Saturday 16 April 2022

16th - 18th April 2022

Easter Monday, 18th April: Another pleasant and sunny morning, with the fairly light breeze having swung round to the west..........

Selsey Bill: There was predictably little on the move, though an Arctic Skua and a Bonxie and a few small flock of Brent Geese and Common Scoter went east. Full log below. (JA/SH/IP/SR/AH)
(0550-0900hrs) (NW, F1-2)
Great Northern Diver - 3os
Red-throated Diver - 2E
diver sp - 2E
Fulmar - 2E, 3W
Gannet - 38E, 19W
Brent Goose - 40E
Common Scoter - 16E, 2W
Red-breasted Merganser - 1os
Sparrowhawk - 1
Oystercatcher - 1W
Whimbrel - 1
Turnstone - 3E, 2W
Great Skua - 1E
Arctic Skua - 1E
Mediterranean Gul - 61os
Sandwich Tern - 56E, 77os
Common Tern - 12E, 14os
Little Tern - 8os
auk sp - 1E
Linnet - 3E

(1530-1700hrs) (SH)
Gannet - 19E, 3W
Sparrowhawk - 1
Turnstone - 3
Great Skua - 1E
Sandwich Tern - 3E, 38os
Swallow - 1N

Brent Geese (above) & Sparrowhawk at the Bill (AH)

Ferry Pool: The first Snipe for a few weeks was on he pool early on, along with an Avocet, five Redshanks, c20 Teal, a dozen Shelducks and c50 Shovelers, whilst the Spotted Redshank, four Black-tailed Godwits and a drake Gadwall were in the channel opposite. (AH)

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


Park Farm, Selsey: A Wheatear was in the fields this afternoon, and two Ravens went over. (S&SaH)

North Wall: A Cuckoo was showing well behind the wall this morning and the Short-eared Owl was out hunting for a while.
Also, both Marsh Harriers were out and about, and there was also a Buzzard, a Kestrel and three Jays about. In the Breech Pool there was just a female Tufted Duck and a lone Black-Tailed Godwit, along with several Cetti's and Sedge Warblers, whilst two Grey Herons appeared to sitting on nests in Owl Copse and there were also several Little and Cattle Egrets there, too.
The short-billed Greenshank was by the sluice, whilst out in the harbour there were still six Wigeon and a few Teal along with 30 Shelduck, and a White-Tailed Eagle was seen high up, out towards the harbour entrance. (LP,TG/BI/CBo)
This afternoon a drake Pintail was on the Breech Pool, along with a dozen Teal and Black-ailed Godwits, a Kestrel was in the paddocks and a Common Lizard was along the wall, whilst Pygmy Shrews could be heard, but not seen, along the wall, too. (KP)


Short-eared Owl (above), Cuckoo (LP), Sedge Warbler (CBo) & Pintail (KP) at the North Wall



Fishbourne Creek: A Spotted Redshank and a dozen or so Greenshanks were in the creek this morning. (HB)

Church Norton: A male Redstart was in the orchard at Greenlease Farm, but apart from a Wheatear on the beach, most of of the migrant species appeared to be those already settled, including up to five Swallows, three or four Reed and Sedge Warblers and widely spread Chiffchaffs, Whitethroats and Blackcaps.
There were nine Little Terns together and three Common Terns among the usual mass of terns and gulls in the harbour, with waders including a flock of c20 Bar-tailed Godwits and c30 Grey Plovers, c25 Dunlin, 27 Turnstones, three Ringed Plovers and half a dozen Black-tailed Godwits.
Also, a White-tailed Eagle was up over the harbour mouth, being mobbed by a mass of gulls and corvids, plus two Buzzards,  before drifting off. (IP/RM/AHBI et al)
Later, six Swallows, a Mistle Thrush, a Jay, a Blackcap and  Great Spotted Woodpecker were around Greenlease Farm. (S&SaH)


Redstart (IP) (above), White-tailed Eagle, Chiffchaff, Whitethroat, Swallow, Bar-tailed Godwits and Grey Plovers & Mediterranean Gull (AH) at Church Norton












Easter Sunday, 17th April: A fairly bright and breezy morning, quite warm despite the wind coming from the east..........

