Birding the Selsey Peninsula: 16th

Friday, 18th September: Another bright and breezy morning, with the fresh north-easterly breeze persisting....

Selsey Bill: Another morning of visible migration, including the first Brambling of the autumn (heard but not seen) over, along with plenty of Yellow Wagtails, Siskins and Meadow Pipits, though less hirundines than yesterday, whilst the first Red-throated Diver of the autumn went west offshore. Full log below. (JA/BI/IP/MO-W/AH/RP)

(0630-0930hrs) (NE, F4-5)

Red-throated Diver - 1W
Gannet - 4W, 60os
Wigeon - 4W
Shoveler - 1E
Sparrowhawk - 1
Turnstone -32
Mediterranean Gull - 7E, 1W
Sandwich Tern - 8os
Swallow - 115E
House Martin - 130E
Sand Martin - 4E
Grey Wagtail - 3E
Yellow Wagtail - 34E
Pied Wagtail - 7E
Meadow Pipit - 123E
Wheatear - 1
Chiffchaff - 1
Brambling - 1E
Siskin - 80E

Siskins (above), Wheatear, Yellow Wagtail & Sandwich Tern at the Bill (AH)

Ferry Pool: There were very few birds present early on, though later there were a dozen Mediterranean Gulls, c120 Lapwings, six Dunlin, 12 Black-tailed Godwits, eight Shelducks and just a dozen Teal, with at least 100 more in the channel opposite. (AH)

Mediterranean Gulls on the Ferry (AH)

Sidlesham Churchyard: The first Coal Tit of the autumn was in a nearby garden this morning. (SA)

Church Norton: A flock of about 40 Siskins dropped in on the oaks along the west side, though there wasn't too much else besides three Snipe on the Long Pool.

In the harbour there were two Golden Plovers among a total of 56 Grey Plovers and there were also c150 Dunlin on the mud, along with a few Turnstones, Ringed Plovers and Curlews and at least 50 Redshanks.

Passerines were hard to find in the wind, though a Wheatear was on the beach, a few Chiffchaffs and Long-tailed Tits were in the churchyard and a Sand Martin was among 20 or so Swallows that went over. (AW/AH)

Siskin (above), Golden Plovers, Snipe (AW), Wheatear, Grey Plovers, Sparrowhawk & Long-tailed Tit (AH) at Church Norton

This evening the first two Brent Geese of the autumn were seen, going east past the beach. (AW)

Brent Geese at Church Norton (AW)

North Wall: Just two Curlew Sandpipers were present in Whites Creek this morning, despite the fly-through of a Peregrine and a party of around 50 Canada Geese with a Greylag. The more usual Wigeon, Lapwings, Black-tailed Godwits, Pintail, Redshank and the stubby-billed Greenshank were also to be seen as were further Black-tailed Godwits and a Snipe in the Breech Pool...though disappointingly the water level had risen considerably (how does it happen?) Beyond the Breech Pool the hedgerows contained Long-tailed Tits, Blue Tits, Whitethroats, Reed Buntings and at least one male Blackcap while a few Yellow Wagtails fed at the feet of cattle at Owl Point and a small number of Swallows flew over. (IH/TG/JDW)

Along the Wall 5 Chiffchaffs, 4 Blackcaps, 9 Reed Buntings and a Clouded Yellow butterfly were logged and there were a further 3 Blackcaps at Macrocarpa Copse, whilst in the hedges south of Marsh Farm were 2 Common Whitethroats, 2 Blackcaps and 4 Chiffchaffs. Along the cycle path from Rookery Lane to Marsh Farm were a pair of Stonechats and 2 Buzzards overhead..... and a count of over 400 Wood Pigeons! (JDW)

Later, there were 2 Greenshank, 1 Spotted Redshank, 2 Curlew Sandpiper. (CRJ/RJS/MG).

