Saturday, 18th April: A fairly cool and grey morning, after more overnight rain, but brightening up later and the breeze light and from the north-east....
Selsey Bill: Highlights this morning were an Osprey coasting east very early on and a Black Tern and two Little Terns among 311 Common Terns, 22 Little Gulls, 30 Whimbrel and six Arctic Skuas east, whilst the Long-tailed Duck flew in again from the west and a Yellow Wagtail came in off the sea.
(0550-0830hrs) (NE, F3)
Red-throated Diver – 1E
Fulmar – 4E, 4W
Gannet – 112E, 6W
Common Scoter – 6E, 8W
Long-tailed Duck – 1E
Osprey – 1E (costing east at 6.00am)
Sparrowhawk – 1
Dunlin – 1E
Bar-tailed Godwit – 6E
Whimbrel – 30E
Arctic Skua – 6E (3d/p, 3l/p)
Mediterranean Gull – 5E
Little Gull – 22E
Sandwich Tern – 83E
Common Tern – 311E
Little Tern – 2E
Black Tern – 1E
Commic Tern – 15E
auk sp – 1E, 1W
Yellow Wagtail – 1N
Chiffchaff – 1N
Ferry Pool: Around 40 Black-tailed Godwits and a few Redshank were along the edges, with wildfowl this morning including eight Gadwall, six Shovelers, c20 Teal and c50 Shelducks, .
Park Farm, Selsey: A Raven went over, as did a Sparrowhawk, six House Martins, three Swallows and 17 Mediterranean Gulls, whilst two Whitethroats were in the hedges.
Church Norton: A male Wheatear was on the spit and a few warblers were about this morning, including two Whitethroats and five Blackcaps at Greenlease Farm and six Sedge and four Reed Warblers at the Severals, whilst at least half a dozen Swallows went over.
Also, a Peregrine was in the harbour, along with a Common Tern, 30+ Sandwich Terns, six Black-tailed Godwits and a couple of Dunlin.
Ivy Lake: A Common Sandpiper was here this morning.
Medmerry: Coastguards Station to the Windmill - Up to half a dozen Wheatears were on the beach from the Windmill this morning and 100+ Swallows came in off the sea.
Medmerry: Easton Lane to the Stilt Pool - Highlight this morning was a female Merlin in off the sea just before midday, whilst there were a pair of Grey Partridges andfour Wheatears by Marsh Barn and three more of the latter by the Stilt Pool, where there was also a Greenshank and three Black-tailed Godwits, but just four pairs of Avocets.
Also, five Great Northern Divers were on the sea, whilst 25 Common Terns, two Sandwich Terns, five Common Scoters and seven Whimbrel went east offshore.
North Wall: A Cuckoo was calling near Honer Farm this morning, whilst up to five Cattle Egrets (and possibly more) were in Owl Copse and a Spotted Redshank and a Whimbrel were in White's Creek.
There were plenty of Reed Buntings, Reed, Cetti's and Sedge Warblers singing, with a couple of Whitethroats along the wall and a few Swallows went over, whilst out in the harbour there was a large flock of roosting waders, including c20 Bar-tailed Godwits, c150 Grey Plovers, c100 Knot, c300 Dunlin and c50 Redshanks.
Chi GPs – Drayton House pits: Around the North pit there were at least 17 singing Reed Warblers and 2 Sedge Warblers, plus 4 Chiffchaffs, 6 Blackcaps and 6 Cetti’s Warblers. A Water Rail was seen scurrying through the reeds and 6 Shoveler were still present with several Pochard, 10 Tufted and 8 Greylags.
A Marsh Harrier, a Buzzard and a Kestrel were out hunting and 2 Swallows, 2 Reed Buntings and 4 Greenfinches were also logged. The South pit held at least 4 more singing Reed Warblers, a couple of Whitethroats, 2 Cetti’s Warblers, a couple of Chiffchaffs and several Blackcaps, whilst on the water were 30 Tufted, 15 Pochard and 12 Gadwall.
