Birding the Selsey Peninsula: 10th

Tuesday, 12th April: A murky and overcast day, with occasional light drizzly rain and a bit of sunshine; quite mild in the moderate breeze, initially from the east before veering more to the south.......

Selsey Bill: Firstly, a mention for yesterday's count of 1296 Sandwich Terns heading east - this was a new day record, beating by a distance the old record of 990 east on 23rd April 1994.

Also, the Pomarine Skuas were the second earliest ever , with three east on 10th April1991 still holding the record.

This morning there was a steady stream of Sandwich Terns and a few Common Terns again this morning, along with six Little Terns, six Little Gulls, 17 Arctic Skuas, three Velvet Scoters and 35 Red-throated Divers. A single Pomarine Skua also went east early afternoon, before delaying amongst feeding gulls and settling on the sea, where three Great Black-backed Gulls took an instant dislike and forced it away.

Full log below. (BI/RHa/PB/SR/IP/TR/RHa/AH/JF/OM/P&LH)

(0600-1430hrs) (ESE, F3)

Great Northern Diver - 2E, 5os

Red-throated Diver - 35E, 4os

Great Crested Grebe - 1E,1W

Fulmar - 1E

Gannet - 68E, 3W, 20os

Grey Heron - 1E

Brent Goose - 56E

Teal - 8E

Velvet Scoter - 3E

Common Scoter - 337E, 2W

Red-breasted Merganser - 1E, 3W

Sparrowhawk - 1

Oystercatcher - 5W

Ringed Plover - 2

Whimbrel - 13E, 2W

Turnstone - 4E, 23 present

Grey Plover - 3E

Dunlin - 2E

Great Skua - 3E, 1W, 1os

Arctic Skua - 17E, 2os

Pomarine Skua - 1E (l/p, 1320hrs, sat on sea awhile)

skua sp -1E

Mediterranean Gull - 1E

Little Gull - 6E

Sandwich Tern - 237E, 16os

Common Tern - 38E

Little Tern - 6E

auk sp - 3E

Meadow Pipit - 4N

Pied Wagtail - 1E

Swallow - 4N

Wheatear - 1

Chiffchaff - 1

Linnet - 23E

Great Skua (OM) (above), Common Scoters, Red-throated Divers, Whimbrel, Mediterranean Gull & Brent Geese (AH) at the Bill

Ferry Pool: There were 11 Avocets and 14 Black-tailed Godwits on the pool this morning, along with the usual c50 Shovelers, c20 Teal and a dozen Shelducks, whilst the two Spotted Redshanks and eight Black-tailed Godwits were in the channel opposite. (AH)

Spotted Redshank (above), Avocet & Black-tailed Godwit at the Ferry (AH)

Church Norton: The first three Little Terns were back in the harbour this morning, and there was also a male Redstart in the first Several. (P&LH)

Later, there were four Little Terns present among the many Sandwich Terns. (AW)

Little and Sandwich Terns at Church Norton (AW)

West Itchenor: A Willow Warbler was singing from Chalkdock Copse this morning and a Swallow went past the jetty. (PH)

Medmerry: A Common Whitethroat was along the Medmerry trail this afternoon, whilst a House Martin and 20 Swallows were around the WTW. (SR)

Honer Reservoir: The first Common Sandpiper of the year was on the reservoir this evening and a Whitethroat was along Honer Lane. (CS)

North Wall: The Goosander - possibly looking like it might be a first-year drake - reappeared in White's Creek this morning, whilst five Sedge Warblers were on the Breech Pool, with two Chiffchaffs and three Reed Buntings along the wall.

Both Marsh Harriers were active behind the Breech Pool, whilst on it there were a pair of Great crested Grebes, a single Wigeon with a few Teal, a handful of Black-tailed Godwits and lots of Redshank.

The Cattle Egrets, Little Egrets and Grey Herons were all busy at Owl Copse, whilst a Peregrine went out over the harbour and four Gadwall and a few Skylarks were at Halsey's Farm. (LP/PC)

Also, the Short-eared Owl was present behind the pool late afternoon and 32 Cattle Egrets came in to roost, whilst the first wo Reed Warblers of the year and a Sedge Warbler were in the reeds. (LP/CS)

Goosander (above), Sedge Warbler, Cattle Egrets & Reed Bunting at the North Wall. (LP)

Monday, 11th April: A slightly milder day, and bright, too, but with a very brisk east-south-easterly wind taking the edge off things......

