20th - 22nd October 2020

Thursday, 22nd October: A bright and breezy morning, with a brisk south-westerly pushing through banks of white cloud...... 

Selsey Bill: Two Bonxies going west were the highlights of a fairly quiet morning, though a few Meadow Pipits, Pied Wagtails and Swallows went over and a steady stream of Gannets went west, too. (RP/SR/TR/AH) 

(0730-0900hrs) (SW, F5) 

Gannet - 125W 

Turnstone - 3 

Bonxie - 2W 

Mediterranean Gull - 3W 

Common Gull - 1E, 1W 

Sandwich Tern - 1W 

auk sp - 8os 

Swallow - 8W 

Meadow Pipit - 103W 

Pied Wagtail - 31W 

Goldfinch - 25 

Linnet - 20W

Bonxie (above), Common Gull & Meadow Pipit at the Bill (AH)

Medmerry: Easton Lane to Marsh Barn - The probable Stejneger’s Stonechat was still present in the thistly field this morning, along with at least half a dozen Stonechats, whilst a Kingfisher and a Greenshank were in the creek by the poplars and three Dartford Warblers were along the banks towards Marsh Barn. (PB/PC/TR/BFF/DM/DS et al) 

Probable Stejneger's Stonechat at Medmerry (DM above & AW below)

Ferry Pool: There was just the usual selection of wildfowl, including c40 Shovelers, six Shelducks, c50 Teal and 100 Wigeon on the pool this morning, along with c150 Lapwings. (AH) 

Shovelers on the Ferry (AH)

This evening a Spotted Redshank was in Ferry Channel. (AH)

Spotted Redshank in Ferry Channel (AH)

North Wall: There was little to report this morning from a brief visit other than a Grey Wagtail and a Spotted Redshank from the sluice gates. (IH) 

Pagham Lagoon: The Red-throated Diver was again present this morning, along with seven Great Crested Grebes, 26 Tufted Ducks, a Kingfisher and two Water Rails, whilst six Chiffchaffs and a Cetti's Warbler were in the adjacent hedges. (OM)

Slipe Field: A good look around some suitable habitat was surprisingly unproductive, the only birds of note being a Kestrel and a Sparrowhawk, four Stock Doves and two Chiffchaffs. The only (non-avian) highlight was seeing at least four Clouded Yellow butterflies there.(OM)

Park Farm, Selsey: The Black Redstart was again around the buildings this morning. (PC)

Church Norton: There were three Dartford Warblers along the beach this morning, along with a Firecrest, two pairs of Stonechats, half a dozen Reed Buntings and a Sparrowhawk, whilst a Wheatear was on the concrete blocks and a Red-throated Diver went west offshore, where there were also 24 Mediterranean Gulls.

Two Black Redstarts were together around the rubble heaps at Greenlease Farm, whilst a  Wheatear was along Rectory Lane, a Fieldfare, a Raven and a few Siskins were along the west side and another Wheatear was in the field behind the churchyard, but just a few Goldcrests were all that could be found within it.

It was fairly quiet in the harbour, though a Red-breasted Merganser was in the main channel, and the regular Whimbrel, three Bar-tailed Godwits, a dozen Grey Plovers and c30 Brent Geese were also about.     

(AH/TR/CRJ/AW/SaH/BFF/DM/DS/PC) 

This evening the Wheatear was still on the concrete blocks, a Greenshank and two Stonechats were around the horse field and five Brent Geese, including two juveniles, flew over. (S&SaH)

Dartford Warblers (above), Stonechat, Wheatear, Sparrowhawk, Whimbrel, Bar-tailed Godwit (AH), Black Redstarts & Red-breasted Merganser (AW)  at Church Norton

Dartford Warbler and Firecrest at Church Norton (DM)

Wednesday, 21st October: A pretty miserable morning of persistent heavy drizzle and spells of heavy rain, though mild in the fresh south-easterly breeze and improving slowly later on....

Selsey Bill: It was very slow this morning, with an Eider offshore the only bird of note. Full log below. (AH)

(SSE, F5-6) (0745-0845hrs)

Great Crested Grebe - 1os

Gannet - 1W

Eider - 1os

Turnstone - 6

Mediterranean Gull - 5E

Common Gull - 1E

Swallow - 2W

Mediterranean Gull at the Bill (AH)

Medmerry: Easton Lane - The probable Stejneger’s Stonechat was present again this morning in the thistly field, feeding along the hedgerow towards the first sluice/poplars, along with at least half a dozen Stonechats, four Chiffchaffs, a Reed Bunting and several Yellowhammers, whilst the Greenshank was by the sluice again. (P Alfrey/MRE/RJF/BI/AH/SR et al)

