Birding the Selsey Peninsula: 4th

Thursday, 6th April: The breeze freshened and swung round to the west, leaving a mostly bright, if blustery, morning..........

Selsey Bill: There were 77 Brent Geese and 61 Common Scoters going east this morning, but that was it again for migration. Full log below. (SR/AH/MO-W/IP/OM/BFF)

(0715-0900hrs)

Great Northern Diver - 2os

Red-throated Diver - 1W, 2os

Great Crested Grebe - 2W

Gannet - 4E, 20W

Brent Goose - 77E 2W

Common Scoter - 61E, 2W

Red-breasted Merganser - 2W, 2os

Oystercatcher - 2W

Turnstone - 6

Sandwich Tern - 20os

Meadow Pipit - 1N

(1615-1715hrs) (SH)

Great Northern Diver - 1os

Red-throated Diver - 2E

Gannet - 9E, 4W

Red-breasted Merganser - 2os

Oystercatcher - 2E

Sandwich Tern - 4E, 38os

Gannet at the Bill (AH)

Ferry Pool: The Green Sandpiper was in the concealed roadside pool again this morning, whilst the main pool held eight Avocets, six Redshanks, 120 Black-tailed Godwits, a pair of Gadwall, a dozen Teal, four Shelducks and c60 Shovelers.

There were also two Spotted Redshanks and a single Wigeon in the channel opposite, with both a singing Chiffchaff and a Willow Warbler in the adjacent bushes. (OM/BFF/AH)

Spotted Redshanks (above), Avocets & Gadwall and Shovelers at the Ferry (AH)

North Wall: A Common Whitethroat was along the bushes, together with a few Chiffchaffs and Greenfinches, and three Cetti’s Warblers were calling from the reeds, whilst both Marsh Harriers and two Buzzards were up behind the Breech Pool, and on the pool, there were a pair of Gadwall, a Great Crested Grebe and a pair of Mute Swans.

In White’s Creek there were just eight Teal 12 Redshank and 22 Black-tailed Godwits, with a few Mediterranean Gulls overhead.

Also, a Swallow flew over at Halsey’s Farm and a few Reed Buntings were around, and the usual mix of Grey Herons, Cattle Egrets and Little Egrets were in Owl Copse. (LP/SP)

This evening a Great White Egret was briefly in Owl Copse before flying off to the south-west. (N Hadden)

Church Norton: The masses of Mediterranean Gulls on Tern island were of course the most obvious feature, with occasional 'dreads' as they rose as one into the air, supported by Black-headed Gulls and plenty of Sandwich Terns. However, these apart, the harbour was actually rather quiet, with c.70 Dunlin, ten Grey Plovers and 20 Curlew of note and four Swallows passing over, whilst the hedgerows were also largely dead with just a couple of Chiffchaffs singing and a brief snatch of Willow Warbler too.

There were also four Eider and a Great Crested Grebe offshore from the Severals, but nothing on the pool there bar a couple of Mallard, whilst a Cetti's Warbler sang from the reeds and several more Swallows arrived from the sea. (BFF/OM)

Late this afternoon two male Blackcaps were with up to ten Chiffchaffs around the Mound, whilst there were up to 200 Dunlin and c120 Black-tailed Godwits, plus a dozen Teal in the harbour. (AH)

Blackcaps (above), Chiffchaff, Dunlin, Black-tailed Godwits & Sandwich Terns and Mediterranean Gulls at Church Norton (AH)

Wednesday, 5th April: A fairly pleasant morning of light cloud and hazy sun in a light and variable breeze..........