Selsey Bill: The first Pomarine Skua of the year - and the earliest this century by three days - sneaked by at 0801hrs, only subsequently spotted later in photographs.(AW)

Thereafter, a further two passed east at 1530hrs, to the delight of the seven observers still present (IP/OM/CRJ/B&MC/SR/CN).

Otherwise, it was a very interesting day, with twelve hours of observation producing 1296 Sandwich Terns going east, along with three Garganey, 21 Velvet Scoters, 484 Common Scoters, 17 Arctic Skuas, six Bonxies and 107 Shovelers, whilst a Merlin and the first Yellow Wagtails of the year flew in off the sea. Full log below. (AM/IP/SR/OM/MO-W/CN/AH/B&MC/CRJ/SH et al)

Late this afternoon, the first two Little Terns of the year went east. (SH)

(0600-1800hrs) (ESE, F5-6)

Great Northern Diver - 2W, 3os

Red-throated Diver - 13E, 2os

Gannet - 115E, 8W, 45os

Shag - 1W

Shelduck - 16E

Wigeon - 11E

Teal - 24E

Garganey - 3E

Pintail - 43E

Shoveler - 107E

Velvet Scoter - 21E

Common Scoter - 484E, 17W

Red-breasted Merganser - 4E, 5W

Merlin - 1N

Sanderling - 30E

Bar-tailed Godwit - 1E

Whimbrel - 98E

Curlew - 1E, 1W

Turnstone - 5

Great Skua - 4E, 2os

Pomarine Skua - 3E (1@0801hrs, 2@1530hrs)

Arctic Skua - 17E, 5os

Lesser Black-backed Gull - 3W

Kittiwake - 1E, 5W

Mediterranean Gull - 1W

Sandwich Tern - 1296E, 52 os

Common Tern - 29E

Little Tern - 2E

auk sp - 14E

Meadow Pipit - 13N

Yellow Wagtail - 3N

Pied Wagtail - 1E

Swallow - 14N

Wheatear - 1N

Chiffchaff - 1N

Jackdaw -2N

Linnet - 30E

Pomarine Skuas (AW) (above), (OM) ( below), Arctic Skua, Velvet Scoter, Common Scoters, Velvet and Common Scoters, Sandwich Terns & Shovelers (AH) at the Bill

Ferry Pool: Two Avocets, a Lapwing, ten Redshanks and c40 Black-tailed Godwits were around the pool this morning, along with three Gadwall, c20 Teal, 15 Shelducks and c60 Shovelers.,

The two Spotted Redshank were again the channel opposite, along with a handful of Black-tailed Godwits, but the Tramway circuit just held a couple of singing Blackcaps and Chiffchaffs. (AH)

This afternoon there were four Avocets on the pool and a Spotted Redshank in the channel. (IP)

There was also a (late!) report of two Ring Ouzels in trees near the Visitor Centre, seen early this morning during a BBS survey. (per AT)

Spotted Redshank (above), Black-tailed Godwit, Avocet & Blackcap at the Ferry (AH)

Long Pool: The first Redstart for the year was along the hedges this morning. (TR)

Warner Lane paddocks and Northcommon Farm: There wasn't much to report from either site, with a handful of Linnets the best at the former, and nothing of note at the latter, where much of the good habitat has unfortunately been cleared. (AH)

Linnets at Warner Lane (AH)

Chichester GPs: The Bonaparte's Gull was still on West Trout Lake this afternoon, but not this evening, when a first-winter Little Gull was on Ivy Lake.

Also about were three Common Terns, the drake Red-crested Pochard, c25 Pochard, a Kingfisher, c20 Swallows, a couple of Sand Martins and House Martins and a singing Willow Warbler.. (AM/AH/AW/BI/NM et al)

Little Gull (above), Red-crested Pochard & Pochard at Chichester GPs (AH)

Sunday, 10th April: After a frosty start, a bright and mostly sunny morning in a light, but freshening, south-easterly breeze......

