7th - 9th October 2021

Saturday, 9th October: After a misty start, a lovely, warm and sunny morning in a light north-easterly breeze....

Selsey Bill: It was another morning with a good selection of species, including a Woodlark, a Lesser Redpoll and a few Siskins and Skylarks over, a few Brent Geese west and an Arctic Skua chasing gulls offshore again. Full log below. (SH/BI/SR/AH)

(0700-0930hrs) (NE, F3)

Brent Goose - 1E, 65W

Wigeon - 38W

Teal - 1W

Sparrowhawk - 1

Arctic Skua - 1os (d/p)

Mediterranean Gull - 1W, 2os

Sandwich Tern - 5W, 2os

Stock Dove - 12W

Green Woodpecker - 1

Woodlark - 1E

Skylark - 26E

Swallow - 13E

House Martin - 2E

Yellow Wagtail - 6 present

Grey Wagtail - 1E

Pied Wagtail - 10E, 4 present

Meadow Pipit - 35W, 10 present

Chiffchaff - 9

Long-tailed Tit - 5

Jay - 1

Magpie - 25

Chaffinch - 1W

Siskin - 24E

Lesser Redpoll - 1E

Linnet - 14E

Goldfinch - 60

Chiffchaff (above) Long-tailed Tit & Green Woodpecker at the Bill (AH)

BI and SH 'vis-migging' at the Bill (SR)

Ferry Pool: A Spotted Redshank was in the channel opposite early on, whilst the pool itself held six Egyptian Geese first thing, but not later, when there were at least six Snipe, a dozen Lapwings and Black-tailed Godwits and c30 Wigeon, Teal and Shovelers, whist a Stonechat was at the back of the pool and a handful of Chiffchaffs were around the Visitor Centre. (AH)

Honer Reservoir: The Purple Heron re-appeared this morning in the rife at the end of Summer Lane, though it remains elusive. Three Grey Partridges were also in the fields. (BI)

Also, on the reservoir itself there were two Shovelers, nine Tufted Ducks and 17 Gadwall. (JDW)

Purple Heron at Honer Reservoir (BI)

Marsh Farm, Sidlesham: At least 40 Cattle Egrets were around Marsh and Bramber Farms this morning. (JDW)

Park Farm, Selsey: There were a few birds around the farm this morning, including a couple of Stonechats and Chiffchaffs, a Grey Wagtail, six Skylarks, 20+ Pied Wagtails and 50+ Meadow Pipits. (S&SaH)

Church Norton: The first Dartford Warbler of the autumn was along the front of the first Several this morning, with at least three Stonechats also in the vicinity, whilst there was a slight but steady eastward passage overhead, including three Siskins, five Skylarks, a Grey Wagtail, c50 Pied Wagtails, 100 Goldfinches and c200 Meadow Pipits.

A juvenile Marsh Harrier was hunting over the harbour and appeared to catch something in the main channel, whilst there were also a few House Martins and two Sparrowhawks about, too, and the harbour held 12 Brent Geese, two Greenshanks, a Bar-tailed Godwit, c30 Grey Plovers, c50 Dunlin and a few Wigeon and Teal. 

Also, a Clouded Yellow was along the spit. (S&SaH/AH)

Marsh Harrier (above), Dartford Warbler, Greenshank & Brent Geese at Church Norton (AH)

North Wall: There were at least 40 Pied Wagtails and a similar number of Meadow Pipits in the recently harvested field north of Church Lane, whilst a Kingfisher and three Pied Wagtails were around the sluice gates and a female adult Marsh Harrier flew south over the Wall, immediately flushed a flock of Teal and then chased and caught a medium sized wader.
Along the Wall were two Chiffchaffs, a Blackcap and several calling Cetti's Warblers, plus a Clouded Yellow, whilst seven Jays were at Macrocarpra Copse. (JDW)

Late afternoon there were five Cattle Egrets at the roost, including three juveniles still being fed, whilst two Ruff flew from the Breech Pool and a Peregrine went past over Honer fields. (AW)

Ruff (above), Peregrine & Cattle Egrets at the North Wall (AW)

East Head: A lovely day for a WeBS count produced 85 Bren Geese in the lagoon, 171 Redshank, tho Greenshank, three Avocets and growing numbers of Teal, Wigeon and other common waders.
Migrant passerines were represented six Chiffchaffs and a single Yellow Wagtail. (GM)

Yellow Wagtail at East Head (GM)

