Birding the Selsey Peninsula: 1st

Saturday, 3rd April: A fairly cold and mostly grey morning, with no let up from the nagging north-easterly......

Selsey Bill: It remains quite slow-going, with little eastward movement, though seven Common Terns went east, the Long-tailed Duck was offshore again and two Grey Herons were tracked coming in apparently from the Isle of Wight and heading off east.

There was also a very early Painted Lady that flew east along the wall, settling briefly. Full log below. (JA/SH/PB/BI/IP/AH/SR)

(0615-0930hrs) (NE, F4)

Great Northern Diver – 3os

Fulmar – 1E

Gannet – 14E, 17W

Shag – 4E

Grey Heron – 2E

Shelduck – 5E

Mallard – 2

Long-tailed Duck – 1os

Common Scoter – 37E, 20os

Red-breasted Merganser – 11E, 2W, 4os

Turnstone – 9E, 14 present

Curlew – 1E

Mediterranean Gull – 2E

Common Gull – 3E

Sandwich Tern – 28E, 8os

Common Tern – 7E

auk sp – 3E, 35W

Meadow Pipit – 15N

Pied Wagtail – 1N

Gannet (above), Grey Herons & Painted Lady at the Bill (AH)

(1600-1730hrs) (SH)
Great Northern Diver – 1E
Red-throated Diver – 1W
Gannet – 4E, 8W
Shag – 2os
Common Scoter – 2E, 25os
Red-breasted Merganser – 1E
Arctic Skua – 2E (dark phase)
Sandwich Tern – 7E, 1os
auk sp – 4W

Shags at the Bill (SH)

Ferry Pool: There were six Avocets, four Black-tailed Godwits and the pair of Lapwings around the pool, along with 24 Shelducks, a pair of Gadwall and c60 Shovelers, whilst 40 Teal flew in from the rife and two Grey Herons flew over east.

Also, the two Spotted Redshanks, moulting quite heavily now, were in the channel opposite, along with half a dozen Black-tailed Godwits and two Buzzards and a Sparrowhawk went over. (AH/PB)

Later on, two Little Ringed Plovers were on the pool again. (ESt)

Spotted Redshanks (above), Black-tailed Godwit, avocets & Teal around the Ferry (AH)

Long Pool: There were two Sedge Warblers singing along the pool this morning. (PB)

There were fur present again late this afternoon, with a Willow Warbler nearby and two Spotted Redshanks in Ferry Channel. (AW/ESt)

Sedge Warbler (above) & Spotted Redshank around the Long Pool (AW)

North Wall: A reeling Grasshopper Warbler was reported from the Breech Pool this morning, along with a Reed Warbler and several Sedge Warblers. (per RBA/Birdguides)

North Selsey: There was possibly a Whitethroat singing briefly a couple of times this morning. (S&SaH)

Church Norton: Two Common Terns were among at least 50 Sandwich Terns in the harbour this morning, whilst there were several Chiffchaffs along the front and a couple of Blackcaps were in Bluebell Wood. (S&SaH)

Late this afternoon the regular Whimbrel was showing and a Pintail was in the harbour. (ESt)

Ivy Lake: A large flock of around 150 House Martins was swirling high over the lake early this morning, with 20 to 30 Sand Martins closer to the water.

Also, there were plenty of singing Chiffchaffs, Blackcaps and Cetti's Warblers about. (RBe)

Medmerry: Medmerry Trail to Porthole Farm - The hedges along the trail and around the sewage works held four or five Chiffchaffs, but not much else beyond the odd Linnet and Reed Bunting, plus a couple of Pied Wagtails in the fields, though at least 20 Swallows and 12 Sand Martins were over the settling tanks and adjacent hedges and a Grey Heron went over east. (AH)

Sand Martin (above), Swallow, Chiffchaff, Reed Bunting & Pied Wagtail at Medmerry (AH)

West Wittering: A Bee-fly turned up in our kitchen today - amazing creature! (GM)

Bee-fly in West Wittering (GM)

Good Friday, 2nd April: A cold, but mostly bright, morning, with the brisk north-easterly breeze persisting....

