19th - 21st April 2020

Tuesday, 21st April: The north-easterly breeze was slightly less brisk this morning, and it was quite warm in the sunshine......

Selsey Bill: A Black Tern east and a Bonxie that settled on the sea were the highlights of a slow morning, though another Yellow Wagtail flew in and a Willow Warbler was singing.

Also, an Arctic Skua went east at 3pm.
(0620-0820hrs) (NE, F4)
Red-throated Diver – 1E
Fulmar – 4W
Gannet – 52E, 11W
Common Scoter – 2W
Curlew – 2E
Whimbrel – 1E
Bar-tailed Godwit – 1E
Great Skua – 1os
Common Gull – 6E
Sandwich Tern – 51E, 11W
Common Tern – 15E, 1W
Little Tern – 1E, 1W
Black Tern – 1E (0625hrs)
Yellow Wagtail – 1N
Willow Warbler 1 (singing)
Linnet – 4E

Fulmar (above), Gannet & Sandwich Tern at the Bill (AH)

Ferry Pool: The Cattle Egret was still present this morning, along with eight Black-tailed Godwits, a pair of Lapwing, four Shoveler, eight Gadwall, four Tufted Ducks, c20 Teal and c50 Shelducks.
Up to a dozen Whimbrel were in the harbour from the Tramway, whilst the bushes held at least two Lesser Whitethroats and Chiffchaffs, four Blackcaps and six Whitethroats, whilst a couple of Swallows and a House Martin went over.

Cattle Egret (above) & Whimbrel around the Ferry (AH)

Medmerry Trail: There were at least half a dozen Whitethroats, plus a couple of Chiffchaffs and Blackcaps along the concrete road, with similar numbers of all three tucked in near the sewage farm, along with two calling Lesser Whitethroats, a pair of Reed Buntings and a few Linnets.
A Common Swift was among c40 Swallows and c20 House Martins over the settling tanks and there were still a few Mediterranean Gulls about, whilst there were (I think!) a couple of Early Purple Orchids in flower.

Swift (above), Swallow, Whitethroat, Chiffchaff, Linnet & Early Purple Orchid along the Medmerry Trail (AH)

Birdham: A Swift went over the garden this afternoon.

North Wall: Still a persistent NE wind along the Wall and on the Breech Pool were 12 Tufted, 3 Gadwall, 2 Shoveler, 2 Great Crested Grebes and a Pochard whilst 4 Cattle Egrets were Honer fields. There was plenty of Grey Heron traffic in and out of Owl Copse so presumably their first chicks have hatched and 2 Cuckoos were also around, one near Halsey's and the other along the lower reaches of Pagham Rife. 
A short circuit produced Cetti's Warblers at 8 locations and a Greenfinch was feeding young near Honer reservoir. Also, a number of the local fields have now been plasticised, which seems popular with the Shelducks at least!

Shelducks enjoying the plasticised North fields. (JDW)

Fishbourne Creek - Dell Quay: On the rising tide this morning were 16 Greenshank in the upper reaches. At the Lavant Outfall there were 2 Bar-tailed Godwits, 47 Black-tailed Godwits, a single Grey Plover, up to 11 Whimbrel and 5 Great Crested Grebes, whilst 128 Mute Swans and 2 Black Swans were in the channel. In the bushes were 7 Whitethroats, 2 Blackcap, 3 Cetti's Warbler, 3 Reed Warblers and a Chiffchaff.

Chi GPs - Drayton House pits: The few 'highlights' were a singing Lesser Whitethroat, 6 noisy Jays, 14 Shovelers and a pair of Egyptian Geese – the latter flying around back and forth as if checking out all the pits. Still plenty of Blackcaps and Reed Warblers and the usual Cetti’s Warblers singing.

Monday, 20th April: The north-easterly breeze had picked up appreciably this morning, though the unbroken sunshine made it feel quite warm after a chill start...........

Selsey Bill: The highlight this morning was undoubtedly a Turtle Dove in off the sea, and just after the first Hobby of year, shortly after sunrise.