Medmerry: Easton Lane to the Stilt Pool - Early this morning a Cattle Egret was among the cows to the north of the pools, whilst on the pools a pair of Shovelers, three Gadwall, and a Pintail were among the Wigeon and Teal and three Greylags dropped in and there were five Snipe around the edges.
There were good numbers of Meadow Pipits and Goldcrests about, with a few Stonechats along the hedges and a single House Martin was seen going over with a small flock of Swallows. (AW)
Later, two Merlins put on a spectacular show chasing a Meadow Pipit around the reserve opposite the pools. (IC)

This afternoon the banks held 21 Stonechats, at least ten Chiffchaffs, 12 Skylarks, 14 Pied Wagtails and 100+ Meadow Pipits, with a Siskin going over, whilst there were also a Kingfisher, two Egyptian Geese and seven Cattle Egrets about. (S&SaH)

Cattle Egret (above), Snipe, Meadow Pipit & Shovelers at Medmerry (AW)

Medmerry east side - There were 15 Spoonbills again near the breach at Toe End this morning. Also in the area were two Wheatears, six Stonechats and many Meadow Pipits as well as a surprise Green Woodpecker (a different bird from that at the Bill earlier) (BI)

Spoonbills (above) & Wheatear at Toe End (BI)

Friday, 8th October: Another mild, but very grey and humid, morning, with just the lightest of north-easterly breezes....

Selsey Bill: Very little was moving offshore, though an Arctic Skua was upsetting the gulls, but there was an interesting selection of vis-mig, including four Lesser Redpolls and 13 Siskins, whilst seven Yellow Wagtails were feeding on the beach. Full log below. (BI/SR/AH)

(0650-0930hrs) (NE, F1-2)

Great Crested Grebe - 1os

Gannet - 3E, 22W

Shag - 2E, 1os

Brent Goose - 3W

Wigeon - 22W

Teal - 1W

Pintail - 6W

Common Scoter - 9E

Turnstone - 2

Arctic Skua - 1os (d/p)

Mediterranean Gull - 26E, 4W, 30os

Sandwich Tern - 8os

Razorbill - 1W

Skylark - 5E

Swallow - 30E, 5W, 20 present

House Martin - 7E, 1 present

Meadow Pipit - 38E, 10 present

Yellow Wagtail - 7 present

Grey Wagtail - 3E

Pied Wagtail - 17E, 19W, 20 present

Chiffchaff - 7

Jay - 1W

Jackdaw - 36E

Siskin - 13W

Lesser Redpoll - 4W

Linnet - 21E

Chaffinch 3W

Also, a Box Tree moth was in Broadreeds Estate. (SR)

Yellow Wagtails (above), Arctic Skua, Shag, Chiffchaff & Meadow Pipit at the Bill (AH)

Ferry Pool: At least three Spotted Redshanks and half a dozen Redshanks were in the channel opposite, but a Snipe and c75 Lapwings were the only waders on the pool, where there were also six Shelducks and c30 Shoveler and Teal. (AH)

North Wall: Early this morning the stumpy-billed Greenshank was in White's Creek, together with 20+ Grey Plover and the regular wildfowl, whilst a single Lesser Redpoll flew overhead calling, then later a near-adult Yellow-legged Gull was out on the mudflats.

Along the Wall highlights were few, but included two Ruff and a Bar-tailed Godwit among 45 Black-tailed Godwits in the Honer fields, whilst a Kingfisher was flushed nearby. There was little of note on the Breech Pool, although two rival Water Rails were calling from different areas in the reeds and at least eight vociferous Cetti's Warblers were logged from there and the surrounding area, plus six Chiffchaffs and a Blackcap. (OM/LP/CT)

A circuit of the Owl Point and Halsey's Farm area didn't produce much out of the ordinary, but sightings included two Stonechats, another six Chiffchaffs, four Song Thrushes, three Skylarks and c.30 Meadow Pipits, whilst above were c.40 Swallows and ten House Martins. (OM)

East Head: A flock of 12 Jays heading west was an unusual sight this morning, whilst plenty of Meadow Pipits and Pied Wagtails were also moving west. (PH)

Medmerry: Windmill to Toe End - The flock of 14 Spoonbills were still in the tidal area, and had seemingly been joined by another, but otherwise there was little to see beyond a few Curlews and Redshanks and a few Common and Mediterranean Gulls among the roost.

