13th - 15th April 2021

Thursday, 15th April: A fairly cool, if sunny, morning, with the breeze picking up from the north-east.....

Selsey Bill: After some early promise, including a Garganey and two Arctic Skuas east and a Yellow Wagtail in off the sea, it was a pretty slow morning, with two Bonxies and a few Common Terns east being the highlights. 

This afternoon, the long-staying Long-tailed Duck popped up offshore again. Full log below.... 

(0600-1100hrs) (NE, F4) (PB/CN/OM/MO-W/AH/SR/RJS et al)
Great Northern Diver – 1E, 1os

Red-throated Diver – 1W
Fulmar – 2W
Gannet – 63E, 20W
Brent Goose – 3E
Shelduck – 1E
Garganey – 1E (drake)
Common Scoter – 22E
Sparrowhawk - 1
Oystercatcher – 6E
Bar-tailed Godwit – 1E
Whimbrel – 5E
Sanderling - 1
Turnstone – 8E
Arctic Skua – 2E (1l/p, 1 d/p)

Great Skua - 2E
Mediterranean Gull – 86 (inc a flock of 74)
Sandwich Tern – 47E, 14os
Common Tern – 4E
auk sp – 4E
Yellow Wagtail – 1N
Wheatear – 1N
Linnet – 8N
Goldfinch – 10N

(1550-1750hrs) (SH/JA/AH)
Great Northern Diver – 1os
Red-throated Diver – 1E
Great Crested Grebe - 1
Fulmar – 2E
Gannet – 31E, 6W
Long-tailed Duck – 1os
Common Scoter – 6E
Whimbrel – 6E
Great Skua – 1E
Sandwich Tern – 14E, 6os

Brent Geese (above) & Sandwich Tern at the Bill (AH)

Ferry Pool: Most of the wildfowl would at last seem to have departed, with just four Shovelers, a pair of Gadwall, six Teal and Shelducks around the pool, where there were also an Avocet, 25 Black-tailed Godwits, ten Redshanks and two pairs of Lapwings.

Also, the two Spotted Redshanks and a handful of Black-tailed Godwits were in the channel opposite, whilst a couple of Blackcaps and Chiffchaffs were in the adjacent hedges. (AH/OM)

Spotted Redshanks (above), Lapwings, Gadwall & Blackcap at the Ferry (AH)

North Wall: The persistent NE wind is still keeping numbers down along the Wall, with no migrants apart from three Whimbrels at Owl Water, whilst on the Breech Pool were nine Tufted Ducks, a pair of Little Grebes, a pair of Swans and a male Shoveler.

Ploughing was taking place behind Honer Farm and there were at least 100 Mediterranean Gulls in the flock following the tractors, whilst on Honer reservoir were 30 Mute Swans, mainly juveniles, and 14 Tufted Ducks. There were 100's of cattle in and around Marsh Farm but oddly 19 Cattle Egrets were in a non cattle field NE of the farm, with a number of Swallows also present. (JDW)

Medmerry: Medmerry Trail to the Ham Viewpoint - It was windy along the banks but there were still plenty of Skylarks singing and displaying and my first Whitethroat of the year was rapidly followed by five more and there were c20 Swallows, two Sand Martins and at least at House Martin over the settling tanks at the sewage works.

Also a pair of Stonechats, two Reed Buntings, 12 Yellowhammers, 31 Stock Doves, two Red-legged Partridges, two Blackcaps and plenty of Cetti's Warblers and Chiffchaffs were about, along with a Brown Hare. (SR)

Long Pool: Early on, a Marsh Harrier was hunting over the pool and adjacent fields, upsetting the resident Lapwings and Redshanks.

Also, at least three Sedge Warblers and two Cetti's Warblers were vocal along the pool, with a couple of Reed Buntings, half a dozen Linnets and a pair of Long-tailed Tits were along the hedges. (AH/OM)

Marsh Harrier (above), Sedge Warblers & Linnet and Long-tailed Tit along the Long Pool (AH)

Wednesday, 14th April: After another sharp frost, a warm and sunny morning, with just a light easterly breeze.......

