28th - 29th April 2024

Monday, 29th April: A bright and blustery morning, milder than of late in the sunshine, with the brisk breeze slowly backing from south-west to south.........

Selsey Bill: The first two Pomarine Skuas of the year went east at 0725hrs, with four Arctic Skuas, up to 200 Sandwich Terns and a few Brent Geese east, 18 Manx Shearwaters going west and an Arctic Tern among those feeding offshore. Full log later. (PM/JF/OM/SR/LP/ABi/TR/AH/BFF/AW et al)

(0540-1300hrs) (SW, F5, backing S, F4)

Great Northern Diver - 2os

Red-throated Diver - 3E

diver sp - 2W

Manx Shearwater - 18W

Fulmar - 1E, 4W

Gannet - 39E, 62W

Brent Goose - 51E

Common Scoter - 85E

Kestrel - 1

Oystercatcher - 1W

Sanderling - 9E

Whimbrel  - 1E

Turnstone - 7E

Great Skua - 1E, 1W

Pomarine Skua - 2E (0725hrs)

Arctic Skua - 8E

Mediterranean Gull - 1W

Kittiwake - 12E, 3W

Sandwich Tern - 208E

Common Tern - 13E

Arctic Tern - 1E

'Commic' Tern - 19E

Little Tern - 18E 15os

auk sp - 4E

Swallow - 5N

House Martin - 4

Wheatear - 1N

Arctic Skuas (top two AW, middle two PM, lower AH), Little Tern & Brent Geese (AH) at the Bill

(1300-1945hrs) (PB/JA/SH/AH/SR)

Great Northern Diver - 1os

Red-throated Diver - 2E

Great crested Grebe - 3E, 2W

Manx Shearwater - 2W

Fulmar - 1W

Gannet - 25E, 5W

Brent Goose - 21E

Shelduck - 1E

Common Scoter - 1E, 1W

Great Skua - 1os

Arctic Skua - 8E, 3os

Mediterranean Gull - 5W

Kittiwake - 2W

Sandwich Tern - 39E, 8W, 24os

Common Tern - 6E

'Commic' Tern - 8E

Little Tern - 7E

auk sp - 6W

Arctic Skua (above) & Sandwich Terns at the Bill (AH)

Ferry Pool: The pool was quiet again this morning, with just ten avocets, four Redshanks, a drake Teal and 18 Shovelers present, though the harbour along the Tramway held a least 25 Whimbrel.

Two -  presumably a pair of - Peregrines went west over the Tramway, but the bushes just held the usual mix of four or five Chiffchaffs and Whitethroats, at least three Lesser Whitethroats and a Blackcap. (AH)

Peregrines (above), Whimbrel, Avocet, Chiffchaff & Whitethroat around the Ferry (AH)

Hunston: There was a credible report received this morning from a non-birder of a male Golden Oriole in the trees around the playing fields in the village (per SH), but there was no sign later, though the first Garden Warbler of the year was heard near the Church (BI/SR).

Pagham Spit: Three Little Terns were along the spit this afternoon. LP)

Church Norton; There wasn't  too much going on this morning, with three Wheatears and a singing Willow Warbler  the only indication of migration, though a Cuckoo was calling well along the west side, with a couple of Swallows over,  but otherwise there were just a couple of singing Chiffchaff and Blackcaps and a handful of Linnets.

The harbour was very quiet again, with just a dozen Whimbrel, two Bar-tailed Godwits, five Knot and a couple of Ringed Plovers of note. (AH/BFF/LP et al)

Whimbrel (above) & Linnet at Church Norton (AH)

Medmerry: Windmill area - A Whinchat and a Wheatear were around the old crazy golf course this morning. (AW)

Whinchat (above) & Wheatear at Medmerry (AW)

Sunday, 28th April: A real four seasons in a day sort of a day, with a bitingly cold northerly, with heavy rain early this morning, slowly improving towards a warm and sunny afternoon, albeit still with a fairly fresh south-westerly....

