20th - 22nd March 2024

Friday, 22nd March: A return to cool and grey conditions this morning, and even a bit of light drizzle, with the breeze fresh and from the west..........

Selsey Bill: A Purple Sandpiper, two Fulmars and a Little Egret went west and a flock of five Eider - three females and two first winter males - went east this morning, whilst three Wheatears were along the beach, two of which were seen coming in off the sea.. Full log below. (BI/IP/AH/MO-W/AW)

(0555-0825hrs) (W, F4)

Great Northern Diver - 4os

Fulmar - 2W

Gannet - 1E, 33W

Shag - 2E

Little Egret - 1W

Shelduck - 3W

Mallard - 1N

Eider - 5E

Common Scoter - 2E, 14W

Red-breasted Merganser - 1E

Oystercatcher - 3W

Purple Sandpiper - 1W

Turnstone - 9

Mediterranean Gull - 8E, 6W

Common Gull - 1E

Sandwich Tern - 13os

Pied Wagtail - 1N

Wheatear - 3

Common Seal - 1os

Wheatears (AW) (above) & Gannet (AH) at the Bill

Ferry Pool: A Great White Egret flew low out of the harbour and over the Ferry, heading west at 0830hrs, but it didn't settle. (MO-W)

Otherwise, it remains largely unchanged from recent days, with 38 Avocets, c150 Black-tailed Godwits and a handful of Redshanks around the pool, along with five Shelducks, c20 Wigeon, c60 Teal and c80 Shovelers, plus a pair of Great Black-backed Gulls and a pair of Mediterranean Gulls. (AH)

Avocet (above), Avocets and Black-tailed Godwits, Mediterranean Gulls & Great Black-backed Gulls at the Ferry (AH)

Church Norton: A Wheatear at the end of the spit was the only one seen, with just a couple of Chiffchaffs and a few Linnets being the only other passerines of note.

Just three Great Crested Grebes and two very distant Gannets could be found offshore, and a very quiet harbour just held a dozen Wigeon, c20 Redshanks and Dunlin and a few Oystercatchers and Curlews. (AH/BI)

This afternoon, there were eight Wheatears along the spit (GR), whilst later on there were 11 along the concrete spit (S&SaH)

Chiffchaff (above) & Wigeon at Church Norton (AH)

Birdham: A Stone Curlew was heard calling over our garden at 0507hrs this morning. (AB)

Chichester Canal: The flock of Siskins were again around the alders by the Birdham Road end this morning. (SR)

Chichester GPs: Around 40 Sand Martins were over Ivy Lake and West Trout Lake this morning, with a single Swallow also seen, and the Black Swan was on Copse Lake, and a Blackcap was singing at New Lake, too. (PH/SR/CRJ et al)

Black Swan at Chichester GPs (CRJ)

This afternoon there were still 20+ Sand Martins around, with a couple of Blackcaps, a pair of Reed Buntings and a few Chiffchaffs along the hedges and at least 20 Pochards on the water and a pair of Egyptian Geese by the house. (AW/AH/AB/RHa et al)

Sand Martins (AW), Pochard & Egyptian Geese (AH) at Chichester GPs

Pagham Spit: A Dartford Warbler was in the gorse by the Lagoon again this morning, and six Eider were in the channel off the Spit along, with 4 Red -breasted Mergansers, 13 Brent Geese and a Great Crested Grebe.

Three Wheatears were at the far end of the spit, and four Skylarks, two Meadow Pipits, and 16 Linnets were also about, but waders were scarce, with just 19 Ringed Plovers, 14 Turnstones and a single Dunlin seen. (LP/IH/SP)

Eider (above), Red-breasted Mergansers, Turnstones & Ringed Plover and Brent Geese at Pagham Spit (LP)

North Wall: Two Egyptian Geese flew over the paddock and a Green Woodpecker, two Long-tailed Tits and a Curlew were also in the vicinity.

A Cetti’s Warbler was by the sluice, a Great Crested Grebe was on the Breech Pool and out in the harbour there were 40 Grey Plovers and eight Pintails, but there was very little in the flooded fields, where the water level is dropping, with just a single Lapwing, 12 Curlews and a pair of Shelducks present, along with 12 Coots. (LP/IH/CT)

Egyptian Goose at the North Wall (LP)

Medmerry: Stilt Pool area - Up to ten Wheatears were around the sea-defence rocks adjacent to the Stilt Pools this morning. (PH)

Medmerry: Windmill area - There were at least ten Wheatears here, too, in the big sheep field, along with a Stonechat, five Meadow Pipits and a couple of Skylarks and Linnets, whilst a Swallow flew over, heading inland. (AH)

Wheatears (above), Swallow, Meadow Pipit & Stonechat at Medmerry (AH)

Thursday, 21st March: Another very nice morning, after a misty start, quite warm in the hazy sunshine and with just a light breeze, initially from the north before veering to the south..........

