Friday, 19th March: A much brighter morning, though with the moderate north-easterly keeping the temperature down somewhat......
Selsey Bill: There was a good selection of species seen this morning, though all in low numbers, including the Long-tailed Duck offshore, an Eider, a couple of Shags and a few Wigeon, Shoveler and Pintail going east, four Fulmars west and a couple of Great Northern Divers and a few Sandwich Terns and Common Scoter offshore. (JA/BI/IP/AH)
(0610-0900hrs) (NE, F3) Great Northern Diver – 2os
Red-throated Diver – 1E, 1os
diver sp – 1E
Great Crested Grebe – 1W
Fulmar – 4W
Gannet – 6E, 14W, 10os
Shag – 2E
Brent Goose – 4E, 15W
Wigeon – 3E
Shoveler – 3E
Pintail – 4E
Eider – 1E
Long-tailed Duck – 1os
Common Scoter – 9E, 2W, 25os
Red-breasted Merganser – 5E
Oystercatcher – 7E, 4W
Sanderling – 1E
Turnstone – 17E, 2 present
Common Gull – 4E
Kittiwake – 2E
Sandwich Tern – 5E, 12os
Razorbill – 1os
auk sp – 2E, 26W
Pied Wagtail – 1N
Chiffchaff – 1
Starling – 1N
(1630-1730hrs) (ESE, F3) (SH)
Gannet – 3E, 1W
Brent Goose – 1E
Wigeon – 4E
Red-breasted Merganser – 5E
Mediterranean Gull – 2E
Razorbill – 1E
Fulmar (above), Sandwich Tern & Pintail at the Bill (AH)
Selsey: A Blackcap was singing early this morning in the garden, at the north of the village. (S&SaH)
Ferry Pool: There was no sign of the Garganey in the channel opposite this morning, though there were relatively few duck present, particularly after a Marsh Harrier went over low, heading west, though a Spotted Redshank and a few Black-tailed Godwits remained.
The pool itself still held good numbers of wildfowl, including four Gadwall, 20+ Shelducks and Teal and 50+ Wigeon and Shovelers, along with two Avocets, a dozen Redshanks and the pair of Lapwings, plus a Water Rail briefly at the front.. (AH)
Marsh Harrier (above), Spotted Redshank, Avocet, Teal & Shovelers around the Ferry (AH)
This afternoon the drake Garganey was back among the Wigeon and Teal off the Tramway, and there were two Spotted Redshank and a dozen Black-tailed Godwits also present. (AW/AH)
Long Pool: A third Spotted Redshank was at the far end of Ferry Channel, where there were a good many birds, including six Snipe, c30 Avocets, a dozen Lapwings, c30 Black-tailed Godwits, eight Pintail, c40 Shovelers and lots of Wigeon and Teal, whilst a Marsh Harrier was out hunting, too. (AH)
Medmerry: Stilt Pool - The first Little Ringed Plover of the spring was back on the pool this morning and later two were present. (KJ/IL et al)
Medmerry: East side - A Black Redstart was on the beach and around the funfair this morning. (BI)
North Wall: The regular singing Song Thrush was at the horse paddocks this morning and the fields to the east held one Brent Goose, a Brown Hare and a singing Chiffchaff.
There were a further 50 Brent Geese in Whites Creek together with a dozen Pintail, ten Black-tailed Godwits, two Oystercatchers close to the sluice gates and the usual Wigeon, Teal and Redshank. A Marsh Harrier was flying over the reed beds and the hedgerows, although generally quiet, contained another singing Chiffchaff, a Greenfinch, a pair of Long-tailed Tits and a Skylark above. (IH)
Church Norton: The harbour was predictably quiet in the north-easterly breeze, with just 20 Brent Geese, a dozen Black-tailed Godwits and Redshank, plus a few Grey Plovers and Dunlin noted.
The bushes were equally quiet, with Greenlease Farm just yielding a Mistle Thrush and a Green Woodpecker. (AH)
Later on this morning, a Red Kite was over the west side. (TG-P)
Grey Plover (above) & Mistle Thrush at Church Norton (AH)
Thursday, 18th March: A fairly cool and grey morning, with the moderate breeze still emanating from the north-west......
