Birding the Selsey Peninsula: 10th

Saturday, 13th March: It was even windier than yesterday, with a westerly gale blowing all morning, though again there was plenty of sunshine......

Selsey Bill: The Long-tailed Duck was offshore again, along with a Great Northern Diver, though hard to see on the rough sea, but it was generally quiet, though up to 21 Sandwich Terns were about and a Slavonian Grebe and seven Fulmars went west. (SH/JA/PB/BI/AH)

(0615-0830hrs) (WSW, F8)

Great Northern Diver – 1os

Slavonian Grebe – 1W

Fulmar – 7W

Gannet – 1E, 1W

Brent Goose – 9E

Mallard – 4os

Common Scoter – 1E, 1W

Long-tailed Duck – 1os

Red-breasted Merganser – 9W

Turnstone – 13W

Mediterranean Gull – 4os

Sandwich Tern – 21os

This afternoon there were a Great Northern Diver, 15 Common Scoter and 12 Sandwich Terns offshore, plus several Red-breasted Merganser and a single Razorbill, also two Gannets east and two Mediterranean Gulls. (SH)

(1500-1630hrs)

Great Northern Diver – 1os
Gannet – 2E
Common Scoter – 15os
Red-breasted Merganser – 3W, 1os
Mediterranean Gull – 2os
Sandwich Tern – 12os
Razorbill – 1os

Sandwich Terns at the Bill (AH)

Ferry Pool: Everything was tucked away at the back again, including an Avocet, two Gadwall, c30 Shelducks, c50 Teal, and c75 Shovelers, with at least 150 Wigeon on the field. (AH)

Shovelers and Gadwall on the Ferry (AH)

Park Farm, Selsey: There were just a Kestrel and a Chiffchaff of note this morning. (IP)

Church Norton: Another day with little change, with the Spotted Redshank again in the creek by the horse field and the Whimbrel, a Bar-tailed Godwit and c20 Black-tailed Godwits in the harbour, along with plenty of Knot, Grey Plovers and Dunlin, plus a few Ringed Plovers.

At least 300 Brent Geese were coming and going, whilst five Pintail were among the diminishing numbers of Wigeon and Teal, and at least 20 Mediterranean Gulls were among the Black-headed Gulls.

Two Mistle Thrushes went over the Mound area, but passerines were few beyond a Chiffchaff and a couple of Goldcrests and Long-tailed Tits in the sheltered hedges. (AH/AW)

Knot (above), Dunlin, Bar-tailed Godwit and Grey Plover, Black-tailed Godwit, Teal, Pintail, Brent Geese, Goldcrest & Long-tailed Tit at Church Norton (AH)

Also seen were a Lesser Black-backed Gull, a pair of Red-breasted Merganser and the male Peregrine in the harbour and two Cetti's Warblers were calling from the first Several. (IP)

A bit later on, the Barnacle Goose was with a Brent flock in the harbour before flying into the nearby field. (AW)

Barnacle Goose and Brent Geese at Church Norton (AW)

Medmerry: Coastguard Station - Two Fulmars and a Kittiwake were seen from Coastguards early on, but there were no passerine migrants about. (AW)

Kittiwake (above) & Fulmar at Medmerry (AH)

Friday, 12th March: Yet another morning of near gale-force westerlies, cooler and greyer than yesterday, with a few heavy showers......

Selsey Bill: A Red-necked Grebe on the sea, drifting west early on, was the highlight this morning, with 144 Brent Geese and 31 Common Gulls east the only birds on the move, though five Red-throated Divers and four Sandwich Terns were also about. (BI/AH)

(0605-0835hrs) (WSW, F6)
Red-throated Diver – 3E, 2W
Great Crested Grebe – 1W
Red-necked Grebe – 1os, drifting off W
Gannet – 2E, 8W
Brent Goose – 144E, 1W
Common Scoter – 2E, 1W
Red-breasted Merganser – 2E, 2W
Grey Plover – 4E
Mediterranean Gull – 1E
Common Gull – 31E
Sandwich Tern – 4W
Razorbill – 5E
auk sp – 5E

Late this afternoon there were five Sandwich Terns, a Great Northern Diver, and three common Scoters offshore, with three of the latter and a gannet west and a Meadow Pipit came in off the sea. (SH/JA)

(0600-1730hrs)
Great Northern Diver – 1os
Gannet – 1W
Common Scoter – 14W, 3os
Sandwich Tern – 5os
Meadow Pipit – 1N

Sandwich Tern (above), Brent Geese & Great crested Grebe at the Bill (AH)

Pagham Spit: The first Wheatear of the year - and bang on the long-term average date - was on the spit this morning. (TG)

Wheatear on Pagham Spit (L Phillips above & TG below)

Ferry Pool: Shovelers were again the most prominent species, with at least 70 present, though there were also still c30 Teal, c20 Shelducks and three Gadwall present, whilst a Curlew, an Avocet and a handful of Black-tailed Godwits were the only waders seen. Also, a Kestrel was hunting low-down by the road. (AH)

Kestrel at the Ferry (AH)

Church Norton: A Spotted Redshank, in the harbour opposite the horse field and then in the creek beside it, was unusual for the south of the harbour, but otherwise it was much the same selection of species as in recent days, albeit in varying numbers.

Among other waders seen were the Whimbrel, 11 Bar-tailed Godwits, c30 Black-tailed Godwits and plenty of Knot, Dunlin and Grey Plovers coming in to roost as the tide rose, whilst four Pintail, a Red-breasted Merganser, c30 Wigeon and Teal and c400 Brent Geese, plus the Pale-bellied Brent Goose comprised the wildfowl.

