23rd - 25th March 2021

Thursday, 25th March: It remains quite cool, despite the fresh breeze coming from the south and there being a fair amount of hazy sunshine........

Selsey Bill: Four Wheatears moved quickly along the beach this morning, but little was moving east offshore again, beyond two Red-throated Divers and five Sandwich Terns. Full log below.  (IP/A&YF/AH/SR)

(0700-0830hrs) (SSW, F4)
Red-throated Diver – 2E
Great Crested Grebe – 2E
Gannet – 1E, 5W
Shag – 1os
Brent Goose – 3W
Common Scoter – 20os
Red-breasted Merganser – 7E, 2W
Turnstone – 8
Sandwich Tern – 5E, 2W, 1os
Wheatear - 4

(1645-1745hrs) (SH/AH)
Red-throated Diver – 1E
Great Crested Grebe- 1W
Gannet – 2E
Red-breasted Merganser – 2E
Mediterranean Gull – 1W
Sandwich Tern – 1os

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

Ferry Pool: Three Sand Martins and six House Martins went over this morning and a Blackcap and a couple of Chiffchaffs were in the Discovery Area.

Six Avocets and c60 60 Black-tailed Godwits were around the pool, along with 20 Shelducks and six Gadwall, though few other wildfowl beyond a dozen Wigeon, whilst a Spotted Redshank was in the channel opposite. (RP/AB/AH)

Spotted Redshank (above) & Avocets around the Ferry (AH)

Long Pool: A Chiffchaff and  couple of Skylarks were all that was seen along the pool, though the far end of Ferry channel held 16 Avocets, ten Lapwings, c60 Shovelers, c20 Teal, c30 Grey Plovers, three Bar-tailed Godwits and 200 Dunlin. (AH),

Avocets (above), Lapwing & Shoveler from the Long Pool (AH)

Church Norton: Four Sand Martins went over the Severals this morning, as did a Marsh Harrier, whilst at least four Wheatears and half a dozen Linnets were along the beach and a Merlin was in the harbour. 

Also around the Severals were a Little Grebe, a pair of Teal, three Chiffchaffs, two Cetti's Warblers and a few Linnets , whilst five Brent Geese  went over, heading east. (IP/SR/A&YF)

Marsh Harrier at Church Norton (SR)

Runcton: A Coal Tit has been coming into our garden over the last few days. (MJ)

Medmerry: Coastguards to the Windmill - Two Wheatears were active on the beach this morning, but beyond that there were just a couple of Skylarks seen, plus a single Red-breasted Merganser offshore. (AH)

Wheatears at Medmerry (AH)

Medmerry: Easton Lane to the Stilt Pool - Early this morning there was one Little Ringed Plover and a Greenshank around the pools, with 26 Avocets, 85 Mediterranean Gulls and a pair of Pintail being the only other birds of note. (AW)

Little Ringed Plover (above) & Greenshank at Medmerry (AW)

Wednesday, 24th March: A mostly grey and breezy morning, with the wind from the south-west, though quite pleasant in the odd sunny interlude........

Selsey Bill: There wasn't much going on again, though 17 Brent Geese, 14 Common Scoters and two Kittiwakes went east, with a pod of at least eight Bottle-nosed Dolphins slowly cruising east being the highlight by a distance. Full log below. (MO-W/AH/IP/A&YF/SR)

(0645-0900hrs) (SW, F3-4) 
Red-throated Diver – 1E
Gannet – 1E, 8W
Brent Goose – 17E
Mallard – 2
Common Scoter – 14E, 2W, 25os
Red-breasted Merganser – 2E, 7W
Turnstone – 4
Common Gull – 2W
Kittiwake – 2E
Sandwich Tern – 2E, 2W, 2os
Bottle-nosed Dolphin - c8E

(1650-1750hrs) (SH)
Red-throated Diver – 1E
Gannet – 1W
Shag – 1W
Mallard – 2W
Sandwich Tern – 6os

Sandwich Tern (above), Gannets & Bottle-nosed Dolphin at the Bill (AH)

Ferry Pool: There were at least 80 Black-tailed Godwits roosting on the field this morning, with four Avocets, two Lapwings, c30 Wigeon and Teal, 25 Shelducks and at least 60 Shoveler also present. (AH)

Avocets (above) & Shovelers at the Ferry (AH)

This evening a Little Ringed Plover was on the pool, along with ten Avocets and c40 Black-tailed Godwits, (AH)

Little Ringed Plover, Black-tailed Godwit and Wigeon on the Ferry (AH)

Runcton area; Across to North Mundham were a Great Spotted Woodpecker, a Green Woodpecker, a Blackcap and two singing Chiffchaffs, whilst through the fields to South Mundham there were a Greenfinch and three pairs of Skylarks.