Selsey Bill: There was little evident migration offshore, but quite a selection of species were on the water, albeit distantly, including the Long-tailed Duck, a Slavonian Grebe, a Shag, three Great Northern Divers and five Red-throated Divers, whilst about 40 Common Scoters were coming and going.
Also, 199 Meadow Pipits went over north and up to five Chiffchaffs were in the hedges. Full log below. (MO-W/AH/SR/A&YF/PC/OM/C&ME)
(0700-1130hrs) (NNW, F4) Great Northern Diver – 3os
Red-throated Diver – 1E, 5os
Slavonian Grebe – 1os
Great Crested Grebe – 2os
Gannet – 1E, 6W
Shag – 1os
Brent Goose – 12E, 14W
Long-tailed Duck – 1os
Common Scoter – 3E, 33W, 29os
Red-breasted Merganser – 2W, 6os
Common Gull – 1os
Sandwich Tern – 2E, 3W, 6os
Razorbill – 2E, 1W
auk sp – 4E
Meadow Pipit – 199N
Pied Wagtail – 1N
Chiffchaff - 5
Raven - 1 over
Sandwich Tern (above), Chiffchaff & Brent Geese at the Bill (AH)
Ferry Pool: The drake Garganey was in Ferry Channel again this morning, among the Teal, though flushed off at one stage, it re-appeared later further along the channel.
Also, the Spotted Redshank was showing well in the channel, where there were also 20+ Black-tailed Godwits, ten Redshanks, an Avocet and plenty of Wigeon and Teal.
On the pool itself, there were a further five Avocets and six Black-tailed Godwits, along with four Gadwall, 26 Shelducks, c30 Teal, c75 Shovelers and c100 Wigeon, whilst a couple of Chiffchaffs were in the adjacent hedges and c40 Meadow Pipits went over, heading north. (MO-W/AW/OM/IL/AB/PB/RP//AH/NR/TB et al)
Garganey and Wigeon (above), Chiffchaff (AW), Avocets (RP upper), Spotted Redshank and Black-tailed Godwit, and with Redshank & Wigeon (AH) around the Ferry
The Garganey was showing well again this afternoon, feeding among the Teal and Wigeon, just off the Tramway. There were also two Spotted Redshanks in the channel, along with a dozen or so Black-tailed Godwits. (AB/IL/AH/RHa)
Garganey (IL) (above), Garganey and Black-tailed Godwits & Spotted Redshank (AH) in Ferry Channel
Medmerry: Coastguards to the windmill - There wasn't a lot to report this morning, with just a handful of Meadow Pipits and Skylarks along the front and c40 Curlews flying up from the field. (AH)
Meadow Pipits (above) & Curlews at Medmerry (AH)
Medmerry - Easton lane to Stilt pools: Along the banks were a Dartford Warbler, eight Stonechats, 14 Yellowhammers, a Reed Bunting, a Kestrel, three Green Woodpeckers and numerous Skylarks.
At and around the Stilt pools were 24 Avocets, three Ringed Plovers, four Little Egrets, a Grey Heron and a Mediterranean Gull, whilst wildfowl seen included Wigeon, Shoveler and Tufted Duck and c.80 Meadow Pipits flew N in from the sea. (PB/SaH)
Wednesday, 17th March: After a bright start, a hazy morning of light cloud but little sun, and not especially warm despite the north-westerly breeze continuing to lessen....
Selsey Bill: Absolutely nothing was moving this morning, with the only Brent Geese - six - going west, though two Great Northern Divers were on the sea and a few Sandwich Terns were offshore. Full log below. (MO-W/AH/SR/A&YF)
(0645-0830hrs) (NW, F4)
Great Northern Diver – 2os
Brent Geese – 6W
Sandwich Tern – 1W, 4os
Oystercatcher – 6W
Meadow Pipit – 2N
Pied Wagtail – 2N
Sandwich Terns (above) & Brent Geese at the Bill (AH)
Late this afternoon, the Long-tailed Duck and a Shag went west and a Sandwich Tern and 17 Knot went east. (SH)
(1700-1800hrs)
Shag – 1W
Long-tailed Duck – 1W
Knot – 17E
Sandwich Tern – 1E
Ferry Pool: A smart drake Garganey - the first of the year - was on the pool first thing this morning, though it had disappeared by mid-morning. There were plenty of other wildfowl on the pool, too, including four Gadwall, 22 Shelducks, c40 Teal, c70 Shovelers and c120 Wigeon.
