Birding the Selsey Peninsula: 19th

Tuesday, 21st September: A lovely, warm and sunny morning for the equinox, after a cool and grey start, with just a light north-easterly breeze....

Selsey Bill: A quieter day than yesterday, though a Marsh Harrier went over and there were sill a few Yellow Wagtails on the move, plus a few Meadow Pipits and hirundines, with a number of birds dropping in, en route. Full log below. (SR/AH/IP)

(0700-0915hrs) (NNE, F3)

Gannet - 8E, 6W

Brent Goose - 5E

Marsh Harrier - 1E

Oystercatcher - 1W

Turnstone - 5

Mediterranean Gull - 7E

Sandwich Tern - 1E, 1os

Swallow - 222E

Sand Martin - 2E

House Martin - 8E

Meadow Pipit - 98E

Yellow Wagtail - 13E

Grey Wagtail - 1E

Pied Wagtail - 1E

Chiffchaff - 5

Linnet - 27E

Marsh Harrier (above), Sand Martin, House Martin (SR), Yellow Wagtails & Chiffchaff (AH) at the Bill

Ferry Pool: There was a Spotted Redshank on the pool this morning, along with two Snipe, c40 Black-tailed Godwits and c150 Lapwings, but just a handful of Shelduck and Teal, though 50+ of the latter were in the channel opposite, whilst c30 Swallows went over east. (AH)

Spotted Redshank (above) & Snipe at the Ferry (AH)

West Itchenor: Two Ospreys were again around the Chichester channel, one heading down stream and the other back up towards the Marina. (PH)

Church Norton: A Spotted Flycatcher was in the churchyard, but the only other migrants seen were half a dozen Blackcaps and Chiffchaffs, plus a Wheatear and a Stonechat along the beach, though c60 Swallows and c30 Meadow Pipits went east overhead.

A Sandwich Tern was feeding offshore, but the only birds different to yesterday in the harbour were c30 Grey Plovers sitting out on the mud. (AH)

Wheatear (above), Spotted Flycatcher, Blackcap, Chiffchaff, Stonechat, Swallow, Meadow Pipit & Grey Plover at Church Norton (AH)

Medmerry: Easton Lane to the Stilt Pool - A Clouded Yellow butterfly was along the banks, but a Whitethroat and a Little Egret were the only birds of note on a short visit this morning. (CRJ)

Clouded Yellow at Medmerry (CRJ)

The highlights of a walk from 1100-1400hrs were one Osprey, four Buzzards, four Kestrels, a Sparrowhawk, 400+Canada Geese, a Greylag Goose, 14 Egyptian Geese, eight Cattle Egrets, two Little Stints, a Greenshank, a Dunlin and 40 Yellow Wagtails. (B&MC)

This evening, there was still one Little Stint on the Stilt Pool, along with two juvenile Ringed Plovers , a Snipe, a dozen Lapwings and Black-tailed Godwits and 15 Egyptian Geese, whilst a Greenshank was in the channel opposite.

Also, three Wheatears and at least six Stonechats were along the banks, with a few Yellow Wagtails and at least 50 Meadow Pipits in the fields. (S&SaH/AH)

Little Stint (above), Greenshank, Wheatear & Egyptian Goose at Medmerry (AH)

Monday, 20th September: A bright and breezy morning, warm in the sun, cooler in the fresh north-westerly....

Selsey Bill: A bit of a mixed morning, most notable for a huge pulse of more than 2000 House Martins that went west across a broad front over a period of about 20 minutes from around 0830hrs.

