Friday, 31st March: A gale force westerly was blowing from before dawn, bringing intermittent spells of prolonged drizzly rain and the odd brief lightening of the heavy grey cloud.... ...........
Selsey Bill: It was very quiet this morning, with just a few of the regular species seen. Full log below. (BI/IP/AH/SR)
(0700-0800hrs) (WSW, F8)
Great Northern Diver - 1os
Common Scoter - 2W, 2os
Red-breasted Merganser - 2E, 2W
Turnstone - 5
Common Gull - 1W
Sandwich Tern - 15os
(1615-1715hrs) (SH)
Great Northern Diver - 5os
Red-throated Diver - 1W
Common Scoter - 6E, 1W, 2os
Red-breasted Merganser - 5os
Sparrowhawk - 1
Sandwich Tern - 4os
Common Scoters at the Bill (AH)
Ferry Pool: There were up to 150 Black-tailed Godwits roosting on the pool this morning, along with 18 Avocets, six Teal, four Shelducks and c60 Shovelers. (AH)
Black-tailed Godwits (above) & Black-tailed Godwits, Avocets and Shovelers at the Ferry (AH)
Chichester GPs: Ivy Lake complex - There was no sign of the Red-crested Pochards this morning, but hundreds of Sand Martins, with a lone Swallow among them, were feeding low over the lake. On New Lake were two Egyptian Geese and a Blackcap was singing nearby. (IP/BI)
There were still a handful of Wigeon and Teal about, and a few Black-tailed Godwits were in the fields but apart from a gang of 20 Jackdaws along the wall and a couple of Grey Herons sheltering by the hedges, that was it. (LP)
Church Norton: There wasn't much to report this morning on the near full tide, with c40 Black-tailed Godwits and c50 Dunlin about the only waders seen, and a handful of Teal the only wildfowl, though there were still at least 50 Sandwich Terns and 100 Mediterranean Gulls with the many widely spread Black-headed Gulls.
Even the sheltered bushes were dead beyond a couple of Chiffchaffs and Long-tailed Tits. (AH)
Black-tailed Godwits (above), Mediterranean Gull, Sandwich Terns, Chiffchaff & Long-tailed Tit at Church Norton (AH)
Thursday, 30th March: A grey, but slightly milder morning, though with the south-westerly breeze fresh and blustery ...........
Selsey Bill: A steady flow of 183 Brent Geese east was the only significant movement, though a flock of 15 Knot east and a Peregrine heading out to hunt over the sea were noteworthy, whilst five Fulmars in quick succession, and 54 Gannets went west. Full log below. (P&LH/AH)
(0735-0905hrs) (SW, F6)
Red-throated Diver - 2E
Fulmar - 5W
Gannet - 3E, 54W
Brent Goose - 183E, 1W
Common Scoter - 3W
Red-breasted Merganser - 2E, 2W
Peregrine - 1os
Knot - 15E
Turnstone - 11
Sandwich Tern - 17os
Razorbill - 1W
(1330-1400hrs) (P&LH)
Great Northern Diver - 1os
Gannet - 13W
Oystercatcher - 1W
Turnstone - 3
Kittiwake - 2W
Sandwich Tern - 6os
(1645-1800hrs) (SH)
Great Northern Diver - 2os
Gannet - 2E, 2W
Red-breasted Merganser - 2W
Sandwich Tern - 8os
Fulmar (above), Common Scoters, Peregrine, Gannets & Brent Geese at the Bill (AH)
Ferry Pool: There were again c75 Black-tailed Godwits on the pool this morning, along with 14 Avocets, but there were otherwise just a handful of Teal, four Shelducks and c25 Shovelers present, whilst six Egyptian Geese went over, heading west and the Spotted Redshank was again in the channel opposite. (AH)
Spotted Redshank at the Ferry (AH)
North Wall: There were 14 Wigeon, 20 Teal, 16 Black-tailed Godwits, eight Redshank and a Grey Plover along White's Creek this morning, and a Wheatear was along the wall, whilst the pair of Great Crested Grebes were on the Breech Pool and two Marsh Harriers were over the reeds.
At Owl Copse there were 12 Cattle Egrets and three Grey Herons in the trees, but it was quiet along the hedgerows with just a couple Reed Buntings, six Goldfinches and two Greenfinches. (LP)
Wheatear (above), Marsh Harrier & Cattle Egrets at the North Wall (LP)
Church Norton: There was a bit of a selection of waders in the harbour this morning, including a Bar-tailed Godwit, c70 Black-tailed Godwits, 20 Knot, two Ringed Plovers, c35 Grey Plovers and c80 Dunlin, with at least 50 Sandwich Terns and Mediterranean Gulls among the many Black-headed Gulls present.