There were also 20 or so Mediterranean Gulls, a Sandwich Tern and a Common Gull in the harbour, whilst a Peregrine was seen carrying prey (possibly a Starling) into Priory Wood and a Firecrest and a Goldcrest were in the corner of the churchyard by the sheds. (AW/AH)

Spotted Redshank (AW) (above), Pintail (upper AW, all others AH), Peregrine, Mediterranean Gull, Common Gull and Sandwich Tern, Pale-bellied Brent Goose, Bar-tailed Godwit, Whimbrel, Knot & Grey Plover at Church Norton

This afternoon the Spotted Redshank was still present, along with a Bar-tailed Godwit, several Black-tailed Godwits, half a dozen Knot and at least 30 Mediterranean Gulls. (AH/AW)

Knot (above), Bar-tailed Godwit & Mediterranean Gull at Church Norton (AH)

Thursday, 11th March: After overnight storms, touching Force 10 early this morning, a bright but very blustery day of gale-force westerly winds.....

Selsey Bill: The first Bonxie of the year went east this morning, but apart from 28 Brent Geese, what little else there was went west, including 18 Curlews, whilst two Sandwich Terns and a Great Northern Diver were offshore. (AH/IP/AW)

(0720-0850hrs) (WSW, F7-8)
Great Northern Diver – 1os
Great Crested Grebe – 1W
Gannet – 1W
Brent Goose – 28E
Red-breasted Merganser – 3W
Curlew – 18W
Turnstone – 1
Bonxie – 1E
Mediterranean Gull – 1W
Common Gull – 1E
Sandwich Tern – 2os

Bonxie (AW) (above), Sandwich Tern & Curlews (AH) at the Bill

Ferry Pool: Most things were tucked away from the wind, but there were still two Avocets and c50 Shovelers on the pool, with another 20 of the latter, 20 Shelducks and Teal and a few Lapwings and Black-tailed Godwits on the fields. (AH)

Shovelers on the Ferry (AH)

East Beach: Two Pied Wagtails flying in off the sea was really the only sign of migration. Two Sandwich Terns were offshore, a Red-breasted Merganser went east, and two others west, whilst three Gannets headed east and 42 Turnstones enjoyed a crab breakfast on the beach.

There was a Chiffchaff at the pond where a fresh pair of Mute Swans have taken up residence, much to the delight of the Muscovy Duck that seems to enjoy the company, and two Coots appear to be sitting on nests. (SR)

Turnstone (above) & Mute Swan and Muscovy Duck at East Beach (SR)

Church Norton: There were still up to 500 Brent Geese in the harbour, plus a Pale-bellied Brent Goose, mostly moving about in small flocks, whilst there were also three Red-breasted Mergansers, a pair of Pintail and a few Wigeon and Teal present, too.

At least 40 Mediterranean Gulls and a Common Gull were about, whilst waders included the Whimbrel, five Bar-tailed Godwits, a few Ringed Plovers and plenty of Knot, Dunlin and Grey Plovers.

Just about the only passerines seen were a Chiffchaff and a Long-tailed Tit near the hide. (AH)

Mediterranean Gull (above), Whimbrel, Bar-tailed Godwit and Grey Plovers, Dunlin, Pintail, Pale-bellied Brent Goose and Brent Geese & Brent Goose at Church Norton (AH)

Medmerry: Coastguards - A Black Redstart was taking shelter under the cliff just along from the Coastguard station late this afternoon. (AW)

Black Redstart at Medmerry (AW)

Wednesday, 10th March: After a mostly dry but cold start, a pretty dismal day of heavy rain and strengthening south-westerly winds.....

Selsey Bill: The only hint of migration was 42 Brent Geese and ten Common Gulls east, with most other species going west, including three Fulmars, 46 Gannets, 23 Razorbills, 105 unassigned auks and four Sandwich Terns. (AH/IP)

(0730-0900hrs) (SSW, F5-6)
Fulmar – 3W
Gannet – 46W
Brent Goose – 42E
Common Scoter – 2W
Red-breasted Merganser – 2E, 3W
Oystercatcher – 1E, 1W
Turnstone – 4W
Mediterranean Gull – 5W
Common Gull – 10E
Sandwich Tern – 1E, 4W, 2os
Razorbill – 23W
auk sp – 105W

Also, of interest, the Caspian Gull seen on 25th February has now been accepted by the SOS, and is the first record for the Bill.

Fulmars (above), Sandwich Tern, Gannet & Mediterranean Gull at the Bill (AH)

Ferry Pool: There were two Avocets and 16 Black-tailed Godwits on the pool, along with plenty of wildfowl, including 44 Shelducks, 82 Shovelers, 25 Teal and two Gadwall. (AH)

Black-tailed Godwit (above), Gadwall and Shelducks & Shovelers on the Ferry (AH)

Birdham: A surprise but very welcome visitor - a male Lesser Redpoll on the Niger seed and sunflower heart feeders most of this afternoon. (GT)

North Wall: A brief visit this morning yielded about 300 Brent Geese in Whites Creek while around the horse paddocks were a Stonechat, three Song Thrushes, three Curlew and a Long-tailed Tit. Unsurprisingly in the wind, the hedgerows were quiet of activity. (IH)

Church Norton: There were still at least 500 Brent Geese in the harbour, though just a few Wigeon and Teal, whilst waders were scarce, too, on the high tide, but did include c50 Grey Plovers, c200 Dunlin and half a dozen Black-tailed Godwits, and a few Mediterranean Gulls were among the Black-headed Gulls.

Few passerines were seen, but a couple of Chiffchaffs were skulking in the sheltered hedges and a pair of Mistle Thrushes were along Rectory Lane. (AH)