Probable Stejneger's Stonechat at Medmerry (AH)

The probable Stejneger's Stonechat continued to show in the same area all day, and a sample of its droppings was obtained (well done, Matt Eade!), hopefully allowing DNA confirmation that it is indeed of this species. (AB/OM et al)

More images of the probable Stejneger's Stonechat at Medmerry (AB)

Medmerry: Ham Farm - There was a Whinchat along the banks this afternoon. (SH)

Ferry Pool: A Spotted Redshank was still in the channel opposite this morning, whilst the pool held the usual mix of c40 Shovelers, eight Shelduck and 100+ Wigeon and Teal, along with c150 Lapwings. (AH)

Spotted Redshank at the Ferry (AH)

Church Norton: Two Mistle Thrushes and a couple of Goldcrests in the car-park were about the only passerines noted, whilst the harbour just held the wintering Whimbrel, three Bar-tailed Godwits, at least eight Grey Plovers, a Common Gull, six Mediterranean Gulls and a few of the regular waders and wildfowl. (AH)

Mistle Thrushes (above), Whimbrel, Grey Plover & Common and Black-head Gulls at Church Norton (AH)

Tuesday, 20th October: A mix of sunshine and fast moving cloud after a rainy start, though mild in the brisk southerly.....

Medmerry: Easton Lane - Late news this evening of a probable Stejneger’s Stonechat at Easton Lane, Medmerry.. Also in the area were 30 Stonechats, eight Dartford Warblers and a Ring Ouzel (P. Alfrey)

Probable Stejneger's Stonechat (above) & Ring Ouzel at Medmerry (P Alfrey)

Selsey Bill: It was a quiet morning, with two Kittiwakes west and a couple of Red-throated Divers the only species of note offshore and just seven Swallows seen. Full log below. (SR/MO-W/RP/AH/IP)

(0730-0900hrs) (S, F5-6)

Red-throated Diver - 1E, 1os

Great Crested Grebe - 2W, 1os

Gannet - 16W

Common Scoter - 2W

Turnstone - 5

Mediterranean Gull - 7W

Common Gull - 2W

Sandwich Tern - 1W

Swallow - 7W

Pied Wagtail - 3W

Red-throated Diver (above), Mediterranean Gull & Common Gull at the Bill (AH)

Park farm, Selsey: A Black Redstart was around the stables this afternoon, and again this evening. (S&SaH)

Black Redstart at Park Farm, Selsey (SH)

Ferry Pool: A Spotted Redshank was in the channel opposite again, along with half a dozen Redshanks and Black-tailed Godwits and at least 50 Teal, whilst the pool itself held another dozen Black-tailed Godwits, c150 Lapwings, c40 Shoveler, c50 Teal and c150 Wigeon, plus half a dozen Swallows over. (AH/IL/TK)

Spotted Redshank (above), Black-tailed Godwit & Shovelers around the Ferry (AH)

Later, there was also a Water Rail and a Black-tailed Godwit in Red Barn Ditch, near to the Tramway. (AW)

Water Rail (above) & Black-tailed Godwit in Red Barn Ditch (AW)

Long Pool and west side: A Water Rail and three Black-tailed Godwits were on the pool, whilst a couple of Chiffchaffs, up to a dozen Reed Buntings and three or four Skylarks were along the hedges and fields.

There were also at least four Little Egrets about, whilst two Golden Plovers and a few Lapwing, Wigeon and Shovelers went over. (AH/TK/AW)

Reed Bunting (AW) (above), Water Rail, Skylark, Lapwing, Little Egret & Wigeon (AH) around the Long Pool

Church Norton: An early morning visit produced a couple of Chiffchaffs, Goldcrests and Blackcaps, whilst in the harbour there were 75 Great Black-backed Gulls and a Bar-tailed Godwit. (CRJ)

There was a Black Redstart on the rubble piles at Greenlease Farm this afternoon. (AW)

Also, a Firecrest, a Wheatear and a Merlin were seen. (P Alfrey)

Black Redstart at Church Norton (AW)

North Wall: The strong breeze this morning put a damper on bird activity and the hedgerows were particularly quiet with only a couple of Stonechats to report while the Breech Pool was full and just held six Brent Geese, a Cormorant and the usual Mallards and Coots. 

At the sluice gates, the regular Greenshank was present together with a Spotted Redshank and a Common Sandpiper and further out about eight Brent Geese were visible. (IH)

Greenshank at the North Wall (IH)

Marsh Farm, Sidlesham: There were up to ten widely scattered Cattle Egrets around the fields this evening, but very little else of note beyond a Chiffchaff in Church Farm Lane. (AH)

Cattle Egret at Marsh Farm, Sidlesham (AH)