25th - 27th April 2022

Wednesday, 27th April: An unseasonably cool morning under overcast skies, as the north-easterly breeze picked up once again...with few hints of sunshine today.

Selsey Bill: There were plenty of Gannets and Sandwich Terns about, with some Little Terns too, but it was generally slow going, though a couple of Arctic Skuas, five Bonxies and a few Whimbrel and Bar-tailed Godwits went east, whilst three Great Northern Divers were offshore and at last a few hirundines began to arrive.. Full log below. (SR/JF/OM/AH/JDW et al)

(0635-1335hrs)  (NE-ENE, F4)

Red-throated Diver - 5E, 1 os

Great Northern Diver - 3 os

Great Crested Grebe - 1os, later flew E

Fulmar - 3W

Gannet - 181E, 6W, 20os

Brent Goose - 1W

Mallard - 2

Common Scoter - 77E

Sparrowhawk - 1

Oystercatcher - 1E, 4W

Curlew - 1E

Whimbrel - 30E

Bar-tailed Godwit - 34E

Turnstone - 25E, 6 ob

Golden Plover - 16N

Sanderling - 3E

Dunlin - 1E

Great Skua - 4E, 2 os

Arctic Skua - 2E

Kittiwake - 5os, later flew E

Little Tern - 36E, 6os

Common Tern - 8 os

Commic Tern - 44E

Sandwich Tern - 254E, 40os

auk sp - 3E

House Martin - 3N

Swallow - 31N

Willow Warbler - 2

Chiffchaff - 1

Whitethroat - 1 

Blackcap - 1

(1700-1830hrs) (SH)

Gannet - 19E, 6W

Great Skua - 1E, 2os

Arctic Skua - 1E

Kittiwake - 2E

Sandwich Tern - 21E, 12os

Common Tern - 1os

Little Tern - 1E, 18os

Razorbill - 1E

Great Skua (above), and Turnstones, Sanderlings and a single Dunlin on a brief stop-over on the beach before heading off eastwards. (OM)

Bar-tailed Godwits (above), Common Tern, Great Northern and Red-throated Divers, Sandwich Terns & Gannets at the Bill (AH)

Ferry Pool: There were ten Avocets and 61 Black-tailed Godwits on the pool this morning, along with 24 Shelducks, two Teal and eight Shoveler, whilst at least half a dozen Whimbrel were in the channel opposite

A walk round the Tramway circuit produced a couple of Lesser Whitethroats and several Blackcaps, Chiffchaffs and Whitethroats, but almost all were keeping there heads down in the breezy conditions. (AH)

Whimbrel (above), Gadwall & Blackcap at the Ferry (AH)

North Wall: A Little Ringed Plover was seen very briefly at the back of the Breech Pool which also contained 29 Black-tailed Godwits and a Greenshank, whilst the Marsh Harriers were about behind the pool and a Cuckoo was calling from further north.

There were two Common Whitethroats and a few Reed Buntings along the wall and a Wheatear was on the rocks, whilst some RSPB activity in Owl Copse pushed over 50 Cattle Egrets, Little Egrets and Grey Herons up to the tops of the trees.

Out in the harbour there were 50 Grey Plovers and twenty Dunlin, along with a few Whimbrels and Bar-tailed and Black-tailed Godwits, as well as five Wigeon and four Great Crested Grebes.

The pair of Swallows were again busy around the stables, and along the lane there were two Blackcaps, a Jay and six Greenfinches. (LP/PC)

The RSPB heronry survey - see above - suggests a minimum of 14 Cattle Egret nests this year - double that of 2021. (AT)

Also, visiting birders reported the Short-eared Owl as present early this morning and a pair of Wheatears were at Halsey's Farm this evening (AB).

Wheatear (above), Whitethroat, Swallows & Reed Bunting at the North Wall (LP)

Medmerry: Porthole Farm to Ham Farm - A pair of Grey Partridges flew across the stubble fields at Porthole Farm, whilst another bird was sat in a wheat field at Ham Farm this evening.

Otherwise it was quiet, with just the odd Whitethroat and Reed Bunting showing in the hedges, a flock of c50 Linnets at Ham, the pair of Stonechats along the Medmerry Trail and c40 House Martins and c200 Swallows over the settling tanks. (AH)

Grey Partridge (above), Stonechat & Swallows at Medmerry (AH)

Tuesday, 26th April: The north-easterly breeze eased a little overnight and later shifted towards east-south-east, but it remains dry and bright with high pressure still dominating......