Otherwise it was fairly quiet, though over 80 Bar-tailed Godwits were among a big eastbound mixed wader flock that also included two Golden Plovers and 16 Knot, and four Yellow Wagtails flew over.
(0550-0800hrs) (NE, F5-6)
Great Northern Diver – 3os
Great Crested Grebe – 1E
Fulmar – 1E, 3W
Gannet – 129E, 17W
Canada Goose – 2E
Brent Goose – 5E
Mallard – 5E
Pintail – 1E
Red-breasted Merganser – 1E, 2W
Hobby – 1N
Golden Plover – 2E
Knot – 16E
Curlew – 2E
Whimbrel – 23E
Bar-tailed Godwit – 83E
Great Skua – 1E
Lesser Black-backed Gull – 5E
Common Gull – 37E
Mediterranean Gull – 8E
Sandwich Tern – 114E
Common Tern – 28E
Commic Tern – 29E
Turtle Dove – 1N
Swallow – 2N
Yellow Wagtail – 4N

Fulmar (above), Whimbrel & Sandwich Tern at the Bill (AH)

East Beach: A summer-plumage Great Northern Diver was close offshore this morning, with the Grey Seal on the beach nearby and another seal sp in the water.

Great Northern Diver (above) & Grey Seal at East Beach (SR)

Ferry Pool: A Cattle Egret was again near the concealed pool, whilst a drake Pochard was an unusual addition to the wildfowl mix, which also included six Shovelers, eight Gadwall, c20 Teal, four Tufted Ducks, ten Mallard and c60 Shelducks.

Also, c50 Black-tailed Godwits, two Lapwings and four Mediterranean Gulls were among the birds roosting on the banks.

Cattle Egret (above), Pochard, Gadwall & Mediterranean Gulls, Black-tailed Godwits, Shelducks and Black-headed Gulls on the Ferry (AH)

Church Norton: The harbour held c12 Whimbrel, and seven Bar-tailed Godwits, along with c50 Sandwich Terns and Mediterranean Gulls, plus the regular pair of Canada Geese, but the only other birds  of note were a single Wheatear on the spit and a Swift among a steady northward trickle of Swallows.

Northcommon Farm: The pair of Little Owls were sitting out at dusk  this evening

Sidlesham: A Holly Blue was on the wing in a Sidlesham garden this morning.

Medmerry: Chainbridge to the Breach - Most of the interest this morning was in the tidal areas, where c20 Bar-tailed Godwits, 12 Whimbrel, c40 Knot, c30 Dunlin, six Curlews and c80 Grey Plovers were roosting on the rising tide, whilst offshore there were a Great Northern Diver, four Gannets and seven Sandwich Terns..

The banks and hedges were very quiet, with just a Stonechat, the odd Whitethroat and Chiffchaff heard beside the regular Skylarks, Linnets and Meadow Pipits and a few Swallows over.
Also, a dog-walker reported hearing a Cuckoo towards Ham.

Bar-tailed Godwits (above), Whimbrel, Bar-tailed Godwits, Knot, Grey Plover and Dunlin, Stonechat, Skylark, Meadow Pipit & Linnet at Medmerry (AH)

North Wall: The brisk NE wind along the Wall this morning kept birdsong to a minimum, although Swallows were back around Welbourne stables and in the horse field were a pair of Pied Wagtails and a Green Woodpecker. White's Creek was almost devoid of birds with just 3 Redshank and a few Black-headed Gulls. 

Along the Wall were Cetti's, Reed and Sedge Warblers, Reed Bunting and Linnets, whilst in Owl Copse there were singing Blackcaps and Chiffchaffs and 3 Whimbrel were at Owl Water. 

In Halsey's Copse were Blackcap, Whitethroat and Great Spotted Woodpecker and a Cuckoo was again calling along Pagham Rife. At least 5 Whitethroats and 3 Yellowhammers were along Honer Lane but just 2 Gadwall and a few Coot were on Honer reservoir.

Chi GPs: Westhampnett Pit - A Little Gull and a dozen Common Terns were present this morning in a brief visit.

Ivy Lake complex: At Copse Lake was a drake Pochard and at Triangle Lake a female Pochard, 2 Great Crested Grebes and a Greylag Goose. At Ivy Lake were 5 Great Crested Grebes, a pair of Pochard, 7 Tufted Ducks and 6 Common Terns.

Late afternoon, 12 Swifts were over Runcton Lake.

Sunday, 19th April: A pleasantly warm and sunny morning after a brisk start, with the breeze light and from the north-east.......

