29th - 31st October 2022

Monday, 31st October: Another pleasant, if breezy, morning, mild and with a mix of sun and cloud in a moderate southerly.........but showers by mid-afternoon.

Selsey Bill: A Merlin dropped in and sat on the beach early on, with a Black Redstart by Bill Point House, a Wheatear going east offshore and two Purple Sandpipers on the sea-defence concrete later on, but in-between it was fairly slow beyond a few Linnets etc going over and plenty of Gannets feeding offshore, plus a coupe of Sandwich Terns and 25 Shags going east. Full log below. (SR/AM/IP/MO-W/AH/P&LH/OM/BI)

(0655-1200hrs) (SSW, F4)

Great Crested Grebe - 2E, 1W

Gannet - 4E, 3W, 120os

Shag - 25E

Brent Goose - 4E, 12W

Red-breasted Merganser - 1E

Shoveler - 5E

Wigeon - 2W

Merlin - 1

Kestrel - 1

Oystercatcher - 2E

Purple Sandpiper - 2

Turnstone - 22

Lesser Black-backed Gull - 1os

Mediterranean Gull - 1E, 10os

Common Gull - 1W

Kittiwake - 1E

Sandwich Tern - 3E

Razorbill - 3E

auk sp - 45E, 8W

Stock Dove - 12E

Wood Pigeon - 259E

Skylark - 30E

Meadow Pipit - 28E

Pied Wagtail - 11E

Black Redstart - 1

Wheatear - 1E

Chiffchaff - 2

Magpie - 14E

Chaffinch - 1E

Linnet - 149E

Goldfinch - 230E

Merlin (above), Sandwich Tern & Shags at the Bill (AH)

Black Redstart, Kestrel and Purple Sandpipers at the Bill this morning (OM)

(1330-1430hrs)(P&LH)

Oystercatcher - 1E

Shag - 5W

Arctic Skua  - 1 chasing gulls in the fishing flock

Mediterranean Gull - 9E

Razorbill - 2W 

Guillemot - 1 os (drifting with the current - not looking well!)

Mediterranean Gull at the Bill (LH)

Medmerry: Coastguards and West beach - There was little on show here, with just a couple of Stonechats, six Meadow Pipits, a Skylark and a couple of small flocks of Goldfinches and Linnets moving through. (OM)

Ferry Pool: Five Avocets were again on the pool this morning, together with a dozen Black-tailed Godwits, c30 Shovelers and c75 Teal, with a Grey Wagtail and a Chiffchaff in the area (AH/CRJ)

Later, a look behind the Visitor centre and the cycle track produced three Swallows going over south and three Chiffchaffs in the bushes, plus a few Long-tailed Tits and a Goldcrest. (OM)

This afternoon there were five Avocets on the pool, whilst a Kingfisher flew down the channel opposite. (IP)

Avocets (above) & Teal (AH)

Church Norton: A Black Redstart was on the rubble pile at Greenlease Farm this morning, with another in the churchyard, along with two Goldcrests, four Chiffchaffs, a Redwing and a Mistle Thrush, with three Jays, a Green Woodpecker and five Red-legged Partridges also about. (P&LH)

Black Redstart at Church Norton (LH)

North Wall: A Dartford Warbler was in the paddock this morning along with two Stonechats and 20 Long-tailed Tits came through with a few Blue Tits and Great Tits, a Chiffchaff and a Goldcrest, while two Green Woodpeckers and a Sparrowhawk flew over. Along Whites Creek a Little Grebe was with the usual mix of Wigeon, Pintail, Teal and Mallards, with lots of Redshank and Lapwing and a few Grey Plovers along the banks, whilst further out were 24 Shelduck and eight Brent Geese. 

At Halsey’s Farm there were a few Meadow Pipits and Skylarks about, a Water Rail was calling from the reeds and another Goldcrest was in the trees. (LP/TG) 

Later, Halseys Farm was very quiet, with just three Great Spotted Woodpeckers, a Buzzard, two Kestrels and two Roe Deer seen. (CRJ)

Dartford Warbler and Stonechats (above) & Dartford Warbler at the North Wall (LP)

Honer Reservoir: Along Honer Lane a flock of at least 100 Fieldfares was in the trees along with a single Redwing and there were also a few Yellowhammers, Meadow Pipits and Chaffinches about. 

On the reservoir there were just three young Mute Swans, four Mallards and a Little Grebe and at the Water Treatment Works there were six Pied Wagtails with another 20 on the adjacent field. (LP)

Fieldfares in Honer Lane (LP)

Marsh Farm, Sidlesham: Three Yellowhammers and a dozen Skylarks were along Church Farm Lane, with two Cattle Egrets among the sheep there, with four more tat Marsh Farm and c20 with the sheep north of Chalder Farm.

