10th - 13th October 2023

Friday, 13th October: After heavy rain overnight, it was a morning of heavy grey cloud and intermittent drizzly rain, but still quite mild in the fresh and blustery south-westerly........

Selsey Bill: There were an unprecedented six Cory's Shearwaters seen going west late this morning - one at 1104hrs, three together at 1147hrs and two more at 1150hrs, with several other distant possibles having to remain unconfirmed.

An adult Arctic Tern this morning and a juvenile in the afternoon, two Arctic Skuas and two Merlins also went west, but there actually wasn't too much else moving beyond 300+ Gannets and a few Razorbills. Full log below. (BI/SR/AH/SH/OM/CRJ/GJa)

(0715-1600hrs) (SW, F6-7)

Cory's Shearwater - 6W (1 at 1104hrs, 3 at 1147hrs & 2 at 1150hrs)

shearwater sp - 5W

Gannet - 34E, 364W

Shag - 1E, 2os

Common Scoter - 34E, 26W

Merlin - 2W

Grey Plover - 2W

Golden Plover - 5W

Ringed Plover - 14W

Dunlin - 2W

Curlew - 1W

Turnstone - 12

Arctic Skua - 2W, 1os

Mediterranean Gull - 1E, 4W

Kittiwake - 3W

Sandwich Tern - 3E, 19W

Arctic Tern - 2W

Razorbill - 4E, 30W

auk sp - 27E, 37W

Swallow - 80W

Pied Wagtail - 1W

Linnet - 5W

Arctic Terns (top two AW, lower AH) (above), Sandwich Tern, Ringed Plovers and Dunlin & Gannets (AH) at the Bill 

Ferry Pool: There were just three Spotted Redshanks and two Greenshanks on the pool, among c30 Black-tailed Godwits and c40 Lapwings, with c20 Shovelers and c40 Teal also present. (AH)

Spotted Redshanks and Black-tailed Godwits (above) & Greenshanks and Shovelers at the Ferry (AH)

Long Pool: A Dartford Warbler was along the hedges this morning. (LP)

Church Norton: At least four Stonechats, a dozen Chiffchaffs, half a dozen Goldcrests and c20 Long-tailed Tits were along the sheltered hedges this morning, with ten Swallows going over.

Half a dozen Gannets were offshore again, but the harbour was quiet on the high tide, with just a few Grey Plovers and Curlews and c100 redshanks noted, along with a few Wigeon and Teal. (AH)

Chiffchaff (above), Stonechats & Long-tailed Tit at Church Norton (AH)

Thursday, 12th October: After some overnight rain, another heavily overcast, but mild and muggy morning in a moderate westerly breeze.....

Selsey Bill: There were still Gannets and Razorbills in reasonable numbers this morning, and a Bar-tailed Godwit went west though not too much else was of note. Full log below. (SR/AH/CRJ/RJS/MG)

(0720-1020hrs) (WNW, F4)

Gannet - 12E, 44W, 20os

Shag - 7E

Oystercatcher - 2E, 1W

Dunlin - 9W

Bar-tailed Godwit - 1W

Turnstone - 12

Mediterranean Gull - 24W, 5os

Kittiwake - 4W

Sandwich Tern - 6E, 2W

Razorbill - 185W, 18os

auk sp - 16E, 62W

Swallow - 8W

Goldfinch - c50

Grey Seal - 1os

Common Seal - 1os

(1615-1715hrs) (SH)

Gannet - 12E, 16W, 11os

Shag - 2W

Common Scoter - 3W

Mediterranean Gull - 2W, 3os

Sandwich Tern - 3W

Razorbill - 1W

auk sp - 1W

Razorbills (above), Mediterranean Gull, Grey Seal (AH), Razorbills, Gannet & Common Seal (AW)  at the Bill 

Ferry Pool: All eight Spotted Redshanks were busily feeding together on the pool this morning, and there were also four Greenshanks, a lone Dunlin, c50 Lapwings, c25 Black-tailed Godwits, eight Wigeon, c30 Shovelers and c60 Teal on the pool. (AH)

Spotted Redshanks (above) & Greenshanks and Lapwings on the Ferry (AH)

Church Norton: A Dartford Warbler and four Stonechats were along the front of the Severals this morning, with eight Meadow Pipits, c40 Linnets, two House Martins and c20 Swallows going over, but a few calling Goldcrests were all that could be found in the hedges.