Friday, 17th April: The fresh and cool north-easterly breeze persisted, only dropping when the frequent and heavy showers began mid-morning....(0550-0830hrs) (NE, F3)
Red-throated Diver – 1E
Fulmar – 4E, 4W
Gannet – 112E, 6W
Common Scoter – 6E, 8W
Long-tailed Duck – 1E
Osprey – 1E (costing east at 6.00am)
Sparrowhawk – 1
Dunlin – 1E
Bar-tailed Godwit – 6E
Whimbrel – 30E
Arctic Skua – 6E (3d/p, 3l/p)
Mediterranean Gull – 5E
Little Gull – 22E
Sandwich Tern – 83E
Common Tern – 311E
Little Tern – 2E
Black Tern – 1E
Commic Tern – 15E
auk sp – 1E, 1W
Yellow Wagtail – 1N
Chiffchaff – 1N
Arctic Skuas (above), Fulmar, Sandwich Tern, Whimbrels, Gannet, Common Terns & Grey Seal at the Bill (AH)
Ferry Pool: Around 40 Black-tailed Godwits and a few Redshank were along the edges, with wildfowl this morning including eight Gadwall, six Shovelers, c20 Teal and c50 Shelducks, .
Park Farm, Selsey: A Raven went over, as did a Sparrowhawk, six House Martins, three Swallows and 17 Mediterranean Gulls, whilst two Whitethroats were in the hedges.
Church Norton: A male Wheatear was on the spit and a few warblers were about this morning, including two Whitethroats and five Blackcaps at Greenlease Farm and six Sedge and four Reed Warblers at the Severals, whilst at least half a dozen Swallows went over.
Also, a Peregrine was in the harbour, along with a Common Tern, 30+ Sandwich Terns, six Black-tailed Godwits and a couple of Dunlin.
Ivy Lake: A Common Sandpiper was here this morning.
Medmerry: Coastguards Station to the Windmill - Up to half a dozen Wheatears were on the beach from the Windmill this morning and 100+ Swallows came in off the sea.
Medmerry: Easton Lane to the Stilt Pool - Highlight this morning was a female Merlin in off the sea just before midday, whilst there were a pair of Grey Partridges andfour Wheatears by Marsh Barn and three more of the latter by the Stilt Pool, where there was also a Greenshank and three Black-tailed Godwits, but just four pairs of Avocets.
Also, five Great Northern Divers were on the sea, whilst 25 Common Terns, two Sandwich Terns, five Common Scoters and seven Whimbrel went east offshore.
North Wall: A Cuckoo was calling near Honer Farm this morning, whilst up to five Cattle Egrets (and possibly more) were in Owl Copse and a Spotted Redshank and a Whimbrel were in White's Creek.
There were plenty of Reed Buntings, Reed, Cetti's and Sedge Warblers singing, with a couple of Whitethroats along the wall and a few Swallows went over, whilst out in the harbour there was a large flock of roosting waders, including c20 Bar-tailed Godwits, c150 Grey Plovers, c100 Knot, c300 Dunlin and c50 Redshanks.
Cattle and Little Egrets (above), Whimbrel, Sedge Warbler & Bar-tailed Godwits, Grey Plovers, Knot and Dunlin at the North Wall (AH)
A Marsh Harrier, a Buzzard and a Kestrel were out hunting and 2 Swallows, 2 Reed Buntings and 4 Greenfinches were also logged. The South pit held at least 4 more singing Reed Warblers, a couple of Whitethroats, 2 Cetti’s Warblers, a couple of Chiffchaffs and several Blackcaps, whilst on the water were 30 Tufted, 15 Pochard and 12 Gadwall.
Selsey Bill: There was some proper eastward passage his morning, with highlights including three Bonxies, five Arctic Skuas, 11 Little Gulls, seven Little Terns, 220 Common Terns, 286 Sandwich Terns, 552 Gannets, 169 Common Scoters, 27 Whimbrel and a Long-tailed Duck that dropped in on the sea.