Selsey Bill: There weren't great numbers involved, but there was good variety this morning, including a Serin in off the sea at 0644hrs, and among the eastward passage, 15 Little Gulls, 131 Brent Geese, a Velvet Scoter and five Arctic Skuas. Full log below. (JA/SH/PB/BI/IP/SR/CN/RHa/AH/P&LH/B&MC)
(0540-0930hrs) (ESE, F4)
Great Northern Diver - 2os
Red-throated Diver - 1E
Great Crested Grebe - 1E, 2os
Fulmar - 2E, 3W
Gannet - 30E, 12W
Brent Goose - 131E
Shelduck - 2W
Teal - 8E
Velvet Scoter - 1E
Common Scoter - 117E
Sparrowhawk - 1
Whimbrel - 1E
Turnstone - 13
Great Skua - 1E
Arctic Skua - 5E
Little Gull - 15E
Mediterranean Gull - 13E
Common Gull - 11E
Kittiwake - 3E
Sandwich Tern - 100E, 100os
Common Tern - 38E
Arctic Tern - 1E
Little Tern - 5E, 4os
Guillemot - 1E
Great Spotted Woodpecker - 1
Swallow - 3N
Jay - 1
Rook - 1
Serin - 1N
Linnet - 19E
Bottle-nosed Dolphin - 7E

(1100-1230hrs) (BI)
Great Northern Diver - 1os
Great Crested Grebe - 1os
Gannet - 2E, 1os
Brent Goose - 4E
Common Scoter - 30E
Sandwich Tern - 31E, 9os
Little Tern - 1E
Linnet - 1E

Sandwich Tern and Arctic Tern (above), Sandwich Terns & Brent Geese at the Bill (AH)


(1320-1800hrs) (P&LH/SR/SH/JA/CN/AH)
Great Northern Diver - 2os
Red-throated Diver - 3E
diver sp - 1W
Great Crested Grebe - 1E
Gannet - 31E, 3W, 23os
Brent Goose - 21E
Shoveler - 8E
Common Scoter - 6E
Red-breasted Merganser - 1os
Oystercatcher - 3E
Sanderling - 5os
Whimbrel - 3E
Turnstone - 60E
Great Skua - 8E
Arctic Skua - 11E
Common Tern - 11E, 2os
Sandwich Tern - 43E, 75os
Little Tern - 1E, 2os
Swallow - 2N

Arctic Skua at the Bill (PHu)

Ferry Pool: There were just four Avocets, two Lapwings and six Black-tailed Godwits on the pool his morning, along with 12 Shelducks, c20 Teal and c50 Shovelers, whilst a Spotted Redshank was in the channel opposite. (AH)

Spotted Redshank (above) & Avocets and Shelduck at the Ferry (AH)

This evening a Cuckoo was seen briefly along the Tramway, where there were also a couple of Chiffchaffs and a Whitethroat, whilst a Spotted Redshank and two Redshank were in the channel. (AH/CBo)

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

Park Farm, Selsey: There were just single Swallow, tw0 Blackcaps, two Sparrowhawks and a Buzzard about this morning. (S&SaH)

Sidlesham: A Lesser Whitethroat was calling from the hedges in the garden this afternoon. (AH)

Church Norton: At least six Common Terns and six Little Terns were among the Sandwich Terns this morning and there were also three Whimbrels present, whilst two Sand Martins and at least four Swallows went over.
Also, along the front there were a Reed Warbler, two Blackcaps, a Whitethroat and a Reed Bunting, whilst another Blackcap, a Pied Wagtail, two Sparrowhawks and two Buzzards were at Greenlease Farm. (S&SaH/MRE/CBo)

Sandwich Terns (above), Little Egret & Greenfinch at Church Norton (CBo)


Ivy Lake: Two Arctic Terns were briefly present this morning. (MRE)

Chichester Canal: A Little Ringed Plover was on the arable field this morning. (SM)

Medmerry: Easton Lane to the Stilt Pool - A Red Kite went over the poplars this morning, whilst two Little Ringed Plovers were on the Stilt Pool and a Whimbrel was on the reserve. (HB)

Medmerry: Medmerry Trail to Ham - There were plenty of Whitethroats and Blackcaps along the Trail, whilst a Grey Partridge and two Red-legged Partridges were in the stubble fields at Porthole Farm, plus a Swallow over.
A Corn Bunting was singing at Ham, where there were also a Stonechat, a Willow Warbler and several Yellowhammers, along with several Reed and Sedge Warblers in the ponds. Also, three Buzzards, a Sparrowhawk and a Kestrel were noted. (IP/CN)

North Wall: It was very quiet along the wall this morning, with just a little song from the Reed, Sedge and Cetti's Warblers, though a couple of Reed Buntings were about and both Marsh Harriers were up periodically.
The first-winter drake Goosander was at the end of White's Creek, but otherwise there were just a handful of Wigeon, c40 Shelducks, the short-billed Greenshank and c50 Redshanks present. (AH/NM et al)
This evening a Cuckoo was calling from behind the wall. (LP)


Goosander (above), Marsh Harrier & Reed Bunting at the North Wall (AH)









Saturday, 16th April: Another bright morning, if a little hazy, in a moderate easterly breeze.....