At least 50 Swallows were flying about, but three Stonechats, six Linnet and c50 Meadow Pipits and Pied Wagtails was about it otherwise. (AH/SR)

Later there were two Greenshank, 14 Ringed Plovers, two Wheatears, five Sandwich Terns, five Wigeon and a deformed Knot (with a shortened left leg), that was in with the Ringed Plovers, whilst 15 Pied Wagtails were along the beach. (SR)

Spoonbills (above), Swallow & Meadow Pipit at Medmerry (AH)

 Knot with deformed left leg and Ringed Plover (above) and juvenile Ringed Plovers at Medmerry(SR)

Park Farm, Selsey: This evening at least ten Chiffchaffs were around the hedges, whist a Sparrowhawk, a Buzzard and a remarkable 50+ Magpies were around the fields. (S&SaH)

Church Norton: At least two Wheatears were along the spit this evening, with a couple of Chiffchaffs in the hedges, whilst the harbour held a Red-breasted Merganser, two Brent Geese and three Greenshank. (AW/AH)

Wheatear (above), Greenshank & Red-breasted Merganser at Church Norton (AW)

Thursday, 7th October: A really murky morning of heavy cloud cover and a bit of drizzly mist, but quite mild and muggy despite the moderate south-westerly breeze....

Selsey Bill: There was a steady westward movement of 700+ Brent Geese this morning, with a couple of Red-breasted Mergansers, 60+ Common Scoters, and a few Wigeon, Pintail and Teal going west, too, along with 300+ Swallows and a few Meadow Pipits.

There was also a Red-throated Diver on the sea, a Merlin shot through and the Rock Pipit was again present. Full log below. (SR/MO-W/AH/AW)

(0725-0925hrs) (SSW, F3-4)

Red-throated Diver - 1os

Gannet - 137W

Brent Goose - 742W

Wigeon - 27W

Teal - 3W

Pintail - 8W

Common Scoter - 14E, 68W

Red-breasted Merganser - 2W

Merlin - 1W

Kestrel - 1

Oystercatcher - 3W

Curlew - 2W

Turnstone - 12

Mediterranean Gull - 8os

Kittiwake - 1W

Sandwich Tern - 7os

Swallow - 326W

House Martin - 3W

Rock Pipit - 1

Meadow Pipit - 69W

Later, six Yellow Wagtails were on the beach and another 100+ Brent Geese and 30+ Common Scoter went west. (PB/AGB)

(1030-1200hrs) 

Gannet - 2E, 30W

Brent Goose - 101W

Common Scoter - 38W

Red-breasted Merganser - 3W

Oystercatcher - 2W

Ringed Plover - 1W

Dunlin - 6W

Turnstone - 34

Mediterranean Gull - 15W

Kittiwake - 1W

Sandwich Tern - 11W

Swallow - 3W

Yellow Wagtail - 6

Meadow Pipit - 10W

Chiffchaff - 2

This evening a first-winter Little Gull went west and there were eight Yellow Wagtails about. (SH)

(1630-1730hrs) 

Great Crested Grebe - 1os

Gannet - 1E, 5W, 50os

Little Gull - 1W (1st winter)

Black-headed Gull - 300W

Mediterranean Gull - 26W

Sandwich Tern - 2W

Yellow Wagtail - 8

Red-throated Diver (above), Merlin and Mediterranean Gull, Rock Pipit (AW), Merlin, Red-breasted Mergansers, Pintail, Pintail and Wigeon, Gannets & Brent Geese (AH) at the Bill

Ferry Pool: Two Snipe and c50 Lapwings were the only waders on the pool, whilst there were also eight Shelducks, c30 Shoveler and Teal and a few Mediterranean Gulls present. (AH)

Also, early on, several small coveys of Grey Partridges, totalling 24 birds, were in the fields south of the Ferry. (PB/AGB)

Snipe (above) & Shoveler at the Ferry (AH)

West Itchenor: The first Firecrest of the autumn was in holly bushes along the shoreline path at Chalkdock this afternoon. (PH)

Medmerry: Toe End - A flock of 14 Spoonbills in he tidal area were seen in the tidal area by one of the RSPB survey volunteers this afternoon. (per AT)

Church Norton: At least 140 Brent Geese, with half a dozen Shelducks among them, came into the harbour from the east, but carried on westwards, whilst a pale-phase Arctic Skua was chasing gulls off the spit, a Razorbill flew west offshore, a  juvenile Peregrine was sat out eating something and a Kestrel was hunting from the fence on Tern Island. There were also and six Sandwich Terns about, but the regular Whimbrel and eight Bar-tailed Godwits were the only waders of note.

About 20 Swallows and 30 House Martins were over the churchyard/hide area, but the odd Chiffchaff and Blackcap, plus a Song Thrush and a couple of Jays was about it for passerines in that area, with just a Skylark and a couple of Meadow Pipits along the spit. (AH/PB/AGB/CRJ)

Whimbrel (above), House Martin & Brent Geese and Shelducks at the Church Norton (AH)