20th - 22nd March 2021

Monday, 22nd March: After a murky but still start, a lovely warm and sunny day by lunchtime with just a light westerly breeze..........

Selsey Bill: A total of 191 Brent Geese went east, including a flock of 73, but little else was moving, though five Great Northern Divers and 39 Common Scoter were offshore. Full log below. (BI/MO-W/IP/AH/SR/C&ME)

(0610-1115hrs) (SW, F1) 
Great Northern Diver – 5os
Red-throated Diver – 5E, 2W
Gannet – 3E, 9W
Shag – 1os
Brent Goose – 191E
Shelduck – 2E
Common Scoter – 7E, 12W, 39os
Red-breasted Merganser – 6E, 15W, 5os
Ringed Plover – 1
Grey Plover – 7E
Sandwich Tern – 2E, 2W, 5os
Meadow Pipit – 46N
Pied Wagtail – 1N
Chiffchaff - 2

Brent Geese (above), Sandwich Tern, Red-breasted Mergansers & Chiffchaff at the Bill (AH)

Selsey: A Blackcap was singing in the garden again, with at least three Chiffchaffs in the area (SH)

Ferry Pool: At least three Snipe and a pair of Avocets were along the banks, whilst a least 70 Shoveler, c20 Teal and Shelduck and half a dozen Black-tailed Godwits were on the pool, with another half a dozen of the latter in Ferry Channel with a Spotted Redshank (AH/RP)

Black-tailed Godwit (above) & Avocets, Shelduck and Shoveler on the Ferry (AH)

Long Pool: This morning, two Great Crested Grebes and four Tufted Ducks were on the pool, whilst a Spotted Redshank was in Ferry Channel and a Greylag Goose flew over west. (RP)

Great Crested Grebes on the Long Pool (RP)

Late the afternoon the drake Garganey popped up in Ferry Channel at the far end of the pool, and there were also two Spotted Redshanks and a dozen Black-tailed Godwits present, too, whilst, unusually, there were two Yellowhammers in nearby hedges. (AH/TG-P/MP)

Garganey (above) & Spotted Redshank and Redshank in Ferry Channel (AH)

Medmerry: Coastguards to Windmill area - There was finally a (male) Wheatear here, along the fence-line this morning. (BI)

Late this afternoon, it, or another, was on the rocks by the windmill. (AW)

Wheatear at Coastguards (BI)

Church Norton: The Whimbrel was out in the harbour instead of its usual place on the saltmarsh, though only 28 Brent Geese could be seen in a fairly empty harbour, though ten Pintail and a few Wigeon and Teal were still about, whilst the Black-headed Gulls, along with at least 30 Mediterranean Gulls, seemed to have re-occupied Tern Island.

Around Greenlease Farm there seemed to have been an influx of Blackbirds, with a Fieldfare, a Mistle and a Song Thrush also seen. At least five Chiffchaffs were present in the churchyard/hide area, with a Stoat, and two Red-legged Partridges behind the hide. (AW/AH/A&YF)

This evening a high-flying flock of over 100 Brent Geese went east and two Sandwich Terns were offshore. (SH)

Fieldfare (above), Chiffchaff, Mistle Thrush, Whimbrel & Red-legged Partridge at Church Norton (AW)

Sidlesham: A Brimstone butterfly was in the garden this morning. (A&YF)

Later on, a Red Kite went low over Keynor Lane. (AH)

North Wall: There were five Redwings in the horse paddock at Welbourne early on, and two Green Woodpeckers were present later on.

A Spotted Redshank was along White's Creek and a pair of Great Crested Grebes were on the Breech Pool, whilst along the Wall Reed Buntings, Chiffchaffs and at least three Cetti's Warblers were calling, with another of the latter in Owl Copse and three more were along Pagham Rife.

On Honer reservoir there were just a few Black-headed Gulls and Coots, plus four Tufted Ducks, whilst pairs of Jays and Green Woodpeckers were around Honer Cottages and three Roe Deer were in the field south-east of the reservoir. (JDW)

Spotted Redshank (above), Reed Bunting & Roe Deer around the North Wall (JDW)

A later visit to Honer Reservoir and area produced 38 Coots, five Tufted Duck, a Kestrel, a Sparrowhawk, a Buzzard, two Chiffchaffs and seven Roe Deer, plus five Peacocks and a Brimstone. (CRJ)

Roe Deer at Honer Reservoir (CRJ)

Marsh Farm, Sidlesham: There were plenty of cattle in the fields, but for the first time in a long while, there were no Cattle Egrets about.