(0600-0915hrs) (NE, F3)
Great Northern Diver – 2os
Red-throated Diver – 1E
Fulmar – 1E, 8W
Gannet – 552E, 1
Brent Goose – 15E
Shelduck – 2E
Common Scoter – 169E, 2W
Long-tailed Duck – 1E/os
Red-breasted Merganser – 2E
Sanderling – 1E
Whimbrel – 27E
Curlew – 5E
Bar-tailed Godwit – 1E
Great Skua – 3E
Arctic Skua – 7E (5d/p, 2 l/p)
Mediterranean Gull – 2E
Black-headed Gull – 14E
Common Gull – 16E
Great Black-backed Gull – 58E
Little Gull – 11E
Kittiwake – 2E
Sandwich Tern – 286E
Common Tern –0E
Commic Tern – 6E
Little Tern –
Razorbill – 1E
Guillemot – 1W
Auk sp – 1W
Meadow Pipit – 11N
Swallow – 1N
Wheatear – 1
Ferry Pool: There were at least 50 Shelduck on the pool, along with four Tufted Ducks, six Gadwall, c20 Teal, ten Shovelers, two Avocets and 12 Redshanks.
Drayton Pits: A Great White Egret was here this morning and other highlights were five Chiffchaffs, four Sedge Warblers, five Cetti's Warblers, four Reed Warblers, three Whitethroats and three Blackcaps.
Ivy Lake Complex: Generally quiet but there was a Common Tern and an Egyptian Goose on Ivy Lake and c.40 hirundines over, a mix of Swallows and Sand Martins mainly but also a couple of House Martins as well.
The paths held three Chiffchaffs, two Sedge Warblers & two Blackcaps and there were c.10 Mediterranean Gulls in the horse field opposite. There was little on the other pits other than the usual mix of wildfowl although Runcton Lake did have 20 Swallows hawking over the water.
Later in the day after the rain there were 35 Common Terns and a Black Tern present along with c.70 mixed hirundines.
East Beach: Three Swallows headed north over the garden this afternoon along with two Sandwich Terns and three Mallard.
Medmerry: Coastguard Station - A short watch from here produced two Arctic Skuas, a flock of 23 Whimbrels, three Common Scoters, five Common Terns and three Little Terns, all heading past east, and there were also two Great Northern Divers offshore.
Church Norton: The vast flock of gulls and terns had largely dissipated this morning, with only c25 Sandwich Terns, four Common Terns, 12 Mediterranean Gulls and c50 Black-headed Gulls remaining.
Otherwise, passerines were non-existent, whilst the only waders noted were half a dozen Whimbrel and Curlew, c20 Turnstones flying about and 16 Black-tailed Godwits.
Medmerry: Porthole Farm - Two Sand Martins were over the settling tanks this evening, along with c30 Swallows and ten House Martins.
(0600-0915hrs) (NE, F3)
Great Northern Diver – 2os
Red-throated Diver – 1E
Fulmar – 1E, 8W
Gannet – 552E, 1
Brent Goose – 15E
Shelduck – 2E
Common Scoter – 169E, 2W
Long-tailed Duck – 1E/os
Red-breasted Merganser – 2E
Sanderling – 1E
Whimbrel – 27E
Curlew – 5E
Bar-tailed Godwit – 1E
Great Skua – 3E
Arctic Skua – 7E (5d/p, 2 l/p)
Mediterranean Gull – 2E
Black-headed Gull – 14E
Common Gull – 16E
Great Black-backed Gull – 58E
Little Gull – 11E
Kittiwake – 2E
Sandwich Tern – 286E
Common Tern –0E
Commic Tern – 6E
Little Tern –
Razorbill – 1E
Guillemot – 1W
Auk sp – 1W
Meadow Pipit – 11N
Swallow – 1N
Wheatear – 1
Arctic Skua (above), Bonxie, Common Terns, Sandwich Tern, Common Scoter & Gannets at the Bill (AH)
Ferry Pool: There were at least 50 Shelduck on the pool, along with four Tufted Ducks, six Gadwall, c20 Teal, ten Shovelers, two Avocets and 12 Redshanks.
Tufted Ducks on the Ferry (AH)
Drayton Pits: A Great White Egret was here this morning and other highlights were five Chiffchaffs, four Sedge Warblers, five Cetti's Warblers, four Reed Warblers, three Whitethroats and three Blackcaps.
