Birding the Selsey Peninsula: 1st

Friday, 3rd April: A fairly pleasant morning after a drizzly start, mild under the grey cloud and just a light north-westerly breeze.............

Selsey Bill: A Goosander east was the highlight of another slow morning. Full log below.

(0710-1100hrs) (WNW, F3)
Red-throated Diver - 2E
Gannet - 4E, 3W
Brent Goose - 30E
Shelduck - 2
Common Scoter - 12E
Goosander - 1E
Red-breasted Merganser - 2E
Turnstone - 2
Sandwich Tern - 1E, 7W
Meadow Pipit - 9N
Pied Wagtail - 1N
Wheatear - 3

Gannet (above) & Turnstone at the Bill (AH)

Ferry Pool: The four Avocets were still present, along with a lone Black-tailed Godwit and six Redshank, whilst wildfowl numbers continue to diminish, with just a pair of Gadwall, c25 Shovelers, c20 Teal and ten Shelducks present.

Gadwall and Shelducks on the Ferry (AH)

Northcommon Farm: Two Redwings were in the paddocks on our walk this morning

North Wall: The two Spotted Redshanks were still in White's Creek, along with a dozen Redshank and four Black-tailed Godwits, whilst the Breech Pool held seven Gadwall, five Tufted Ducks and c25 Teal and a pair of Lapwings and at least 100 Curlews flew up from one of the back fields.

A Blackcap was singing at Halsey's Farm, with another singing at each end of Owl Copse, but passerines were thin on the ground beyond two or three Chiffchaffs, Cetti's Warblers, Skylarks and Reed Buntings.

Spotted Redshanks (above), Spotted Redshank and Redshank, Blackcap, Gadwall & Lapwing around the North Wall (AH)

Sidlesham: The local pair of Buzzards were putting on quite a display low over our garden this morning.

Buzzards over Sidlesham (AH)

Thursday, 2nd April: A shift in wind direction from north-east to north-west meant an overcast, if slightly milder start before the sun broke through later on.........

Selsey Bill: Still no real passage, though ten Sandwich Terns, 40+ Common Scoters and 250+ Brent Geese went east and three Wheatears were on the beach. Full log below.
(0700-1100hrs) (NW, F3)
Great Northern Diver - 1os
Red-throated Diver - 4E, 1W
Great Crested Grebe - 2os
Gannet - 10E, 14W
Brent Goose - 261E, 1W
Wigeon - 11W
Common Scoter - 48E
Red-breasted Merganser - 8E, 4W
Turnstone - 10
Common Gull - 3W
Mediterranean Gull - 2W
Sandwich Tern - 10E, 3W
Wheatear - 3
Chiffchaff - 1
Common Seal - 1os

Later, two more Great Northern Divers were off the end of Warner Road, west of the Bill.

Great Northern Diver (above), Brent Geese, Common Scoter and Gannet, Red-breasted Merganser & Common Seal at the Bill (AH)

Ferry Pool: A total of 24 Shelducks were on the pool this morning, along with the two pairs of Avocets, c40 Shoveler, c30 teal and c20 Wigeon.

Avocets on the Ferry (AH)

East Beach: A Sparrowhawk over the garden was the first seen for a few months here.

West Wittering: Two to three hundred Mediterranean Gulls were seen moving west over the north of the village this afternoon - presumably heading for the harbour.

North Wall area: The three Garganey were still in the channel behind the sluice, with a Spotted Redshank in White's Creek still, too, whilst three different Cetti's Warblers were calling and a Kestrel, a Jay and a Green Woodpecker were in the paddocks.
A group of 15 Cattle Egrets were reported in Honer 3 earlier but were disturbed by dogs, the first gargling Little Egret was heard in Owl Copse and Cetti's Warblers were calling at seven locations.
Also, a male Blackcap was close to Marsh Farm and 82 Curlew were in the field east of the farm and several Yellowhammers were singing along Honer Lane.

Garganey (above) & Yellowhammer around the North Wall (JDW)

Church Norton and West side: Five Barnacle Geese went high over the harbour heading north this morning just before 10am, but other indications of migration were thin on the ground.
A Blackcap and a few Chiffchaffs and Linnets were the only passerines of note, whilst 100+ Black-tailed Godwits were spread along the main channel, with the Spotted Redshank at the end of Ferry Channel, a few Wigeon and Teal remained and half a dozen Bar-tailed Godwits were among c50 Grey Plovers, c100 Knot and c200 Dunlin.

Barnacle Geese (above), Blackcap, Black-tailed Godwits, Goldfinch & Bar-tailed Godwits, Knot and Grey Plovers at Church Norton (AH)

Wednesday, 1st April: Another clear, bright and sunny morning after a frosty start, with a cold N/NE wind 3-4 keeping things chilly....

Selsey Bill: Over 150 Brent Geese went east, and a pod of five Bottle-nosed Dolphins went west, but it was otherwise quiet. Full log below.
(0730-0930hrs) (NNE, F4)
Great Northern Diver - 2os
Great Crested Grebe - 2os
Gannet - 2E, 6W, 1os
Brent Goose - 165E
Common Scoter - 7E
Rd-breasted Merganser - 1E, 4W
Pheasant - 1
Turnstone - 10
Oystercatcher - 2E
Sandwich Tern - 2os
Chiffchaff - 3
Bottle-nosed Dolphin - c5W

Brent Geese (above) & Bottle-nosed Dolphins at the Bill (AH)

Ferry Pool: At three am this morning a Barn Owl was hunting the field opposite Ferry Corner, with another sat on the railings nearby.

Later, a Little Ringed Plover was on the mud by the road and the four Avocets were still present, but there appeared to have been a reduction in wildfowl, with just 30 Shelducks, c35 Teal, c40 Wigeon and c30 Shovelers present.

Also, sevreal Mediteranean Gulls went over, a Chiffchaff was in the hedge opposite and the Spotted Redshank, a Snipe and eight Black-tailed Godwits were in the channel.

Little Ringed Plover (above), Snipe, Black-tailed Godwit & Chiffchaff at the Ferry (AH)

North Wall: The three Garganey were in the stream just north of the sluice gates again this morning, a Spotted Redshank was in White's Creek and a Marsh Harrier and two Buzzards were showing well over the reed-beds.

Also, three Cetti's Warblers were calling, a Reed Bunting was about and on the Breech Pool there were a Shoveler,, two Gadwall, a Little Grebe, two Canada Geese and a pair of amorous Mute Swans.

Medmerry: Chainbridge, the Breach and Ham - No passerine migrants were noted, but a pair of Stonechats were gathering nesting material on the last bit of ground without caravans on at Toe End, a couple of pairs of Meadow Pipits were displaying and there were lots of Linnets and Skylarks singing. There were also two Corn Buntings at Ham and one or two Yellowhammers, Reed Buntings and Pied Wagtails about.

Also, two Snipe were flushed from the rough ground at toe End, and a smart summer-plumaged Bar-tailed Godwit was in the tidal areas, along with a dozen Grey Plovers, 20 Dunlin, eight Black-tailed Godwits, two female Pintails, two drake Shovelers and a Red-breasted Merganser, with half a dozen more of the latter offshore.