Selsey Bill: Two Common Terns were offshore, a Swallow flew in and a few Brent Geese, Red-throated Divers and Sandwich Terns went east, though volumes remain low. Full log below. (AH/SR/IP/MO-W/P&LH)

(0720-0905hrs) (F2-3, variable between E and S)

Great Northern Diver - 1E, 6os

Red-throated Diver - 6E

Fulmar - 1W

Gannet - 10W

Brent Goose - 38E

Common Scoter - 30E, 6W, 24os

Red-breasted Merganser - 4E, 7W, 3os

Oystercatcher - 4W

Curlew - 2E

Turnstone - 20W

Mediterranean Gull - 1E

Sandwich Tern - 10E, 1W, 15os

Common Tern - 2os

Razorbill - 1os

Swallow - 1N

Pied Wagtail - 1W

Linnet - 1

(1200-1320hrs) (P&LH/MD)

Great Northern Diver- 1os

Gannet - 1E, 2W

Brent Goose - 25E

Common Scoter - 24E, 6W, 1os

Red-breasted Merganser - 1W, 2os

Turnstone - 15

Sandwich Tern - 16os

Razorbill - 1W

Swallow - 3N

This evening a Black-throated Diver and another 92 Brent Geese went east. Full log below. (SH)

(1600-1730hrs)

Great Northern Diver- 2os

Black-throated Diver - 1E

Gannet - 3E, 3W, 1os

Brent Goose - 92E

Red-breasted Merganser - 6os

Oystercatcher - 12E

Turnstone - 9E

Mediterranean Gull - 2W

Sandwich Tern - 10E, 32os

Red-throated Diver (above) & Common Scoters at the Bill (AH)

Ferry Pool: There were eight Avocets, c60 Black-tailed Godwits, a Gadwall, six Teal, a pair of Shelducks and c75 Shovelers on the pool this morning and a pair of Lapwings were displaying over the field. (AH)

Lapwing (above) & Gadwall and Shovelers at the Ferry (AH)

Long Pool: There was no sign of the Short-eared Owl this evening but a cream-capped Marsh Harrier was hunting over the reeds, four Swallows flew over, two Sedge Warblers were singing and a few small flocks of Shoveler and Mediterranean Gulls were heading to the harbour. (BI/IP et al)

East Beach: A Blackcap was in the garden again this morning. (SR)

Church Norton: A Sand Martin and a Swallow flew in off the sea opposite the Severals, with two more of the later over Greenlease Farm later, but they were the only migrants present, beyond a couple of Willow Warblers in Rectory Lane and up to ten scattered Chiffchaffs.

Otherwise, a Cattle Egret flew over the churchyard, a few Linnets and a Meadow Pipit were along the beach and a pair of Mistle Thrushes were in Rectory Lane, along with a pair of Red-legged Partridges.

The harbour was uneventful, too, beyond the Sandwich Terns, Mediterranean and Black-headed Gulls, with just c40 Black-tailed Godwits, 15 Grey Plovers, 20 Curlews, a handful of Ringed Plovers and Teal and 40 Shelduck of note, whilst a pair of Gadwall were on the second Several. (AH/P&LH)

Swallow (above), Sandwich Tern, Linnet & Teal at Church Norton (AH)

Chichester GPs: Ivy Lake complex - The pair of Red-crested Pochards were about this afternoon, along with a Pochard, two Gadwall, two Shovelers, four Egyptian Geese, four Greylag Geese and a Black Swan, with four Swallows and three Lesser Black-backed Gulls also about, with five Chiffchaffs and four Cetti's Warblers along the paths. (MD/P&LH)

North Wall: A Red Kite drifted west behind the wall this morning and a few Greenfinches, Goldfinches and Chaffinches were in the trees, whilst along the wall there were at least 12 Reed Buntings, four Cetti’s Warblers and three Chiffchaffs with seven Canada Geese and a few Curlews in the fields, and a Pair of Tufted Ducks were on the Breech Pool.

At Owl Copse there were seven Grey Herons, four Little Egrets and 14 Cattle Egrets, while at Halsey’s Farm there were 20 Teal along the Rife, and a Sparrowhawk and a Buzzard were also about. (LP)

Also, a Sedge Warbler was on the Breech Pool. (D Homer)

Sedge Warbler (D Homer), Red Kite, Cattle Egrets, Little Egret and Grey Herons, Reed Bunting & Tufted Duck (LP) at the North Wall

Tuesday, 4th April: After another frosty start, another bright and breezy morning, warm in the sun, cool in the fresh north-westerly breeze.....