Selsey Bill: A fairly slow morning, with 163 Sandwich Terns and a flock of 27 Bar-tailed Godwits notable exceptions. Full log below. (SH/PB/JA/BI/IP/SR/AH/OM et al)
(0550-0900hrs) (ESE F2-3)
Great Northern Diver - 3os
Red-throated Diver - 1E
Fulmar - 1W
Gannet - 30E, 16W
Shelduck - 2W
Eider - 2os
Common Scoter - 14E
Grey Plover - 2E
Sanderling - 3E
Bar-tailed Godwit - 27E
Whimbrel - 1E
Turnstone - 15
Mediterranean Gull - 32os
Black-headed Gull - 339os
Common Gull - 14E
Kittiwake - 1E, 1W
Sandwich Tern - 163E, 40os
Common Tern - 7E
auk sp - 18E
Meadow Pipit - 4N
Swallow - 1N
Linnet -l 2E, 1W

(1510-1730hrs) (SH/PB/JA/CN)
Gannet - 25E, 9W
Common Scoter - 10E
Dunlin - 5E
Bar-tailed Godwit - 2E
Turnstone - 5
Great Skua - 1E
Arctic Skua - 3E
Mediterranean Gull - 3E,3W
Sandwich Tern - 26E
Common Tern - 15E
Little Tern - 2os

Bar-tailed Godwits (above), Sandwich Tern & Red-breasted Mergansers at the Bill (AH)


Ferry Pool: There were just two Lapwings and four Black-tailed Godwits on the sides, with otherwise just two Gadwall, 12 Teal, ten Shelducks and c40 Shovelers on the pool and another half a dozen Black-tailed Godwits and the Spotted Redshank in the channel opposite. (AH)

Gadwall, Shovelers, Shelduck & Black-tailed Godwits on Ferry Pool (AH)

Chichester Canal: A Common Sandpiper, two Little Ringed Plovers and three Egyptian Geese were on the flooded corner of the arable field along the path to Hunston this morning, with a Yellowhammer and several Skylarks nearby. 
Along the canal was a Reed Warbler and half a dozen Sedge Warblers and Blackcaps.(OM/SR)

Little Ringed Plover (above) & Reed Warbler at Chichester Canal (SR)

Runcton: Two House Martins were over the village this morning. (CRJ)

Long Pool: At least eight Sedge Warblers and three or four Reed Warblers were in the reeds, with a couple of Reed Buntings and Long-tailed Tits and a few Linnets about, but surprisingly no Whitethroats. (AH)


Sedge Warblers (above), Reed Bunting & Long-tailed Tit along the Long Pool (AH)


Park Farm, Selsey: A couple of Swallows were about this morning. (IP/RW)

Church Norton: A migrant Whimbrel was in the harbour, along with large numbers of Sandwich Terns and ten Black-tailed Godwits, c30 Dunlin and a handful of Ringed Plovers, plus a drake Gadwall.
A Cuckoo was reported calling early morning, but not thereafter, whilst two or three Sedge Warblers were calling along with two Reed Buntings in the first Several, two Willow Warblers were singing in the Wood between the two Severals and a Blackcap was in Bluebell Wood. (IP/RW)

North Wall: A Garden Warbler was in gorse near Honer Farmhouse (BI).
Also, a Cuckoo was heard calling his morning from the wall this morning, whilst the pair of Marsh Harriers were very active all morning, often seen carrying sticks and a Jay and a Buzzard were also about. The Cetti’s Warbler was still very showy around the sluice, where there was also a female Mallard with 11 ducklings, while in the bushes there was a House Sparrow, unusual for here.
The Greenshank was still in Whites Creek along with eight Redshank and four Black-tailed Godwits, while further out there were 26 Teal a pair of Wigeon and a male Shoveler.
A Wheatear was in the field near Owl point and in the bushes around the fields there were a few Blackcaps and a Whitethroats.
At least eight Sedge Warblers, two Reed Warblers, a Whitethroat, five Chiffchaffs, a Swallow and three Reed Buntings were around the Breech Pool and wall, whilst a Red Kite, two Buzzards and three Kestrels went over and 20+ Cattle Egres and three Grey Herons were at Owl Copse. .(LP/SP/PC/S&SaH)

Cetti's Warbler (above), Wheatear & Mallard ducklings at the North Wall (LP)










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