Birding the Selsey Peninsula: 19th

Thursday, 21st September: A complete change in the weather overnight left a fairly bright and distinctly cooler morning in just a light easterly breeze.... .......

Selsey Bill: It was predictably quiet offshore, though an Arctic Skua was harassing the Sandwich Terns by the Mile Basket, whilst a few Meadow Pipits and Swallows were moving overhead and a Willow Warbler, three Chiffchaffs and two Wheatears were along the front. Full log below (OM/AH/IP)

(0700-1100hrs): (NE, F2)

Gannet - 9E, 2W

Shag - 12E

Turnstone - 20

Arctic Skua - 1E

Lesser Black-backed Gull - 1os

Mediterranean Gull - 4E

Sandwich Tern - 16E

Swallow - 38E

House Martin - 2E

Meadow Pipit - 65E

Wheatear - 2

Willow Warbler - 1

Chiffchaff - 3

Linnet - 4

Willow Warbler (above), Wheatear, Meadow Pipit & Mediterranean Gull at the Bill (AH)

Ferry Pool: There was a bit of a selection early on this morning, including a Common Sandpiper, three Spotted Redshanks, two Snipe, four Dunlin, a Ringed Plover, 22 Black-tailed Godwits and c30 Teal, whilst another Spotted Redshank and a Grey Plover were in the channel opposite and a few Blackcaps and Chiffchaffs were in the Discovery Area. (AH) Later in the day a Ruff was present. (S.Gately)

Spotted Redshanks (above), Common Sandpiper, Snipe, Ringed Plover & Blackcap at the Ferry (AH)

North Wall: There were still 12 Curlew Sandpipers along White’s Creek this morning, along with a Spotted Redshank, a Snipe, eight Dunlin, 40 Black-tailed Godwits and lots of Redshank and Lapwings with a few Teal and Wigeon on the water and a Lesser Black-backed Gull out on the mud.

A Kingfisher was by the sluice and two Reed Buntings, two Whitethroats and a Cetti’s Warbler were in the bushes, five Wheatears were along the wall, two Jays and eight Swallows flew through, and a Marsh Harrier was up over the reeds.

It was quiet at Owl Copse, with just a single juvenile Cattle Egret visible in the trees and a Blackcap, a Reed Warbler and a Whitethroat in the hedgerow. (LP/GaJ/SP/TRH)

Curlew Sandpipers (above), Wheatear & Reed Bunting at the North Wall (LP)

Pagham Spit and Lagoon: A Dartford Warbler was along the spit this morning, and there were three Mediterranean Gulls and five Sandwich Terns around the harbour mouth.

There were a few birds moving overhead, with 450 Meadow Pipits, 90 Linnets and two Siskins going east and five Yellow Wagtails south by midday.

Also, a Common Sandpiper was feeding along the eastern edge of the lagoon this morning. (GJa)

Church Norton: There wasn't much to report this morning, with around half a dozen Whitethroats, Blackcaps and Chiffchaffs in the hedges and ten Swallows over being the only migrants, whilst a Whimbrel, a couple of Bar-tailed Godwits and a few Grey Plovers were the only things of note in the harbour. (AH)

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

This evening there were two Spotted Flycatchers and half a dozen Chiffchaffs behind the hide, whilst three Whimbrels were in the harbour, and six Sandwich Terns were roosting among a few Black-headed Gulls. (AH)

Spotted Flycatcher (above), Chiffchaff, Sandwich Terns & Whimbrel at Church Norton (AH)

East Head: A Ruff and two Greenshanks were in Snowhill Creek this morning, among c40 Redshanks and c120 Black-tailed Godwits. (PH)

Medmerry: Easton Lane to the Stilt Pools - A Dartford Warbler, three Willow/Chiffs and a Yellowhammer were along the banks this evening, with nine Meadow Pipits, two Kingfishers, three Greenshanks and four Cattle Egrets seen on the reserve. (S&SaH)

Wednesday, 20th September: A very windy morning, with a gale-force south-westerly, though quite mild in the brief sunny intervals, albeit with the threat of heavy rain later.......

