Birding the Selsey Peninsula: 28th

Sunday, 30th April: A morning of hazy sun and mist, warming up after a chill start in a light to moderate easterly breeze........

Selsey Bill: A Roseate Tern that lingered for an hour and a half among the Common Terns before eventually heading off east was the clear highlight for the good crowd on another fairly slow morning, though there was also a Black-throated Diver, an Arctic Skua and a few commoner species going east, and a Cuckoo was seen briefly heading out to sea before retreating inland to the west. Full log below. (SH/JA/PB/AGB/AB/PM/SR/BI/IP/MO-W/AH/AHu/RJS/SHo et al)

(0520-1300hrs) (E, F3)

Great Northern Diver - 1os

Black-throated Diver - 1E

Fulmar - 3W

Gannet - 45E, 25W

Shag - 1E

Eider - 8os

Common Scoter - 63E

Sparrowhawk - 1

Kestrel - 1

Oystercatcher - 8E 2W

Dunlin - 1E

Whimbrel - 9E

Turnstone - 2

Arctic Skua - 1E

Common Gull - 11E

Black-headed Gull - 43E

Lesser Black-backed Gull - 1E

Kittiwake - 3E

Sandwich Tern - 206E, 30os

Roseate Tern - 1os, then E

Common Tern - 55E, 27os

Little Tern - 13E

Cuckoo - 1

Swallow - 11N

Wheatear - 2

(1415-1700hrs) (JA/SH)

Great Northern Diver - 6os

Black-throated Diver - 1os

Mallard - 4os

Common Scoter - 2E

Gannet - 1E, 1W

Lesser Black-backed Gull - 2os

Kittiwake - 2E

Sandwich Tern - 45os

Common Tern - 52os

Little Tern - 18os

auk sp - 2E

Roseate Tern (top two PM, lower AH), Roseate & Common Terns, Black-throated Diver, Little Terns, Common Tern, Sandwich Tern, Common Scoters, Sparrowhawk & another good turn-out (AH) at the Bill

Ferry Pool: There was a Common Sandpiper and a Greenshank on the pool this morning, along with 11 Avocets, c40 Black-tailed Godwits, 15 Shelducks, three drake Gadwall and a handful of Shovelers and Teal, whilst the regularly returning Greenshank with a deformed rear end, two Common Sandpipers and 15 Whimbrel were in the channel opposite and a Cuckoo was calling from the Tramway. (AH/AHu/ABi et al)

Greenshank (above) & Common Sandpiper in Ferry Channel (AH)

Chichester GPs: Ivy Lake - Five Swifts were over the lake this morning. (S&SaH)

Church Norton: Finally, a few birds were back around Tern Island, including at least 50 Sandwich Terns, with displaying and mating seen, along with similar numbers of Mediterranean and Black-headed Gulls and a handful of Little and Common Terns.

The summer-plumaged Bar-tailed Godwits and half a dozen Whimbrel were about, too, along with c50 Grey Plovers, c300 Dunlin, a couple of Curlews, a Gadwall and c20 Shelducks.

The Spotted Flycatcher was still present today, though elusive, around the back of the hide, but beyond a few Swallows migrants were few, though the odd Whitethroat, Lesser Whitethroat and Sedge Warbler were singing around the Severals, whilst a Cattle Egret was in he nearby horse field. (AH/IP/P&JW et al)

Spotted flycatcher (PW) (above), Bar-tailed Godwit, Whimbrel & Linnet (AH) at Church Norton

Medmerry: Easton Lane to the Stilt Pool - There were plenty of birds along the banks again this morning, including a Cuckoo, 25 Whitethroats, a Lesser Whitethroat, a Sedge Warbler, four Reed Warblers, three Cetti's Warblers, four Chiffchaffs, two Blackcaps, a Stonechat, two Reed Buntings and 11 Yellowhammers, whilst two Ravens, a Buzzard and 17 Swallows went over.

