25th - 27th October 2019

Sunday, 27th October: A complete turnaround in the weather this morning, with a much cooler, but bright and still, morning.....

Selsey Bill: Numbers were low this morning, but there was a bit of variety, with the highlight being a Long-tailed Duck that dropped in offshore. Full log below. (SH/JA/PB/BI/IP/OM/AH/SR)
(0630-0930hrs) (NNW F1)
Great Northern Diver - 1os
Gannet - 5E
Shag - 17E
Brent Goose - 4W
Tufted Duck - 2W
Long-tailed Duck - 1os
Common Scoter - 2W
Red-breasted Merganser - 14W
Mediterranean Gull - 1E, 6W
auk sp - 1W
Great Spotted Woodpecker - 1
Skylark - 4N
Meadow Pipit - 9W
Pied Wagtail - 1W
Chiffchaff - 4
Goldcrest - 2
Long-tailed Tit - 27
Greenfinch - 2
Goldfinch - 60

Red-breasted Mergansers (above) & Shags at the Bill (AH)

Also, a female-type Black Redstart was in the Broadreeds Estate this morning along with two Chiffchaffs and five Long-tailed Tits, and two Pied Wagtails came in off the sea. (SR) Later on a Short-eared Owl came in off the sea over East Beach being well mobbed by Gulls as it did so (CVB)

Short-eared Owl coming in over East Beach (CVB)

Park Farm, Selsey: At least one Black Redstart was around the buildings this morning, whilst the fields held a Grey Wagtail, eight Pied Wagtails, 20+ Meadow Pipits, two Stonechats, a Jay, a Sparrowhawk and two Buzzards. (S&SaH)

Selsey: A Black Redstart was briefly on the roof of St Peter's Church this morning. (AW)

Black Redstart on St. Peter's Church, Selsey (AW)

Ferry Pool: There were four Spotted Redshanks roosting on the pool at high tide this morning, along with two Snipe, five Avocets, c30 Redshanks, c60 Lapwings and six Black-tailed Godwit, whilst wildfowl included c40 Shoveler, c30 Wigeon, c60 Teal and 24 Shelducks. (AH)

Later a possible Goshawk went over. (IL)

Spotted Redshanks, Lapwing and Teal (above), Avocets, Lapwing and Teal & Shovelers on the Ferry (AH)

Medmerry: Chainbridge to Breach area - There were still four Black Redstarts at the far end of the caravans at Toe End, (one male, 3 fem/imm's) with a Wheatear, seven Stonechats, five Reed Buntings, two Pied Wagtails and 30+ Meadow Pipits in the vicinity.. (PB/MJ/SH)

Black Redstart (above) & Stonechat at Medmerry (SH)

Sidlesham Quay: A Wryneck was seen and photographed by a visiting birder on the wall that runs eastwards from the last buildings towards Owl Point. (per IL)

North Wall: The presence of three fishermen meant that White's Creek was devoid of life this morning apart from a few Wigeon, Teal and Mallard.
A walk along the wall produced a smart pair of Yellowhammers, at least three Stonechats  and numerous Reed Buntings, whilst about 20 Black-tailed Godwits and 12 Curlews were feeding in one of the fields and a perched Sparrowhawk, two Song Thrushes and two calling Cetti's Warblers completed the tally. (IH/PC)

Marsh Farm, Sidlesham: At least 3 Cattle Egrets were present (there may have been more but difficult viewing) plus 2 Little Egrets and a Buzzard. (CRJ)

Church Norton: A Short-eared Owl went over the spit, heading high to the east. (M Read)

Also, two Black Redstarts were around the concrete blocks in the harbour, at least 14 Stonechats were around the rape fields at Greenlease Farm, with another four along the beach, whilst the spit also held at least 20 Skylarks, c40 Meadow Pipits and a few Linnets.

A Water Rail was in the first Several, with one or two Reed Buntings nearby, a few Goldcrests were in the churchyard, with a few more, plus a couple of Chiffxhaffs around Greenlease Farm, whilst five Buzzards were overhead.

The harbour was fairly quiet on the big tide, though five Red-breasted Mergansers flew over the beach and a Peregrine, c25 Brent Geese, 40 Pintail, c40 Mediterranean Gulls and a few Knot and Grey Plovers were seen among the regular species. (S&SaH/P&JW/AH/IP)

 Goldcrest, Reed Bunting, Mediterranean Gull & Grey Plovers, Dunlin and Knot at Church Norton (AH)

Chi GPs - Drayton House pits: Rather quiet today, the most notable species logged being 90 Pochard, 15 Shoveler, a Water Rail, 4 Snipe, 2 Buzzards, 12 Chiffchaffs, 6 Cetti's Warblers and a Bullfinch. (OM)

Saturday, 26th October: A very cloudy and windy day, with a near gale-force southerly picking up during the morning, though mild and remaining dry till lunchtime, but with the prospect of heavy rain moving through for the rest of the day.....

