Friday 16 April 2021

16th - 18th April 2021

Sunday, 18th April: A pleasantly sunny morning, after another frosty start, with the breeze just light and variable..........

Selsey Bill: The highlight this morning was the pod of at least a dozen Bottle-nosed Dolphins putting on quite a show offshore as they slowly cruised east.
Otherwise passage was slow, though an Arctic Skua, Bonxie, a flock of 19 Bar-tailed Godwits and over 200 Common Scoter went east and once again the Long-tailed Duck was offshore. (SH/JA/BI/PB/IP/AH/SR et al)
(0530-0930 & 1000-1100hrs) (S, F2) 
Great Northern Diver – 2os
Red-throated Diver – 6E, 1W
Great Crested Grebe – 1E
Fulmar – 1E, 3W
Gannet – 36E, 13W
Brent Goose – 9E
Shelduck – 2W
Long-tailed Duck – 1os
Common Scoter – 226E, 12os
Red-breasted Merganser – 2W
Sparrowhawk – 1
Ringed Plover – 1
Bar-tailed Godwit – 19E (overhead!)
Whimbrel – 1E
Curlew – 1W
Great Skua– 1E
Arctic Skua – 1E (l/p)
Mediterranean Gull – 45E
Common Gull – 1E
Sandwich Tern – 66E, 2os
Common Tern – 2E
‘Commic’ Tern – 8E
auk sp – 1E
Skylark – 1N
Linnet – 2N
Bottle-nosed Dolphin - c12E



Bottle-nosed Dolphins (above), Common Tern, Fulmar, Gannet & Common Scoters at the Bill (AH)




(1300-1400hrs) (P&LH)
Great Northern Diver – 1os
Fulmar – 1W
Brent Goose – 26E
Red-breasted Merganser – 4W
Mediterranean Gull – 2E
Sandwich Tern – 4W

(1545-1730hrs) (SH/JA/AB)
Red-throated Diver – 4E
Great Crested Grebe – 6E (together)
Gannet – 25E, 7W
Common Scoter – 9E
Mediterranean Gull – 2E, 3os
Sandwich Tern – 12E, 1os
auk sp – 13E, 2W

Also, a Humming-bird Hawkmoth was in my Ursula Square garden this afternoon. (RP)

Ferry Pool: A pair of Avocets, six Redshanks, a pair of Gadwall, four Teal, eight Shovelers and 15 Shelducks was the total for the pool, whilst in the channel opposite there were two Spotted Redshanks (before one flew onto the Ferry), three Whimbrel  and six Black-tailed Godwits, plus the Greenshank head calling further up. (AH)

Whimbrel in Ferry Channel (AH)

Park Farm, Selsey: A Whitethroat, a Willow Warbler and a Blackcap were all singing around the hedges, but only one Swallow was seen. (IP)
Later on, there were three Wheatears out on the fields, with two Willow Warblers and a Sparrowhawk about, too. (S&SaH)

Church Norton: Two Little Terns and three Common Terns were among the many Sandwich Terns in the harbour, but again, few waders were seen beyond two Bar-tailed Godwits, four Black-tailed Godwits and a Dunlin, whilst a Gadwall was also present and offshore there were at least three Gannets, whilst a single Brent Goose flew close inshore.
Also, Whitethroats were calling from a number of locations along the front. (IP)
Later on, a male Redstart was near Pagham House on Rectory Lane (AW) and there were six Common Terns and a Little Tern in the harbour (S&SaH)

North Wall: The pair of Marsh Harriers were seen mating this morning. (NR)

Medmerry: Easton Lane to the Stilt Pool - There wasn't much to report this morning, with the banks quiet beyond a handful of Yellowhammers, Reed Buntings and Stock Doves, numerous Linnets and Skylarks and a single briefly singing Sedge Warbler.
A dozen Avocets were on the Stilt Pool, along with a pair of Lapwing, the lone Brent Goose and three Teal, but that was about it. (AH/BI)

Skylark (above), Lapwings, Reed Buntings & Avocets at Medmerry (AH)



Medmerry: Porthole Farm to Ham Farm -  - There were half a dozen House Martins and c50 Swallows over the settling tanks, along with a couple of Pied Wagtails and a dozen Mediterranean Gulls this evening.
The hedges between the farms were quiet save a smart male Sparrowhawk, a Whitethroat, a Willow Warbler and a Yellowhammer, plus 20 or so Stock Doves in the fields, whilst there were just a Stonechat and a few Skylarks at Ham. (AH)


Sparrowhawk (above), Swallow, Whitethroat, Willow Warbler & Stonechat at Medmerry (AH)










Saturday, 17th April: Another bright and sunny morning, cold early on after a sharp frost, but warming up later, despite the moderate northerly breeze..........