Otherwise a Whinchat and a few Wheatears and Chiffchaffs were about, five Eider went east, 59 Brent Geese went west, over 100 Gannets were feeding distantly offshore and a few Swallows and Meadow Pipits went over. Full log below. (SR/IP/AH/P&LH)

(0700-0930hrs) (NNW, F4)

Gannet - 6E, 4W, 110os

Brent Goose - 59W

Wigeon - 4W

Teal - 9W

Eider - 5E

Common Scoter - 6E, 2W

Oystercatcher - 3E

Turnstone - 11W

Mediterranean Gull - 4W, 2os

Sandwich Ten - 2E

auk sp - 1E

Swallow - 103E

House Martin - 2100W

Meadow Pipit - 5E, 47W

Yellow Wagtail -1E, 1W

Grey Wagtail - 1W

Wheatear - 5

Whinchat - 1

Chiffchaff - 5

Linnet - 16E

Wheatear (above), Chiffchaff, Brent Geese, House Martins & Turnstone at the Bill (AH)

Ferry Pool: There were two Snipe, c40 Black-tailed Godwits and c80 Lapwing on the pool this morning, along with two Shovelers, eight Shelducks and c40 Teal, whilst two Spotted Redshanks were in the channel opposite. (AH)

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

West Itchenor: Two Ospreys (at 0900 and 0930hrs) flew down Chichester channel, heading south-west. (PH)

North Wall: At Halsey's Farm, the birds were all along the same hedgerow, including a female-type Redstart, four Stonechats, a Lesser Whitethroat, two Wheatears, two Chiffchaffs and three Blackcaps, with 28 Yellow Wagtails, a Cattle Egret, a Kestrel and a flock of Long-tailed Tits in another field.

The Breech Pool was very full, but a Water Rail was a welcome sight, whilst Owl Water held an adult and two young Little Grebes and a Kingfisher, with a Wheatear along the path.

There seemed to be around 4 juvenile Little Egrets in the heronry along with a Cattle Egret, whilst six Buzzards were overhead and 23 Curlews were feeding in the fields,but there was little else to see at high tide. (SR)

Church Norton: Two Ravens went over Priory Wood and the churchyard, going west, with two Sparrowhawks and five Buzzards also seen.

Two Wheatears were along the beach, a Whitethroat was along the west side and two Blackcaps were behind the hide, whilst at least 25 Chiffchaffs were around the sheltered hedges and c50 Swallows, 20 House Martins and three Sand Martins went over east.

A flock of 24 Brent Geese circled over the harbour, before continuing west, whilst a least 40 Pintail and 100 Wigeon were in the main channel, but again waders were few beyond the odd Grey Plover, Curlew and Redshank. (AH/AW/P&L)

Raven (above), Sand Martin, Wheatear, Chiffchaff & Brent Geese at Church Norton (AH)

Medmerry: Easton Lane to the Stilt Pool - Three female/juvenile type Marsh Harriers were over the reserve this evening, along with four Kestrels, whilst a Merlin shot over low near Marsh Barn.

The banks were quite busy, with eight Wheatears, six Yellow Wagtails, ten Stonechats, 50+ Meadow Pipits, a Wheatear, to Willow Warblers, four Chiffchaffs and a Cetti's Warbler seen, whilst a Whimbrel, four Shovelers and 13 Cattle Egrets were out on the reserve.

The stilt Pool held a good selection, too, including two Little Stints, a Common Sandpiper, a Green Sandpiper, a Greenshank, the juvenile Little Ringed Plover and a new high-count for the Peninsula of 20 Egyptian Geese. (S&SaH)

Sunday, 19th September: A very murky morning, with heavy cloud cover and intermittent drizzly rain in a light to moderate north-westerly breeze....

Selsey Bill: A flock of six Cattle Egrets came in from some way out and carried on west as they came closer, whilst a total of 19 Brent Geese west were the first past the Bill this autumn and there was still a bit of overhead migration, too. Full log below. (SH/PB/JA/SR/BI/IP/AH)

(0630-0900hrs) (NW, F2-3)