Selsey Bill: There was a surprising amount of activity this morning, given the dismal conditions, including a reeling Grasshopper Warbler in the Bill House garden, a male Redstart, a Lesser Whitethroat and several Whitethroats along the front and at least 50 Wheatears, including a loose flock of 22 flying west along the beach.

There were also a couple of Bonxies, eight Arctic Skuas, the first (flock of 14) Arctic Terns and 77 Common Terns east offshore. Full log below. (JA/SH/PB/MRB/IP/AH/SR/ML)

(0530-0930hrs) (NNW, F3-4)

Great Northern Diver - 2E, 4os

Gannet - 122E, 18W, 30os

Brent Goose - 9E

Common Scoter - 22W

Oystercatcher - 2E

Dunlin - 2

Common Sandpiper - 1W

Bar-tailed Godwit - 5W, 1 present

Whimbrel - 5E, 1W

Turnstone - 1W

Great Skua - 2E, 1os

Arctic Skua - 8E 2os

Kittiwake - 2E

Sandwich Tern - 72E, 30os

Common Tern - 77E, 6os

Arctic Tern - 14E

Little Tern - 1E, 20os

auk sp - 2E

Swift - 1N

Yellow Wagtail - 2N

Wheatear - 51

Redstart - 1

Grasshopper Warbler - 1

Willow Warbler - 6

Whitethroat - 4

Lesser Whitethroat - 1

(1230-1400hrs) (SH)

Gannet - 1E, 26W

Bar-tailed Godwit - 15E

Mediterranean Gull - 1W

Sandwich Tern - 16W

Common Tern - 4os

Litttle Tern - 1E

Swallow - 7N

House Martin - 1N

Wheatear - 5

Greenfinch - 1

Late this afternoon, two Bonxies and a Red-throated Diver went east. (AB)

Wheatears (above), Lesser Whitethroat, Whitethroat, Willow Warbler, Arctic Skua & Bar-tailed Godwits at the Bill (AH)

Ferry Pool: There were few birds on here today - just ten Avocets, two Redshanks, 22 Shelducks, a drake Gadwall and two drake Shovelers. (AH)

North Wall: A Common Sandpiper was along White’s Creek along with three Whimbrels, 18 Bar-tailed Godwits and 12 Grey Plovers, whilst on the Breech Pool the regular Wigeon and Mute Swans were present, along with four Tufted Ducks and a Great Crested Grebe.

The pair of Marsh Harriers were over the reeds, seen food-passing again, and a Green Woodpecker was around the Paddock, and along the Wall there were three Wheatears, two Linnets, four Whitethroats, two Lesser Whitethroats, half a dozen Reed Warblers and Sedge Warblers, and a few Long-tailed Tits, Reed Buntings, Goldfinches and Greenfinches.

Also, around 50 Swallows, six Sand Martins, two House Martins and five Swifts were over the wet fields with 12 Gadwall, two Canada Geese, a White Wagtail, 26 Shelducks and 100+ Black-headed Gulls on the ground, and there was the usual activity around Owl Copse with the Grey Herons, Little Egrets and Cattle Egrets. (LP/PB/MRB/DH et al)

Marsh Harriers (above), Wheatear, Whitethroat, Common Sandpiper & Whimbrel at the North Wall (LP)

Chichester GPs: There were at least 50 Swifts over the pits this morning, but just a dozen or so Swallows and a handful of House Martins and Sand Martins were with them. (PB/MRB)

Medmerry: Easton Lane to the Stilt Pool - A Common Sandpiper was on the Stilt Pool today, along with a Ringed Plover, eight Dunlin and 18 Avocets, whilst five Whimbrel went east offshore and a female Marsh Harrier and a Kestrel were on the reserve.