Ivy Lake Complex: Generally quiet but there was a Common Tern and an Egyptian Goose on Ivy Lake and c.40 hirundines over, a mix of Swallows and Sand Martins mainly but also a couple of House Martins as well.
The paths held three Chiffchaffs, two Sedge Warblers & two Blackcaps and there were c.10 Mediterranean Gulls in the horse field opposite. There was little on the other pits other than the usual mix of wildfowl although Runcton Lake did have 20 Swallows hawking over the water.
Later in the day after the rain there were 35 Common Terns and a Black Tern present along with c.70 mixed hirundines.
East Beach: Three Swallows headed north over the garden this afternoon along with two Sandwich Terns and three Mallard.
Medmerry: Coastguard Station - A short watch from here produced two Arctic Skuas, a flock of 23 Whimbrels, three Common Scoters, five Common Terns and three Little Terns, all heading past east, and there were also two Great Northern Divers offshore.
Great Northern Divers (above), Common Terns & Whimbrel at Medmerry (AW)
Otherwise, passerines were non-existent, whilst the only waders noted were half a dozen Whimbrel and Curlew, c20 Turnstones flying about and 16 Black-tailed Godwits.
Common and Sandwich Terns at Church Norton (AH)
Swallows at Medmerry (AH)
Selsey Bill: A Common Sandpiper and a Wheatear were along the beach first thing, whilst a flock of nine Eider were sat on the sea, but 19 Whimbrel and 65 Sandwich Terns east was about the sum of passage.
(0650-0830hrs) (NE, F3)
Great Northern Diver – 1os
Great Crested Grebe – 2E
Fulmar – 1W
Gannet – 14E, 6W
Common Scoter – 3E
Eider – 9os
Oystercatcher – 8E
Common Sandpiper – 1
Whimbrel – 19E
Turnstone – 3
Common Gull – 3E
Mediterranean Gull – 1E
Sandwich Tern – 65E
Wheatear – 1
(0650-0830hrs) (NE, F3)
Great Northern Diver – 1os
Great Crested Grebe – 2E
Fulmar – 1W
Gannet – 14E, 6W
Common Scoter – 3E
Eider – 9os
Oystercatcher – 8E
Common Sandpiper – 1
Whimbrel – 19E
Turnstone – 3
Common Gull – 3E
Mediterranean Gull – 1E
Sandwich Tern – 65E
Wheatear – 1
Common Sandpiper (above), Wheatear, Eider, Common Scoter & Great Northern Diver at the Bill (AH)
Ferry Pool: There were five Avocets, c80 Black-tailed Godwits and half a dozen Redshanks on the pool, along with six Gadwall, c20 Shoveler and Teal and c40 Shelducks.
There were also a Lesser Whitethroat, half a dozen Whitethroats and the regular scattering of Chiffchaffs and Blackcaps around the Tramway, plus a couple of Swallows over.
Whitethroat (above), Blackcap & Black-tailed Godwits at the Ferry (AH)
Bracklesham: A male Pied Flycatcher was in a Bracklesham garden this evening. (F&D Lee per SOS)
North Wall: A Greenshank was in White's Creek with three Redshanks this morning, whilst a Wheatear was along the wall and a probable Reed Warbler was among the many Sedge Warblers in the Breech Pool.
Fishbourne Creek: Mid-morning on the falling tide at Dell Quay a quick scan found a single Brent Goose, about 70 Mute Swan and seven Great Crested Grebes on the water, whilst a probable Common Tern was perched on a buoy in the mid-channel and two other terns flew up the channel.
The only shorebirds seen were two each of Curlew and Oystercatcher, whilst a number of Mediterranean Gulls were calling overhead, in addition to the Herring and Black-headed Gulls present on the water and shore.
Medmerry Trail: A look along the path up to and around the sewage farm produced at least a dozen Whitethroats, two Lesser Whitethroats, two Sedge Warblers, half a dozen Blackcaps and Chiffchaffs, a couple of Reed Buntings and 20+ Linnets, whilst at least a dozen Mediterranean Gulls, 20 Swallows and ten House Martins were around/over the sewage farm.
Whitethroat (above), Swallow, Mediterranean Gull & Sparrowhawk along the Medmerry Trail (AH)
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