There was little else around the farms beyond two pairs of Stonechats and a few Meadow Pipits, Goldfinches and Chaffinches, though a couple of Yellowhammers were among a small flock of the latter at Chalder Farm.

Church Lane was a little more productive, with three or four Chiffchaffs and a Grey Wagtail, whilst two Mistle Thrushes were flying around the churchyard. (AH)

Grey Wagtail (above), Chiffchaff, Yellowhammer, Meadow Pipit, Mistle Thrush and Cattle Egret around Marsh Farm, Sidlesham (AH)

Chi GPs: Ivy Lake complex - A wander around the lakes this morning produced a minimum of 15 Chiffchaffs and a few Cetti's Warblers calling, but there was nothing scarcer to be found, not helped by the paddle boarders on Ivy Lake. A pair of Egyptian Geese was present amongst them though and a Black Swan was at the eastern end. 

There were very few ducks on any lakes except New Lake where 25 Pochards (4 females) and c.60 Shovelers resided, with a couple of Gadwall, six Mallards and ten Tufted Ducks the best of the rest. Two Goldcrests were near the Farm along with half a dozen Long-tailed Tits. (IP)

East Head: A lovely morning on East Head, with growing numbers of wintering passerines - nothing heart-stopping but at least 30 Stonechats, 70 Meadow Pipits, 30 Goldfinches, 20 Skylarks and ten Dunnocks. (GM)

Stonechat (above), Meadow Pipit, Goldfinches & Dunnock at East Head (GM)

Sunday, 30th October: A fairly grey and overcast morning, after some early drizzly rain, but still mild in a freshening breeze, southerly early on, veering south-westerly....

Selsey Bill: A Sooty Shearwater went west, some way out, at 0855hrs, after a very distant probable 15 minutes earlier, but otherwise there wasn't too much else on the move, though a Merlin was seen and a Purple Sandpiper dropped in on the concrete sea-defences. Full log later. (SH/BI/SR/I/AH/MO-W/ABi/RJS)

(0635-0950hrs) (SSW, F4-5)

diver sp - 1E

Great Crested Grebe - 1W, 1os

Sooty Shearwater - 1W (0855hrs)

shearwater sp - 1W

Gannet - 23E, 308W

Shag - 9E

Brent Goose - 7E, 18W

Common Scoter - 8E, 1W

Red-breasted Merganser - 1E

Merlin - 1

Kestrel - 1

Purple Sandpiper - 1

Dunlin - 5W

Curlew - 1W

Turnstone - 3

Mediterranean Gull - 5E, 23W

Common Gull - 1E

Kittiwake - 1W

Razorbill - 51W

auk sp - 23E, 141W

Meadow Pipit - 1W

Pied Wagtail - 1

Purple Sandpiper (SH - top, AH - lower two), Razorbills & Shags (AH) at the Bill

A first-winter Sabine's Gull was seen lingering off of the end of Grafton Road between 1200-1300hrs today.. (per R Lowe on Birdforum)

Sabine's Gull at the Bill (R Lowe)

(1300-1400hrs) (SH)

Great Crested Grebe - 2os

Gannet - 29W

Shag - 1W

Wigeon - 2W

Common Scoter - 3W

Mediterranean Gull - 5W

Sandwich Tern - 3W

Razorbill - 2w

auk sp -3E, 16W

Ferry Pool: Four Avocets, a single Black-tailed Godwit, 14 Shelducks and c40 Teal were all that were on the pool this morning. (AH)

Avocets on the Ferry (AH)

North Wall: There were still lots of Pied Wagtails in the field at the end of Church Lane and a Green Woodpecker was around the paddock, whilst two Marsh Harriers were interacting over the reeds behind the Breech Pool, though there were just a few Mallards and Coots on the pool itself.

A Kingfisher was around the sluice again, along with a Grey Wagtail and another Pied Wagtail, and along White's Creek there were the usual Wigeon and Teal with lots of Redshank, a few Grey Plover and a Little Grebe. There were six Rock Pipits along the wall and a few Yellowhammers, Reed Buntings and Goldfinches were around the bushes. (LP)

Also, there were 15 Fieldfares at Halsey's Farm. (RHa)

Marsh Harriers (above), Yellowhammer, Pied Wagtail & Little Grebe at the North Wall (LP)

Medmerry: Easton Lane to the Stilt Pool - There were two Marsh Harriers, a Merlin and two Kestrels over the reserve this morning, with two Snipe and c100 Golden Plovers also seen, whilst the banks still produced two Dartford Warblers, a Yellowhammer and 24 Stonechats, despite the windy conditions. (S&SaH)

Park Farm, Selsey: The fields held a flock of c100 Linnets this morning, but little else of interest. (IP)

Church Norton: The Wheatear was by the concrete blocks again this morning, with a Dartford Warbler near the second Several and half a dozen Stonechats along the front and spit, together with plenty of Linnets, Meadow Pipits and Skylarks, whilst a Peregrine went over low, heading west. Also, a Jay and a Green Woodpecker were at Greenlease Farm and a Kestrel and a Sparrowhawk were about, too.

