Birding the Selsey Peninsula: 23rd

Tuesday, 25th October: It remains very mild, but unsettled, with a fresh south-westerly breeze pushing through banks of cloud and some heavy, squally showers........

Selsey Bill: A quiet morning, with just a few of the regular species about. Full log below. (IP/AH/SR)

(0730-0900hrs) (WSW, F4)

Gannet - 3E, 1W

Brent Goose - 9W

Shelduck - 2W

Kestrel - 1

Curlew - 1E

Turnstone - 9os

Mediterranean Gull - 9os

Common Gull - 1W

auk sp - 13E, 3W

Wood Pigeon - 42S

Skylark - 1W

Meadow Pipit - 8W

Pied Wagtail - 5W

Linnet - 48E

Goldfinch - 5E

Greenfinch - 3W

Mediterranean Gull (above), Brent Geese & Kestrel at the Bill (AH)

Ferry Pool: Three Avocets were on the pool this morning, along with c50 Black-tailed Godwits, 40 Lapwings, 12 Shelducks and 60+ Teal and Shovelers, whilst a Kingfisher was in the channel opposite. (AH)

A lunchtime circuit of the Tramway at high tide produced a mixture of ducks in the harbour, including Mallard, Teal, Wigeon and Shelducks, plus two Great Crested Grebes, whilst a single Brent Goose flew over from the direction of the North Wall towards Ferry Channel.

On the only visible vegetation to the right of the channel at the end of Red Barn Ditch there were four Snipe, whilst in the ditch were a pair of Moorhens, whilst a Redshank and half a dozen Swallows flew over from behind Enborne industrial site. (RP)

Kingfisher (above) & Avocets and Lapwings at the Ferry (AH)

North Wall: There were at least 50 Pied Wagtails on and around the ploughed field at the end of Church Lane this morning, with a similar number of Meadow Pipits, 30 Magpies, eight Curlews and a pair of Stonechats.

The usual selection of Wigeon, Teal, Pintail, Redshank and Lapwings were along White's Creek, and a Grey Wagtail was by the sluice, whilst two Marsh Harriers were behind the Breech Pool, a Fieldfare, a Song Thrush, a Jay and a Green Woodpecker were in the trees and a lone Brent Goose flew over towards the harbour. (LP)

This evening five Marsh Harriers came in to roost and there were also three Swallows about. (S&SaH)

Marsh Harrier (above), Meadow Pipit & Pied Wagtail at the North Wall (LP)

Medmerry: Ham Farm - Around 100 Golden Plovers and 175 Lapwings were over the reserve this morning, along with a Buzzard, with a Little Egret seen in a stubble field, whilst there were also a Green Woodpecker, three Great Spotted Woodpeckers, six Reed Buntings and 17 Long-tailed Tits seen. (CRJ)

Marsh Farm, Sidlesham: There was a huge, loose and very mobile flock of c250 Fieldfares around the trees on the track between Chalder and Bramber Farms this morning, along with a handful of Redwings and a Mistle Thrush, with up to 50 Cattle Egrets in the adjacent fields, particularly favouring the one with sheep in.

There was a big finch flock at Marsh Farm, including c50 Linnets and Chaffinches among c100 Goldfinches, plus half a dozen Pied Wagtails, whilst at least six Stonechats, a pair of Yellowhammers and c20 Skylarks were along Church Farm Lane, but the churchyard was completely devoid of birds. (AH)

Fieldfares (above), Stonechat, Linnet and Chaffinch & Little Egret around Marsh Farm, Sidlesham (AH)

Monday, 24th October: Another mild morning, with plenty of sun, though the breeze was fresh and from the west........

Selsey Bill: An apparent first-winter Yellow-legged Gull dropped in with the Herring Gulls close offshore this morning, and an Arctic Skua and two Great Northern Divers were about, too, but the only thing on the move was 35 Mediterranean Gulls west. Full log below. (AH/SR/IP/MO-W)

(0730-0900hrs) (W, F4)

Great Northern Diver - 1E, 1os

Gannet - 1E

Shag - 3E

Brent Goose - 1W

Oystercatcher - 2W

Turnstone - 7W

Arctic Skua - 1os

Yellow-legged Gull - 1os

Mediterranean Gull - 1E, 35W

Common Gull - 2W

Swallow - 1W

Meadow Pipit - 7W

Pied Wagtail - 3W

Chiffchaff - 1

Linnet - 8W

Yellow-legged Gull (above), Shags, Mediterranean Gull & Common Gull at the Bill (AH)

Ferry Pool: There were just two Teal tucked away at the back as the RSPB were in the field! (AH)

North Wall: A Lapland Bunting went over this morning. (per Birdguides)

Also, a Short-eared Owl was over the Slipe Field this morning before heading towards the North Wall, and a Firecrest, a Song Thrush and a Chaffinch were in the bushes at the end of Church Lane, with a Green Woodpecker and a Great Spotted Woodpecker around the paddocks along with a pair of Stonechats.

In White's Creek there were three Little Grebes, a Great Crested Grebe, a Kingfisher, 200 Wigeon, 30 Pintail, 50 Teal, 16 Shelduck, 100 Grey Plover, 80 Dunlin, 100 Redshank and 50 Lapwing, with 30 Brent Geese further down the channel. (LP/CT)

This afternoon there were c50 Fieldfares and c20 Cattle Egrets in the fields north of the wall (TG-P), and this evening there were three Marsh Harriers behind the Breech Pool (LP).