Curlew Sandpiper, Lapwings and Greenshank at the North Wall (JDW)

Pagham Beach: Along the front were 2 Wheatears, a small number of Siskins flying east and 2 Clouded Yellows. (CRJ/RJS/MG)

Spotted Redshank at the North Wall and Wheatear and Clouded Yellow at Pagham beach (CRJ)

East side: A look along the east side this evening produced a minimum of six (and probably seven) Greenshanks, half a dozen Knot and a couple of Bar-tailed Godwits among the many commoner waders, whilst there were at least 500 Wigeon and 50 Pintail present, too, constantly flying in and out of the harbour.

There was also a Kingfisher on the rocks by the sluice in White's Creek. (AH)

Kingfisher (above), Greenshank and Ringed Plover, Knot & Wigeon and Pintail around the East side (AH)

Medmerry: Easton Lane to the Stilt Pool - A Spoonbill was on the Stilt pools first thing, along with a Greenshank, whilst the Osprey and a Marsh harrier were out on the reserve, together with a couple of other Greenshank.
Also, four Golden Plovers were on the beach shingle between the Stilt Pools and the breach, as well as two Wheatears. (IC)

Thursday, 17th September: A bright and breezy morning, sunny and quite mild despite the brisk north-easterly....

Selsey Bill: A busy morning of visible migration, with 1526 House Martins, 708 Swallows, 118 Meadow Pipits and 96 Siskins the biggest counts, all going east, as were two young Mute Swans.. Full log below. (SR/MO-W/AH/CN)

(0845-0930hrs) (NE, F4)

Gannet - 9E, c25 distantly os
Mute Swan - 2E
Wigeon - 21W
Turnstone - 7
Mediterranean Gull - 4os
Common Gull - 1E
Sandwich Tern - 4os
Swallow - 708E
Sand Martin - 5E
House Martin - 1526E
Yellow Wagtail - 4E
Grey Wagtail - 2E
Pied Wagtail - 3E
Meadow Pipit - 118E
Wheatear - 1
Siskin - 96E

Grey Wagtail (SR) (above), Wheatear, Sand Martins, Swallow & Meadow Pipit (AH) at the Bill

Ferry Pool: Not much was about this morning, with just c25 Dunlin, c35 Black-tailed Godwits, c60 Lapwing, 12 Shelducks and c40 Teal to report. (AH)

Black-tailed Godwits and Teal on the Ferry (AH)

Church Norton: Two Golden Plovers were in the harbour this morning. (CN)

North Wall: An Osprey was sat out in the middle of the harbour, devouring a fish, this morning, whilst six Curlew Sandpipers were in White's Creek, along with a Spotted Redshank, a Bar-tailed Godwit, c40 Black-tailed Godwits, 30 Pintail and c100 Wigeon.

A couple of Snipe, c30 Redshank and c20 Lapwings were the only waders on the Breech Pool, whilst a pair of Gadwall were among the many Teal and Mallard present.

Two Whinchats, two Stonechats, a Wheatear, a couple of Reed Buntings, a Sedge Warbler, a Reed Warbler and a few Chiffchaffs and Whitethroats were along the wall, with a few Yellow Wagtails going over.

Another Wheatear, a pair of Stonechats and a few more Yellow Wagtails were in the fields at Halsey's Farm, too, along with four Cattle Egrets, with another pair of Stonechats and seven Stock Doves near Bremere Bridge.. (IH/JDW/AH/TB/NR/CT et al)

Curlew Sandpiper (above), Curlew Sandpiper and Bar-tailed Godwits, Bar-tailed Godwit, Bar-tailed and Black-tailed Godwits, Lapwing, Wheatear, Cattle Egret, Pintail & Wigeon around the North Wall (AH)

Medmerry: Easton Lane to Marsh Farm - A Turtle Dove dropped in briefly to a dead tree near the poplars this evening before moving on, whilst there were also at least 40 Stock Doves nearby, along with a Wheatear, a Sedge Warbler and a couple of Chiffchaffs and Meadow Pipits, whilst at least 50 Shoveler and 60 Teal were flying around the tidal area. (AH)