Selsey Bill: There were at least 16 Arctic Skuas, along with nearly 200 Common Scoters, going east this morning, together with around 130 Whimbrel, just a few Bar-tailed Godwits and 150+ Sandwich Terns. Full log below. (SR/KT/JF/IP/OM/AH/B&MC/CN/CRJ/SH)

(0635-1830hrs) (NE F2-3, then ESE F2 later)

Red-throated Diver - 8E

Black-throated Diver - 1E

Great Northern Diver - 2os

Gannet - 84E, 8W, 30os

Common Scoter - 199E

Oystercatcher - 1E

Curlew - 1E

Whimbrel - 132E

Bar-tailed Godwit - 27E

Ringed Plover - 3

Turnstone - 12

Sanderling - 7E

Great Skua - 6E, 3os

Arctic Skua - 16E, 2os

skua sp - 1E

Mediterranean Gull - 1W

Little Tern - 15E, 7os

Common Tern - 23E, 52os

Sandwich Tern - 192E, 20os

auk sp - 3E

Swallow - 2N

Blackcap - 1

Whitethroat - 1

Willow Warbler - 1

Also - Bottle-nosed Dolphin - at least 2os

Little Terns (above), Sandwich Tern, Whimbrel, Bar-tailed Godwits and Whimbrel (AH) & Whimbrel (CRJ) at the Bill 

Aspiring Pom-Kings, JF and OM, settling in for the long haul! (AH)

Ferry Pool: There wasn't much on the pool this morning, with just an Avocet, three Black-tailed Godwits, four Teal, four Shovelers, three Gadwall and 38 Shelducks present, whilst the channel opposite just held ten Whimbrels. (AH)

Whimbrel (above) & Gadwall and Shelducks at the Ferry (AH)

Marsh Farm, Sidlesham: There were still 16 Cattle Egrets in the fields by Chalder Farm where they were spreading muck. (AT)

North Wall: A Green Sandpiper was on the Breech Pool this afternoon (KT) and was still present this evening, when the Short-eared Owl was out hunting again (TG).

Medmerry: Easton Lane to the Stilt Pools - The banks were pretty quiet this morning, with a pair of Stonechats, half a dozen singing Whitethroats and Skylarks, a couple of Yellowhammers and Reed Buntings and 50+ Linnets about the sum.

Three Greenshank and four Whimbrel were in the tidal area by the poplars and 50 Mediterranean Gulls were also in the vicinity, whilst the Stilt Pool held a Little Ringed Plover, three Dunlin, four Bar-tailed Godwits, six Black-tailed Godwits, two Lapwings, a Brent Goose, two Wigeon, a Teal and up to 30 Avocets, including at least ten on nests.

Also, the pair of Egyptian Geese still had their one gosling and a pair of Canad Geese had six goslings. (AH)

Greenshank (above), Bar-tailed Godwit, Little Ringed Plover and Bar-tailed Godwit, Dunlin, Stonechat, Whitethroat, Egyptian Goose family & Canada Goose family at Medmerry (AH)

Church Norton: This evening a look along the west side produced half a dozen Knot, four Whimbrel, c25 Grey plovers and c40 Bar-tailed Godwits, with a constant stream of Mediterranean Gulls flying up the harbour. (AH)

Whimbrel (above) & Knot, Grey Plover and Bar-tailed Godwit at Church Norton (AH)

Monday, 25th April: A cold and breezy start in a fresh north-easterly, with a mix of sun and white cloud, slowly warming up as the wind eased a little and shifted more to the east-south-east.....

Selsey Bill: There was very little movement offshore, though four Arctic Skuas and half a dozen Bonxies were about, mostly in no hurry to move through as they harried the terns and Gannets.

There was more activity on the inward arrival front, with two Yellow Wagtails, five Sand Martins and a few Swallows in off the sea, and a Garden Warbler, five Willow Warblers and a Wheatear in the gardens. Full log below.... (JA/BI/IP/SR/JF/AH/OM/PD et al)

(0540-1230hrs) (NE/E F4-3 later)

Great Northern Diver - 3 os

diver sp - 1W

Great Crested Grebe - 3E

Fulmar - 3E, 2W

Gannet - 41E, 15W, 50 os

Common Scoter - 64E, 2W

Sparrowhawk - 3

Oystercatcher - 6E

Whimbrel - 24E

Bar-tailed Godwit - 8E

Turnstone - 7

Dunlin - 1E

Great Skua - 5E, 2os

Arctic Skua - 4E

Commic Tern - 1E

Sandwich Tern - 59E, 40 os

auk sp - 2E

Meadow Pipit - 8N

Yellow Wagtail - 2N

Sand Martin - 5N

Swallow - 5N

Wheatear - 1

Willow Warbler - 5

Whitethroat - 1

Blackcap - 1

Garden Warbler - 1

Bottle-nosed Dolphin - 2+ os

(1650-1800hrs) (SH)