Also, a Peregrine went over, eight Chiffchaffs were around the Mound and a Skylark and six Linnets were along the beach. (P&LH)
Chichester GPs: Ivy Lake complex - What must undoubtedly be last year's pair of Red-crested Pochards were tucked away in the north-east corner, near the chalets, this morning.
The only other wildfowl about were up to a dozen Pochards, c20 Tufted Ducks, an Egyptian Goose on the ramp, and a handful of Greylag and Canada Geese, plus eight Great Crested Grebes, whilst three Shelduck were unusual on New Lake and there were also a few Shoveler here.
Also, at least 100 Sand Martins, plus a few Swallows were feeding up high over the pits, with c20 Mediterranean Gulls over the adjacent paddocks, whilst a Willow Warbler was at East Trout Lake, three Blackcaps were at New Lake and half a dozen Chiffchaffs and at least four Cetti's Warblers were widely spread. (AH/BI/P&LH et al)
Red-crested Pochards (above), Sand Martins, Chiffchaff & Mediterranean Gull (AH) & Black Swan (LH) at Chichester GPs
Wednesday, 29th March: Another cold and very grey morning, with drizzly mist early on slowly clearing in a light to moderate southerly breeze......
Selsey Bill: A flock of 30 Brent Geese east were the only thigs moving on a very quiet morning in poor conditions. Full log below. (AH)
(0755-0855hrs) (SSW, F2-3)
Gannet - 3E, 8W
Brent Goose - 30E
Red-breasted Merganser - 1W
Common Gull - 1W
Sandwich Tern - 8os
(1200-1330hrs) (MD)
Red-throated Diver - 3E
Gannet - 1W
Brent Goose - 38E
Common Scoter - 5E
Red-breasted Merganser - 6os
Turnstone - 4
Kittiwake - 1E
Sandwich Tern - 12os
This afternoon an Arctic skua went east, after chasing the Sandwich Terns. Full log below. (SR/SH)
(1530-1730hrs)
Great Northern Diver - 1os
Red-throated Diver - 2E
Gannet - 2E, 1W
Brent Goose - 15E
Red-breasted Merganser - 2E, 2os
Turnstone - 4
Arctic Skua - 1E
Common Gull - 1E
Sandwich Tern - 17os
Sandwich Tern (above), Common Gull & Brent Geese at the Bill (AH)
Ferry Pool: There were c75 Black-tailed Godwits roosting on the pool this morning, with, otherwise, just five Avocets, six Teal, two Shelducks and c50 Shovelers present, whilst the Spotted Redshank was again in the channel opposite. (AH)
Also, the first Sedge Warbler of the year was heard singing this morning, and this afternoon a Jack Snipe and a Little Ringed Plover were on the pool. (TG-P et al)
Spotted Redshank (above) & Black-tailed Godwits at the Ferry (AH)
Park Farm, Selsey: Three Wheatears were on the fields this afternoon. (SaH)
Fishbourne Creek: On the low tide this morning wildfowl seemed thin on the ground, with no geese seen, and just c50 Wigeon and Teal and ten Pintail at the Lavant outfall and a similar number of Mallard along the creek, whilst 3 Red-breasted Merganser were at Dell Quay with 6 Great Crested Grebe further down the channel.
Wader numbers were dominated by 100+ Redshank and Black-tailed Godwit, a few Curlew, Dunlin and Oystercatcher and singles of Grey Plover, Greenshank and Spotted Redshank, the latter at the Lavant Outfall.
Herring Gull seemed the most numerous gull, with small numbers of Black-headed, Common and Meditteranean Gulls, nine Lesser Black-Backed Gull and one Great Black-backed Gull.
Also, three Cetti's Warblers were heard, with one at the Fishbourne Mill Pond where I don't recall hearing one before. (RW)
Chichester GPs: Ivy Lake - There were at least Swallows among c40 Sand Martins over the back of the lake early this afternoon, and a Willow Warbler was singing along the path. (AB)
Earnley: Two Ravens went over today. (SH)
Church Norton: There was little change from yesterday in the harbour, with a handful of Ringed Plovers, c40 Black-tailed Godwits and c20 Dunlin the only waders beyond the regular Curlews, Redshanks and Oystercatchers, whilst a pair of Gadwall and c30 Teal were the only wildfowl seen.
Sandwich Terns, Mediterranean and Black-headed Gulls were all present in numbers, but a handful of Linnets and a couple of Skylarks were the only passerines seen. (AH)
Ringed Plover (above), Dunlin & Black-tailed Godwits at Church Norton (AH)
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