Hunston area: Around the golf course there were three Shelducks, two Buzzards, a pair of Mistle Thrushes, four Chiffchaffs and a Cormorant, whilst at Hunston Copse there were two Chiffchaffs. (CRJ)

North Wall: It was very quiet along the Wall, with just a single Cetti's Warbler heard calling, though raptors put on a brief performance, with a male Marsh Harrier that was sitting atop a bush being 'bombed' by a pair of Common Buzzards. A skirmish then took place and it was joined by the female Marsh Harrier before it was all over in less than a minute as the Buzzards flew off and the Marsh Harriers settled, separately, in the reeds. (JDW)

Park Farm, Selsey: There wasn't much about this morning beyond a Sparrowhawk, a pair of Green Woodpeckers and four Pied Wagtails. (IP)

This evening, 200 Mediterranean Gulls were among the gulls following the plough. (SaH)

Church Norton: Finally, a Wheatear was on the concrete blocks - what has traditionally been the site of the first of the year, but otherwise there was little evidence of migration beyond a couple of calling Chiffchaffs and a Pied Wagtail over.

Nine Sandwich Terns and at least 30 Mediterranean Gulls were among the Black-headed Gulls in the harbour, where there were also a dozen Brent Geese and similar of Wigeon and Teal, half a dozen Ringed Plovers and Black-tailed Godwits, c40 Grey Plovers and 153 Dunlin. (A&YF/AH/IP)

Wheatear (above), Sandwich Terns, Mediterranean Gulls, Teal, Grey Plover and Curlew & Dunlin at Church Norton (AH)

Tuesday, 23rd March: A very similar morning to yesterday, starting still and grey before brightening and warming up as the breeze freshened, though this time turning south-westerly.....

Selsey Bill: There was just a suggestion of movement this morning, with 37 Common Scoters and seven Red-throated Divers east, but generally it remains slow. Full log below. (MO-W/IP/AH/SR)

(0645-0845hrs) (S, F2 freshening to SW, F3-4)

Great Northern Diver – 1E, 1os

Red-throated Diver – 7E, 1W

Fulmar – 1W

Gannet – 4W

Shag – 1E

Brent Goose – 7E, 1W

Common Scoter – 37E, 5W, 27os

Red-breasted Merganser – 7E, 1W, 4os

Sparrowhawk - 1

Oystercatcher – 3W

Turnstone - 14

Sandwich Tern – 1E, 1W, 1os

auk sp – 4W

Pied Wagtail – 2N

Shag (above) & Red-throated Diver at the Bill (AH)

Ferry Pool: There were still at least 75 Shoveler on the pool, along with 25 Shelducks and Teal and at least 50 Wigeon, whilst later on c80 Black-tailed Godwits were roosting on the pool, along with a pair of Avocets, a pair of Lapwings and a dozen Redshank.

Also, a couple of Chiffchaffs and a Goldcrest were in the adjacent hedges and a Grey Wagtail went over. (AH)

Black-tailed Godwits (above) & Chiffchaff at the Ferry (AH)

Long Pool: This evening there were two Spotted Redshanks and a dozen Black-tailed Godwits at the far end of Ferry channel, whilst a Marsh Harrier and a Snipe went over. (AH)

Snipe (above) & Spotted Redshank, Redshank and Teal in Ferry Channel (AH)

Park Farm, Selsey: The Green Sandpiper re-appeared this morning in the muddy puddles by the reservoir, in the company of two Pied Wagtails, whilst a Sparrowhawk went over. (AH/PB/SaH)

Green Sandpiper (above) & Sparrowhawk at Park Farm, Selsey (AH)

Medmerry: Coastguards to the Breach - Presumably yesterday's Wheatear was in the same area of beach near the windmill, with a handful of Skylarks and Meadow Pipits in the fields nearby, but the only other passerines seen were a pair of Linnets among the caravans.

The breach area held little but a big mixed gull flock and a few Oystercatchers and Curlews, whilst offshore there were just two pairs of Red-breasted Mergansers. (AH)

Wheatear (above), Meadow Pipit, Linnet & Red-breasted Merganser at Medmerry (AH)

Chichester Canal: Along the canal west from Donnington were a flock of 20 or so Redwing, with a Song Thrush nearby and also seen were two Bullfinches and a Cetti's Warbler, whilst the nesting Mute Swans currently have one egg. (AW)

Cetti's Warbler (above), Redwing & Song Thrush along Chichester Canal (AW)