Selsey Bill: There wasn't much on the move, though a few Sandwich Terns, Common Scoters and Red-throated Divers went east, a couple of Fulmars went west and a Wheatear was on the beach. Full log below: (MO-W/AH/SR/OM/A&YF/PD/B&MaC)

(0700-1100hrs): (wind E/NE 1-2)

Red-throated Diver – 4E

Great Northern Diver – 1W, 1os

Fulmar – 2W

Gannet – 9E, 8W

Shelduck – 3E

Common Scoter – 70E

Curlew – 1E

Whimbrel – 2E, 1W

Turnstone – 4ob

Mediterranean Gull – 14E

Sandwich Tern – 18E, 6W, 6os

Swallow – 3N

Wheatear – 1 ob

(1645-1745hrs) (SH)
Great Northern Diver – 1os
Red-throated Diver – 1os
Gannet – 3E, 1W
Mediterranean Gull – 2os
Sandwich Tern – 23E, 5os

Wheatear (above) & Sandwich Terns at the Bill (AH)

Ferry Pool: There were no wildfowl at all on the pool early on, with just a pair of Lapwings and  six Redshank present, whilst a Spotted Redshank and six Black-tailed Godwits were in the channel opposite. (AH)

Spotted Redshank (above) & Black-tailed Godwit in Ferry Channel (AH)

Northcommon Farm: A male Redstart and a Willow Warbler were in the first hedge towards 'Flycatcher Corner'. (OM)

Warner Lane Paddocks: The male Redstart was again in the paddocks this morning for its third day, (A&YF) whilst later a pair of Red-legged Partridges and a Willow Warbler were also present. (OM)

Park Farm, Selsey: This evening the first Whinchat of the year was in the newly sown lettuce fields by the barns, along with at least five Wheatears, whilst a male Redstart was in the horse paddocks. (S&SaH/AH)

Redstart (above) & Wheatears at Park Farm, Selsey (AH)

North Wall: A Reed Warbler, a Cetti's Warbler and a Sedge Warbler were all visible along the Wall this morning and Willow Warblers could be heard in Church Lane and at Owl Point where there were also two Sand Martins, a Skylark and a pair of Long-tailed Tits, apparently nest building.  

The wet fields north of the Wall held 30 Shelduck, three Shoveler, four Gadwall and a scattering of Wigeon and Teal.   (IH/PC)

Church Norton: Three Wheatears were on the concrete blocks this afternoon. (NR/TB)

Medmerry: Easton Lane to the Stilt Pool - A male Redstart and a Whitethroat were in the hedges opposite the car-park this morning, with a Blackcap and a Chiffchaff nearby and at least 50 Yellowhammers and 20 Stock Doves on the newly drilled adjacent fields.

A couple more Whitethroats were along the banks, as well as at least one Willow Warbler and a couple of Chiffchaffs, whilst a Stonechat, at least four Reed Buntings, half a dozen more Yellowhammers, c20 Skylarks and 100+ Linnets were also about.

There were 12 Avocets on the Stilt Pool, along with a lone Brent Goose, which was very quiet until c20 Ringed Plovers and c40 Dunlin dropped in, whilst two Whimbrels and half a dozen Mediterranean Gulls went over east.

Also, two Brown Hares were near the car-park. (AH/GT)

Whitethroat (above) Redstart, Willow Warbler, Yellowhammer, Stock Dove, Linnet, Avocets, Brent Goose, Whimbrel & Dunlin and Ringed Plovers at Medmerry (AH)

Birdham Pool: The pair of Egyptian Geese were looking very settled on the pool this morning, even seen mating, whilst there was also a pair of Great Crested Grebes present. (MR)

Egyptian Geese (above) & Great Crested Grebe at Birdham Pool (MR)

Medmerry: Porthole Farm - This evening at least 60 Swallows were over the settling tanks, along with half a dozen Sand Martins. (AH)

Sand Martins (above) & Swallows at Porthole Farm (AH)

Tuesday, 13th April: A very pleasant morning, cold but still and bright early on, warmer but breezier later as the wind shifted to the south-west and freshened.......