There were still a handful of Yellowhammers and Meadow Pipits, along with c40 Linnets and  couple of Stock Doves, along Church Farm Lane and half a dozen Reed Buntings at Chalder Farm, whilst half a dozen widely spread Chiffchaffs were seen/heard, but there was not much else of note beyond a  Coal Tit and a Goldcrest in the churchyard. (AH)

Yellowhammer (above), Meadow Pipit, Linnet, Wren & Stock Dove around Marsh Farm, Sidlesham (AH)

Drayton Pits: The odd-looking Greylag/hybrid Goose was with c.30 Greylag and c.20 Canada Geese on the field opposite the pits this morning. (BI)

Greylag Geese & "cousin" at Drayton (BI)

Sunday, 21st March: A morning that started off cool, grey and fairly still and ended up bright and breezy and quite a bit milder..........

Selsey Bill: The first Wheatear of the spring at the Bill flew in and landed on a groyne, then the field and finally a roof-top, with another, seen a bit later on by the Bill House garden, where there was also a Chiffchaff.

The Long-tailed Duck and several Great Northern Divers and Sandwich Terns were offshore, but beyond a few Brent Geese and Common Scoters, there was little on the move. Full log later. (JA/S&SaH/PB/IP/AH)

(0600-0900hrs) (WSW, F2) (JA/S&SaH/PB/IP/AH)
Great Northern Diver – 1W, 3os
Red-throated Diver – 6E, 4W
diver sp – 2E
Great Crested Grebe – 1os
Fulmar – 1W
Gannet – 6E, 12W
Shag – 3E, 1os
Brent Goose – 54E, 10W
Wigeon – 3E
Long-tailed Duck – 1os
Common Scoter – 13E, 23os
Red-breasted Merganser – 18E, 8os
Turnstone – 4E
Common Gull – 1E
Sandwich Tern – 1E, 1W, 1os
auk sp – 1E
Stock Dove - 2
Meadow Pipit – 1N
Wheatear – 2N
Chiffchaff – 1

(1015-1130hrs) (SR)
Great Northern Diver – 3os
diver sp – 1W
Gannet – 1W
Shag - 1os
Common Scoter – 1E, 26os
Red-breasted Merganser – 2W, 10os
Sandwich Tern – 2os
auk sp – 1E
Meadow Pipit – 8N

Wheatear (above), Brent Geese & Red-breasted Mergansers at the Bill (AH)

Ferry Pool: It was busy on the pool again, with four Avocets, two Gadwall, c25 Shelducks and Teal and c80 Wigeon and Shoveler about, whilst a Spotted Redshank was in the channel opposite again, along with a Redshank and a Black-tailed Godwit, and a Chiffchaff was singing half-heartedly nearby. (AH)

Spotted Redshank and Redshank (above), Avocets & Shovelers at the Ferry (AH)

Late this afternoon the drake Garganey was back in Ferry Channel for its fifth day with the Wigeon and Teal, plus a dozen Black-tailed Godwits, whilst further along there were at least 25 Snipe coming out on the mud from the banks of the Long Pool to feed. (AH et al)

Garganey (above) & Snipe in Ferry Channel (AH)

Park Farm, Selsey: The first Green Sandpiper of the year was briefly on the puddles by the reservoir this morning before it flew off west, whilst there was also a Chiffchaff and a Kestrel nearby. (IP)

Church Norton: First thing this morning a Snipe was showing well in the creek by the horse-field, along with the Spotted Redshank, whilst the number of Brent Geese has been reduced to around 45, and the harbour was pretty quiet beyond a dozen Pintail, a few Wigeon and 20 Black-tailed Godwits. 

At least five Chiffchaffs were in Bluebell Wood, with a couple more at Greenlease Farm, but the only other migrants seen were at least 16 Meadow Pipits coming in off the sea, whilst a Great Northern Diver was offshore. (AW/IP/S&SaH)

Spotted Redshank (above) & Snipe at Church Norton (AW)

Medmerry: Windmill area - There was little to report again this morning, beyond a Chiffchaff and a handful of Meadow Pipits and Skylarks. (AH)

Meadow Pipit at Medmerry (AH)

Medmerry: Easton Lane to the Stilt Pool - There wasn't too much on the Stilt Pool this afternoon, with just 20 Avocets, two Ringed Plovers and a Pintail of note.

The banks were quiet, too with two Chiffchaffs, a Stonechat, two Reed Buntings and half a dozen Yellowhammers the highlights, whilst seven Buzzards and two Kestrels went over. (S&SaH) 

Medmerry: Ham Farm - A Chiffchaff in a sheltered hedge was the only migrant, whilst among the regular birds there were two pairs of Stonechats, half a dozen Yellowhammers and Reed Buntings, a pair of Stock Doves and plenty of Skylarks. (AH)

Chiffchaff (above), Stock Doves, Yellowhammer & Stonechats at Medmerry (AH)

Saturday, 20th March: A fairly still day, with just very a light north-westerly breeze, but remaining cool and, after a bright start, very overcast.....

Selsey Bill: A Bonxie and eight Shags went east, and up to ten Great Northern Divers were seen this morning, on the sea or flying about, though there was again little evidence of passage, with plenty of Sandwich Terns and Common Scoters, plus a few Red-throated Divers going in both directions, whilst the only sign of inward migration was a Goldcrest that dropped in very briefly on the wall.

