Monday 23 October 2023

23rd - 25th October 2023

Wednesday, 25th October: The heavy overnight rain carried on well into the morning, before finally easing as the initially light north-easterly breeze freshened..............

Selsey Bill: A very quiet morning in the dismal conditions! Full log below. (SR/AH)
(0805-0905hrs) (NE, F2-3)
Gannet - 1W
Common Scoter - 2E
Turnstone - 9
Mediterranean Gull - 2os

Ferry Pool: There were six Spotted Redshanks and six Greenshanks on the pool this morning, along with 19 Avocets, 16 Black-tailed Godwits, five Shelducks, c30 Teal and c50 Shovelers, whilst the first Common Sandpiper in several weeks was in the channel opposite. (AH/TG-P/NR)

Spotted Redshanks (above), Spotted Redshanks and Greenshanks & Common Sandpiper at the Ferry (AH)



Church Norton: A Black Redstart was around the buildings at Greenlease Farm this morning, but a couple of Jays, a Great Spotted Woodpecker and two or three Goldcrests and Long-tailed Tits were about all else that could be found.
A flock of 56 Curlews were in the fields behind the Severals, and a male Marsh Harrier drifted along the spit, but the harbour was very quiet on the full tide, with just c50 Brent Geese and similar of Wigeon and Teal, plus a few Redshanks, noted. (AH)

Black Redstart (above), Marsh Harrier, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Curlews & Bent Geese at Church Norton (AH)




North Wall: A Grey Wagtail was in my flooded garden along Church Lane this morning. (JDW)

Medmerry: Easton Lane to the Stilt Pools - A Ring Ouzel was seen along the banks this morning. (AS)

Fishbourne Creek: On the falling tide this afternoon there were two Bar-tailed Godwit at the Lavant outfall and four Greenshank spread out along the creek, with a Jay briefly in the dead elms at the top of the creek. (RW)

Later on, there were three redhead Goosanders along the creek, with a Greenshank and a Kingfisher also seen. (SM)






Tuesday, 24th October: It was fairly cool and blowy early on, before the westerly breeze eased to leave a lovely, warm and sunny morning..........

Selsey Bill: A total of 194 Brent Geese west was the most significant action this morning, but beside a Red-throated Diver, a distant skua sp and a few Gannets west, it was quiet. Full log below. (SR/KT/AH)
(0745-0900hrs) (WNW, F4)
Red-throated Diver - 1W
Gannet - 3E, 34W
Brent Goose - 194W
Turnstone - 8
skua sp - 1W
Mediterranean Gull - 2W
auk sp - 1W
Swallow - 5
Pied Wagtail - 2


Brent Geese (above), Swallow, Gannets & a dramatic skyline at the Bill (AH)



Ferry Pool: There were at least six Spotted Redshanks on the pool early this morning, along with 17 Avocets, eight Black-tailed Godwits, c30 Lapwings, six Shelducks, c30 Teal and c50 Shovelers. (AH)

Spotted Redshanks (above) & Avocets at the Ferry (AH)

North Selsey: Two Firecrests were among a mixed flock of Goldcrests and tits that moved through our garden, to the north of the village, late this morning. (AW)

Church Norton: A few Goldcrests were about it in the bushes this morning, though, again, one and probably two Dartford Warblers were along the front of the Severals, together with at least half a dozen Stonechats and three or four Reed Buntings, with seven Swallows going over.
There wasn't too much of note in the harbour on the high tide, though a flock of c200 Linnets came off the islands, 13 Brent Geese flew through and ten Pintail were on the water, along with a fair few Wigeon and Teal. (AH/KT)

Dartford Warbler (above), Reed Bunting, Pintails & Brent Geese at Church Norton (AH)



North Wall: A Short-eared Owl was hunting over the fields at Owl Point at dusk this evening. (AH)

Short-eared Owl at the North Wall (AH)








Monday, 23rd October: A fairly cool and overcast morning in a brisk south-easterly breeze......

