27th - 28th March 2023

Tuesday, 28th March: A fairly horrible morning, cold despite the fresh southerly breeze, with long spells of drizzly rain after a grey but dry start......

Selsey Bill: A dark-phase Arctic Skua passed east this morning, mugging a Sandwich Tern as it went, and the two Long-tailed Ducks popped in briefly, but there was again not much indication of migration. Full log below. (SR/AH/KT/OM et al)

(0720-0920hrs) (S, F5)

Great Northern Diver - 1os

Red-throated Diver - 4E, 1W

Great Crested Grebe - 1W, 2os

Fulmar - 1E, 1W

Gannet - 9E, 34W

Brent Goose - 6E

Long-tailed Duck - 2W

Common Scoter - 37E, 3W

Red-breasted Merganser - 2E, 1W

Oystercatcher - 2W

Arctic Skua - 1E

Common Gull - 2W

Sandwich Tern - 10os

(1630-1800hrs) (SH)

Great Northern Diver - 1E

Red-throated Diver - 4E

Great Crested Grebe - 1W

Gannet - 8E, 3W

Long-tailed Duck - 2W

Common Scoter - 21E

Sandwich Tern - 2E, 21os

auk sp - 1E

Sandwich Tern at the Bill (AH)

Ferry Pool: The Green Sandpiper was back in the concealed roadside pool this morning, whilst 12 Avocets were on the main pool, along with a couple of Gadwall, ten Shelducks and Teal and c50 Shovelers. The Spotted Redshank was also once again in the channel opposite. (OM/AH et al)

It is also pleasing to report that the Tawny Owls are back in their nest box, with the female currently sat on one egg. There is a nestcam on screen in the Visitor Centre if anyone wishes to see them. (RN)

Green Sandpiper (above), Spotted Redshank & Avocets at the Ferry (AH)

Church Norton: There wasn't much to report here this morning, with just a couple of dozen Black-tailed Godwits and a few Dunlin on the mud and the usual bustle of Sandwich Terns, Mediterranean and Black-headed Gulls around the island, with nothing more than a couple of Jays in the hedges. (AH)

Mediterranean Gull (above), Black-tailed Godwit & Sandwich Terns at Church Norton (AH)

Chi GPs: Ivy Lake complex - Hirundines were the only highlight, with at least 12 Sand Martins and two Swallows fairly high over the lakes. 

There were also four Chiffchaffs and a couple of Cetti’s Warblers, but otherwise it was disappointing, even though I checked most of the pits, with a total of c.25 Pochard (most on Runcton Lake) and 50 Tufted Ducks the only wildfowl of note, and several pairs of Great Crested Grebes.  (OM)                                                

North Wall: It was bleak along the wall this morning with just a few Wigeon, Teal, Redshank and Black-tailed Godwits along White’s Creek, and four Tufted Ducks and a Canada Goose on the Breech Pool.

Both Marsh Harriers were about, and a Cattle Egret flew into Owl Copse, whilst a Linnet, two Reed Buntings and a Stonechat were along the wall and a pair of Gadwall, and a few Skylarks were at Halsey’s Farm. (LP)

Stonechat (above), Linnet, Skylark, Gadwall & Wigeon at the North Wall (LP)

Monday, 27th March: A bright, but chill, start in a light north-easterly breeze, warming up, but clouding up, as it shifted to the south......