Great Northern Diver - 5os

Fulmar - 1E

Gannet - 16E, 13W

Brent Goose - 2E

Common Scoter - 7E, 2os

Turnstone - 3

Little Gull - 7E

Sandwich Tern - 15E, 15os

Common Tern - 2os

auk sp - 15E (in one flock)

Wheatear (above, OM), Sandwich Tern & Great Northern Diver at the Bill (AH)

Ferry Pool: A Little Ringed Plover and a Cattle Egret were around the pool mid-morning (TG-P), whilst earlier eight Avocets, 22 Shelducks, four Teal and a dozen Shovelers were on the pool and 16 Black-tailed Godwits and at least eight Whimbrel were in the channel opposite, though there was no sign of the Spotted Redshanks (AH).

Whimbrel (above), Avocets & Black-tailed Godwits at the Ferry (AH)

Long Pool: There was a good selection of warblers along the pool this morning, including a pair of Lesser Whitethroats, a Blackcap, four Willow Warblers, a Cetti's Warbler, several Whitethroats and at least eight Sedge Warblers and similar of Reed Warblers.

Also, a Cuckoo was calling distantly from further up the west side, a couple of Reed Buntings and a few Linnets were about and two Swallows went over, whilst at least three pairs of Lapwings were on the fields and half dozen Whimbrel were in Ferry Channel. (AH/PD)

Lesser Whitethroat (above), Sedge Warbler & Blackcap along the Long Pool (AH)

West Itchenor: A Willow Warbler was singing here early on, whilst later a White-tailed Eagle went over, being pursued by a Peregrine. (PH)

White-tailed Eagle over West Itchenor (PH)

Church Norton: At least a dozen Whimbrel, 50 Bar-tailed Godwits and handful of Black-tailed Godwits were in the harbour this morning, with three Little Terns among the Sandwich Terns, but few passerines were about in the blustery wind, beyond numerous Linnets along the front and a bit of Blackcap, Chiffchaff, Whitethroat and Sedge Warbler song. (AH)

Whimbrel and Bar-tailed Godwits (above), Little Terns and Sandwich Terns, Linnet & Long-tailed Tit at Church Norton (AH)

This afternoon, a Whinchat and a Wheatear were along the spit. (AW)

Whinchat at Church Norton (AW)

North Wall: A pair of Swallows were around the stables this morning and were seen mating on the fence, whilst a Blackcap, a Chaffinch and a Greenfinch were in the trees nearby.

The Greenshank was still in Whites Creek along with six Whimbrels whist further up the East Side there were 17 Bar-tailed Godwits. Further out in the harbour there were more Bar Tailed Godwits with some Black Tailed Godwits and c50 Grey Plover, some in full summer plumage.

The water level in the Breech Pool is now very low but there are still no waders there, just a few Teal and Mallards. Also, a Kestrel was hunting along the wall and both Marsh Harriers were seen briefly, whilst at Owl Copse, there was the usual Cattle Egrets, Little Egrets and Grey Herons. (LP)

This evening at least one Lesser Whitethroat was at Halsey's Farm, whilst the Breech Pool held the long-staying drake Pintail and 11 Black-tailed Godwits, but no sign of the Short-eared Owl that had been seen earlier in the afternoon. (IP)

Swallows (above) & Kestrel at the North Wall (LP)

Marsh Farm, Sidlesham: Up to 40 Cattle Egrets were in the fields by Chalder Farm where they were spreading muck this evening, along with 100+ Mediterranean Gulls. (AT)

Chichester GPs: A quick look at Ivy Lake at tea-time produced no hirundines, but the first-year drake Goldeneye was still present, along with a dozen Pochard, c25 Tufted Ducks and six Great Crested Grebes. (AH)

Goldeneye on Ivy Lake (AH)

Medmerry: Easton Lane to the Stilt Pool - A Cuckoo was on the reserve near Marsh Barn this afternoon, whilst a Common Sandpiper, two Little Ringed Plovers and a lone Brent Goose were on the Stilt Pool. (KT)

Medmerry: Ham Farm and Porthole Farm - This afternoon a Whinchat, a Wheatear and a Whitethroat were all in the same small bush along the rack to Ham. (TG-P)

This evening around Porthole Farm there were a pair of Stonechats, several Whitethroats, a Reed Bunting and a couple of Yellowhammers, whilst 100+ Swallows and a dozen House Martins were over the settling tanks. (AH)

Stonechat (above), Swallow & Yellowhammer at Medmerry (AH)