Tuesday 7 April 2020

7th - 9th April 2020

Thursday, 9th April: A very warm and sunny morning, with just a light north-easterly breeze........

Selsey BillA Yellow Wagtail dropped in briefly on the Oval Field, along with a Wheatear and a dozen Meadow Pipits, but sea passage remains very light. Also, the Grey Seal was hauled up again.
(0645-0930hrs) (NNE, F2)
Great Northern Diver - 1 os
Gannet - 1E, 1W
Brent Goose - 3 os
Red-breasted Merganser - 2E, 8 os
Turnstone - 9
Curlew - 1 os
Sandwich Tern - 3E
Meadow Pipit - 5N, 12
Yellow Wagtail – 1
Wheatear - 1
Linnet - 3N, 2 gardens



Wheatear (above) & Meadow Pipit at the Bill (AH)


Birdham: A very fine male Pied Flycatcher was in the garden this morning.


Pied Flycatcher in a Birdham garden (AB)



Ferry Pool: The Spotted Redshank was in the channel again this morning, whilst the Ferry just held the regular selection of wildfowl, including six Gadwall, c20 Teal and Shoveler and c40 Shelducks.


Spotted Redshank at the Ferry (aH)

Church Norton: Again there was little sign of migration, though Sandwich Tern numbers exceeded 100 and a lone Sand Martin was around again.
Otherwise, the harbour held just 15 Black-tailed Godwits, a single Brent Goose, a pair of Canada Geese, two Grey Plovers and a Gadwall, whilst a Snipe was in the creek by the horse field and a pair of Reed Buntings and a Jay were on the first Several.
Later, a Sedge Warbler was singing from the first Several and the Marsh Frogs had started calling.


Marsh Frog at Church Norton (SH)


Park Farm, Selsey: A Swallow was back at the stables today.

Ivy Lake: Three Common Terns and  three Greylag Geese were on the lake this morning and along the path there were three Chiffchaffs, two Willow Warblers and a Blackcap.

North Mundham: A Red Kite drifted over today.

North Wall: There were at least 16 Cattle Egrets in Owl Copse this morning, before they began dispersing northwards, whilst two Whimbrel flew around the harbour calling and the two Spotted Redshanks, plus a lone Brent Goose, were again in White's Creek.
A Marsh Harrier flew out from the Breech Pool, where there were two pairs of Shovelers and several singing Sedge and Cetti's Warblers, whilst singing Blackcaps and Chiffchaffs were widely distributed.
Also, a pair of Yellowhammers, a Reed Bunting and several Linnets and Skylarks were between Halsey's Farm and Church Farm Lane.



Cattle Egrets (above), Spotted Redshanks, Marsh Harrier, Sedge Warbler & Reed Bunting around the North Wall (AH)









Wednesday, 8th April: A fairly grey and overcast morning, but mild and with just a light north-easterly breeze........

Selsey: Some remarkable late news for yesterday first - a Large Tortoiseshell butterfly dropped into a garden to the north of the town - almost certainly the first record on the Peninsula in modern times.


Large Tortoiseshell in a Selsey garden (AW)

Selsey Bill: It remains slow, with little passage, though four Great Northern Divers and a few Sandwich Terns were offshore, a Wheatear and a Willow Warbler were in the gardens and a Swallow and three Meadow Pipits came in off the sea. Also a Grey Seal was hauled up on the beach and a Fox was in the gardens.
(0630-0830hrs) (NNE, F2-3)
Great Northern Diver - 2 os
Gannet - 1E
Little Egret - 1 on beach then W
Common Scoter - 1E
Sparrowhawk - 1 gardens
Turnstone - 16W, 7 os
Mediterranean Gull - 22E
Sandwich Tern - 11E, 1 os
Common Tern - 2E
Meadow Pipit - 4N
Pied Wagtail - 2N
Swallow - 2N
Wheatear - 1 gardens
Willow Warbler - 1 gardens
Linnet - 2N
Goldfinch - 2 gardens



Grey Seal at the Bill (SR)

Park Farm, Selsey: A Sand Martin and two Swallows were over the farm this morning and a Blackcap was along Park Lane..

Ferry Pool and Long Pool: There was a Little Ringed Plover at the back this morning, and also two Avocets, six Black-tailed Godwits, 42 Shelducks, six Gadwall, and c20 Teal and Shovelers on the Ferry, with one or two Chiffchaffs and Blackcaps singing nearby, whilst along the Long Pool there were five or six singing Sedge Warblers and two Cetti's Warblers.


