Wednesday, 12th April: Another very windy morning, quite cold and with some heavy squalls moving through.....going downhill by afternoon with heavy rain at times and the west-south-westerly gale gusting to severe gale force 9 at times.
Selsey Bill: A flock of 14 Brent Geese east were the only migrants on a very quiet morning. Full log below. (SR/P&LH/AH/MO-W)
(0715-0900hrs) (W, F5-6)
Great Crested Grebe - 2W
Fulmar - 1E, 2W
Gannet - 2E, 25W, 2os
Brent Goose - 14E
Common Scoter - 6E
Sparrowhawk - 1
Oystercatcher - 1W
Turnstone - 7
Common Gull - 1E
Sandwich Tern - 1E, 10W, 18os
This evening the first Manx Shearwater of the year went west, well offshore. Full log below. (SH)
(1645-1800hrs) (WSW, F8)
Red-throated Diver - 1W
Great Crested Grebe - 1os
Manx Shearwater - 1W
Sandwich Tern - 5os
Common Tern - 2os
Fulmar (above) & Sandwich Tern at the Bill (AH)
Ferry Pool: A Great White Egret flew out from Red Barn Ditch and across the harbour towards the west side (AW), whilst a Little Ringed Plover was on the pool and a Raven and two Swallows went over (TG-P)
Later on, it was just the usual stuff, though, including ten Avocets, a Lapwing, a couple of Black-tailed Godwits, three Gadwall, four Shelducks, a dozen or so Teal and c40 Shovelers, whilst c200 Mediterranean Gulls went over west and a Spotted Redshank and three Redshanks were in the channel opposite. (AH/MO-W)
Spotted Redshank (above), Avocet & Mediterranean Gull at Ferry (AH)
Fishbourne Creek: In the blustery conditions only two Chiffchaffs were noted in the bushes, whilst in the harbour there were still a few Wigeon and Teal, with 50+ of both Redshank and Black-tailed Godwit, and a couple of Curlews, whilst mid-channel there were six Greenshanks.
Also, in amongst the numerous Herring and Black-headed Gulls were two Greater Black-backed Gulls and a Lesser Black-backed Gull. (RW)
Church Norton: There really wasn't much to report this morning, with just a couple of Blackcaps and a few Chiffchaffs in the sheltered hedges, a handful of Linnets and a couple of calling Cetti's Warblers along the Severals and two Buzzards over.
The harbour was dominated by the gull and tern colony, with otherwise just c60 Black-tailed Godwits and a few Curlews and Shelducks on the mud. (AH)
Later on, the male Redstart was again around the orchard at Greenlease Farm. (SaH)
Blackcap (above), Linnet, Buzzard, Black-tailed Godwits and Tern Island at Church Norton(AH)
Tuesday, 11th April: A bright and breezy morning in a blustery westerly, freshening and clouding up as the morning progressed.....
Selsey Bill: It was fairly quiet this morning, though a Shag and a couple of Red-throated Divers went east and a few Common Terns were offshore, whilst a Wheatear went along the beach and a Swallow flew in. Full log below. (AH/MO-W/IP)
(0720-0905hrs) (W, F4)
Great Northern Diver - 4os
Red-throated Diver - 2E
Great Crested Grebe - 1os
Gannet - 1E, 7W
Shag - 1E
Shelduck - 2W
Common Scoter - 4E
Red-breasted Merganser - 5os
Mediterranean Gull - 2W
Common Gull - 3W
Sandwich Tern - 25os
Common Tern - 3W, 13os
Swallow - 1N
Meadow Pipit - 1N
Wheatear - 1
(1645-1800hrs) (SW, F6) (SH/AH)
Great Crested Grebe - 1os
Fulmar - 2W
Gannet - 1E, 1W
Kittiwake - 1W
Sandwich Tern - 1E, 14os
Red-throated Diver (above), Sandwich Tern & Common Gull at the Bill (AH)
Ferry Pool: A Great White Egret flew over heading west, early this morning, though otherwise it was just the regulars, including nine Avocets, c75 Black-tailed Godwits, a drake Gadwall, ten Teal, four Shelducks and c60 Shovelers, whilst a Spotted Redshank and three Redshank were in the channel opposite. (MO-W/AH)
Spotted Redshank (above), Spotted Redshank and Redshank & Avocets at the Ferry (AH)
The Green Sandpiper was present again this afternoon, along with two Lapwings, ten Avocets, c30 Black-tailed Godwits and c50 Mediterranean Gulls, whilst 14 Swallows went over. (MO-W/AH)
Long Pool: There were quite a few Sedge Warblers singing along the pool this morning, but not much else was going on. (AW/J Morton)
East Head: A look along the harbour from East Head to Ella Nore this morning produced a single Brent Goose, a Whimbrel, c40 Bar-tailed and c60 Black-tailed Godwits, 30 Knot, 30 Ringed Plovers and c45 Oystercatchers, along with c300 Mediterranean Gulls, with more in the fields, and there were also two Wheatears on Ella Nore spit. (PH)
Church Norton: The male Redstart showed briefly again in the hedge by the orchard at Greenlease Farm this morning, and half a dozen Swallows went over, but the only other migrants were a couple of Willow Warblers and Blackcaps and up to ten Chiffchaffs, mostly around the Mound and hide.
