Birding the Selsey Peninsula: 26th

Friday, 28th October: Another very warm morning for the time of year, with plenty of sunshine, after a very grey start, in the fresh south-westerly breeze.............

Selsey Bill: It was much the same as recent days this morning, with a few Brent Geese and Mediterranean Gulls heading west, with Linnets, Meadow Pipits and Pied Wagtails going west overhead, though a Hummingbird Hawk-moth (also heading west!) was unexpected. Full log below. (BI/AH/SR/IP)

(0730-0900hrs) (SW, F5)

Red-throated Diver - 1E

Gannet - 43W, 20os

Shag - 12E

Brent Goose - 3E, 92W

Shelduck - 6W

Kestrel - 1

Oystercatcher - 1W

Turnstone - 4W

Mediterranean Gull - 51W

Common Gull - 1W

auk sp - 19W

Stock Dove - 6W

Meadow Pipit - 80W

Grey Wagtail - 1W

Pied Wagtail - 26W

Linnet - 154W

Goldfinch - 127W

Hummingbird Hawk-moth - 1W

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

Ferry Pool: There were just a Lapwing, a female Mallard and a Black-headed Gull on the pool this morning! And there wasn't much beyond a handful of Redshank, Teal and Wigeon in the channel opposite, either. (AH/AB)

North Wall: Half a dozen Stonechats, a dozen Reed Buntings and a couple of calling Cetti's Warblers were about it along the wall this morning, though there was still a big flock of Pied Wagtails and Meadow Pipits in the field by Church Lane.

A Kingfisher was by the sluice, but otherwise White's Creek just held lots of Wigeon, Teal and Redshanks. (LP/AH)

Two Firecrests were also at Halsey’s Farm (KT)

Stonechat (above), Reed Bunting & Wigeon at the North Wall (AH)

East side: A Bar-tailed Godwit and a few Grey Plovers were along the side of the harbour, with 100+ Lapwings and 200+ Dunlin out on the mud, along with c50 Brent Geese, whilst the channel held c60 Pintail among 300+ Wigeon and 100+ Teal.

Also, a Common Seal was hauled out in the middle of the harbour. (AH/LP)

Bar-tailed Godwit (above), Pintails & Brent Goose and Common Seal along the East side (AH)

Medmerry: Easton Lane to the Stilt Pool - A female Merlin was on the reserve this afternoon, and there was also a Greenshank on the Stilt Pool. (J Turner/P Harmes)

Runcton: A Crimson Speckled moth was in the trap this morning. (CRJ)

Crimson Speckled in a Runcton garden (CRJ)

Thursday, 27th October: After more overnight rain, a very warm and sunny morning in a fresh southerly breeze.........

Selsey Bill: There were a lot of Linnets and a few Meadow Pipits going east, as did a Great Northern Diver and 30 Shags, but the sea was generally quiet again. Full log below. (AH/SR/IP)

(0740-0910hrs) (S, F4-5)

Great Northern Diver - 1E

Gannet - 7E, 1W, 20os

Shag - 30E

Brent Goose - 10W

Sparrowhawk - 1

Kestrel - 1

Oystercatcher - 1

Turnstone - 16

Mediterranean Gull - 6os

auk sp - 5E

Swallow - 2S

Meadow Pipit - 39E

Pied Wagtail - 11E

Linnet - 617E

Shags (above) & Mediterranean Gull at the Bill (AH)

Ferry Pool: There were just three Avocets, 28 Black-tailed Godwits, c40 Lapwings and 20 or so Shovelers and Teal on the pool this morning, plus two Skylarks in the fields behind. (AH)

Black-tailed Godwits at the Ferry (AH)

This evening, a Spotted Redshank was in the channel opposite, along with half a dozen Redshanks and c50 Wigeon and c20 Teal. (AH)

Spotted Redshank at the Ferry (AH)

North Wall: A Merlin flew over Owl Copse this morning and there were three Rock Pipits along the wall, whilst at Halsey’s Farm there were a few Skylarks, Meadow Pipits and Stonechats along the fences and a Water Rail was calling from the reeds.

A Cetti’s Warbler, a Song Thrush and a couple of Pied Wagtails were by the sluice and a Snipe was in the paddock, but along Whites Creek there was just a few Wigeon and Redshank and a Grey Plover. (LP/CT)

At dusk this evening, three Marsh Harriers - a male and two female-types - came into roost, and there were also a Water Rail and three Tawny Owls calling and 21 Cattle Egrets coming into Owl Copse. (S&SaH)

Church Norton: Not much to report this morning - a Great Spotted Woodpecker at the end of the churchyard, a Raven and 60 Dunlin in the harbour, three Stonechats in the horse field and three Swallows over the first Several being about the sum, with the highlight being a Crimson Speckled - a rare and striking migrant moth of which there is a notable influx this year - by the ironwork near the concrete blocks. (CRJ)

Great Spotted Woodpecker (above) & Crimson Speckled moth at Church Norton (CRJ)

Medmerry: Porthole Farm to Ham Farm - There was nothing out of the ordinary this morning, but there were plenty of the regular species present.