Selsey Bill: There was bit of overhead migration this morning, mostly of Linnets, but the sea remains quiet. Full log below. (KT/SR/IP/AH)
(0730-0915hrs) (SE, F4-5)
Great Crested Grebe - 1os
Gannet - 3E, 11W
Shag - 1E
Brent Goose - 1W
Teal - 1E
Eider - 1W
Common Scoter - 10E
Kestrel - 1
Turnstone - 4
Mediterranean Gull - 13E, 4W
Common Gull - 1W
Kittiwake - 1os
Sandwich Tern - 3E
Razorbill - 1E, 3W
auk sp - 5W
Swallow - 4E
Pied Wagtail - 32E, 3W
Meadow Pipit - 31E
Linnet - 293E
Siskin - 26E
Goldfinch - 30E

Shag (above), Common Scoters, Sandwich Tern & Mediterranean Gull at the Bill (AH)



Later in the morning a Red-throated Diver went west and four Little Gulls were lingering offshore before also moving west. (AW/BI)

Red-throated Diver at the Bill (AW)

Ferry Pool: The eight Spotted Redshanks were on the pool early this morning, along with 16 Avocets, 12 Black-tailed Godwits, six Shelducks, c30 Teal and c50 Shovelers. (AH)

Spotted Redshanks (above) & Spotted Redshank and Avocets at the Ferry (AH)

Park Farm, Selsey: A Grey Wagtail was at the farm this morning. (SaH)

Grey Wagtail at Park Farm, Selsey (SaH)

Church Norton: Four Swallows over the car park, a Mistle Thrush, a Chiffchaff and a Goldcrest were all I could find this morning. (CRJ)

Medmerry: Windmill to the Breach - It was very quiet here this morning, with nothing at all and the windmill end and just three Meadow Pipits, a Linnet and a Stonechat at the breach end.
The tidal area was quiet, too, with just a couple of Grey Plovers, a dozen or so Dunlin and Ringed Plovers and a few Curlews, Oystercatchers and Redshank seen. (AH)

Stonechat (above), Meadow Pipits, Linnet, Grey Plover & Ringed Plovers at Medmerry (AH)




North Wall: A Jay, a Stonechat, a Chiffchaff, a Goldcrest and 16 Long-tailed Tits were around the paddock, and both the male and female Marsh Harriers were up over the reeds further back.
Along White’s Creek there were 62 Black-tailed Godwits along with the usual mix of Redshank, Lapwing, Curlew, Grey Plovers, Dunlin, Wigeon, Teal and Pintail, but it was quiet along the wall with just a Rock Pipit along the rocks, a Buzzard in the bushes and a few Meadow Pipits overhead.
Two Water Rails were calling by Owl Copse, a pair of Stonechats were on the fence line at Owl Point but that was it, apart from a couple of Reed Buntings and a few Goldfinches. (LP/CT)

Marsh Harrier (C Stockwell), Rock Pipit, Jay, Buzzard & Black-tailed Godwits (LP) at the North Wall




Runcton: South of the village this morning, a Little Egret, eight Mallards, a Coot, four Moorhens, a Green and a Great Spotted Woodpecker, two Chiffchaffs, seven Long-tailed Tits, ten Goldfinches two Chaffinch were about it. (CRJ)

West Itchenor: A brief walk along the shore produced a Little Grebe, two Grey Plovers, a Dunlin, seven Curlews, six Little Egrets and four Pied Wagtails with a flock of Long-tailed Tits, a Chiffchaff, a Goldcrest and a Stonechat in the hedgerow. (SR)

Curlew (above) & Long-tailed Tit at West Itchenor (SR)

Medmerry: Stilt Pool - A first-winter tern was over the Stilt Pool this afternoon - it appeared to be most likely a Common Tern rather than an Arctic Tern, but opinion is divided!. (AW)

Probable Common Tern at Medmerry (AW)











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