Medmerry: Easton Lane to the Stilt Pool - There were two female-type Marsh Harriers, two Sparrowhawks and four Kestrel out hunting this evening, whilst a Water Rail, two Brent Geese and c200 Golden Plovers were on the reserve, three Stonechats were along he banks and a Greenshank was on the Stilt Polo. (S&SaH)

Church Norton: A Dartford Warbler and a Stonechat were along the first Several, with another one of each, plus a Cetti's Warbler along the west side.

There were another six Stonechats in the horse field and two on the spit, too, with c25 Skylarks, c40 Meadow Pipits and c200 Linnets also along the spit, and up to seven Swallows were over the harbour, but the hedges were quiet beyond a couple of Chiffchaffs and a Jay.

There were lots of Dunlin and Grey Plovers in the harbour near high tide, along with a couple of Snipe, c30 Brent Geese, c30 Pintail and numerous Wigeon and Teal, whilst a Kingfisher flew through and a Peregrine went over the northern end. (AH/CRJ)

Swallow (above), Chiffchaff, Linnet, Stonechat, Meadow Pipit, Brent Goose and Pintails & Grey Plovers at Church Norton (AH)

Sunday, 23rd October: A morning of two halves, with persistent heavy rain in a moderate southerly early on, before it gave way to very warm sunshine and blue skies.....

Selsey Bill: A Redwing in off the sea and 73 Brent Geese west were the best a wet morning could offer! Full log below. (SH/BI/AH/P&LH/SR/IP)

(0710-0900hrs) (SSE, F4)

Gannet - 167W

Shag - 1E

Brent Goose - 73W

Red-breasted Merganser - 1W

Kestrel - 1

Oystercatcher - 1W

Turnstone - 3

Mediterranean Gull - 14os

Kittiwake - 2W

Razorbill - 10W

auk sp -3E, 2W

Redwing - 1N

(0945-1050hrs) A bit later, there was an enormous feeding flock offshore including at least 300 Gannets and 1000 gulls, along with an Arctic Skua. (P&LH)

Gannet - 300os

Shag - 3E

Common Scoter - 2E

Sparrowhawk -

Turnstone - 15

Arctic Skua - 1os

Mediterranean Gull - 2os

gull sp - 1000os

Razorbill - 28E

auk sp - 50os

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

Ferry Pool: Two Spotted Redshanks, a Greenshank and a dozen Redshanks were roosting among c30 Black-tailed Godwits on the pool, whilst wildfowl comprised c30 Shovelers, c50 Teal, c50 Wigeon and eight Shelducks. (AH)

Greenshank, Spotted Redshanks, Redshanks and Black-tailed Godwits on the Ferry (AH)

Church Norton: A dozen Pintail, c50 Wigeon and Teal, eight Great Crested Grebes, 11 Little Egrets and a few roosting Grey Plovers, Curlews and Dunlin was all the harbour could offer in the rain, but as soon a it stopped, a Firecrest, a couple of Goldcrests and half a dozen Chiffchaffs appeared in the hedges. (AH)

Later on, a Firecrest, two Dartford Warblers, 12 Stonechats, a Blackcap, two Chiffchaffs, a Song Thrush and a Kingfisher were around the horse field/beach/Severals area, whilst eight Skylarks, 14 Turnstones and 18 Brent Geese were in the harbour. (P&LH)

Chiffchaff (above), Pintails and Great Crested Grebe at Church Norton (AH)

North Wall: There was a lot of activity around the sluice this morning with 20 Long-tailed Tits, two Chiffchaffs, a Blackcap, a Cetti’s Warbler, two Stonechats, a Redwing and ten Blackbirds, as well as a few Blue Tits and Great Tits, a Robin, a Wren and 12 Goldfinches.

At high tide there was just a few Wigeon and Shelduck in the harbour, along with two Great Crested Grebes and a Little Grebe, whilst a Rock Pipit was on the wall and there were a few Reed Buntings, Dunnocks and Stonechats along the bushes.

A Female Marsh Harrier was behind the Breech Pool, which held just a few Teal and Mallards, whilst at Halsey’s Farm, ten Skylarks were in the fields and a Little Grebe and five Cormorants were in the rife, and a Water Rail was calling from the reeds. (LP)

What was presumably the Great White Egret seen earlier at Medmerry (see below) was in the harbour towards Church Norton this afternoon, and there was a Common Sandpiper in White's Creek. (KJ)

Later, the female Marsh Harrier was patrolling the reed beds, but otherwise it was quiet. (S&SaH)

Blackcap (above), Rock Pipit, Blackbird & Little Egret at the North Wall (LP)

Medmerry: Coastguards to the Breach - A Great White Egret was on the flooded parts of the reserve at high tide, viewable from the breach, with c100 Golden Plovers and Lapwings also on that side, whilst four Sanderlings, c50 Grey Plovers, c100 Dunlin and c30 Ringed Plovers were roosting round the breach at high tide.

A Raven on the Ham side and a handful of Linnets were the only passerines at the breach end, whilst around the windmill area there were six Stonechats and c20 Meadow Pipits and Linnets. (AH)

Great White Egret (above), Raven, Sanderlings, Ringed Plovers, Stonechat & Meadow Pipit at Medmerry (AH)

Medmerry: Easton Lane to the Stilt Pool - The Great White Egret, the Raven and the Golden Plovers could be seen from the west side of the reserve, too, whilst there were also a Merlin, three Kestrels, six Darftord Warblers, seven Stonechats and thee Yellowhammers seen along the banks, plus a Greenshank on the Stilt Pool. (S&SaH)