Selsey Bill: There was a bit more activity this morning, including seven Little Terns, a Bonxie, nine Whimbrel, 26 Bar-tailed Godwits, 17 Red-throated Divers, 183 Common Scoters and 129 Brent Geese going east, whilst a male Redstart was seen flying in over the sea and then again at the top of the beach. Full log below. (PB/PM/MO-W/AM/AH/IP/SR/A&YF/AW)

(0610-1030hrs) (NE, F2, veering to SW, F3-4)

Great Northern Diver – 1os

Red-throated Diver – 17E

Great Crested Grebe – 3E

Fulmar – 1E, 4W

Gannet – 30E, 14W

Shag – 1os

Brent Goose – 129E

Shelduck – 2E

Eider – 2os

Common Scoter – 183E, 25os

Red-breasted Merganser – 2os

Oystercatcher – 3W

Sanderling - 1

Bar-tailed Godwit – 26E

Whimbrel – 9E

Turnstone – 22

Great Skua – 1E

Mediterranean Gull – 7E

Common Gull – 3E

Sandwich Tern – 57E, 10os

Little Tern – 7E

Meadow Pipit – 2N

Pied Wagtail – 1N

Swallow – 3N

Wheatear – 1

Redstart – 1 (male in off sea)

Linnet – 10E

(1700-1800hrs) (SH/AH)
Gannet – 6E, 4W
Common Scoter – 4E
Red-breasted Merganser – 4E
Mediterranean Gull – 2os
Sandwich Tern – 4E, 4os

Ferry Pool: There were only a dozen or so Shovelers on the pool this morning, with similar of Teal and Shelducks, along with a pair of Avocets, a pair of Lapwings and ten Redshank, whilst the two Spotted Redshanks and eight Black-tailed Godwits were in the channel opposite. (AH)

A look round Yeoman's field this evening produced at least three Willow Warblers, five Chiffchaffs, two Blackcaps and at least eight Song Thrushes that were feeding on the field. (AH) 

Willow Warbler (above) & Chiffchaff at Yeoman's Field (AH)

Warner Lane Paddocks: The male Redstart was in the paddocks again this morning, along with a Wheatear. (AW)

Redstart at Warner Lane paddocks (AW)

Medmerry: A male Redstart was seen out in the middle of the reserve today. (AT)

Birdham Pool: The pair of Egyptian Geese were on the pool again this morning. (MR)

Egyptian Geese on Birdham Pool (MR)

Church Norton: There were three or four Willow Warblers and Blackcaps and up to ten Chiffchaffs along the hedges, with at least three Sedge Warblers singing in the Severals, but not much else to indicate migration, though Jack Snipe flew out from the first Several and dropped into the second Several.

The harbour held plenty of Sandwich Terns and Mediterranean Gulls, but not much else beyond a Whimbrel, c30 Black-tailed Godwits and a few Shelducks. (BFF/DM/DIS/AH et al)

Willow Warbler (above), Whimbrel, Black-tailed Godwit & Sandwich Tern at Church Norton (AH)

North Wall: There was a good start to the day, with a male Pied Flycatcher and three Willow Warblers in my Pagham Garden.

Not much was happening along the wall, though, with a pair each of Little and Great Crested Grebes, two Tufted Ducks, a pair of nesting Mute Swans and a male Shoveler being it on the Breech Pool. There were also three Gadwall in the field behind, a Wheatear in the field to the west of the far end of the Wall and two Roe Deer were behind Owl Copse. (JDW)

Roe Deer at the North Wall (JDW)