Birding the Selsey Peninsula: 19th

Thursday, 21st April: Another bright and breezy morning, cool early on but warming up, but with the wind firmly still in the north-east quadrant.......

Selsey Bill: It remains slow, but with just the odd bit of interest, including a flock of nine Little Gulls east and a couple of Yellow Wagtails and four Swallows in off the sea. Full log below. (SR/MO-W/AH/IP)

(0700-0830hrs) (NE, F4)

Fulmar - 1W

Gannet - 3E, 9W

Oystercatcher - 5E

Whimbrel - 1E

Little Gull - 9E

Sandwich Tern - 25os

Little Tern - 4E, 1W, 4os

Yellow Wagtail - 2N

Swallow - 4N

Linnet - 3N

(1600-1800hrs) (SH/JA)

Red-throated Diver - 1E

diver sp - 1os

Gannet 23E, 4W

Great Skua - 2E

Arctic Skua - 2E

Sandwich Tern - 22E, 12os

Common Tern - 5E

'Commic' Tern - 1E

Little Tern - 4os

Ferry Pool: A summer-plumaged Spotted Redshank was at the back this morning - new arrival as the other two were both still in the channel opposite.

Otherwise, there were still four Avocets on the pool, along with four Lapwings, six Redshank, 14 Shelducks, four Teal and 12 Shovelers, whilst the channel opposite also held two Whimbrel, the two Bar-tailed Godwits, ten Black-tailed Godwits and a pair of Gadwall. (AH)

Spotted Redshanks (above), Bar-tailed Godwit, Whimbrel, Avocet & Gadwall around the Ferry (AH)

Also, a Lesser Whitethroat was along the Tramway and a Sedge Warbler was by the Long Pool. (AW)

Lesser Whitethroat (above) & Sedge Warbler around the Ferry (AW)

Chichester GPs: A Red-crested Pochard was reported from Quarry Lake (just north of the A27) by a non-birder (per GW), whilst the first-year Goldeneye was on West Trout Lake and then later on New Lake this morning, with other wildfowl in the vicinity including an Egyptian Goose, a Black Swan, c20 Greylag and Canada Geese, a dozen Pochard and c30 Tufted Ducks.

Also, three Common Terns and a Common Gull were on Ivy Lake and a Sedge Warbler, a Cetti's Warbler and several Blackcaps and Chiffchaffs were about. (AH/MJ)

Goldeneye (above), Common Tern, Egyptian Goose, Pochard & Chiffchaff at Ivy Lake (AH)

Honer Reservoir: A Cuckoo was calling distantly, but it was otherwise quiet, with just a few Tufted Ducks and Coots on the water, two Swallows over and a Whitethroat in the hedges. (AH)

Chichester Canal: A single Little Ringed Plover was the only wader on the fast-drying pool, whilst along the canal there were several singing Reed Warblers, Cetti's Warblers, Chiffchaffs and Blackcaps. (AH)

Little Ringed Plover (above) & Reed Warblers at Chichester Canal (AH)

North Wall: A Grasshopper Warbler was reeling from the vegetation along the lower path along the wall this morning. (P Hogston)

There was no sound of it this evening in blustery conditions, with little to report beyond two Cuckoos in flight behind the back of the Breech Pool, the drake Pintail, a pair of Gadwall, c20 Teal and a dozen Black-tailed Godwits on the pool and plenty of Cattle and Little Egrets in Owl Copse. (AH/LP/SP)

Pintail (above) & Cattle Egrets at the North Wall (AH)

Wednesday, 20th April: A hazy, but sunny morning, quite mild despite the moderate northerly breeze.......

Selsey Bill: Just a few Common and Sandwich Terns went east, with up to eight Little Terns and five Great Northern Divers about, too, whilst a Wheatear, a Willow Warbler, a Swallow and an unidentified pipit came in off the sea. Full log below. (SR/IP/AH/OM)

(0650-0905hrs) (NNE, F4)

Great Northern Diver - 1E, 4os

Fulmar - 2W

Gannet - 12E, 8W, 7os

Oystercatcher - 1W

Whimbrel - 1 (heard only!)

Turnstone - 4

Sandwich Tern - 26E, 1W, 40os

Common Tern - 16E

Little Tern - 8E, 6W, 4os

pipit sp - 1N

Swallow - 1N

Wheatear - 1N

Willow Warbler - 1N

Blackcap - 1

Chiffchaff - 1

Fulmar (above) & Common Tern at the Bill (AH)

Ferry Pool: Four Avocets, four Lapwings and three Black-tailed Godwits were on the pool this morning, along with six Teal and 16 Shelducks, but Shovelers were down to a bare dozen.

Two Spotted Redshanks - including one in near full summer-plumage - were in the channel opposite, along with the two summer-plumage male Bar-tailed Godwits and eight Black-tailed Godwits. (AH)

Later on, a Little Ringed Plover was on the pool. (NR)

Spotted Redshank (above), Bar-tailed Godwits & Bar-tailed and Black-tailed Godwits at the Ferry (AH)

Warner Lane paddocks & Northcommon Farm: There was little here, with just three Whitethroats, two Blackcaps and three Swallows being the only migrants on offer and a Song Thrush pair, a Mistle Thrush and two Buzzards being the best of the rest. (OM)

Mistle Thrush at Northcommon Farm (OM)

East Beach: A Grasshopper Warbler was again reeling from thick vegetation in a garden near the pond this morning. (SR)

Sidlesham: A Lesser Whitethroat was singing in the garden again early this morning. (AH)

Chichester Canal: The two Little Ringed Plovers were again on the flooded corner of the arable field east of Donnington. (OM)

Church Norton: The Ring Ouzel was again present at Greenlease Farm this morning, along with a Mistle Thrush, a Chiffchaff and a couple of Swallows, but there were few other migrants about beyond a Lesser Whitethroat briefly by the concrete wall, the odd Whitethroat and Sedge Warbler along the Severals and a couple of Blackcaps near the car-park.

