrushes and 15 Chiffchaffs and along from the hide a number of Siskins were in the Goldfinch flock. 

A Bearded Tit, the first of the year on the Peninsula, was heard calling from the first Several this morning and subsequently showed very well around the reeds and brambles. There were also seven Stonechats around the gorse & 20+ Pied Wagtails flew over, as did three Reed Buntings. 

Out in the harbour were the regular waders and the female Peregrine was sat on her island. Later on behind the hide were a Blackcap, four Chaffinches and a Jay and in Oak Copse were three Chiffchaffs. Another three were in Grange Lane and c.50 Skylarks were west of the approach road. There was also a rather dark Painted Lady on the shingle. (AW/CN/IP/BI/CRJ)

Bearded Tit, Firecrest & Siskin at Church Norton (BI/AW); Painted Lady (CRJ)

North Wall: A Common Sandpiper was feeding at Whites Creek near the Sluice Gates this morning along with the usual Redshank, Wigeon, Lapwing and Black Tailed Godwits. Further out at least six Pintail and a Grey Plover were visible. 

 A walk along the wall produced little of note other than two Wheatears, a Stonechat, and a Reed Bunting. (IH/JLPS)

Ferry Pool: The following were present today: 20 Teal, 30 Teal, eight Shoveler, five Black-tailed Godwits, a Mute Swan, c.60 Lapwings, a Stock Dove and 12 Swallows flew over. (C&ME)

Runcton: The female Redstart was still in residence in Saltham Lane this afternoon and three Chiffchaffs were nearby. (CRJ)



Monday, 14th October: Still overcast and gloomy but with the wind moving to the east...

Selsey Bill: Absolutely nothing was moving over the sea early on but as the wind backed to the north visible migration picked up with a good selection recorded including five calling Woodlarks and three close Lesser Redpolls, full log below. 

(0710-0930hrs) (Wind E4, backing ENE3  later) (BI/AM/IP):
Gannet - 1E, 1W

Shag - 20E

Brent Goose - 2W

Common Scoter - 1E

Turnstone - 9ob

Mediterranean Gull - 4E, 2W, 3os

Sandwich Tern - 5W

Swallow - 52E

Meadow Pipit - 447W

Skylark -  6E
Woodlark - 5E

Pied Wagtail - 6E, 3W
Mistle Thrush - 1N
Linnet - c.45
Lesser Redpoll -3E

Goldfinch - C.50

Sandwich Tern, above, & Shags at the Bill (BI)

A good look around the Bill this afternoon for yesterday's Grey Phalarope resulted in no sign of the bird. (CRJ)


Ferry Pool: Little to report today with just 100 Lapwings and many Black-headed Gulls present on the pool and surrounding fields. (AM) Six Shovelers were on the main pool later in the day and five Snipe came off the hidden pool whilst three Swallows and a Common Buzzard went over. (AW/CRJ)

Snipe at the Ferry (AW)

Snipe over the Ferry (AW)

Church Norton: The churchyard held a Firecrest at the start of the morning and later, briefly, a Spotted Flycatcher and a Redstart could be found there whilst in the harbour there were 28 Pintails. (IP/AW) 

This afternoon four Chiffchaffs, a Blackcap, a Mistle Thrush, a Goldcrest and a Green Woodpecker were in the churchyard. (CRJ)

Redstart, above, Spotted Flycatcher & Pintail at Church Norton (AW)

East Head: There was plenty of overhead migration here as well today with hundreds of Meadow Pipits moving north-east in a constant stream along with C.35 Swallows and at least 10 Skylarks. 
There were a dozen more Skylarks on the saltmarsh as well as a large flock of Linnets, probably 150 birds, whilst three Ringed Plovers, two Curlew and 12 Dunlin were also present here. In the creek were 250 Brent Geese, two Pintail flew over north and along the beach were three Wheatears and a Stonechat. (BI/DB)

Wheatear & Brent Geese at East Head (BI)

Sunday, 13th October: An overcast start to the day with gusty southerly winds and scattered showers...

Selsey Bill: The highlight this morning was a Grey Phalarope being pursued by a Herring Gull very close in along the shoreline at 0947 and there was also a Pomarine Skua offshore then heading west...full log below...
(0700-1030hrs) (Wind S6-7, veering SSW7 later) (SH/PB/IP/BI/AM/CRJ):
Great Crested Grebe - 1os

Gannet - 2E, 191W, 30os

Shag - 23E

Brent Goose - 5W

Shoveler - 5W

Common Scoter - 19E, 8W

Peregrine - 1

Merlin - 1W

Sanderling - 25E

Turnstone - 6ob

Grey Phalarope - 1W

Pomarine Skua - 1os then W

Arctic Skua - 4W, 2os

Common Gull - 1E

Mediterranean Gull - 3os

Kittiwake - 26E, 18W

Sandwich Tern - 3E, 3W

Auk sp. - 5E, 20W

Guillemot - 2W

Razorbill - 5W

Swallow - 16E

Meadow Pipit - 56S

Skylark  3E

Pied Wagtail - 2E

Goldfinch - 22

(1330-1430hrs) (SW6) (SH/AM):
Gannet - 6W, 20os
Great Skua -1W
Sandwich Tern - 6W
Auk sp. - 1W
Razorbill - 1W

(1500-1630hrs) (SW5) (SR/AM):
Gannet - 4E, 5W, 30os
Shag - 4W
Common Scoter - 1E
Sandwich Tern  1E, 7W
Guillemot - 1os (see below)
Swallow - 10W

Sandwich Terns, above, & Meadow Pipit at Selsey Bill (BI) 

This afternoon the Guillemot was close inshore being harassed by Herring Gulls and unfortunately appears to have some white line coming from its bill. (SR/AM)

Guillemot offshore at Selsey (SR)

Ferry Pool: Singles of Greenshank and Spotted Redshank were present this morning along with seven Shovelers, c.30 Teal, 6 Wigeon and a few dozen Lapwings. (IP/BI)

Church Norton: A Common Sandpiper was on the old breakwater mid-morning roosting with the Dunlin & Knot and was still present this afternoon along with two Whimbrels. 
A Rock Pipit was on the flooded field whilst along the spit were three Wheatears, two Stonechats and c.10 Meadow Pipits. (CRJ/AW)

Rock Pipit, above, Wheatear & Meadow Pipit at Church Norton (AW)

Runcton: The female Redstart was still present in the line of oaks in Saltham Lane this afternoon and five Chiffchaffs were noted in the same area. (CRJ)

Chichester Canal: A Mistle Thrush was along the canal near Donnington and a Goldcrest was with a mixed Tit flock at mid-day. (AW)

Mistle Thrush along Chichester Canal (AW)