4th - 6th April 2022

Wednesday, 6th April: A cloudy and breezy day with westerly winds predicted to F7 and a few heavy showers also forecast..

A note that AH and OM are both currently away, so all reports and pictures to BI at bart.ives@talk21.com this week please.

Selsey Bill: Two Great Skuas east in front of the Mile Basket at 0715hrs and two Fulmars west were the best on a day of drifting fog offshore. Log below. (SR/MO-W/IP) 

(0715-0845hrs) (WSW F5-6)

Fulmar - 2W

Gannet - 2E, 6W

Common Scoter - 68E

Red-breasted Merganser - 2os

Great Skua - 2E

Oystercatcher - 2W

Turnstone -10ob

Sandwich Tern - 13os

Meadow Pipit - 2N

(1640 to 1755hrs) (WSW F7-8) (SH)

Gannet 4E 1W

Common Scoter - 21E

Turnstone - 3

Sanderling - 2E

Sandwich Tern - 18os

Fulmar moving west at the Bill (SR)

Ferry Pool/Ferry Channel: A Spotted Redshank was again in the channel along with a few Redshanks, nine Teal and 18 Black-tailed Godwits, and there were two Great Crested Grebes by the sluice.
On the pool itself were two Avocets, two Teal, four Gadwall, c.50 Shoveler and two Tufted Ducks whilst a Cetti's Warbler was calling nearby. (SR)

Black-tailed Godwits (above) & Gadwall at the Ferry (SR)

Chichester GPs: The Bonaparte's Gull was still feeding over West Trout Lake at midday and the Red-crested Pochard pair were still on Ivy Lake. There were two Blackcaps singing along the paths as well as several Chiffchaffs but, again, there were no hirundines present.
Nearby at Hunston, there were two Egyptian Geese by the farm. (BI/CRJ)

North Wall: There was little to see along the wall this morning in the very wet and blustery conditions: just a few Teal spread between the harbour and the Breech Pool and five Black Tailed Godwits out on the mud. The nesting Cattle Egrets, Little Egrets and Grey Herons were hunkered down in Owl Copse and in the bushes along the lower path, there was a Blackcap, a Chiffchaff and a Greenfinch. (LP)

Chichester Canal: The flooded field this afternoon held three Egyptian Geese, two Shoveler, nine Gadwall, 14 Mute Swans and two Lesser Black-backed Gulls but no waders could be found. 

The four Coot chicks are still doing well along the canal and there was a Chiffchaff and a singing Blackcap. (SR)

Lesser Black-backed Gull (above) & Egyptian Geese on the canal flood (SR)

Tuesday, 5th April: A drier day in prospect with a gentle breeze from westerly winds...

Please note that AH and OM are both currently away, so all reports and pictures to BI at bart.ives@talk21.com this week please.

Selsey Bill: The highlight of the morning was a Great Skua seen offshore rather distantly near the mile basket. Log below. (SR/IP)

(0700-830hrs) (W, F4)

Great Northern Diver - 2os

Shag - 3E

Gannet - 4E, 5W

Brent Goose - 4E

Shelduck - 1os

Red-breasted Merganser - 4os

Great Skua - 1os

Oystercatcher - 6E, 6W

Turnstone - 6

Mediterranean Gull - 5E, 1W

Sandwich Tern - 5os

Pied Wagtail - 2N

Meadow Pipit - 4N

Linnet - 3N

Common Seal - 1os

Great Skua at the Bill (SR)

Chichester GPs: The Bonaparte's Gull was still present on West Trout Lake this morning and the pair of Red-crested Pochards were in their usual spot by the chalets on Ivy Lake. A Blackcap was singing at the start of the path and there were three Cetti's Warblers and around six Chiffchaffs here as well.

On Westhampnett Pit, the two Lesser Black-backed Gulls were again in the gull roost. Surprisingly, there were no hirundines to be found on any of the lakes. (BI)

Chiffchaff at Ivy Lake (BI)

Long Pool/Ferry Channel: Two Spotted Redshanks were in the channel at midday along with c.20 Redshanks and there were at least three Blackcaps, two Chiffchaffs, a Great Spotted Woodpecker and a party of Long-tailed Tits in the Discovery Area. Along the Tramway was a Green Woodpecker, six calling Chiffchaffs and two Cetti's Warblers. 