The banks were quite busy, despite the breeze, with two Wheatears, a Stonechat, a Dartford Warbler, seven Whitethroats, six Reed Warblers, two Sedge Warblers, four Cetti's Warblers, four Chiffchaffs and a Yellowhammer noted, plus 22 Swallows over. (SH)

Church Norton: It was very quiet this morning, though a Cuckoo was heard calling, a Peregrine was on Tern Island, a Wheatear was briefly on the metalwork and up to 15 Whimbrel were along the sheltered side of the harbour, but that really was about it. (AH/PB/MRB)

Later on, there were at least 20 Whimbrel present, along with six Bar-tailed Godwits, a dozen Turnstones and a flock of c40 Dunlin, plus a lone Common Tern, but nothing else beyond the Cuckoo, calling again from Priory Wood, a Stock Dove and a single Swallow. (AH/PD)

Bar-tailed Godwits (above), Whimbrel, Dunlin, Common Tern & Stock Dove at Church Norton (AH)

25th -27th April 2024

Saturday, 27th April: It remains fairly cool, though with slightly lighter cloud this morning in a moderate easterly breeze...............

Selsey Bill: There was a reasonable bit of activity again this morning, including the first three - albeit distant - Black Terns east, along with five  Arctic Skuas, a Black-throated Diver, two Little Gulls and over 50 Whimbrel, with nine Manx Shearwaters going west, a Short-eared Owl, a Swift and four Yellow Wagtails flying in and 42 Little Terns were feeding offshore. Full log below. (SH/JA/BI/PB/AGB//IP/AH/JMo/SR/AW)

(0530-1330hrs) (ENE, F2-3)

Great Northern Diver - 5os

Black-throated Diver - 1E

Red-throated Diver - 3E, 1W, 1os

diver sp - 1E, 1W

Great Crested Grebe - 2os

Manx Shearwater - 9W

Fulmar - 1E, 2W

Gannet - 179E, 32W

Brent Goose - 116E

Shelduck - 1W

Common Scoter - 159E

Red-breasted Merganser - 1E

Oystercatcher - 3E

Sanderling - 1E

Dunlin - 3E

Bar-tailed Godwit - 53E

Whimbrel - 54E

Arctic Skua - 5E

Mediterranean Gull - 1E

Little Gull - 2E

Kittiwake - 2E

Sandwich Tern - 248E, 20os

Common Tern - 45E, 7os

'Commic' Tern - 38E

Little Tern - 7E, 42os

Black Tern - 3E

Razorbill - 1E, 1W

auk sp - 2E, 2W

Short-eared Owl - 1N

Swift - 1N

Swallow - 155N

Sand Martin - 16N

Yellow Wagtail - 4N

Wheatear - 3

Little Terns (above), Arctic Skua, Brent Geese & Wheatear at the Bill (AH)

This afternoon, as the rain set in, two Bonxies and two Arctic Skuas were seen, with a Yellow Wagtail and a Wheatear on the beach, but there was very little on the move. Full log below. (SH/AH/JA/AW)

(1400-1730hrs)

Great Northern Diver - 6os

Red-throated Diver -

Gannet - 44E, 2W

Common Scoter - 18E

Great Skua - 1W, 1os

Arctic Skua - 2E

Sandwich Tern - 31E

Common Tern - 2os

Little Tern - 2os

Swallow - 15N

Sand Martin -1N

Yellow Wagtail - 1

Wheatear - 1

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

Ferry Pool: The pool was quiet this morning, with just two Black-tailed Godwits, eight Avocets, 22 Shelducks, two Teal and four Shovelers about, though at least a dozen whimbrel were along the channel opposite. 

A Cuckoo was calling around the Tramway circuit,  but it was generally quiet, with just two or three Whitethroats, Lesser Whitethroats, Chiffchaffs, Blackcaps and Cetti's Warblers about. (AH/JMo/JFi et al)

Avocet (above), Whimbrels, Chiffchaff & Whitethroat around the Ferry (AH)

Park Farm Selsey: Swallow numbers have increased to about a dozen and on my return a House Martin was over the housing estate. Also present a Sparrowhawk was mobbed early morning by two Pied wagtails and later a Kestrel was hunting over the paddocks. (IP)

Church Norton: The Greenshank was in the harbour again this morning,, along with half a dozen Whimbrels, a Bar-tailed Godwit, two Turnstones, three Ringed Plovers, a summer-plumaged Grey Plover and a few of the regular Oystercatchers and Curlews, whilst offshore a Whimbrel and three Sandwich Terns went east and a Gannet went so close west that it went over the beach.