A Greenshank was by the poplars, but the Stilt Pool was quiet, with just 17 Avocets, four Ringed Plovers and a Pied Wagtail present, plus a few wildfowl. (S&SaH)

Saturday, 29th April: A mostly bright and sunny morning, though still quite cool in the moderate easterly that later veered round to south-easterly..though pleasantly warm later in sheltered spots.

Selsey Bill: Another morning with a good turn-out that didn't quite live up to its billing, with just a couple of Bonxies and a few Arctic Skuas moving offshore, along with 301 Sandwich Terns and small numbers of other species, though the first Whinchat of the year, over a dozen Wheatears and at least three Swifts were seen. Full log below....

(SH/JA/PB/MRB/AB/PM/BI/IP/SR/OM/JF/CRJ/AH/MO-W/MI et al)

(0530-1300hrs) (E, F4)

Great Northern Diver - 2os

Red-throated Diver 3E, 1os

Great Crested Grebe - 1E, 1W

Fulmar - 2E, 6W

Gannet - 26E, 47W

Shelduck - 7E, 10W

Eider - 3os

Common Scoter - 36E

Sparrowhawk - 1

Bar-tailed Godwit - 1E

Whimbrel - 11E

Oystercatcher - 13E, 3W

Great Skua - 2E

Arctic Skua - 7E

Mediterranean Gull - 2E

Black-headed Gull - 71E

Common Gull - 8E

Kittiwake - 11E, 1W

Sandwich Tern - 301E, 30os

Common Tern - 8E, 25os

Little Tern - 21E, 3os

auk sp - 4E, 1W

Swift - 3

Swallow - 8N

Sand Martin - 4N

Whinchat - 1

Wheatear - 16

Willow Warbler - 7

(1500-1800hrs) (SH/JA/IP/CN)

Great Northern Diver - 1os

Red-throated Diver - 1W

Gannet - 4E, 1W

Common Scoter - 2E

Whimbrel - 4E

Arctic Skua - 1E

Mediterranean Gull - 1E

Common Gull - 2E

Sandwich Tern - 12E, 81os

Common Tern - 25E, 38os

Little Tern - 5E, 9os

Swallow - 2N

Arctic Skua (above) & Wheatear at the Bill (AH)

Ferry Pool: There were up to five Wheatears and a Stonechat in the fields, with a few Swallows over, but the pool just held an elusive Common Sandpiper, six Avocets, c40 Black-tailed Godwits and a handful of Shelducks, Teal and Shovelers.

Also, a Greenshank flew over the channel opposite, heading west, up to a dozen Whimbrels were in the channel and a Lesser Whitethroat was around the Tramway, whilst a pair of Red Kites - later seen at Medmerry and then Church Norton and the North Wall - drifted over west. (AH et al)

Greenshank (above), Common Sandpiper & Red Kites at the Ferry (AH)

Park Farm, Selsey: A male Gadwall was sat on the ground near to the Reservoir, the track from Drift Road to the Farm held at least five Willow Warblers, a Chiffchaff and two male Blackcaps this morning with a Lesser Whitethroat in the bushes along Park Lane, a House Martin among a few Swallows also here and a Pied Wagtail sat on the house roof at Park Farm.

Also, a Female Redstart was feeding along the hedge line where the Park Farm fields meets the Greenlease fields. (IP)

Long Pool: A couple of Lesser Whitethroats were along the pool early on, together with a couple of Reed Warblers and half a dozen Sedge Warblers, Whitethroats, Reed Buntings and Linnets, whilst a couple of pairs of Lapwings were over the fields and up to ten Whimbrel were at the end of Ferry Channel. (AH)

Sedge Warbler (above), Whitethroat & Reed Bunting along the Long Pool (AH)

Church Norton: It was pleasing to see 16 Little Terns in the harbour this morning, but a couple of Sandwich Terns and a handful of Mediterranean and Black-headed Gulls were all that could be seen, .though 40 Sandwich Terns were offshore.

At least a dozen Whimbrel, plus a summer-plumage Bar-tailed Godwit were also present, along with six Knot, c20 Grey Plovers, a dozen Ringed Plovers, three Turnstones and at least 500 Dunlin, plus about 20 Shelducks.