Selsey Bill: There was an arrival of at least 14 Wheatears along the front this morning - mainly male birds - but there was no other evidence of migration, with the sea remaining very quiet. Full log below. (PB/PM/SR/SP/LP/IP/AH/M-OW/TR/AW)

(0600-0900hrs) (N, F1-2)

Great Northern Diver - 7os

Red-throated Diver - 1E, 1W

Great Crested Grebe - 1os

Fulmar - 1W

Wigeon - 2E

Mallard - 2W

Common Scoter - 1E, 8W

Red-breasted Merganser - 2E, 2W, 5os

Oystercatcher - 14W

Curlew - 1E, 1W

Turnstone - 11

Sandwich Tern - 7os

Stock Dove - 1

Meadow Pipit - 1N

Pied Wagtail - 2N

Wheatear - 14

Chiffchaff - 1

Wheatears at the Bill (AH)

Ferry Pool: Black-tailed Godwit numbers on the pool had increased to at least 150 this morning, along with 28 Avocets, six Shelducks, c30 Wigeon, c60 Teal and c80 Shovelers. (AH)

Avocets (above) & Black-tailed Godwits at the Ferry (AH)

Church Norton: There were at least eight Wheatears along the beach this morning, with a Dartford Warbler in the gorse there, but beyond a couple of Skylarks and Chiffchaffs, weren't too many other small birds about, despite the good conditions.

Offshore there were a Slavonian Grebe, four Long-tailed Ducks, two Red-breasted Mergansers and a Great Crested Grebe, but the harbour was quiet on the high tide, though five Ringed Plovers were about, and a couple of Sandwich Terns and a dozen Mediterranean Gulls were among the growing numbers of Black-headed Gulls. (AH/LP/SP/PB/PM/TR/KT et al)

Wheatears at Church Norton (AH)

Selsey: A Redwing was in our garden, to the north of the village, at dusk this evening. (AW)

Redwing in a Selsey garden (AW)

West Itchenor: The first Osprey of the year went up the main channel in the harbour, before heading for Bosham this morning.

Also, both the Black-throated Diver and a Great Northern Diver were seen off of Chalkdock - the first sightings in a couple of weeks here. (PH)

Chichester Canal: A quick look around the alders at the Birdham Road end produced the flock of c50 Siskins, though they are quite flighty and mobile, whilst there were also a singing Blackcap and at least ten singing Chiffchaffs in the adjacent hedges. (AH)

Later, a female Blackcap was present, but not the Siskins. (SR)

Siskins (above) & Chiffchaff at Chichester Canal (AH)

Wednesday, 20th March: The spring equinox brought a bit of pleasant spring weather this morning, with just a light breeze, variably either side of easterly, and after a grey start, some warm sunshine......

Selsey Bill: There was again little on the move, though 24 Common Scoters and 15 Mediterranean Gulls went east and eight Great Northern Divers were on the sea. Full log below. (MO-W/AH/IP/SR/P&LH/AW)

(0710-0910hrs) (ESE, F2-3)

Great Northern Diver - 8os

Red-throated Diver - 6E, 2W

Great Crested Grebe - 2E

Fulmar - 1W

Gannet - 1E

Grey Heron - 1W

Common Scoter - 24E, 6os

Red-breasted Merganser - 7E, 1W, 7os

Oystercatcher - 4E

Turnstone - 9

Mediterranean Gull - 15E

Sandwich Tern - 7E, 1W

Meadow Pipit - 6N

Pied Wagtail - 2N

Common Scoters (above), Red-breasted Mergansers, Mediterranean Gulls & Sandwich Tern at the Bill (AH)

Ferry Pool: It was much as yesterday on the pool, with 24 Avocets, c120 Black-tailed Godwits and four Redshanks and Lapwings about, along with six Shelducks, c60 Teal and c80 Shovelers. (AH)

Avocets (above) & Black-tailed Godwits and Teal at the Ferry (AH)

Later on, a Spotted Redshank was on the pool again, with two Gadwall in the channel opposite, and two Red Kites and at least eight Buzzards were up over Red Barn Ditch. (P&LH)

Red Kite at the Ferry (LH)

Church Norton: Five Long-tailed Ducks and six Red-breasted Mergansers were offshore this morning, along with a Sandwich Tern and a flock of 22 Brent Geese that dropped in, before they relocated to the harbour.

Three Wheatears and a few Linnets were along the beach, two or three singing Chiffchaffs were around the Mound area and three Buzzards went over, but the harbour was quiet beyond the regular Whimbrel, a scattering of the regular waders and c30 Wigeon, plus c50 Black-headed Gulls and a dozen Mediterranean Gulls. (AH/P&LH et al)

Wheatear (LH) (above), Long-tailed Ducks , Brent Geese, Whimbrel & Linnet (AH) at Church Norton

North Wall: Both Little Owls ere showing well near the stables this evening, and a Barn Owl was hunting near Owl Copse. Also, earlier, there were seven Ruff together in the field next to the Breech Pool. (AB/LP et al)

Little Owl at the North Wall (LP)

Medmerry: Easton Lane to the Stilt Pool - A very unexpected pair of Whooper Swans were sat offshore this afternoon, drifting westwards and out to sea all the while. These are the first recorded on the Peninsula since an immature bird flew west past the Bill in February 2019.

Also, a Wheatear was on the beach, six Avocets, two drake Gadwall, three Ringed Plovers and a Lesser Black-backed Gull were on the Stilt Pool and a Marsh Harrier, a Kestrel, a Green Woodpecker and five Stonechats were seen from the banks. (IP et al)

The Whooper Swans were later seen off the beach at Bracklesham. (AB)

Also, of note from Medmerry - the colour flagged and ringed Curlew seen on Sunday - P8 - is one of the birds released on the Downs in July 2022. It was also tagged, and it is known not to have moved from the reserve since its arrival in August 2022. (HB)

Whooper Swans at Medmerry (IP)