A male Marsh Harrier dropped into the first Several and then after a short hunt headed off over the trees, whilst there were also a couple of Sedge Warblers, a Common Whitethroat, a couple of Lesser Whitethroats and a pair of Reed Buntings in the vicinity, along with a Kestrel and a Sparrowhawk, with a pair of Tufted Ducks on the Second Several.

Bluebell Wood was full of Blackcap song, along with numerous Chiffchaffs and a Long-tailed Tit, whilston the beach four male Wheatears were working their way east together, with another seen at the start of the spit. (IP/JMo)

Wheatear at Church Norton (IP)

North Wall: There were a minimum of four Marsh Harriers about this morning - the usual pair, seen food passing, the other female with a couple of missing primaries, and another male that circled around, high up with a Buzzard, for a while before drifting off, whilst another female was seen later flying across he harbour from Owl Point.

Otherwise, a Cuckoo was around the fields, two Swifts were among a dozen or so Sand Martins and Swallows over Owl Copse, up to four White Wagtails were in the fields, Reed and Sedge Warblers were singing well, with wo or three Lesser Whitethroats, Whitethroats, Chiffchaffs and Reed Buntings also about, along with at least six Cetti's Warblers.

Also a Greenshank and a Snipe were in the fields, three Common Sandpipers were in White's Creek, half a dozen Bar-tailed Godwits and c20 Grey Plovers and Dunlin were further out in the harbour and a dozen Whimbrel flew around, with half a dozen later near the sluice at the western end. There were also a couple of Sparrowhawks and half a dozen Cattle Egrets about. (AH/LP et al)

Swift (above), Marsh Harrier, Sedge Warbler, Reed Bunting, Whimbrel (AH), Common  Sandpiper & Sedge Warbler (LP) at the North Wall 

West Itchenor: A Cuckoo was calling at Chalkdock and three Lesser Whitethroats were between there and Rookwood. (GM)

Medmerry: Easton Lane to the Stilt Pool - A Short-eared Owl - presumably the one that came in at the Bill - was hunting behind the beach this morning, whilst the banks were full of birds, including four Wheatears, two Stonechats, a Lesser Whitethroat, a dozen Whitethroats,  half a dozen Reed and Sedge Warblers, four Cetti's Warblers, four Chiffchaffs, three Reed Buntings and a dozen Yellowhammers.

Also, a Swift and 22 Swallows went over and an Adder was along the path. (S&SaH)

Wheatear (above) & Adder at Medmerry (SaH)

This afternoon, a Dartford Warbler was in the gorse near Marsh Barn, several Yellowhammers and a Cetti's Warbler were singing, three Whitethroats and six Sedge Warblers, along with singing Reed Warblers, were in the scrapes, a Marsh Harrier and eight Swallows flew over and there were the usual Skylarks and Linnets about, too.

The Stilt Pools held 12 Avocets, two Teal, three Gadwall, 14 Tufted Ducks, a Little Grebe, a single Turnstone, a Ringed Plover and a Reed Bunting, whilst a Whimbrel could be heard flying over and two Brown Hares were in the fields. (SR)

Avocets (above) & Brown Hares at Medmerry (SR)

Friday, 26th April: A cool and mostly heavily overcast morning, with the moderate to fresh breeze both north and south of easterly at times..........

Selsey Bill: Whilst it remains slow in terms of numbers, there was a good variety of species this morning, including a Short-eared Owl, two Yellow Wagtails and a few Swallows in off the sea, an Arctic Skua, a Bonxie, an Eider and four Cattle Egrets moving offshore and a few Wheatears along the beach. Full log below.....