Also, a Cuckoo popped up in the horse field, with another along the west side, a swift flew through the harbour and the two Red Kites drifted over an the harbour and back again.

There was a bit of passerine activity at last, including a Spotted Flycatcher, a Sedge Warbler and a Willow Warbler by the Mound, a Garden Warbler in Bluebell Wood, up to ten Wheatears spread along the beach, Sedge, Reed and Cetti's Warblers, plus a Reed Bunting, around the Severals and a wide scattering of Whitethroats, Lesser Whitethroats, Blackcaps and Chiffchaffs. (AH/IP et al)

Cuckoo (above), Spotted Flycatcher, Little Terns, Red Kite & Dunlin at Church Norton (AH)

North Wall: At Halsey’s Farm this morning a Whinchat was along the fences, along with eight Wheatears and four Linnets, with three Whimbrel, a Meadow Pipit and lots of Skylarks in the fields there, and a Cuckoo and a couple of Swallows flew through.

Another Cuckoo was behind the Breech Pool and on the pool were two Gadwall, two Tufted Ducks, two Mute Swans and two Great Crested Grebes, one of which was struggling for 20 minutes to swallow a fish.

Overhead were two Red Kites, the male Marsh Harrier, a Buzzard and a Kestrel, and along the hedgerows there were plenty of Sedge Warblers, Reed Warblers, Reed Buntings, Whitethroats and Cetti’s Warblers. (LP/SP)

This evening there were five Wheatears along the wall. (TH)

Whinchat (above), Wheatear, Cuckoo, Red Kite & Great Crested Grebe at the North Wall (LP)

East Head: an Arctic Skua was in the entrance to Chichester Harbour this afternoon. (PG)

Medmerry: Easton Lane to the Stilt Pool - It was busy along the banks this morning, with a Cuckoo, two Wheatears, three Stonechats, three Dartford Warblers, a Willow Warbler, a Blackcap, two Chiffchaffs, a Sedge Warbler, five Reed Warblers, six Cetti's Warblers, 24 Whitethroats, three Reed Buntings and 11 Yellowhammers all seen, plus 21 Swallows over.

Also, a Cattle Egret, a Greenshank, ten Grey Plovers and c20 Dunlin were on the reserve, with a Red Kite, a Kestrel and seven Buzzards over, whilst just five Avocets, a Ringed Plover, six Black-tailed Godwits and c20 Dunlin were on the Stilt Pool. (S&SaH)

Medmerry: Medmerry Trail to Ham Farm - A total of five Whinchats and two Wheatears were spread along the Trail this morning, whilst at Ham there were three Corn Buntings and the two Red Kites were seen. (BI/SR)

A look from Porthole Farm to Ham Farm this evening produced three Cuckoos - one at Porthole Farm and two at Ham, with two Whinchats and a Wheatear along the Trail between the two.

Otherwise, at Porthole Farm, there were 100+ Swallows and House Martins over the settling tanks, with Whitethroats everywhere, half a dozen Yellowhammers and a couple of Reed Buntings along the Trail, and two pairs of Red-legged Partridges in the fields.

At Ham there were three Corn Buntings, a pair of Stonechats and plenty of Linnets, Skylarks and Whitethroats, plus c60 Stock Doves, whilst around the houses there were three Willow Warblers and a Lesser Whitethroat. (AH)

Cuckoos (above), Corn Bunting, Wheatear, Willow Warbler, Whitethroat, Yellowhammer & Red-legged Partridge at Medmerry (AH)

Runcton: A Willow Warbler was in the garden this afternoon, along with a Jay. (CRJ)

Willow Warbler (above) & Jay in a Runcton garden (CRJ)

Friday, 28th April: It was slightly milder than of late, as the blustery breeze shifted to the west, but it was another very dreary, drizzly and overcast morning.....