Also, eight Gannets and a dozen Mediterranean Gulls were offshore, whilst the Whimbrel was again in the harbour at high tide, along with a dozen Knot, c30 Grey Plovers and c100 Dunlin and Redshanks. Three Sandwich Terns and half a dozen Pintail were also present, along with a few Wigeon and Teal. (AH/CRJ/RJS/MG)

Gannets (above), Stonechat, Pintail, Grey Plovers & Knot and Grey Plovers at Church Norton (AH)

North Wall: A Grey Wagtail was along the lane this morning and two Jays, two Kestrels, a Stonechat, a Song Thrush were around the paddock and a Rock Pipit was along the wall.

In White’s Creek, on the rising tide, there were two Turnstones, an Avocet, 70 Grey Plovers, 25 Golden Plovers. 30 Ringed Plovers, 50 Dunlin, two Knot, 80 Redshank, 12 Curlews, 60 Lapwing, 70 Wigeon and five Shelducks, whilst two Lesser Black-backed Gulls were on the mud with the Yellow-legged Gull.

A Marsh Harrier was behind the Breech Pool and 30 Curlews were in the fields but aside from a few Reed Buntings, there were very few small birds around. (LP/SP/TRH)

This evening the Little Owl was showing well again in the paddocks, with three Marsh Harriers - a second-year male and two females, a greenshank and a Snipe also about, whilst a Stonechat and a calling  Tawny Owl were at Halsey's Farm. (S&SaH) 

Rock Pipit (above), Reed Bunting, Grey Wagtail, Avocet, Golden Plovers & Kestrel at the North Wall (LP)

Wednesday, 11th October: A very grey, though still mild, morning in a brisk south-westerly breeze.....

Selsey Bill: There were still a fair few Razorbills and Gannets around again this morning, though less than yesterday, with two or three Guillemots, half a dozen Kittiwakes  and 50 Mediterranean Gulls also about, but not much else was on the move. Full log below. (SR/AH)

(0720-0920hrs) (SW, F4-5)

Gannet - 1E, 21W, 16os

Shag - 1E, 1os

Oystercatcher - 1W

Turnstone - 2

Mediterranean Gull - 50W

Lesser Black-backed Gull - 1W

Kittiwake - 7W

Sandwich Tern - 2os

Razorbill - 152W, 39os

Guillemot - 2W, 1os

auk sp - 131W

Swallow - 26W

Hummingbird Hawk-moth - 1

(1600-1700hrs) (SH)

Gannet - 3E, 22W, 5os

Shag - 4W

Turnstone - 2W

Mediterranean Gull - 12W

Black-headed Gull - 61W

Kittiwake - 1W

Sandwich Tern - 7W

Razorbill - 2W, 1os

Swallow - 3W

Razorbills (above), Mediterranean Gull & Sandwich Tern at the Bill (AH)

Ferry Pool: There were still eight Spotted Redshanks and five Greenshanks on the pool this morning, along with 32 Black-tailed Godwits, c40 Lapwings, c30 Shovelers and c50 Teal. (AH) 

Spotted Redshanks (above), Greenshanks and Lapwings & Shovelers at the Ferry (AH)

North Wall: A Short-eared Owl was briefly over the reeds mid-morning, and a Marsh Harrier flew over and across the harbour, 12 House Martins and 60 Swallows were over the Breech Pool but there was a just a Coot on the water.
The Jays were still busy around the paddock, where there was also a Pied Wagtail, six Long-tailed Tits, two Chiffchaffs, two Stonechats and a Collared Dove.
A Spotted Redshank was along White’s Creek, along with a Grey Wagtail, two Turnstones 20 Wigeon, two Great Crested Grebes, a Little Grebe, and a few Redshanks, Curlews and Lapwings, with an Avocet and 30 Grey Plover further out on the mud. (LP/CT)

Short-eared Owl (above), Wigeon, Jay, Long-tailed Tit, Pied Wagtail & Collared Dove at the North Wall (LP)

Church Norton: A Marsh Harrier was over the harbour this morning, but the only waders seen were a dozen Curlews and c100 roosting Redshanks, whilst offshore, eight Gannets went west.

