10th - 12th April 2024

Friday, 12th April: After a cool grey start, the morning improved slowly to leave a warm and sunny day in a moderate south-westerly breeze...........

Selsey Bill: A Little Tern went east and a Wheatear was on the beach early on, but genuine migration was very sparse again this morning. Full log below. (BI/IP/TR/AH/IH/SP/LP/SR et al)

(0610-0830hrs) SW, F3-4)

Great Northern Diver - 4os

Red-throated Diver - 3E

Fulmar - 2W

Gannet - 1E, 1W, 1os

Brent Goose - 15E

Shelduck - 2os

Mallard - 1E

Common Scoter - 27E, 4W, 10os

Red-breasted Merganser - 2E, 2os

Sparrowhawk - 1

Oystercatcher - 11E, 2W

Turnstone - 6W

Mediterranean Gull - 41E

Black-headed Gull - 31E

Common Gull - 2E

Sandwich Tern - 22E, 13os

Common Tern - 3W

Little Tern - 1E

Wood Pigeon - 12S

Meadow Pipit - 12N

Wheatear - 1N

Linnet - 4E

Goldfinch - 26

Mediterranean Gulls (above),Sandwich Tern (AH) & Wheatear (BI) at the Bill

Ferry Pool: There was a Common Sandpiper in Ferry Channel early and late this morning, dropping in on the pool between times, whilst the Green Sandpiper was back again, this time on an adjacent wet area, though, and the Spotted Redshank was at the back.

Otherwise, it was the usual mix of c60 Black-tailed Godwits, 24 Avocets, four Redshanks, 12 Shelducks and c20 Teal and Shovelers.

There were also three Whitethroats along the Tramway with one or two Chiffchaffs and Blackcaps in the vicinity, too. (AW/SR/BI/LP/IH/SP/AH/TR et al)

Whitethroats (AW) (above), Common Sandpiper (AW top, BI lower two), Spotted Redshank & Black-tailed Godwits (AH) at the Ferry

North Wall: There were two male Whinchats along the fences in Owl Point field this morning, but not much else there beyond the odd Skylark. (DI/AH et al)

Whinchats at the North Wall (AH)

This afternoon, a Cetti's Warbler was along the wall and a Kestrel was on the church. (C Stockwell)

Cetti's Warbler (above) & Kestrel at the North Wall (C Stockwell)

Medmerry: Easton Lane to the Stilt Pool - Two Little Terns were on the Stilt Pool this morning. (AT)

There were four Little Terns on the Stilt Pool this evening, along with c50 Mediterranean Gulls, nine Avocets and two Ringed Plovers. with a Pochard on one of the path-side pools and two Egyptian Geese on the reserve.

Also, along the banks there were a Whitethroat, two Reed Warblers, two Stonechats, a Chiffchaff and three Cetti's Warblers, plus two Swallows over. (SH)

Selsey: Four female Blackcaps were sat together in my garden to the north of the village this morning. (AW)

Chichester Canal: At least two Reed Warblers were singing from the reeds at the Donnington end today. (BI)

Chichester GPs: There were Reed Warblers singing here, too. (BI/AW)

Reed Warbler at Chichester GPs (AW)

West Itchenor: There were three Whitethroats and two Willow Warblers between Chalkdock and Rookwood this morning. (GM)

Runcton: South of the village this morning there was still an amazing number of wildfowl present including, pairs of Mute Swan, Canada and Greylag Geese, two Shelducks, eight Mallard, 30 Shovelers, a pair of Gadwall, a pair of Teal, 39 Tufted Duck and seven Coots.

There were also two Buzzards, three Green Woodpeckers, a Jay, a Song Thrush, five singing Blackcaps, a Cetti’s Warbler and four singing Chaffinches about, along with quite a few Speckled Wood, Orange-tip and Peacock butterflies. (CRJ)

Church Norton: A Whitethroat and a couple of singing Willow Warblers were in the bushes by the Mound this morning, with one or two Blackcaps and Chiffchaffs about, too, but the harbour was very quiet. (LP/SP/IH/AH/BI et al)

Whitethroat (above) & Willow Warbler at Church Norton (AH)

Thursday, 11th April: A very murky morning of persistent drizzly mist, cool early on, but warming up as the westerly breeze eased a little.........

Selsey Bill: It was extremely quiet this morning, with nothing moving east and very few birds about at all. Full log below. (AH/SR)

(0715-0830hrs) (W, F4)

Great Northern Diver - 4os

Gannet - 1W

Oystercatcher - 6W

Bar-tailed Godwit - 3W

Mediterranean Gull - 3os

Kittiwake - 1W

Sandwich Tern - 6os

Great Northern Diver (above) & Sandwich Tern at the Bill (AH)

As the fog lifted late morning a Common Tern went west, as did at least a dozen Sandwich Terns, whilst a pair of Fulmar flew over together and a dark form Arctic Skua came in off the sea and flew over the beach. The only other bird of note was a Swallow heading out to sea! Full log below. 