A Greenshank was in the harbour, along with a dozen Turnstones, c30 Grey Plovers, c50 Dunlin, c250 Brent Geese, half a dozen Pintail and lots of Wigeon and Teal, whilst a Kingfisher was briefly on the metalwork and two Gannets went west offshore. (AH/IP/RJS/(P&JW et al)

Wheatear (above) & Peregrine at Church Norton (AH)

Saturday, 29th October: It remains very mild for the time of year, though it was mostly overcast this morning and with a moderate south-easterly breeze....

Selsey Bill: The first Black Redstart of the autumn popped up along the front this morning, and plenty of Linnets, Meadow Pipits and Wood Pigeons, plus a few Stock Doves, were moving overhead, but there was little offshore beyond a few Brent Geese and a large feeding flock of Gannets. Full log later. (JA/SH/BI/IP/SR/MO-W)

(0720-1000nrs) (SE, F4)

Great Northern Diver - 2os

Red-throated Diver - 1E

Gannet - 78E (in one flock), 200os

Shag - 29E

Brent Goose - 3E, 40W

Red-breasted Merganser - 5W

Oystercatcher - 1W

Turnstone - 6

Lesser Black-backed Gull - 1E

Mediterranean Gull - 50os

Kittiwake - 40os

Razorbill - 4W, 10os

auk sp - 8E, 15W

Stock Dove - 28S

Wood Pigeon - 1060S

Skylark - 13E

Swallow - 4E

Meadow Pipit - 79E

Pied Wagtail - 22E

Black Redstart - 1

Magpie - 9

Chaffinch - 7E

Goldfinch - 165E

Linnet - 460E

Black Redstart (above), Shags & Gannets at the Bill (AH)

Ferry Pool: Early on, a Green Sandpiper was on the pool. (RAI)

Later on, there was nothing on the pool except 20 Teal and about the same number of cows! (AH)

Marsh Farm, Sidlesham: Two Brambling were along the concrete road this morning, with plenty of Fieldfares and Redwings towards Fisher. (BI)

Brambling at Marsh Farm, Sidlesham (BI)

Church Norton: A Wheatear was along the spit this morning, along with a Stonechat, 50+ Meadow Pipits and plenty of Linnets and Skylarks, plus six Pied Wagtails heading west, whilst six Stonechats, a Reed Bunting, a Cetti's Warbler, a Jay and both Green and Great Spotted Woodpeckers were along the Severals/beach front and six Chiffchaffs were around the orchard at Greenlease Farm.

The Harbour held 71 Brent Geese, with a further 17 flying east offshore, over 100 Lapwing, 20 Dunlin, ten Grey Plovers and the usual Turnstones, Curlews, Oystercatchers, Ringed Plovers and Redshanks, whilst Wigeon numbers continue to increase (a minimum of 100 seen) and also at least 50 Teal were present, along with a flock of Shelduck and a few Pintail, whilst a lone Little Grebe on the second Several was the first of this species I have seen here for over four months. (IP)

Wheatear at Church Norton (IP)

Medmerry: Easton Lane to the Stilt Pool - There were at least eight Dartford Warblers along the banks this morning, with half near the first viewpoint and the other near Marsh Farm. There were also at least 41 Stonechats, with 25 of them in and around the cover crop by Marsh Barn, whilst there were also half a dozen Yellowhammers, four Pied Wagtails, four Chaffinches, six Cetti's Warblers, a Chiffchaff, 50+ Meadow Pipits and Skylarks and 500+ Linnets spread around the area, with a Redwing going over, too.

A Marsh Harrier, a Merlin, a Sparrowhawk and four Kestrels were hunting over the reserve, where there were also c40 Brent Geese, 150 Golden Plovers, a couple of Snipe, a Water Rail and hundreds of Wigeon and Teal, whilst at least 200 Stock Doves were near Marsh Farm and the Stilt Pool held a Greenshank, another Snipe, c40 Lapwings, a couple of Little Grebes, c25 Gadwall and more Wigeon and Teal. (AH/NR/TB/S&SaH et al)

Dartford Warbler (above), Yellowhammer, Meadow Pipit, Linnets, Greenshank, Stock Doves & Gadwall and Wigeon at Medmerry (AH)

South Mundham. Yesterday I found three or four Willow Emerald damselflies on a pond in the village. This a migrant species which is slowly colonising various sites in the south - two photos attached, one in bright sunshine yesterday and another taken today in duller conditions. (CRJ)

Willow Emerald damselflies at South Mundham (CRJ)