Avocets and Shelducks (above), Gadwall & Chiffchaff around the Ferry (AH)



North Wall: At least a dozen Cattle Egrets were in Owl Copse this morning, whilst a Wheatear and a couple of Willow Warblers were along the wall, half a dozen Sedge Warblers were around the Breech Pool and a Swallow went over.

Church Norton: Around 60 Sandwich Terns were in the harbour, along with a Grey Plover , 15 Black-tailed Godwits and the lone Brent Goose.
Also, a Raven was in the churchyard and a Sand Martin and four Swallows went over.

Runcton: The pair of Reed Buntings were visiting the front garden feeders again today. Something I have only seen recently is Dunnocks using the feeders, they don’t stay there for long but make frequent sorties for seed.

Medmerry: Easton Lane to the Stilt Pool - The banks held large numbers of Skylarks and Linnets, but few Yellowhammers currently, and no migrants.
A pair of Little Ringed Plovers were displaying, but there were only four pairs of Avocets present and no other waders save a Snipe, half a dozen Black-tailed Godwits, along with a handful of Gadwall, Teal and Tufted Ducks, plus 20 or so Mediterranean Gulls.



Little Ringed Plover (above), Avocets, Mediterranean Gulls, Yellowhammer, Linnet & Wren at Medmerry (AH)






Medmerry: Ham Farm - This evening a Corn Bunting was singing from the bank and there were also a pair of Stonechats and two or three Yellowhammers and Chiffchaffs present.

Corn Bunting (above), Yellowhammer & Stonechat at Medmerry (AH)







Tuesday, 7th April: After a light frost and early mist, a glorious morning of unbroken warm sunshine and just a light north-easterly breeze....

Selsey Bill: It was very quiet this morning, with just a Red-throated Diver, four Brent Geese and ten Sandwich Terns east.
(0600-0745hrs) (NE, F2) 
Red-throated Diver – 1E
Gannet – 1E, 2W
Brent Goose – 4E
Turnstone – 12
Common Gull – 2E, 1os
Mediterranean Gull – 7E, 9os

Sandwich Tern – 10E

Ferry Pool and Long Pool: There were 31 Shelducks, 22 Shovelers, eight Gadwall and 20 Teal on the pool, along with a Lapwing and six Redshank, whilst at least four Blackcaps and six Chiffchaffs were around the Tramway and two Snipe came out of Yeoman's field..
The Spotted Redshank was in Ferry Channel and a Red Kite went over, whilst at least four singing Sedge Warblers were along the Long Pool, along with a Reed Bunting, a pair of Long-tailed Tits gathering lichen and a few Linnets, whilst two pairs of Lapwings and several pairs of Redshank were displaying over the adjacent stubble fields.


Red Kite (above), Sedge Warbler, Spotted Redshank, Lapwing & Chiffchaff around the Long Pool (AH)





North Wall area: Two male Blackcaps were along Church Lane this morning and a Sedge Warbler was reported along the Wall but very little else was seen or heard, though there was a lot of Little Egret activity at Owl Copse. 
Also, two Little Ringed Plovers were at Honer reservoir along with four Gadwall and four Tufted Ducks, whilst the two Little Owls were sitting out near Bramber.

East Beach Pond: A Willow Warbler was singing and at least four Chiffchaffs were about the pond. 
Also, a pair of Linnets were at nearby Selsey Common: in previous years they and Whitethroats have nested here, so it's a real shame to see the bushes have been greatly reduced in size and sprayed.

Birdham: Two House Martins went over the garden today and two Swallows were back around the outbuildings. 

West Wittering: A growing number of Chiffchaffs and Blackcaps singing around our garden this morning and a Yellowhammer was singing its heart out on the hedge opposite our house. 

Yellowhammer at West Wittering (GM)

Chi GPs: Drayton House pits - A Sedge Warbler, plus several Chiffchaffs and Blackcaps were on the North pit, where 11 Greylag, a Snipe and small numbers of Shoveler and Pochard were also present.

Ivy Lake: Three Common Terns were present, plus singing Chiffchaffs and Blackcaps, with Cetti's Warblers calling from at least five different spot.

Birdham: A Red Kite went over the garden this afternoon.

Medmerry: The pair of Grey Partridges were in the stubble fields along Easton Lane again this evening.

Church Norton: A Common Sandpiper came off the spit and flew around the harbour, but otherwise there were just a lone Brent Goose, 15 Black-tailed Godwits, c20 Sandwich Terns and c50 Mediterranean Gulls of note.
At least three Sedge Warblers were in the first Several, but a Willow Warbler and a few Chiffchaffs and Blackcaps were the only other migrants noted.

Blackcap (above) & Black-tailed Godwit at Church Norton (AH)








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