Also, a Sand Martin went over early on and a Red Kite later, and five Avocets, the displaying pair of Lapwings, two Snipe and half a dozen Redshank and Black-tailed Godwits were present, whilst a Greylag Goose was with five Canada Geese before flying towards the harbour. (AH/S&SaH/SR/BI/IL/AW et al)
The Garganey re-appeared on the channel opposite late this afternoon (S Watson on Twitter).
Garganey (above), Garganey and Redshank, Snipe, Lapwings, Avocets, Wigeon and Shovelers (AH) & Greylag Goose (AW) at the Ferry
Park Farm, Selsey: A Raven went over early this afternoon. (SaH)
North Wall: A single Sand Martin this morning circled the Breech Pool which contained a pair of Great Crested Grebes and a male Marsh Harrier in the reeds behind. A Sparrowhawk had a spat with a Jay in the approach to the Wall and a male Sparrowhawk was also sat in Owl Copse.
Eleven Curlew, a Song Thrush and a Kestrel were present at the horse paddocks while the hedgerows were alive with Reed Buntings, two Chiffchaffs and two Long-tailed Tits, as well as Dunnocks, Great Tits, Blue Tits, a Chaffinch and a Wren - all to a background of calling Cetti's Warblers.
The flooded fields were also full of 16 Pintail, 20 Shovelers, 20 Shelduck, several hundred Wigeon, about 100 Teal and small numbers of Black-tailed Godwit and Curlew. (IH/GHi/PC)
Sand Martin (above), Marsh Harrier, Black-tailed Godwit & Curlew at the North Wall (GHi)
Medmerry: Easton Lane to Stilt Pool - The hedges were fairly quiet although a Chiffchaff was singing from around the poplars and five Reed Buntings, eight Yellowhammers, two Stonechats, a few Linnets, a Kestrel and a Buzzard were logged, plus a Greenshank on the reserve, pair of Red-legged Partridges by the car-park and six stock Doves on Marsh Barn
The Stilt Pool held a good variety of birds but nothing out of the ordinary: 11 Brent Geese, a Greylag Goose, 11 Canada Geese, a drake Pintail, two Shoveler, eight Wigeon, 12 Teal, eight Tufted Ducks, two Mute Swans, a Grey Heron, a Lapwing, five Ringed Plovers, four Dunlin, 14 Avocet, two Oystercatchers, a Curlew and a Common Gull was amongst the Black-headed and Herring Gulls. (SR/GT)
Avocets at Medmerry (SR)
Church Norton: A remarkable loose flock of eight Red Kites drifted south-west over the Priory this morning, heading for Selsey.
Otherwise it was fairly quiet, though up to 200 Brent Geese were still around the harbour mouth, a pair of Pintail were in the harbour and four Red-breasted Mergansers were offshore, whilst a Peregrine was on its island.
The Spotted Redshank was among a few Black-tailed Godwits in the harbour opposite the horse field, with one of them taking exception to its presence, and another 40 of the latter were out on the mud, whilst there were also seven Bar-tailed Godwits and c30 Knot among the Dunlin and Grey Plovers. (NR/AH e al)
Red Kites (above), Spotted Redshank and Black-tailed Godwit, Knot & Bar-tailed Godwits at Church Norton (AH)
Ivy Lake: There were no hirundines here, with just a few wildfowl present, including a dozen Pochards (with two ducks apparently prospecting nests) and Tufted Ducks, c40 Gadwall, four Greylag Geese and c30 Canada Geese. (AH)
Pochard (above) & Gadwall at Ivy Lake (AH)
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