A bit later the Osprey was showing again in dead trees, a Greenshank, a Kingfisher and a Snipe were near the poplars, 200+ Mediteranean Gulls were around the new reservoirs and 10+ Yellow Wagtails, 30+ Meadow Pipits and eight different Kestrels went over. (S&SaH)

Turtle Dove (above), Stock Dove, Wheatear & Shovelers at Medmerry (AH)

Wednesday, 16th September: A very mild and humid morning under heavy cloud cover, with just a light westerly breeze....

Selsey Bill: A fairly quiet morning, though a Goldcrest and a couple of Chiffchaffs were in the hedges and 100+ Swallows were lingering overhead. Full log below. (SR/MO-W/AH)

(0700-0800hrs) (WNW, F3)

Gannet - 1W

Common Scoter - 1W

Turnstone - 6

Mediterranean Gull - 4W, 12os

Sandwich Tern - 1E, 2os

Swallow - 21E, 100+ present

House Martin - 3W, 20+ present

Meadow Pipit - 6W

Pied Wagtail - 1E

Chiffchaff - 2

Goldcrest - 1

Sandwich Tern at the Bill (AH)

Ferry Pool: An Avocet and three Shovelers were the only birds beyond the regular current mix of c30 Dunlin, c30 Black-tailed Godwits, c80 Lapwings, ten Shelducks and c30 Teal, with another 60 of the latter in the channel opposite. (AH)

Shoveler (above), Black-tailed Godwit & Lapwings on the Ferry (AH)

North Wall: White's Creek was full of birds this morning, including 60 Wigeon, 28 Teal, 28 Redshank, 12 Lapwing, nine Black-tailed Godwits, three Oystercatchers, four Curlew Sandpipers, two Dunlin and a Greenshank, whilst on the Breech Pool there were 48 Teal, 38 Mallard and two Gadwall along with 55 Black-tailed Godwits, 42 Lapwing and eight Redshank.

Along the Wall there were nine Blackcaps, three Chiffchaffs and a mixed Tit flock which included at least 16 Long-tailed Tits. There were very few migrants at other locations, with Honer Reservoir holding just ten Tufted Ducks, eight Mallard and 21 Coots.

Also, a Water Vole was in Pagham Rife close to Honer Farm. (JDW)

Curlew Sandpipers in White's Creek (JDW)

Church Norton: There were lots of birds about this morning, most notably hirundines, with at least 500 Swallows and similar of House Martins, along with two or three Sand Martins, moving around over the harbour and the Severals early on, whilst later at least 1000 House Martins were gathering around the hedges along Rectory Lane.

There were also at least a dozen Blackcaps and Chiffchaffs, around the churchyard and hide, plus a Sedge Warbler and a Goldcrest, with another dozen Chiffchaffs, half a dozen Whitethroats and four Stonechats round the horse field and Severals, whilst five Wheatears were along the beach/spit and eight Siskins, 20 Meadow Pipits, a Grey Wagtail and two Pied Wagtails went over east.

A Merlin was present along the Spit and also a Clouded Yellow, whilst there were also 12 Great Crested Grebes together offshore, with another seven in the harbour, which was otherwise very quiet, with just a couple of Grey Plovers, a few Curlew and 30+ Redshank present. (AH/AW/A&YF)

Merlin and Clouded Yellow at Norton Spit (AW)

Blackcap (above), Wheatears, Chiffchaff, Whitethroat, Stonechat, Meadow Pipits & House Martins at Church Norton (AH)

Long Pool: A Marsh Harrier was hunting over the harbour at the far end of the pool, before settling on the salt-marsh this evening,, though otherwise it was quiet, with just a couple of Snipe and Meadow Pipits moving about, 20 Wigeon among the many Teal and Redshank in the channel and a couple of Black-tailed Godwits on the pool itself. (AH)