Gannet - 7E, 13W, 20os

Cattle Egret - 6W

Brent Goose - 19W

Teal - 1W

Pintail - 3W

Turnstone - 8

Black-headed Gull - 608os

Mediterranean Gull - 3W, 4os

Sandwich Tern - 9os

Swallow - 4E, 94W

House Martin - 1

Meadow Pipit - 140W

Yellow Wagtail - 1W

Grey Wagtail - 2W

Pied Wagtail - 2W

Chiffchaff - 3

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

Ferry Pool: There were just c75 Lapwing, c40 Teal and four Shelducks on the pool, whilst a Greenshank, a Spotted Redshank, a dozen Redshank and c40 Teal were in the channel opposite, along with the two Grey Wagtails again. Also, three Greylag Geese and c200 Canada Geese flew over west. (AH)

Greenshank in Ferry channel (AH)

Park Farm, Selsey: Three Chiffchaffs and a Willow Warbler were in the hedges this morning, with eight Sand Martins, eight Meadow Pipits, a Grey Wagtail, a Kestrel and a Sparrowhawk over. (S&SaH/PB/IP)

North Wall: Along White's Creek on a rising tide were a Kingfisher, a Greenshank, a Whimbrel and perhaps 150 Wigeon amongst the Redshanks and other regular species, whilst on the mud amongst the commoner gulls were a nice adult Yellow-legged Gull and two intermedius type Lesser Black-backed Gulls.

Along the Wall were a Wheatear, several Chiffchaffs, two or three Reed Warblers and several Cetti's Warblers, plus five Cattle Egrets. The Breech pool was initially fairly quiet, but with the approaching high tide waders began to drop in, with six Spotted Redshanks and c.70 Black-tailed Godwits present by the time I left. The Honer fields held three Ruff, 40+ Black-tailed Godwits and similar of Curlew.

The Halsey's Farm area produced a Greenshank and a Kingfisher in the rife, whilst around the fields and hedgerows were three more Wheatears, 25 Yellow Wagtails amongst the cattle, a Spotted Flycatcher and a few more Chiffchaffs. (OM/RJS/AF)

This evening at least seven Wheatears and 50 Meadow Pipits were in the fields towards Owl Point and up to 100 Yellow Wagtails and 20 Cattle Egrets were in the fields at Halsey's Farm.

A Bar-tailed Godwit was among c40 mainly juvenile Black-tailed Godwits on the Breech Pool, where c20 Sand Martins and c200 Swallows were feeding low, whilst a least two Greenshanks, a Kingfisher, a dozen Pintail and c150 Wigeon were in White's Creek. (AH)

Wheatear (above), Bar-tailed and Black-tailed Godwits, Black-tailed Godwit, Swallow & Swallows and Sand Martin at the North Wall (AH)

Church Norton: A bit of activity between the Severals included a Redstart, four Blackcaps, four Whitethroats and at least five Chiffchaffs, but there wasn't much else of note beyond a Yellow Wagtail and a Grey Wagtail over.

Also, a flock of 24 Brent Geese circled over the harbour briefly, before continuing on west. (S&SaH/PB/IP)

Medmerry: Easton Lane to the Stilt Pool - An Osprey was sat out on the reserve all morning, whilst the Spoonbill flew out from the Stilt Pool and landed somewhere on the far side and a Merlin shot through near Marsh Farm, prompting a flighty group of six Cattle Egrets to head off north. quite possibly they were the six seen earlier at the Bill, as there were still at least eight others among the cows out on the reserve.

The banks were generally quiet, save half a dozen Yellowhammers and four Stonechats, save at least 200 Meadow Pipits, with another 100 or so around the beach area, where there were also a couple of Wheatears, whilst two Sedge warblers were on the stilt Pool.

The Ruff was still on the Stilt Pool again, along with a Greenshank, juvenile Ringed and Little Ringed Plovers, two Dunlin and a dozen or so Lapwings and Black-tailed Godwits, plus the usual mix of wildfowl, including 12 Egyptian Geese. (AH)

This afternoon there were also four Little Stints and a Common Sandpiper on the Stilt Pool and at least 20 Cattle Egrets out on the reserve, whilst there were also two Whinchats and five Wheatears along the banks and five Sand Martins and 100+ Swallows overhead. (S&SaH)