(1100-1300hrs) (AW)

Fulmar - 2W

Arctic Skua - 1W

Sandwich Tern - 12W

Common Tern - 1W

Swallow - 1N

(1430-1700hrs) (AW)

Fulmar - 2W

Bernt Goose - 14E

Arctic Skua (above), Common Tern & Fulmars at the Bill (AW)

Ferry Pool: There wasn't much to report this morning - just 28 Avocets, 25 Black-tailed Godwits, four Redshank, ten Shelducks,  four Gadwall, c20 Teal and c30 Shovelers. (AH)

Avocet (above) & Gadwall on the Ferry (AH)

Long Pool: At least four Sedge Warblers were singing along the pool this morning, along with a Chiffchaff and a couple of Cetti's Warblers, with a Yellowhammer, up to ten Reed Buntings and similar of Linnets also about and a Swallow went over.

Also, a total of 15 Tufted Ducks were on the pool, along with a Great Crested Grebe and a pair of Little Grebes, whilst c30 Redshanks were in Ferry Channel, and another half a dozen were displaying over the fields, along with a pair of Lapwings. (AH)

Cetti's Warbler (above), Chiffchaff, Yellowhammer, Reed Bunting & Tufted Ducks along the Long Pool (AH)

West Itchenor: Two Willow Warblers and a Whitethroat were singing at Chalkdock today, whilst c30 Curlews flew over high to the north. (PH)

Church Norton: At least half a dozen Whimbrel were spread along the west side this morning, along with 20 Curlews, whilst a pair of Avocets and a dozen Black-tailed Godwits were along the main channel, but otherwise there were just c20 Shelducks and a few Redshanks and Oystercatchers about.

It was very quiet around the hedge, with just a Blackcap and a couple of Chiffchaffs present, and just a few Linnets along the west side, whilst pairs of Red-legged Partridges were in the churchyard and along Rectory Lane. (AH)

Whimbrel (above), Blackcap, Linnet & Red-legged Partridge at Church Norton (AH)

This afternoon, an Adder and a Common Lizard were seen along the west side. (RS)

Adder (above) & Common Lizard at Church Norton (RS)

Wednesday, 10th April: An altogether more pleasant morning, with the westerly breeze no more than moderate, and with some warm sun before it began clouding up later.........

Selsey Bill: A pale-phase Arctic Skua chasing Sandwich Terns early on was the highlight of a very quiet morning, with nothing moving east at all. Later on, presumably the same Arctic Skua re-appeared.  Full log later. 

(SH/PB/KT/AH/SR/P&LH/AW)

(0600-0830hrs) (W, F3)

Great Northern Diver - 5os

Gannet - 1E

Shelduck - 1W

Pintail - 1E

Common Scoter - 11E, 16os

Red-breasted Merganser - 1W

Oystercatcher - 5E, 17W

Turnstone - 1

Arctic Skua - 1os

Mediterranean Gull - 2E

Sandwich Tern - 4E, 12os

Common Tern - 1os

Swallow - 2N

(1330-1430hrs) (SH)
Great Northern Diver - 1os
Eider - 1W
Sandwich Tern - 1W
Meadow Pipit - 1N

Arctic Skua (above), Great Northern Diver (AW), Common Tern & Red-breasted Merganser (AH) at the Bill

Ferry Pool: There were just the usual species present again this morning, including 32 Avocets, c60 Black-tailed Godwits, four Shelducks and 30 Shovelers and Teal. (AH)

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

North Wall: There were four Sedge Warblers singing along the reeds this morning, together with three Cetti’s Warblers, and two Long-tailed Tits and four Linnets were along the bushes, while two Skylarks and two Swallows were a Halsey's Farm, but it was quiet around the stables with just a Green Woodpecker in the paddock and a Jay in the trees.
On the Breech Pool there were a single Wigeon, two Tufted Ducks, a Great Crested Grebe and the nesting Mute Swans, while out in the harbour, the group of 24 Pintails were still present. On the flooded fields there were still 18 Shovelers and there were three Marsh Harriers, a Kestrel and a Buzzard also about, while at Halsey’s Farm, two Cattle Egrets were in the fields and a Little Egret was by the rife. (LP/CT/GHi/TG/NR)

Sedge Warbler (above), Linnet, Cattle Egret & Little Egret at the North Wall (LP)

Fishbourne Creek: On the rising tide this morning there was a Spotted Redshank below the Lavant outflow, moulting into summer plumage, two Greenshanks at Dell Quay and 100 Black-tailed Godwits along the creek.

There were 124 Mediterranean Gulls loafing off the Lavant outflow and four Lesser Black-backed Gulls at Fishbourne whilst there were three Wigeon and nine Great-crested Grebes along the creek and six Brent Geese were well below Dell Quay.

The bushes held a number of singing Blackcaps and Chiffchaffs, and four Cetti's Warblers were between Fishbourne and the River Lavant. (RW)

Medmerry: Easton Lane to Marsh Farm - There wasn't much to report today, with just a Sedge Warbler, four Chiffchaffs and five Cetti's Warblers along the banks and a Kestrel and three Buzzards over. (S&SaH)

Church Norton: It was very quiet this morning, with just a handful of Ringed Plovers, Redshanks, Curlews and Oystercatchers in the harbour, along with c20 Shelducks and two Mediterranean Gulls.

The bushes were quiet, too, with just three or four Chiffchaffs about, with up to three Cetti's Warblers, a dozen Linnets, a Reed Bunting and a Green Woodpeckers along the Severals, plus a Swallow, a Sparrowhawk and four Buzzards over. (AH/SH/PB/P&LH et al)

Later on, a Swallow went over. (AJW)

Ringed Plover (above) & Linnet at Church Norton (AH)