Half a dozen Common Terns were among the Sandwich Terns, but there were few waders out on the mud on the low tide. (AH)

Ring Ouzel (above) & Sandwich Terns at Church Norton (AH)

Chichester GPs: A Goldeneye was on Ivy Lake this morning, along with four Common Terns and a Black Swan, whilst a Reed Warbler and a Kingfisher were on Runcton Lake, though there was no sign of the Red-crested Pochards. (A Glossop)

Goldeneye at Chichester GPs (A Glossop)

North Wall: The brisk northerly wind was keeping most species down this morning, though Blackcaps and Chiffchaffs could be heard along Church Lane, whilst along the Wall were Sedge, Reed and Cetti's Warblers.

A Common Buzzard made two low passes over the egret/heron colony at Owl Copse causing panic, with a combination of 32 Little and Cattle Egrets taking to the skies. When things settled down I was able to count 37 egrets, of which at least 25 were Cattle Egrets.

A Cuckoo was calling along Pagham Rife, where there were also Reed and Sedge Warblers, with more along Bremere Rife and Common Whitethroats were along Honer Lane.

Also, 19 Cattle Egrets were between Marsh and Bramber Farms, but Honer reservoir is full to brimming and only held a few Tufted Ducks and Coots. (JDW)

Cattle and Little Egrets (above) & Cattle Egrets at the North Wall (JDW)

Tuesday, 19th April: A bright and mostly sunny morning, cold early on, but warming up in a moderate north-westerly breeze......

Selsey Bill: Another slow morning, with three Eider west, a couple of Red-throated Divers east and eight Little Terns offshore the highlights. Full log below. (SR/IP/TR/KT/AH)

(0640-0820hrs) (WNW, F3)

Great Northern Diver - 1E, 1os

Red-throated Diver - 2E, 1os

Gannet - 7E, 1W, 1os

Shelduck - 2W

Eider - 3W

Common Scoter - 7os

Mediterranean Gull - 1E

Sandwich Tern - 30os

Common Tern - 3E, 6os

Little Tern - 8os

Pied Wagtail - 1W

Linnet - 4N

Little Tern (above) & Wheatear at the Bill (AH)

Ferry Pool: Unusually, a Bar-tailed Godwit was on the pool, along with four Avocets, ten Teal and six Shelduck, though only about 20 Shovelers.

There was another Bar-tailed Godwit among eight Black-tailed Godwits in the channel opposite, too, along with the Spotted Redshank. (AH)

Bar-tailed Godwit (above), Bar-tailed Godwit and Avocets, Spotted Redshank & Black-tailed Godwit at the Ferry (AH)

Later, a Common Sandpiper was in the channel with two Spotted Redshanks and the summer-plumaged Bar-tailed Godwit, early evening. (AT/AW/AH)

Common Sandpiper in Ferry Channel (AH)

Church Norton: An obliging Ring Ouzel was on the landing strip at Greenlease Farm this morning, showing well off and on.

There were a few other hints of migration, including three Wheatears by the concrete blocks and a couple of Willow Warblers by the Severals, with Blackcaps, Chiffchaffs and Whitethroats also about, along with a couple of Swallows.

There wasn't too much in the harbour beyond the mass of gulls and terns, plus a few Shelducks and Black-tailed Godwits. (AH/BI/KT/OM/SR et al)

Ring Ouzel (top three AH, lower two SaH) (above), Willow Warbler, Wheatear & Blackcap (AH) at Church Norton

East Beach: A Grasshopper Warbler was reeling from thick vegetation in a garden near the pond today. (SR)

Chichester Canal: The two Little Ringed Plovers were again on the flooded corner of the arable field east of Donnington. (OM)

North Wall: A Cuckoo was calling all morning from behind the horse paddock and a Willow Warbler was by the stables along with a Great Spotted Woodpecker, while a Green Woodpecker was on its nest in the garden at Little Welbourne.

Three Marsh Harriers were behind the Breech Pool, but the pool held very little of interest, with just a pair of Shelduck and a few Coots and Mallards. The regular Greenshank was in White's Creek along with a few Redshank, four Black-tailed Godwits, six Teal and the lone Pintail, with two Whimbrels further out on the mud.

A very smart Wheatear was along the wall and there were plenty of Sedge Warblers, Reed Warblers, Cetti’s Warblers and Reed Buntings about. (LP,NR/TS)

Wheatear (above), Marsh Harrier & Sedge Warbler at the North Wall (LP)

Medmerry: Stilt Pools - There were plenty of singing Linnets and Yellowhammers, with a few Whitethroats, along the gorse hedges. A pair of Egyptian Geese had a fledgling with them, while there were 36 Avocets around the pools including at least 12 sitting on the grassy island.

A pair of Little Ringed Plovers were seen as well as a pair of Little Terns, flying around and settling on the mud.

A Cattle Egret flew in, with a few Swallows a single Sand Martin overhead. A Yellow Wagtail was seen briefly and a pair of Brown Hares were out on the reserve. (AW)