Along the hedges at Porthole Farm and along the Medmerry Trail, there were at least 15 Stonechats, a dozen or so Yellowhammers and Reed Buntings, c50 Meadow Pipits, c20 Skylarks and at least 500 Linnets, plus a few Goldfinches and Greenfinches, whilst a single Fieldfare flew over.

Meanwhile, at Ham, there were a Corn Bunting, half a dozen Reed Buntings, at least ten more Stonechats, c50 Meadow Pipits and similar of Skylarks and Linnets, whilst c60 Golden Plovers and c80 Lapwing flew out from the reserve, where there were also c40 Brent Geese. (AH)

Corn Bunting (above), Golden Plovers, Reed Bunting and Yellowhammers, Stonechat, Meadow Pipit & Skylark at Medmerry (AH)

Wednesday, 26th October: The very unseasonably mild spell continues, with another bright and very blustery morning in a freshening south-westerly, approaching gale force at times......

Selsey Bill: There were seven Swallows and plenty of Meadow Pipits and Linnets moving west, plus 52 Brent Geese, but not too much else this morning. Full log below. (P&LH/MO-W/AH/SR/IP)

(0730-0900hrs) (SSW, F6-7)

Great Northern Diver - 1os

Gannet - 20os

Shag - 5E, 1W

Brent Goose - 52W

Shelduck - 2W

Common Scoter - 3W

Red-breasted Merganser - 1W

Turnstone - 20

Mediterranean Gull -

Kittiwake - 2W

Razorbill - 156W

auk sp - 7W

Swallow - 7W

Meadow Pipit - 79W

Pied Wagtail - 4W

Linnet - 173W

(1300-1405hrs) (P&LH)

Gannet - 34W

Dunlin - 2E

Turnstone - 14

Mediterranean Gull - 11W

Kittiwake - 1W

Razorbill - 2W

auk sp - 1W

Brent Geese (above), Common Scoter, Shag, Mediterranean Gull (AH) & a dramatic sunrise (P&LH top & MO-W lower) at the Bill

Ferry Pool: Two Spotted Redshanks were roosting among 42 Black-tailed Godwits this morning, with three Avocets feeding vigorously nearby, whilst wildfowl comprised 16 Shelduck and 60+ Shovelers and Teal.

Also, earlier on, there were a Raven and a White Wagtail in the vicinity, too.(TG-P/AH).

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

East Beach Pond: A Water Rail, one Swallow heading west, a Chiffchaff, a Stonechat and a Pied Wagtail was all I could turn up today. (SR)

Church Norton: A very late Osprey was over the harbour this morning, before heading off over the North Wall. (RS)

Later, in the harbour, the Whimbrel was seen again, along with two Common Gulls, 15 Mediterranean Gulls, c25 Brent Geese and a few Grey Plovers and Dunlin.

A Merlin and a Kestrel were seen over the Severals area, with four Ringed Plovers and 17 Turnstones on the beach, whilst two Brent Geese and six Gannets went west offshore.

The bushes were quiet in the strong wind, though a Grey Wagtail, a Jay, a Green Woodpecker and two small flocks of Long-tailed Tits were around Greenlease Farm. (AH/P&LH)

Also, early this afternoon, the first Wheatear in a while appeared on the concrete blocks. (NR)

Brent Geese (above), Grey Plover & Long-tailed Tit at Church Norton (AH)

North Wall: The Osprey seen over the harbour was also seen over the field at the end of Church Lane this morning, before drifting off northwards.

The field itself continued to host lots of birds, with 100 Meadow Pipits, a White Wagtail, 50 Pied Wagtails, 500 Starlings, 12 Curlew and a couple of Stonechats present, whilst a Goldcrest was behind the stables along with two Jays and a Green Woodpecker and a lone Shelduck flew over.

A Kingfisher and a Cetti’s Warbler were around the sluice and in Whites Creek there were 18 Golden Plover with the usual mix of Wigeon, Teal, Pintail, Redshank, Grey Plovers and Oystercatchers. (LP)

Meadow Pipit (above) & White Wagtail at the North Wall (LP)

This evening, four Marsh Harriers came in to roost - all female/immature cream-cap types, whilst at least a dozen Cattle and Little Egrets dropped into Owl Copse, along with c80 Jackdaws, but otherwise four Stonechats and two Reed Buntings around the Breech Pool and lots of duck dropping into the harbour were about it. (AH)