Selsey Bill: A fairly quiet morning, though there were two Great Northern Divers offshore. 
(0730-0900hrs) (SSW F5)  (SH/PB/BI/JA/IP)
Great Northern Diver - 2os
Great Crested Grebe - 3W
Gannet - 4E, 17W
Common Scoter - 2E, 2W
Sandwich Tern - 1E
Razorbill - 1W
auk sp - 8W
Meadow Pipit - 16W

Ferry Pool: There were an Avocet and at least five Snipe on the pool this morning, along with six Black-tailed Godwits, c30 Lapwing, c40 Shoveler, six Wigeon, c60 Teal and 12 Shelducks, whilst a Kingfisher was in the channel opposite. (AH)

Kingfisher (above), Avocet & Wigeon around the Ferry (AH)

Long Pool: There were two Spotted Redshanks and six Avocets at the far end of Ferry Channel, along with a few Grey Plovers, c60 Redshank,10 Pintail and plenty of Wigeon and Teal. (AH)

Spotted Redshank and Redshank (above) & Avocets in Ferry Channel (AH)

Park Farm, Selsey: Around the fields this morning there were a Stonechat, two Grey Wagtails, five Pied Wagtails and 30+ Meadow Pipits. (S&SaH)

Church Norton: An Arctic Tern went west offshore this morning, and there were also a Razorbill, a Guillemot, three Red-breasted Mergansers and two Gannets seen.
A Black Redstart and two Stonechats were along the beach, with another 11 Stonechats spread around the rape fields between the Severals and Greenlease Farm. (S&SaH)

Medmerry Trail: In the windy conditions there was little showing other than a Grey Wagtail at the water treatment works and a couple of Stonechats and Goldcrests along the hedgerows. (AW)

Grey Wagtail along the Medmerry Trail (AW)

Medmerry: Windmill to the Breach - There were five Black Redstarts - two males and three females - at the far end of the caravans at Toe End, whilst a Wheatear was among c20 Meadow Pipits and a dozen Linnets along the track by the viewpoint and a pair of Stonechats were by the go-kart track..
There was a lot of water in the breach area, the sea having fully taken hold of the area, with consequently few birds beyond a Curlew, a couple of Grey Plovers and half a dozen Great Crested Grebes. (AH)

Black Redstarts (above), Wheatear and the view inland from the breach at Medmerry (AH)

Drayton Pits: A Bullfinch was around the north pit this morning, whilst over 100 Pochard were on the water. (IP)

Fishbourne Creek: At least ten Rock Pipits were around their usual area, but the only wader of note was a Greenshank. (IP)

Friday, 25th October: Dull and overcast but dry most of the morning, with a moderate SW breeze, increasing and with showers by early afternoon.....

Selsey Bill: With the wind having swung back to the SW it was 'business as usual' this morning with no real visible migration and few passerines on offer. One Black Redstart was still present, but most of what action there was occurred offshore, with nearly 400 Gannets, 18 Shags, over 150 auks and a few late terns, including a Common. Full log below. (C&ME/AH/IP/BI/BFF/DM)

0730-1030hrs:  (SW F3-4, increasing 5 or 6)  

Great Crested Grebe - 1E, 1W

Gannet - 383W

Shag - 18E

Common Scoter - 8E, 17W

Turnstone - 22W

Razorbill - 11E, 57W

auk sp - 103E, 7W

Kestrel - 1

Common Tern - 1W

Sandwich Tern - 1E, 8W

Mediterranean Gull - 6W

Meadow Pipit - 30N

Pied Wagtail - 2

Swallow - 1

Black Redstart - 1

Goldcrest - 2

Goldfinch - 20

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

(1630-1730hrs) (SH/JA/AH)

Gannet - 3E, 7W

Shag - 15W

Mediterranean Gull - 1E

Razorbill - 1E

Shags at the Bill (AH)

Sidlesham Churchyard and Church Farm Lane: A Firecrest was in the churchyard today and at least 10 Yellowhammers were along Church Farm Lane. (SA)

Medmerry (east) - Coastguard Station to the Breach: Two Black Redstarts were at the go-kart track by the windmill along with 17 Meadow Pipits and a flock of c20 Goldfinches. Along at Toe End was a group of four Black Redstarts, consisting of one adult male and three female/juveniles feeding together on the grass amongst the caravans. 
There was also a hunting Kestrel, a couple of Pied Wagtails, a Reed Bunting, c30 Meadow Pipits and more Goldfinches. Few other birds about on the high tide but a huddle of c30 Ringed Plover and 8 Turnstones were by the rocks. (SR)

 Black Redstart (male) at Medmerry (Toe End) (SR) 

North Wall: A short early-morning visit to the area around the Breech Pool was not productive and the best I could find was two Chiffchaffs, two Stonechats, 10 Reed Buntings, four Cetti's Warblers and three Goldcrests. 

I also checked out the Slipe Field area, which looked promising but actually held few birds today; just two more Stonechats, 30 Linnets and a Sparrowhawk were a meagre return for my efforts! (OM)  

Stonechat at the Slipe field (OM)

Pagham Churchyard: There were 10+ Goldcrests and similar of Long-tailed Tits in the trees, plus two Chiffchaffs in the hedgerows; also several Skylarks went over calling whilst a couple of Green Woodpeckers and a Kestrel were about it (OM)

Pagham Lagoon: It was slow-going here too! The lagoon held 22 Tufted Ducks, c.10 Little Grebes but nothing else of note, whilst along the hedgerows were two Chiffchaffs, 10 Long-tailed Tits, four Goldcrests and a Cetti's Warbler. (OM)

Ferry Pool: There was a good selection of ducks present this morning - including 22 Shelduck, c40 shoveler, c60 Teal, and c20 Wigeon - on the pool, but the only waders noted were 25 Lapwings. (AH)

Church Norton: A dozen Gannets and a Common Scoter went west offshore this morning, whilst the regular Whimbrel, a Bar-tailed Godwit and a few Curlews were in the harbour, along with three Pintail and a few Wigeon and Teal.

Four Swallows, half a dozen Meadow Pipits and c40 Linnets went west along the beach, but the bushes were quiet beyond the odd Goldcrest. (AH/IP)

Common Scoter (above), Gannets & Whimbrel and Curlew at Church Norton (AH)

Fishbourne Creek: There were at least ten Rock Pipits around the saltmarsh this morning and there were c.25 Wigeon out on the water. There was a scattering  of roosting waders such as Redshank, Black-tailed Godwits & Curlew along the high water mark and a noticeably small wader was seen flying with a Dunlin flock but frustratingly avoided a positive ID... (BI)