Selsey Bill: The first Arctic Skua of the spring going east early on was the highlight of a fairly slow morning, though the Long-tailed Duck was present again offshore, along with c25 Common Scoters and four Great Northern Divers.

Also, a Common Tern, two Shovelers and three Pintail went east and a Sand Martin flew in, whilst a lonely Brent Goose went up and down the cost several times.. Full log later. (JA/SH/BI/IP/PB/PM/AH/SR)

(0610-1000hrs) (NE, F4-5)
Great Northern Diver – 2E, 2os
diver sp – 2E
Great Crested Grebe – 1os
Fulmar – 2W
Gannet – 37E, 16W
Shag – 3E
Brent Goose – 1os, then E
Mallard – 3E
Pintail – 3E
Shoveler – 2E
Long-tailed Duck – 1os
Common Scoter – 15E, 3W, 23os
Red-breasted Merganser – 1E, 6os
Grey Plover – 5E
Sanderling – 17E
Curlew – 1E
Arctic Skua – 1E
Mediterranean Gull – 2os
Common Gull – 21E
Sandwich Tern – 58E, 8os
Common Tern – 2E
auk sp – 2W
Meadow Pipit – 6N
Linnet – 4N
Swallow – 1N
Sand Martin – 1N

(1600-1730hrs) (SH/JA)
diver sp - 1E
Gannet – 15E, 7W
Common Scoter – 43E, 24os
Red-breasted Merganser – 5os
Sandwich Tern – 9E

Great Northern Diver (above), Sandwich Tern, Sand Martin & Brent Goose at the Bill (AH)

Ferry Pool: There were six Avocets, two Gadwall, 16 Teal, 34 Shelducks and c60 Shovelers on the pool, along with ten Redshanks and the pair of Lapwings.

Also, a Raven went over north, a Sand Martin went over the Tramway, where half a dozen Black-tailed Godwits were in the adjacent harbour, and two or three Blackcaps and Chiffchaffs were singing sporadically along the paths. (AH/PM)

Sand Martin (above), Gadwall and Shovelers, Black-tailed Godwits & Lapwings around the Ferry (AH)

Long Pool: Four different singing Sedge Warblers were along the pool this morning, though there wasn't much else beyond two noisy pairs of Little Grebes and a pair of Great Crested Grebes.

Also, two Spotted Redshanks were in Ferry Channel, along with a dozen Teal and Redshanks and c30 Black-tailed Godwits. (AH/PM)

Sedge Warbler (above) & Spotted Redshank around the Long Pool (AH)

Park Farm, Selsey: A Red Kite went over this morning, along with two Swallows, a Buzzard, two Kestrels and 50+ Mediterranean Gulls, whist a Willow Warbler was in the hedges. (SH)

Ivy Lake complex: This morning there were Blackcaps, Sedge Warblers, Cetti's Warblers and Chiffchaffs all singing around Nunnery pit and six Sand Martins went over. (CRJ)

Blackcap at Chichester GPs (CRJ)

Medmerry: Medmerry Trail to the Ham Viewpoint - Not very much in the windy conditions, but a Willow Warbler and plenty of Chiffchaffs were singing along the path.

A Red Kite, two Kestrels and four Buzzards were around Porthole Farm and over the Water Treatment Works there were six Swallows, a Sand Martin and a House Martin.

Marsh Frogs were in full voice and 20+ were seen in one ditch, whilst along the banks there were four Linnets and four Stonechats, as well as a few Yellowhammers and Skylarks and 18 Stock Doves, with another Swallow heading inland. (SR)

Medmerry: Bracklesham to the Breach - There was no sign of the two Purple Sandpipers this morning but there were three pairs of Ringed Plovers in the area and a Little Ringed Plover was on the Stilt Pool. A Sand Martin went over the pools which also held c.40 Mediterranean Gulls and there were at least another 40 Mediterranean Gulls offshore at Bracklesham. (BI)

Thursday, 1st April: Another morning of weak, hazy sun, though dry and fairly mild, but with a freshening north-easterly breeze....

Selsey Bill: Three Garganey (two drakes and a duck) that flew east, dropping briefly in on the sea, were the highlight of a quiet morning offshore, though at least four Great Northern Divers were present, along with a few Common Scoter and Sandwich Terns.