Selsey Bill: There was a bit of activity for the good crowd of watchers this morning, including two Long-tailed Ducks sat on the sea, a Velvet Scoter, 250+ Common Scoters, a Black-throated Diver and a Little Gull going east, and a Wheatear and several Swallows in off the sea. Also, a flock of 50 Golden Plovers flew in off to the west of Hillfield Road, heading north. Full log below. (SH/BI/PB/PG/IP/CRJ/AH/P&LH/RJS/RHa et al)

(0600-1200hrs) (SE, F3-4)

Great Northern Diver - 8E, 4os

Black-throated Diver - 1E

Red-throated Diver - 12E, 4os

diver sp - 4E, 1W

Great Crested Grebe - 2E, 2W

Gannet - 13E, 5W, 16os

Brent Goose - 14E

Shelduck - 1W

Pintail - 2E

Long-tailed Duck - 2os

Velvet Scoter - 1E

Common Scoter - 263E, 10W

Red-breasted Merganser -7E, 1os

Golden Plover - 50N

Sanderling - 3E

Curlew - 1E

Turnstone - 7

Mediterranean Gull - 81os

Little Gull - 1E

Common Gull - 1E

Kittiwake - 1E

Sandwich Tern - 76E, 16os

Meadow Pipit - 1N

Swallow - 7N

Wheatear - 1

Linnet - 5E

Black-throated Diver (above), Red-throated Divers, Common Scoters, Sandwich Tern & Wheatear at the Bill (AH)

Later on, a Bonxie and an Arctic Skua were lingering offshore. (SH)

(1230-1330hrs)

Great Northern Diver - 1os

Common Scoter - 4E

Great Skua - 1os

Arctic Skua - 1os

Sandwich Tern - 28E, 18os

(1430-1645hrs) (P&LH/SH)

Great Northern Diver - 2os

Red-throated Diver - 5E

Gannet - 6E, 2W, 10os

Pintail - 2W

Red-breasted Merganser - 1W

Oystercatcher - 1E

Whimbrel- 1E

Bar-tailed Godwit - 26E

Turnstone - 7

Great Skua - 1E, 1os

Sandwich Tern - 42E, 35os

Bottle-nosed Dolphin - 7E, then os

Ferry Pool: There were just c40 Shovelers, a pair of Gadwall and half a dozen Shelducks on the pool this morning, whilst the two Spotted Redshanks and half a dozen Back-tailed Godwits and Redshank were in the Channel opposite. (AH)

Later on, the first Cuckoo of the year was seen in flight behind the Visitor centre. (CS)

Also, this afternoon, two Blackcaps were by the hide. (KP)

Spotted Redshanks at the Ferry (AH)

Park Farm, Selsey: Three Swallows were back around the stables this morning and a Great Spotted Woodpecker was in the vicinity. (IP)

Church Norton: An Osprey went north over the harbour late this morning, whilst there was a bit of a fall of Wheatears along the beach - up to as many as 18 in total, with the first Whitethroat of the year in the corner of the horse field and at least ten Willow Warblers in the churchyard, including several singing, with at least three more in Bluebell Wood.

Also, the Sedge Warbler was again singing from the Severals and at least five Blackcaps and ten Chiffchaffs about, whilst two Yellowhammers were along the west side, towards the Long Pool.

A Red-throated Diver and a flock of 13 Brent Geese went east offshore, with another of the latter, plus six Wigeon, in the harbour mouth, whilst at least 100 Sandwich Terns and 300 Mediterranean Gulls were around the island, but waders were few beyond a Sanderling, a summer-plumaged Dunlin and c70 Black-tailed Godwits. Also, three Gadwall were on the second Several. (IP/AH/P&LH/RJS/S&SaH/PB/RHa/GM/AB/HB et al)

Willow Warblers (GM) (above), Wheatears, Mediterranean Gull (AH) & a strange halo around the sun (GM) at Church Norton

Later on, a Whimbrel was in the harbour. (KP)

Whimbrel at Church Norton (KP)

Chichester GPs: The Bonaparte's Gul was still on West Trout Lake and the Red-crested Pochards were still on Ivy Lake, whilst there were c30 Swallows and at least Willow Warblers about, too. (AW)

Bonaparte's Gull at Chichester GPs (AW)

Medmerry: Porthole Farm to Ham Farm - There were at least three House Martins among c25 Swallows over the settling tanks this evening, along with at least 100 Mediterranean Gulls.

Otherwise it was quiet, with a few Stock Doves, Linnets and Skylarks in the fields along the Medmerry Trail and a singing Willow Warbler at Ham Farm. (AH)