(SH/BI/PB/PM/JF/AH/OM/LP/SP/RHa/SR/IP/AW)

(0530hrs-1230hrs) (NE, F2-3)

Great Northern Diver - 4os

Red-throated Diver - 2E, 3os

diver sp - 2E

Great Crested Grebe - 1E

Fulmar - 1E

Gannet - 26E, 46W

Cattle Egret - 4E

Brent Goose - 19E

Shelduck - 4E

Shoveler - 2W

Eider - 1W

Common Scoter - 106E, 10os

Oystercatcher - 1E, 7W

Ringed Plover - 4E

Sanderling - 3E

Dunlin - 6

Whimbrel - 16E

Turnstone - 6

Great Skua - 1 os

Arctic Skua - 1E

Kittiwake - 3E

Sandwich Tern - 102E, 6os

Common Tern - 15E

Little Tern - 10E, 19os

Razorbill - 1W

auk sp - 2W

Short-eared Owl - 1N (1125hrs)

Sand Martin - 1N

House Martin - 1N

Swallow - 32N 

Yellow Wagtail - 2N

Wheatear - 10 (inc.3N)

Willow Warbler - 3N

Willow Warbler (AW) (above), Wheatears & Brent Geese (AH) at the Bill

Past (and aspiring future!) Pom Kings, PB, JF and OM getting match-fit for the upcoming contest (AH)

(1400-1700hrs) (SH/JA/AW)

Great Norther n Diver - 3os

Great Crested Grebe - 1W

Fulmar - 1E

Gannet - 11E, 3W

Shag - 1W

Brent Goose - 2E

Common Scoter - 10E, 10os

Oystercatcher - 1W

Arctic Skua - 1E

Sandwich Tern - 48E

Common Tern - 2E, 2os

'Commic' Tern - 6E

Swallow - 1N

Wheatear - 7N

Arctic Skua at he Bill (AW)

Ferry Pool: A Common Sandpiper and nine Black-tailed Godwits were on the pool this morning, along with eight Avocets, six Shovelers and 18 Shelducks. (AH)

Common Sandpiper (above) & Black-tailed Godwit at the Ferry (AH)

Warner Lane paddocks: There were just two Whitethroats, a Song Thrush and half a dozen Linnets present this morning. (AH)

Whitethroat at Warner Lane (AH)

North Wall: A Common Sandpiper was by the sluice and there were still 17 Bar-tailed Godwits along White’s Creek, with two Brent Geese, four Grey Plovers and a Common Seal further out in the harbour, whilst he Wigeon was still on the Breech Pool with the Mute Swans and four Tufted Ducks, and in the wet fields there were six Greenshanks, two Lapwings, a White Wagtail, a Pied Wagtail, two Shovelers, 12 Shelduck, eight Gadwall and 100 Black-headed Gulls, with a few Mediterranean Gulls overhead.

A Wheatear was in the paddock, along with a Great Spotted Woodpecker, a Green Woodpecker was at Little Welbourne, both Marsh Harriers were over the reeds, a Cuckoo was in the trees, and the hedgerows held plenty of Sedge Warblers, Reed Warblers, Cetti’s Warblers and Reed Buntings, as well as a Lesser Whitethroat and a Blackcap.

The Slipe field was busy, too, with a good selection of Common Whitethroats, Sedge Warblers, Blackcaps, Chiffchaffs, Linnets, Greenfinches, a Song Thrush and a pair of Jays. (LP/SP,/DW)

Common Sandpiper (above), Bar-tailed Godwit, Wigeon and Mute Swan, Linnet, Jay & Great Spotted Woodpecker at the North Wall (LP)

Chalder Farm, Sidlesham: There were 15 Whimbrel in the cropped field south of the farm today. (SA)

Sidlesham: A Cuckoo was calling from the trees at the end of our garden, to the west of the village, early this morning, with a Blackcap and a Lesser Whitethroat singing there later. (AH)

Fishbourne Creek: The reedbeds at Fishbourne held a singing Sedge Wabler, whilst the reedbeds by the River Lavant held two Reed Warblers and a Reed Bunting, with Cetti's Warblers near both beds, a multiple Whitethroats were present along much of the shoreside path, with a Blackcap near Apuldram church.