Selsey Bill: Three Barnacle Geese going west early on were unusual, but otherwise it was slow again, with a few Common and Little Terns and 155 Sandwich Terns, along with 49 Whimbrel and 11 Bar-tailed Godwits going east, though a Yellow Wagtail flew in off the sea and the Long-tailed Duck was still offshore. (JA/SH/BI/IP/MO-W/AH/A&YF/B&MaC)
(0530-1300hrs) (NNE, F3) 
Great Northern Diver – 1os
Red-throated Diver – 2E
Great Crested Grebe – 1os
Gannet – 96E, 24W
Shag – 1E
Barnacle Goose – 3W
Long-tailed Duck – 1os
Common Scoter – 103E
Sparrowhawk - 1
Knot – 4E
Curlew – 4E
Whimbrel – 49E
Bar-tailed Godwit – 11E
Great Skua – 2E
Mediterranean Gull – 134E
Common Gull – 4E
Sandwich Tern – 155E
Common Tern – 4E
‘Commic’ Tern – 3E
Little Tern – 3E
auk sp – 1E
Yellow Wagtail – 1N
Pied Wagtail – 1N
Swallow – 1N
Grey Seal – 1os

Four more Arctic Skuas went east this afternoon, along with six Little Terns and a flock of 45 Bar-tailed Godwits, whilst a pod of c14 Bottle-nosed Dolphins moved slowly east over a period of an hour. (JA/S&SaH)
(1500-1730hrs) 
diver sp – 2E
Great Crested Grebe – 1E
Fulmar – 1W
Gannet – 13E, 11W
Red-breasted Merganser – 1E
Whimbrel – 2E, 1W
Bar-tailed Godwit – 45E (in one flock)
Arctic Skua – 4E (2 l/p, 2 d/p)
Mediterranean Gull – 2E, 13W, 2os
Common Tern – 1E
Little Tern – 6E
Bottle-nosed Dolphin – c14E
Common Seal – 1os

Bar-tailed Godwit and Whimbrels (above), Sandwich Tern & Mediterranean Gulls at the Bill (AH)



Ferry Pool: A Green Sandpiper was at the back this morning, and there were also a pair of Avocets, six Redshanks, four Shovelers and ten Shelduck present, whilst the two Spotted Redshanks, at least two Whimbrel and a handful of Black-tailed Godwits were in the channel opposite.
There were also a couple of Chiffchaffs and Blackcaps singing nearby.(AH)

Green Sandpiper (above), Spotted Redshank, Avocets, Black-tailed Godwit & Blackcap around the Ferry (AH)




Park Farm, Selsey: A dozen Swallows and a House Martin were around the stables this morning, whilst a Pied Wagtail was on the fields. (IP)

Birdham: The Lesser Redpoll reported last month is still coming regularly to visit the sunflower feeder in our garden in the village.(GT)

North Mundham: A male Coal Tit was feeding a female on the bird table this morning. (MJ)

Sidlesham: A Raven was mobbing one of the resident Buzzards over the garden this morning. (A&YF)

Ivy Lake: A Common Tern was sat on one of the buoys this morning. (BI)

Medmerry: Easton Lane to the Stilt Pool - The two Little Ringed Plovers were on the Stilt Pool again this morning, along with ten Avocets, two Ringed Plovers, and a lone Brent Goose, whilst four Whimbrel went east offshore. (AHu/NM)

North Wall: The horse paddocks held two Linnets and a Green Woodpecker this morning and there were two smart summer plumage Black-tailed Godwits, but little else other than Common Redshanks, in Whites Creek. 
The reed-beds contained a few Sedge Warblers, Reed Warblers, Cetti's Warblers and Reed Buntings and two Common Whitethroats and a Blackcap were found in the hedgerows. 
About a dozen Shelduck, eight Curlew and, once again, a single Brent Goose occupied the partially flooded fields, while a male Marsh Harrier flew above. (IH/SP/PC/LP)
This evening a Great White Egret was in the field behind the Breech Pool before it flew off north. (AGB)