Selsey Bill: There wasn't too much going on, but a reasonable selection included a couple of Arctic Skuas offshore, nine Brent Geese going east and two Common Sandpipers that dropped in on the beach. Full log below. (BI/CN/IP/SR/KT/AH)

(0530-0900hrs) (WSW, F4)

Great Northern Diver - 1os

Great Crested Grebe - 1W

diver sp - 1E

Fulmar - 1W

Gannet - 30E, 38W

Shag - 1os

Brent Goose - 9E

Mallard - 2E

Common Scoter - 20E, 1W

Red-breasted Merganser - 1W

Oystercatcher - 5E, 9W

Common Sandpiper - 2

Whimbrel - 1E, 5W

Turnstone - 14W

Arctic Skua - 1E, 2os

Mediterranean Gull - 1E

Kittiwake - 1W

Sandwich Tern - 21E, 45os

Common Tern - 2E, 3os

Little Tern - 12os

Razorbill - 1os

auk sp - 1W

Swallow - 8N

(1630-1730hrs) (SH/CN)

Gannet - 3E, 3W

Common Scoter - 3E

Arctic Skua - 1E

Common Gull - 1W

Kittiwake - 1W

Sandwich Tern - 4E, 12os

Common Tern - 8os

Swallow - 5N

Common Sandpipers (above), Little Tern, Common Tern, Sandwich Tern, Fulmar & Gannet at the Bill (AH)

Ferry Pool: The pool just held 12 Avocets, c40 Black-tailed Godwits and a handful of Shelducks, Teal and Shovelers, whilst at least 15 Whimbrel were off the Tramway, but the circuit just produced a Lesser Whitethroat, a couple of Chiffchaffs and half a dozen Whitethroats and Blackcaps. (AH)

Blackcap (above), Avocet & Whimbrels at the Ferry (AH)

Medmerry: Stilt Pool - A Dartford Warbler was in the gorse opposite the Stilt Pools this morning, and three Little Terns were on the pool itself. (AW)

Little Terns (above) & Dartford Warbler at Medmerry (AW)

Church Norton: A Lesser Whitethroat, a couple of Chiffchaffs, Blackcaps and Sedge Warblers and half a dozen Whitethroats and Swallows were the only migrants seen this morning, with a dozen Whimbrel, c100 Dunlin, c20 Shelducks and two drake Gadwall all that the harbour could offer. (AH)

This afternoon, a Coal Tit was on the edge of Priory Wood and a Cuckoo was heard calling. (CN)

Whitethroat (above), Blackcap & Whimbrel at Church Norton (AH)

Chichester GPs: A Common Tern and a few hirundines were around Ivy Lake this evening, and a Lesser Whitethroat was in Peckhams Copse Lane. (CS)

North Wall: At Halsey’s Farm a Cuckoo, a Yellowhammer and a Chaffinch were in the trees and a few Skylarks were singing, while in the field north of Owl Copse, two Lesser Whitethroats, four Linnets and a Blackcap were in the bushes, a Swift, two Swallows, two Buzzards and a Kestrel flew over, and two Whimbrel were in the fields.

Along the wall there were plenty of Sedge Warblers, along with a few Reed Warblers, Whitethroats. Reed Buntings and Greenfinches and in Owl Copse, the fast growing young Grey Herons were devouring what looked like a large Koi Carp in their nest. On Owl water there were ten Tufted Ducks, two Little Grebes and two Coot families and on the Breech Pool there were four Great Crested Grebes and the nesting Mute Swans, whilst both Marsh Harriers were up over the reeds and a Sparrowhawk drifted over the harbour, but it was quiet along White’s Creek with just the regular Greenshank and a few Black-headed Gulls about. (LP/SP/IH)

Reed Warbler (above), Sedge Warbler, Reed Bunting, Linnet, Whimbrel & Grey Herons at the North Wall (LP)

Pagham Spit: Two Little Terns were fishing around the harbour entrance, nine Turnstones were on the scaffolding and a Red Breasted Merganser was in the new lagoon, along with a Great Crested Grebe, whilst a Ringed Plover was on the shingle and a few Linnets were in the gorse.

Out in the harbour there were 14 Mute Swans, 38 Shelduck, 30 Dunlin, 20 Grey Plovers, two Bar-tailed Godwits, two Whimbrels and a Common Seal, but a single Ringed Plover on Peregrine Island was the only bird to be seen on the three islands. (LP)