Along the creek there were 11 Greenshank, six Whimbrel, 28 Black-tailed Godwits , two Curlew and a few Redshank and Oystercatcher, with ten Great Crested Grebes and 13 Brent Geese downstream from Dell Quay, whilst late morning the female Long-tailed Duck was at Fishbourne and a drake Gadwall was at the Lavant outflow. (RW)

Medmerry: Porthole Farm - This afternoon the were a Lesser Whitethroat, three Common Whitethroats, a Chiffchaff, a Blackcap, 17 Swallows, two House Martins, two Long-tailed Tits and a Kestrel about, with two Green-veined Orchids in the field. (SR)

Medmerry: Windmill area - Two smart Whinchats were around the old crazy golf course this morning, with a singing Whitethroat there, too, and there were at least three Wheatears along the adjacent beach, whilst a flock of eight Brent Geese flew in from way out and landed on the sea. (AH)

Whinchats (above), Wheatear & Whitethroat at Medmerry (AH)

This afternoon there were three Whinchats around the field by the windmill. (AW)

Whinchats at Medmerry (AW)

Thursday, 25th April: The breeze swung round this morning, initially to the south-west and then just north of west, freshening as it did so, though a little milder than of late and with sun and white cloud after early heavy showers.....

Selsey Bill: It's fair to say that migration is still not happening at the Bill, with just four Red-throated Divers and five Whimbrel going east, and what little else there was going west, though a few Swallows did appear to be coming in off the sea. Full log below. (AH/MO-W/SR)

(0700-0915hrs) (WSW, F3-4)

Red-throated Diver - 4E

Gannet - 9E, 88W

Common Scoter - 2E, 18W

Oystercatcher - 3W

Whimbrel - 5E

Turnstone - 8

Sandwich Tern - 40W

Swallow - 23N

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

Ferry Pool: It was very quiet this morning, with just a Black-tailed Godwit, 11 Avocets, 24 Shelducks and five Shovelers on and around the pool, plus a couple of Swallows over. (AH)

Black-tailed Godwit and Avocet at the Ferry (AH)

Church Norton: A Cuckoo and three Lesser Whitethroats were calling this morning, along with the odd Chiffchaff, Whitethroat and Blackcap around the Mound and a Sedge Warbler in the first Several, but were unseen in the freshening breeze, though a few Linnets popped their heads up, a pair of Long-tailed Tits were carrying food and at least a dozen Swallows went over.

The harbour was very quiet, though, with perhaps half a dozen Whimbrel, Curlews, Oystercatchers and Shelducks being the sum total. (AH)

Swallow (above), Whimbrel, Long-tailed Tit & Linnet at Church Norton (AH)

Itchenor Pond: There was a Tree-creeper, three Chiffchaffs and four Swallows around, but the area was generally quiet this afternoon. (SR)

North Wall: A Yellow Wagtail was on the wet fields this morning, along with three White Wagtails, two Greenshanks, two Lapwings, a Shoveler, ten Shelducks, 14 Gadwall, three Greylag Geese, two Canada Geese and 140 Black-headed Gulls, with a few Swallows overhead.

On the Breech Pool, the Wigeon was again asleep beside the nesting Mute Swan, and four Tufted Ducks were on the water, with a Cuckoo and a Marsh Harrier over the reeds and a few Mediterranean Gulls higher up.

Along the hedgerows, there were plenty of Sedge Warblers, Reed Warblers and Reed Buntings as well as a Common Whitethroat and two Lesser Whitethroats, while at Halsey’s Farm, a Wheatear was on a fence post and a Raven, a Buzzard and a Kestrel flew over. Also, a pair of Great Spotted Woodpeckers, two Stock Doves, a Song Thrush, a Greenfinch and two Linnets were around the paddocks and a Jay was along the lane.

A Sparrowhawk flew over Owl Copse, where there was the usual activity from the Grey Herons, Little Egrets and Cattle Egrets, and in the harbour, there were six Redshanks, three Whimbrels, two Brent Geese and 32 Bar-tailed Godwits. (LP,SP,TRH/AHu et al)

Yellow Wagtail (above), White Wagtail, Cuckoo, Whitethroat, Cattle Egret, Bar-tailed Godwits and Redshank, Great Spotted Woodpecker & Song Thrush at the North Wall (LP)