Selsey Bill: There were a few birds about, and a bit of variety, too, including six Great Northern Divers, an Eider and the two Long-tailed Ducks, but a Willow/Chiff in off the was about the only thing obviously migrating. Full log below. (SR/AH/P&LH/IP)

(0730-0915hrs) (ENE, F2-3)

Great Northern Diver - 6os

Red-throated Diver - 2E

Great Crested Grebe - 1E, 2W, 2os

Gannet - 7E, 14W

Brent Goose - 7E, 1W

Gadwall - 3W

Eider - 1os

Long-tailed Duck - 2E

Common Scoter - 13E, 13W, 23os

Red-breasted Merganser - 12E, 5W, 12os

Curlew - 1E

Turnstone - 8

Mediterranean Gull - 2W

Common Gull - 2E

Sandwich Tern - 20os

Chiffchaff - 1

Willow/Chiff - 1N

(1000-1045hrs) (BI)

Great Northern Diver - 1os

Red-throated Diver - 1E

Gannet - 1E, 2W

Brent Goose - 2os

Shelduck - 2os

Sandwich Tern - 1E

Pied Wagtail- 1N

(1315-1415hrs) (P&LH)

Great Northern Diver - 3os

Gannet - 4E

Common Scoter - 15E, 14os

Red-breasted Merganser - 1E

Kestrel - 1

Turnstone - 6

Common Scoters (above), Gadwall & Red-breasted Mergansers at the Bill (AH)

Ferry Pool: The Spoonbill was feeding at the back of the pool again early this morning. (RS)

It had moved on again later on, when there were ten Avocets and two Black-tailed Godwits on the pool, but just a handful of Teal and barely 20 Shovelers were present.

Also, the Spotted Redshank and several Redshanks were in the channel opposite, up to six Chiffchaffs were around the Tramway and a male Sparrowhawk was in the field. (AH/TG-P)

Spotted Redshank (above), Avocet & Shoveler at the Ferry (AH)

North Wall: There were 40 Black-tailed Godwits and 18 Redshank along White’s Creek together with a dozen Teal, further out on the mud there were 20 Grey Plovers, six Pintails and a few Dunlin.

A Weasel was along the wall and on the Breech Pool there were two Little Grebes and a Great Crested Grebe, whilst both Marsh Harriers were over the reeds and in the fields, there were 80 Wigeon, 16 Teal, 36 Curlew 14 Black-tailed Godwits, two Stock Doves, two Shovelers and two Gadwall.

There was a lot of activity at Owl Copse with ten Grey Herons and 12 Cattle Egrets constantly coming and going, whilst three Buzzards were high over Halsey’s Farm, a Meadow Pipit and a few Skylarks were around the fields and a Reed Bunting and a Cetti’s Warbler were along the bushes. (LP/CT)

Cattle Egret (above), Grey Herons, Reed Bunting & Weasel at the North Wall (LP)

Church Norton: Two Wheatears were on the beach this morning, along with a Skylark, and four Chiffchaffs were in the hedges by the Mound, but there wasn't much else doing beyond at least four Sparrowhawks and four Buzzards.

The harbour was quiet, too, with c50 Black-tailed Godwits being the most conspicuous waders, with otherwise, just c50 Sandwich Terns, c75 Mediterranean Gulls and eight Teal of note. (P&LH)

Medmerry: Windmill area - A male Wheatear and a female Black Redstart were around the old go-kart track this morning. (AW)

Black Redstart (above), Wheatear & Black Redstart and Wheatear at Medmerry (AW)

Medmerry: Easton Lane to the Stilt Pool - It was very quiet here, too, this morning, with a couple of Dartford Warblers, a pair of Stonechats, two or three Chiffchaffs, half a dozen Yellowhammers and Skylarks and c100 Linnets about it along the banks, whilst a few Stock Doves were around the buildings, a Raven went over east and four Buzzards were up together.

A total of 18 Avocets were on the Stilt Pools, with several pairs prospecting the small island on the northern pool, but otherwise there were just a handful of Black-tailed Godwits and Teal and c25 Tufted Ducks present, plus a few Canada Geese, with more of the latter along the various path-side pools. (AH et al)

All we could add this evening were c200 Mediterranean Gulls and a Dunlin on the Stilt Pool, and two Barn Owls - the darker one hunting the banks and a paler bird off of Easton Lane, near the Ham junction. (S&SaH)

Raven (above), Avocets, Yellowhammer, Linnet, Stonechat & Stock Dove at Medmerry (AH)