At least 250 Black-tailed Godwits were spread around on the mud, but there wasn't too much else beyond the gulls and terns around the island. (AH/AW)
Willow Warbler (above), Chiffchaff & Black-tailed Godwits at Church Norton (AH)
Bank Holiday Monday, 10th April: A pretty dire morning that started with a fresh south-westerly and drizzle that quickly turned to rain, before easing up by lunchtime.....
Selsey Bill: It was predictably quiet, but a pair of Eider were sat on the sea, two Wheatears dropped in on the rocks and 17 Common Gulls, mostly first-winter birds, went west. Full log below. (CN/SR/AH/SH/BI)
(0730-0900hrs) (SW, F4)
Great Northern Diver - 2os
Fulmar - 2W
Brent Goose - 6E
Eider - 2os
Red-breasted Merganser - 2E, 2W
Oystercatcher - 1W
Turnstone - 1W
Common Gull - 17W
Sandwich Tern - 1E, 6os
Wheatear - 2
Wheatear (above), Sandwich Tern & Common Gull at the Bill (AH)
(1145-1300hrs) (SH/AW)
Great Northern Diver - 1os
Red-throated Diver - 1E
Gannet - 3E, 15W
Sandwich Tern - 1E, 19os
Common Tern - 1os
Swallow - 5N
Wheatear - 2
(1615-1715hrs) (SH/CN/AH)
Gannet - 7E, 1W
Red-breasted Merganser - 1E, 2os
Great Skua - 1E
Sandwich Tern - 3E, 20os
Bonxie at the Bill (AH)
Ferry Pool: There wasn't much on the pool this morning, with just ten Avocets, two Black-tailed Godwits, six Teal and c50 Shovelers present, whilst the Spotted Redshank was again in the channel opposite. (AH)
Spotted Redshank (above) & Shovelers at the Ferry (AH)
Park Farm, Selsey: A Whitethroat was in the hedges this afternoon. (S&SaH)
Church Norton: Two Yellow Wagtails flew in off the sea early on, and later a Whitethroat was behind the hide - both firsts for the year, whilst otherwise, four Sedge Warblers and three Cetti's Warblers were calling from the Severals and a couple of Blackcaps and half a dozen Chiffchaffs were along the sheltered hedges.
A Marsh Harrier and a Buzzard were over the Severals, with three Gadwall also there, whilst at least 100 Black-tailed Godwits were in the harbour, along with c60 Dunlin, c20 Ringed Plovers and a few Curlews and Redshank, plus, of couse, the mass of Sandwich Terns, Mediterranean and Black-headed Gulls. (SH/BI/AH)
Whitethroat (above), Chiffchaff, Curlew & Ringed Plover and Dunlin at Church Norton (AH)
The first Redstart of the spring - a smart male - was at Greenlease Farm this afternoon, whilst a Wheatear was on the beach, a Swallow went over, a Willow Warbler, a couple of Chiffchaffs and a Blackcap were around the Severals, and a Sedge Warbler, a couple more Willow Warblers, at least five Blackcaps and a dozen Chiffchaffs were around the Mound.
Also, a Cattle Egret was in the horse field and at least three Common Terns were among 100+ Sandwich Terns in the harbour. (S&SaH/AH)
Redstart (SaH) (above), Sedge Warbler, Willow Warbler, Blackcap, Cattle Egret and Common and Sandwich Terns, Common and Mediterranean Gulls (AH) at Church Norton
North Wall: A Wheatear was in the paddock along with a Green Woodpecker, two Greenfinches and three Goldfinches, while six Jackdaws were busy collecting hair from the horses.
A Spoonbill, a Swallow and a Snipe flew over the Breech Pool, where there were pairs of Tufted Ducks, Great Crested Grebes and Mute Swans, and the male Marsh Harrier was over the reeds. At Halsey’s Farm there were three Teal, two Shovelers and two Gadwall, and in Owl Copse there was the usual Grey Herons, Little Egrets and Cattle Egrets.
It was quiet along the hedgerows with just a couple of Reed Buntings and Chiffchaffs, and along White’s Creek there were just two Black Tailed Godwits, three Grey Plovers and eight Redshank. (LP/CT)
Spoonbill (above), Wheatear, Teal & Jackdaw at the North Wall (LP)
Chichester GPs: Ivy Lake complex - This afternoon there were three Common Terns over the lakes, and there were also several hundred Sand Martins, with just a few Swallows amongst them, present, too. (AW)
Common Tern (above), Sand Martin & Swallow over Ivy Lake (AW)
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