About 40 Swallows went over, along with a dozen Linnets, but three Mistle Thrushes and a handful of Goldcrests was about it, otherwise. (AH)

Gannet (above), Swallow & Marsh Harrier at Church Norton (AH)

The only birds of note this evening were a Whimbrel and ten Grey Plovers out in the harbour and c20 Swallows feeding overhead. (AH)

Whimbrel at Church Norton (AH)

Tuesday, 10th October: A slightly cooler and breezier morning, but still very pleasant in a mix of sunshine and cloud in a moderate south-westerly breeze.....

Selsey Bill: The morning was dominated by auks - with all those identified being Razorbills - with over 2000 birds seen, heading both east and west. Otherwise, there was a reasonable selection of other species offshore, but not much moving overhead. Full log below. (SR/JDa/AH)

(0720-0950hrs) (SW, F2-3)

Gannet - 3E, 122W, 50os

Shag - 8E

Brent Goose - 11W

Wigeon - 3E

Common Scoter - 2E, 12os

Kestrel - 1

Turnstone - 7

Mediterranean Gull - 31W

Common Gull - 3W

Kittiwake - 3W

Sandwich Tern - 4E, 1W, 1os

Razorbill - 532E, 192W, 82os

auk sp - 894E, 456W

Swallow - 29E

Grey Wagtail - 2W

Pied Wagtail - 18W

Meadow Pipit - 31W

Linnet - 27W

Goldfinch - 9W

(1530-1630hrs) (SH)

Gannet - 1E, 27W

Shag - 4W

Mediterranean Gull - 11W

Kittiwake - 2W

Sandwich Tern - 5W

Razorbill - 23W, 7os

Guillemot - 2W

auk sp - 25W

Razorbills (above), Gannets, Shags & Mediterranean Gull at the Bill (AH)

Ferry Pool: There were eight Spotted Redshanks and five Greenshanks roosting on the pool at high tide this morning, along with 32 Black-tailed Godwits, c50 Lapwings, eight Little Egrets, c30 Shovelers and c60 Teal, with a Grey Wagtail going over and a vocal Cetti's Warbler in the hedge by the road. (AH)

Greenshanks and Lapwings (above) & Spotted Redshanks and Black-tailed Godwits on the Ferry (AH)

Church Norton: A Short-eared Owl flew down the far side of the harbour late this morning, and a Peregrine was upsetting the waders in the harbour, which included c30 Grey Plovers, a Bar-tailed Godwit, a Knot, a dozen Turnstones and c100 Dunlin, along with a Kingfisher..

Up to 20 Swallows and four or five House Martins were feeding over the hide area, but a couple of Chiffchaffs and Goldcrests, plus a Mistle Thrush, were the only other birds noted. (AH et al)

Short-eared Owl (above), Peregrine, Chiffchaff, Swallow & Grey Plovers, Turnstones and Knot at Church Norton (AH)

There wasn't much to add this evening, though a Marsh Harrier was hunting over the spit and the Greenshank was still present. (AH)

Marsh Harrier (above) & Greenshank at Church Norton (AH)

West Itchenor: A White-tailed Eagle was on Stakes Island in the harbour this morning, before flying off west. (PH)

Medmerry: Easton Lane to the Stilt Pool - This evening two Stonechats, a Chiffchaff, seven Goldcrests, three Cetti's Warblers and eight Yellowhammers were along the banks, whilst a Kingfisher and a Greenshank were near the poplars and five Cattle Egrets, six Egyptian Geese and two Kestrels were around the reserve. (S&SaH)