Church Norton: A Whitethroat was in the gorse between the Severals this morning, whilst both Reed and Sedge Warblers were in the reeds and quite a few Chiffchaffs and Blackcaps were in Bluebell Wood.
A Gannet was offshore, whilst a Bar-tailed Godwit was on the shoreline, but there were few waders in the harbour beyond 45 Black-tailed Godwits and a dozen or so Dunlin and Ringed Plovers.
Also, two Adders were in front of the first Several. (IP/S&SaH/CRJ)

Long Pool: There was a Greenshank in Ferry Channel this evening, along with the two Spotted Redshanks and c20 Black-tailed Godwits, whilst two Gadwall flew into the pool, where there was also a pair of Little Grebes.
Half a dozen Reed Buntings were active, but it was quiet for small birds, though a Chiffchaff showed itself, a couple of Sedge Warblers briefly sang and two Swallows went over. (AH)

Greenshank (above), Chiffchaff, Reed Bunting, Gadwall & Little Grebe around the Long Pool (AH)








Friday, 16th April: The weather continues to be dominated by high pressure, meaning more fresh north-easterlies with plenty of sunshine after a frosty start......

Selsey Bill: It's fair to say that eastward passage is still not really happening, with another slow morning, after a promising start with the first Little Gull of the year, plus a Little Tern, past early on, with just a handful of Whimbrel, Brent Geese and Sandwich Terns moving east thereafter. Full log later. (JA/PB/PM/IP/CRJ/BI/MO-W/AH)
(0600-0930hrs) (NE, F4)
Red-throated Diver – 1E
Fulmar – 1W
Gannet – 42E, 19W
Brent Goose – 5E
Shelduck – 2E
Common Scoter – 14E, 13W
Grey Plover – 2E
Sanderling - 3
Whimbrel – 6E
Great Skua – 1W, 1os
Little Gull – 1E
Mediterranean Gull – 44E
Sandwich Tern – 28E, 10os
Little Tern – 1E
auk sp – 8E
Meadow Pipit – 5N
Rook – 3N
Linnet – 7E

Whimbrels (above) & Brent Geese at the Bill (PM)

This evening a flock of eight Little Gulls went east, as did four Arctic Skuas, including two together. Full log below. (JA/SH/AH)(1600-1800hrs)
Red-throated Diver – 3E, 1W, 1os
Gannet – 9E, 6W
Shag – 1W
Turnstone – 2W
Arctic Skua – 4E (3 d/p, 2 l/p)
Mediterranean Gull – 4E
Little Gull – 8E
Sandwich Tern – 10E, 7os

Arctic Skuas at the Bill (AH)


Ferry Pool: There were six Shelducks, four Teal and 15 Shelducks on the pool early on, whilst later c40 Black-tailed Godwits and half a dozen Redshank were roosting there, whilst a Spotted Redshank, three Whimbrel, a pair of Gadwall and five Black-tailed Godwits were in the channel opposite.
A look round the Tramway circuit and Yeoman's field found a few Blackcaps and Chiffchaffs, but no other migrants, though there were a few Linnets about. (AH/A&YF)


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


Medmerry: Medmerry Trail to Porthole Farm - There wasn't too much to report this morning, just a single Buzzard, a Whitethroat, a Blackcap, thee Chiffchaffs and two Swallows. (CRJ)

North Wall: A look along the wall produced a Whitethroat, a Willow Warbler, a couple of Chiffchaffs, Blackcaps, Long-tailed Tits and a Reed Bunting in the hedges and three or four Sedge Warblers and Cetti's Warblers in the reeds
Both the male and female Marsh Harriers were out at different times over the reed-beds, but the Breech Pool just held a pair of Shovelers of note, whilst a Brent Goose was out in Honer 1 field, with another four, plus two drake Wigeon and c25 Shelducks out in a very empty harbour. (AH)


Marsh Harrier (above), Blackcap, Chiffchaff, Long-tailed Tit & Brent Goose at the North Wall (AH)





Ivy Lake: There were three Egyptian Geese present on the main lake today but little of note on any of the others. The paths, which have been trimmed back even further, held just a single Chiffchaff, two Reed Buntings and a couple of Cetti's Warblers whilst a single Sedge Warbler sang sporadically near Deep Lake. (BI/DI)



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