Selsey Bill: It was quiet this morning, though four Wheatears and a Willow Warbler dropped in, and 21 Brent Geese, 64 Sandwich Terns, nine Common Terns and six Whimbrel went east.
(0605-0820hrs) (NE, F3)
Fulmar – 1E
Gannet – 39E, 13W
Brent Goose – 21E
Common Scoter – 26E, 2W
Oystercatcher – 3E, 2W
Whimbrel – 6E
Sandwich Tern – 64E, 5W
Common Tern – 9E, 1W
Pied Wagtail – 2
Wheatear – 4
Chiffchaff – 1
Willow Warbler – 1

Wheatear (above), Sandwich Tern & Brent Geese at the Bill (AH)

Medmerry: Easton Lane to the Stilt Pool - Highlight of the day - and indeed the spring so far- was a Red-rumped Swallow that dropped in at the new reservoirs with a handful of Swallows, though sadly it didn't linger long.
Otherwise there were just a couple of Lesser Whitethroats, a Sedge Warbler and at least ten Whiterthroats along the banks, and later five Greenshank and five Whimbrel were by the Poplars.

Red-rumped Swallow at Medmerry (SH)

Medmerry: Windmill to Toe End - Four Great Northern Divers and five Common Scoters were offshore from the windmill this morning, with three Fulmars going west and a Swallow over, whilst at least ten Wheatears were on the beach, with another at Warner Lane.
A Corn Bunting, two Stonechats, another Wheatear and four Whitethroats were at Toe End, with six Brent Geese and three Common Terns by the breach.

Great Northern Diver (above) & Wheatear at Medmerry (AW)

Medmerry: Ham Farm - A male Redstart was the highlight here, whilst there were also another ten Wheatears, four Stonechats, four Reed Warblers and six Reed Buntings seen, with a Sparrowhawk and four Buzzards over.

Ferry Pool/Long Pool: Two Cattle Egrets were on Ferry Field this morning, whilst the pool itself held c50 Black-tailed Godwits, an Avocet, a pair of Lapwings, six Gadwall, four Shovelers, c20 Teal and c50 Shelducks.

About ten Whimbrel were around the channel opposite, whilst at least half a dozen Whitethroats, Blackcaps and Chiffchaffs were around the Tramway and half a dozen Swallows went over, but the remaining hedges along the Long Pool just held a couple of Reed Buntings and Linnets, though at least ten Sedge and four Reed Warblers were singing from the reeds.

Cattle Egrets (above), Whitethroat, Sedge Warbler, Reed Bunting, Blackcap & Chiffchaff around the Ferry (AH)

North Wall: The Cuckoo was calling again this morning and there were still several Cattle Egrets in Owl Copse, whilst Mediterranean Gulls were going over and a few Reed Buntings, Sedge and Cetti's Warblers were noted, along with a Swallow and a couple of Chiffchaffs and Pied Wagtails.

Not much was in the harbour beyond a few Wigeon and Redshank, plus two Canada Geese, in White's Creek and a Peregrine over, whilst the Breech Pool held a pair of Great Crested Grebes, a pair of Gadwall and six pairs of Tufted Ducks.

Later, a Marsh Harrier was hunting over the reeds at the back, whilst Cetti's, Reed and Sedge Warblers were all singing along the Wall. There were Reed and Sedge Warblers along Pagham Rife and a calling Cuckoo, plus a family of Jays at Fisher and a Red Kite overhead.with small numbers of Mediterranean Gull heard & seen over at height.

Fishbourne Creek: Around high tide the upper part of the creek had 14 Greenshank, five Whimbrel and two Black Swans, whilst off the Lavant Outfall were about 30 Black-tailed Godwit, 101 Mute Swans, a Brent Goose and two Wigeon. 

At Dell Quay eight Greenshank were roosting on the far shore (presumably some of the birds seen higher up the channel earlier), whilst between Fishbourne and Dell Quay there were seven Whitethroats, three Cetti's Warbler, and singles of Reed Warbler, Blackcap and Chiffchaff and there were also about 10 Swallows around.

Park Farm, Selsey: Eight Swallows and a House Martin went over and a Green Woodpecker was also present.

Church Norton: It was quiet here, though a Little Tern and four Common Terns were among c50 Sandwich Terns and 100+ Mediterranean Gulls, and waders included a dozen Whimbrel, c20 Dunlin and two Grey Plovers.

Seven Wheatears were along the beach and a Willow Warbler, a couple of Reed Warblers, a Whitethroat, a Lesser Whitethroat, a Reed Bunting, half a dozen Sedge Warblers and lots of Blackcaps and Chiffchaffs were also noted.

Wheatear (above), Blackcap & Whimbrel at Church Norton (AH)