Selsey Bill: Five Manx Shearwaters - a surprisingly rare bird here at this time of year - went west this morning, with another five distant shearwater sp, three of which were possibly Balearic Shearwaters, also seen heading west, along with a dark-phase Arctic Skua, a Razorbill and a few Gannets and Sandwich Terns. Full log later. (PB/PM/AH/IP/P&LH)

(0630-1030hrs) (SW, F7-8)

Great Crested Grebe - 2W

Manx Shearwater - 5W

shearwater sp - 5W

Gannet - 69W, 7E, 30os

Shag - 9E

Common Scoter - 7W

Oystercatcher - 2

Turnstone - 50

Arctic Skua - 1W

Mediterranean Gull - 12W

Kittiwake - 4W

Sandwich Tern - 20W

Razorbill - 1W

Swallow - 5E

There were a further three Manx Shearwaters and two Arctic Skuas this afternoon, too. Full log below. (P&LH)

(1230-1430hrs)

Manx Shearwater - 3W

Gannet - 38W

Shag - 3W

Common Scoter - 1E

Turnstone - 39

Arctic Skua - 2W

Kittiwake - 3W

Sandwich Tern - 17W

Wheatear - 1

Not much was happening later on, though one more Manx shearwater went west. (BI/GaJ/SH et al)

(1440-1735hrs)

Manx Shearwater - 1W

Gannet - 8W

Shag - 6W

Oystercatcher - 1E

Turnstone - 61

Kittiwake - 1W

Sandwich Tern - 10W

Sandwich Tern (above) & Shags at the Bill (AH)

Ferry Pool: There were four Spotted Redshanks on the pool this morning, but otherwise there were just six Lapwings, 22 Black-tailed Godwits and 16 Teal present. (AH)

Spotted Redshanks at the Ferry (AH)

Church Norton: Two Spotted Flycatchers along the path to the beach, a handful of Chiffchaffs among a roaming tit flock and two House Martins over were about it for migrants this morning.

There was a bit more activity in the harbour, including a Greenshank, a Whimbrel, seven Black-tailed Godwits, 35 Grey Plovers, 15 Ringed Plovers, c50 Dunlin, c40 Teal, c20 Pintail and c50 Wigeon. (AH/P&LH)

Greenshank (above), Bar-tailed Godwit, Grey Plover, Mediterranean Gull & Pintail and Wigeon at Church Norton (AH)

North Wall: A Green Woodpecker was in the garden of Little Welbourne and a Jay was in the paddock, a Spotted Redshank was in White's Creek, along with a few Redshanks and Lapwings, but there was little else about in the extremely windy conditions. (LP)

Jay (above) & Green Woodpecker at the North Wall (LP)

Chichester GPs: A late morning walk around the pits produced a Black Swan on Copse Lake with two Mute Swans, whilst on New Lake there were 60 Shovelers, a Little Egret, seven Little Grebes and 51 Cormorants and Runcton Lake held four Pochard.

Also noted was an adult Common Gull on Ivy Lake plus two singing male Cetti’s Warblers along the path. (GaJ)

Tuesday, 19th September: A pretty dismal morning, with a gale-force westerly blowing through successive squally showers, though it remains mild.....

Selsey Bill: A Merlin shot through eastwards and a Wheatear flew up the beach, but otherwise it was completely dead this morning. Full log below. (AH)

(0715-0815hrs) (WSW, F7-8)

Gannet - 8W

Merlin - 1E

Turnstone - 4

Sandwich Tern - 6os

Wheatear - 1

(1700-1800hrs) (SH)

Gannet - 1W

Turnstone - 6

Kittiwake - 1

Sandwich Tern - 1W

Ferry Pool: Two Merlins were tussling up high over Ferry Channel this morning, before going off west, but there was very little on the pool - just 16 Black-tailed Godwits, six Lapwings and 22 Teal. (AH)

Merlins (above), Lapwing & Black-tailed Godwits at the Ferry (AH)

Church Norton: A Lesser Whitethroat, a Whitethroat, two Chiffchaffs and a roaming flock of Blue, Great and Long-tailed Tits were all that could be found in the sheltered hedges this morning, whilst a dozen Swallows went over.

A Greenshank flew up the harbour, whilst out on the mud there were two Whimbrels, two Bar-tailed Godwits, a Black-tailed Godwit, a dozen Grey Plovers and c50 Dunlin, plus at least 80 Redshanks, two Shelducks and a few Teal and Wigeon. (AH)

Whitethroat (above), Greenshank, Whimbrel, Bar-tailed Godwit, Black-tailed Godwit & Mediterranean and Black-headed Gulls at Church Norton (AH)

North Wall: There were still at least four Curlew Sandpipers in White’s Creek this morning, along with a Spotted Redshank, six Dunlin, 80 Redshank, 40 Lapwing, a Ringed Plover, two Turnstones, 80 Wigeon and five Pintail, but it was predictably quiet along the wall in the very windy conditions, with just a Kingfisher flying through and four Little Grebes on Owl Water.

The Breech Pool is now full of water and held just a handful of Mallards, and two Grey Herons were with two Little Egrets out on their island. (LP/CT)