Non-avian highlights incluided a Marsh Frog or two and a Broad-bordered Bee Fly. (SR/BFF)

Ferry Pool: Ducks present today included 48 Shoveler, two Wigeon, and 12 Teal whilst waders noted were two Avocets and 12 Black-tailed Godwits, whilst two Cetti's Warblers were also calling here. (SR)

Spotted Redshank (above), Long-tailed Tit, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Marsh Frog and Bee Fly in the Ferry area. (SR)

Sidlesham SF: There were c.100 Mediterranean Gulls over around the tanks and fields today but again no hirundines were present. (AW)

North Wall: It was busy in Owl Copse this morning with plenty of nesting activity from the Grey Herons and Cattle Egrets. A Blackcap and a Chiffchaff were in the bushes at the end of the wall and at Halsey’s Farm there were five Gadwall, a pair of Shelduck and a few Teal, whilst in the fields were a Jay, two Linnets, a pair of Stonechats and six singing Skylarks.

A Peregrine flew over, and two Marsh Harriers and two Buzzards were behind the Breech Pool. A Water Rail was in the reeds at the back of the pool and in the field beyond were three Brent Geese and an Egyptian Goose. Whites Creek held c.20 Black-tailed Godwits, lots of Redshank and a couple of Grey Plovers. (LP/CT/PC)

Cattle Egrets (above), Grey Herons & Jay at the North Wall (LP)

 Runcton: A Moorhen was in a garden here today. (CRJ)

Moorhen at Runcton (CRJ)

Monday, 4th April: A pretty miserable morning under leaden skies, with a cold and blustery westerly pushing through banks of drizzly rain......

Just a quick note to say that AH and OM are both away from this evening until late Saturday, so could all reports and pictures be sent to BI at bart.ives@talk21.com. Thanks. (Eds)

Selsey Bill: A few Meadow Pipits coming in off the sea a few Brent Geese east was about the sum of migration this morning. Full log below. (SR/IP/AH)

(0705-0855hrs) (WSW, F5-6)

Gannet - 9E, 20W

Brent Goose - 17E

Common Scoter - 14E

Red-breasted Merganser - 4os

Oystercatcher - 2W

Turnstone - 2

Sandwich Tern - 6os

Meadow Pipit - 36N

Sandwich Tern (above) & Gannet at the Bill (AH)

Ferry Pool: A Swallow flew over, heading north, but the pool just held a pair Avocets, a pair of Gadwall, 12 Shelducks and Teal and c50 Wigeon and Shovelers, whilst a Spotted Redshank and four Black-tailed Godwits were in the channel opposite. (AH)

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

Chichester GPs: Six Sand Martins were feeding over Ivy Lake this morning and the pair of Red-crested Pochards were still present, too. (BI)

Church Norton: There were still plenty of Sandwich Terns and Mediterranean Gulls among the Black-headed Gulls this morning, but waders were restricted to c50 Black-tailed Godwits, c30 Dunlin and a handful of Ringed and Grey Plovers, and wildfowl comprised a couple of dozen each of Shelducks, Wigeon and Teal.

A Blackcap was singing near the Mound, a few Linnets were along the beach and a pair of Mistle Thrushes were in Rectory Lane, but that was about it. (AH)

Sandwich Terns (above), Black-tailed Godwits, Teal & Mistle Thrush at Church Norton (AH)

North Wall: Towards high tide there was just a pair of Wigeon in White's Creek, whilst three Brent Geese were on the Breech Pool along with eight Black-tailed Godwits and a few Teal, and a Marsh Harrier was sat in a tree behind the pool.

At Owl Copse there were four Grey Herons and a few Little Egrets and Cattle Egrets, whilst a singing Chiffchaff by the Salthouse was the only other bird of note. (LP)

Brent Geese at the North Wall (LP)