There was, though, a bit of 'vis-mig,' including a handful of Swallows, Sand Martins and Linnets and over 350 Meadow Pipits. Full log below. (MO-W/SR/AH/OM/PC)

(0720-1120hrs) (NNE, F5)
Great Northern Diver – 1E, 3os
Great Crested Grebe – 1E
Gannet – 9E, 28W
Garganey – 3E (2 drakes & a duck 0755hrs)
Shoveler – 7E
Common Scoter – 11E, 4W, 25os
Red-breasted Merganser – 2E
Kestrel – 1N
Oystercatcher – 4E, 2W
Grey Plover – 1E
Turnstone – 13W
Mediterranean Gull – 2E, 1os
Sandwich Tern – 7E
Meadow Pipit – 354N
Pied Wagtail – 2N
Swallow – 4N
Sand Martin – 8N
Willow/Chiff – 1N (in off sea)
Linnet – 5N
Goldfinch – 20N

(1630-1740hrs) (SH/JA)
Great Crested Grebe – 1os
Gannet – 1E, 1W
Long-tailed Duck – 1os
Common Scoter – 25os
Red-breasted Merganser – 1E, 3os
Sandwich Tern – 11E, 4os
Razorbill – 1E
Sand Martin – 2N

Great Northern Diver at the Bill (AH)

Ferry Pool: There were four Avocets on the pool this morning, along with a handful of Black-tailed Godwits, the pair of Lapwings, a dozen Teal and c25 Shoveler and Shelducks, whilst a Spotted Redshank was again in the channel opposite.

Also, the Discovery Area held a couple of singing Blackcaps and Chiffchaffs. (AH/TB et al)

Later on, two Little Ringed Plovers were back on the pool again, and there was also a singing Willow Warbler in the Discovery Area. (H&HR)

Blackcaps (above), Spotted Redshank, Lapwing & Avocets around the Ferry (AH)

Birdham: A male Pied Flycatcher was briefly in the garden this morning and two Swallows flew over. (AB)

Medmerry: Two Purple Sandpipers were seen this morning on my walk along the beach from Bracklesham Bay to Selsey at low tide. (J Bartlett per SOS)

Purple Sandpipers at Medmerry (J Bartlett)

Long Pool: Two Wheatears were in the adjacent arable fields, whilst at least four Sedge Warblers, a Willow Warbler, a couple of Cetti's Warblers and a few Linnets were along the pool and hedges.

Also, a Red Kite and a few Meadow Pipits went over, went over and a pair of Red-legged Partridges were in the fields. (TB/NR/A&YF e al)

North Wall: Pairs of Stock Doves were nest-building on Pagham Church and at Shipverling Barn, whilst three Sand Martins were fleetingly over the overflowing Breech Pool, where otherwise there were just 10 Tufted Ducks and a pair of Little Grebes.

Very quiet along the Wall in the brisk north-easterly wind, with just two Cetti's Warblers and a Greenfinch calling. On Honer 2 field there were still six Shoveler, 70 Teal and 18 Black-tailed Godwits, whilst a pair of Little Grebes were on Owl Water and Grey Herons were nest renovating in Owl Copse.

On Monday Honer 1 (footpath) field was almost passable, today, despite no rain, levels are up again and the field is again impassable. (JDW)

Later, a Marsh Harrier was over the Breech Pool for about five minutes. (GHi)

Marsh Harrier at the North Wall (GHi)

East Head: The first Red Kite I've seen over the house flew over today, whilst two Egyptian Geese were on the lake inland from Ella Nore, and the first Blackcap of the year was singing in the garden. (GM)

Red Kite over West Wittering (GM)

Church Norton: Apart from at least 100 Sandwich Terns and Mediterranean Gulls among the vast Black-headed Gull throng there was little to report, with a Sand Martin and a few Meadow Pipits in and a couple of singing chiffchaffs between the Severals being the only migrants noted.

Otherwise, there were a few Black-tailed Godwits, Teal and Shelducks in the harbour and a Mistle Thrush and half a dozen Stock Doves along Rectory Lane, though beyond a Green Woodpecker, Greenlease Farm was all but birdless. (AH)