Later, the Long-tailed Duck re-appeared offshore. Full log later. (JA/SH/BI/IP/MO-W/AH)

(0600-0900hrs) (NNW, F2)
Great Northern Diver – 1E, 3W, 6os
Red-throated Diver – 1E, 6W, 1os
diver sp – 6E
Great Crested Grebe – 1os
Gannet – 10E, 6W
Shag – 8E
Brent Goose – 20E

Common Scoter – 6E, 3W, 25os
Red-breasted Merganser – 12E, 5W, 14os

Bonxie – 1E
Common Gull – 1W
Sandwich Tern – 16E, 5os
auk sp – 5E
Stock Dove – 4E
Meadow Pipit – 1N
Goldcrest – 1N

(1015-1200hrs) (SR)
Great Northern Diver – 2W, 6os
Gannet – 3E, 4W
Long-tailed Duck – 1os
Turnstone – 8
Sandwich Tern – 2E
Meadow Pipit – 146N
Pied Wagtail – 2N

Shags (above) (SH) & Great Northern Divers (AH) at the Bill

(1500-1630hrs) (SH/AW)

Red-throated Diver - 4E

Gannet - 1E

Shag - 5W

Brent Goose - 27E

Long-tailed Duck - 1E

Common Scoter - 2E, 20os

Red-breasted Merganser - 2E

Mediterranean Gull - 1W

Sandwich Tern - 3E, 3os

Razorbill - 1E

auk sp - 2E

Chiffchaff - 1 Bill House garden

Shag at the Bill (AW)

Ferry Pool: There plenty of wildfowl present again, including at least 80 Shovelers and 60 Wigeon, as well as four Gadwall, 25 Shelducks and c40 Teal.

Also, a Water Rail was again briefly at the front and waders were represented by five Avocets, a pair of Lapwings and half a dozen Black-tailed Godwits and Redshank, whist the Spotted Redshank was again in the channel opposite. (AH)

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

The Garganey re-appeared again today, as in recent days, late in the afternoon in Ferry Channel among the Wigeon and Teal. There were also two Spotted Redshank present again, too. (NM/AH/SR)

Garganey in Ferry Channel (AH)

Park Farm, Selsey: There were two Grey and two Pied Wagtails, a Kestrel and a Green Woodpecker around the farm this morning. (IP)

Church Norton: The only migrants seen were a Chiffchaff between the Severals and 20 Meadow Pipits and two Pied Wagtails in off the sea.

The Spotted Redshank was again in the harbour, but beyond half a dozen Black-tailed Godwits, waders were few, whilst wildfowl included a Pintail, 200 Wigeon, four Gadwall, a pair of Red-breasted Merganser, 150 Brent Geese and two Canada Geese. (IP)

Medmerry: Ham Farm - A Corn Bunting was singing along the banks this morning and two Grey Partridges were on the plough along with 10 Pied Wagtails, c.500 Black-headed Gulls and c.20 Mediterranean Gulls. (BI)

Corn Bunting at Ham (BI)

Ivy Lake: A pair of Egyptian Geese were among the regular wildfowl this morning. (DB/MB)

Honer Reservoir: A Sand Martin was over the reservoir this afternoon. (TB)

North Mundham: A Coal Tit was in the garden today. (MJ)

Medmerry: Easton Lane to the Stilt Pool - There was still one Little Ringed Plover on the Stilt Pool, along with four Ringed Plovers, a pair of Lapwings, a dozen Dunlin, 14 Avocets, ten Mediterranean Gulls and an assortment of wildfowl, whilst a Greenshank and a few Redshank were out on the reserve.

Also, a Marsh Harrier was seen at either end of the reserve, a Water Rail was in the first pond, four Greylag and three Egyptian Geese were present and at least 40 Yellowhammers and a dozen Reed Buntings were in the newly ploughed field west of the car-park. 

Otherwise there were just a couple of pairs of Stonechats and a few Skylarks, Meadow Pipits and Linnets along the banks. (BI/AW/DB/MB/AH/LP)

Marsh Harrier (above), Little Ringed Plover, Yellowhammer (AW), Skylark, Stonechat, Greylag Geese, Avocets & Mediterranean Gulls (AH) at Medmerry

North Wall: Two perching Marsh Harriers, a Green Woodpecker, nesting Blue Tits, a Chiffchaff and three Song Thrushes were near the horse stables this morning but Whites Creek was quiet with only a few Wigeon, Teal, Redshank and one Grey Plover apparent. 

There was also little activity in the hedgerows along the Wall apart from a pair of Reed Buntings, a Chaffinch and a Cetti's Warbler. The drying fields held Wigeon, Teal, about ten Shelduck and a similar number of Shoveler. (IH)

Northcommon Farm: There were no migrants this afternoon, though there was a very striking melanistic Pheasant present. (AW)

Pheasant at Northcommon Farm (AW)