Selsey Bill: There was a bit of variety this morning, including the first two Common Terns of the spring, 42 Sandwich Terns and 88 Common Scoters east, a smart pair of Eider on the sea and a Wheatear flying in. Full log below. (PB/SR/IP/MO-W/AH)

(0630-0930hrs) (NE, F3-4)

Great Northern Diver - 2os

Great Crested Grebe - 2os

Gannet - 3E, 4W

Little Egret - 1N

Shelduck - 4E

Shoveler - 4E, 4W

Tufted Duck - 2W

Eider - 2os

Common Scoter - 88E, 20os

Red-breasted Merganser - 8E, 5W

Curlew - 2W

Mediterranean Gull - 9 (on Oval Field)

Common Gull - 2E

Sandwich Tern - 42E, 10os

Common Tern - 2E

Razorbill - 1W

Wheatear - 1N

Eider (above), Common Scoters, Sandwich Tern & Red-breasted Merganser at the Bill (AH)

Ferry Pool: A Swallow went over the pool this morning, whilst there were 107 Black-tailed Godwits, eight Avocets, at least three Redshanks, five Gadwall and 85 Shovelers present, too.

Also, the Spotted Redshank and four more Redshanks were in the channel opposite, with a Chiffchaff singing nearby.(AH/PB/MO-W)

Spotted Redshank (above), Redshanks & Chiffchaff at the Ferry (AH)

Long Pool: The Short-eared Owl was showing well in the fields at the far end of the pool this evening, whilst there were two singing Sedge Warblers nearby bushes, along with a couple of Reed Buntings and two pair of Lapwings were displaying over the arable fields. (AH/RP/SR et al)

Short-eared Owl at the Long Pool (AH)

North Wall: A Stonechat and a Green Woodpecker were in the paddock this morning and a handful of Greenfinches and Chaffinches were in the surrounding trees, but it was quiet along the wall, with just a couple of Reed Buntings, a Chiffchaff and three Cetti’s Warblers about, and in the fields, there were just 20 Curlews.

The now usual mix of Little Egrets, Cattle Egrets and Grey Herons were in Owl Copse and at Halsey’s Farm there were 20 Teal and three Gadwall, with a few singing Skylarks, too. (LP)

Reed Bunting (above), Green Woodpecker & Gadwall and Teal at the North Wall (LP)

A Dartford Warbler and a Barn Owl were both seen along the wall this evening. (LP/SP)

Dartford Warbler (above) & Barn Owl at the North Wall (LP)

Chichester GPs: Ivy Lake complex - The two adult Little Gulls were present again this morning, and the pair of Red-crested Pochards were also seen, whilst the bushes along the path held two Blackcaps, five Chiffchaffs and five Cetti's Warblers.. (KJ/CRJ et al)

Sidlesham: A Blackcap was singing in the garden early this morning, and early this afternoon a Raven went over west. (AH)

Raven over Sidlesham (AH)

Medmerry: Easton Lane to the Stilt Pools - The banks were mostly quiet this morning, though a pair of Dartford Warblers and a pair of Stonechats were active near Marsh Farm, and a couple of Chiffchaffs and a few Linnets and Stock Doves were about, too, whilst the many Skylarks were being very conspicuous.

A Raven, a Sparrowhawk, two Kestrels and four Buzzards went over, but the Stilt Pool held just 26 Avocets, four Black-tailed Godwits, a Greylag Goose and a dozen Tufted Ducks, and the tidal area near the poplars just held a dozen or so Teal and Redshanks. (AH)

There was plenty of activity this evening, including three Dartford Warblers, a Stonechat, two Cetti's Warblers, a Reed Bunting and seven Yellowhammers along the banks and a Swallow and a Marsh Harrier over.

Also, four Brent Geese and 14 Avocets were on the reserve, but just one of the latter was on the Stilt Pool, along with a Ringed Plover, a Black-tailed Godwit and two Pied Wagtails, whilst a family of three Coot chicks was on one of the small pools. (S&SaH)