Wednesday, 24th April: It was another cold and grey morning, though with only a light north-westerly breeze and brightening up a little, later on.........
Selsey Bill: It was another slow morning, with what little movement there was quickly fizzling out, though ten Little Terns and eight Great Northern Divers were offshore. Full log below.(SH/AH/SR)
(0540-0830hrs) (NW, F2)
Great Northern Diver - 8os
Gannet - 5E, 6W
Shag - 1os
Shelduck - 2W
Mallard - 2E
Common Scoter - 6E, 12os
Knot - 2W
Bar-tailed Godwit - 14E
Whimbrel - 8E
Turnstone - 1
Sandwich Tern - 14E, 6os
Common Tern - 2E
'Commic' Tern - 16E
Little Tern - 10os
Swallow - 1N
Pied Wagtail - 1E
Whimbrel at the Bill (AH)
Ferry Pool: There were still 18 Avocets on the pool this morning, along with four Redshanks, 16 Shelducks, four Teal and 11 Shovelers. (AH)
Avocets on the Ferry (AH)
North Wall: The Purple Heron re-appeared this morning, flying in from the west, over Halsey's Farm before dropping out of view behind Owl Copse - presumably heading back to the reeds at the back of the Breech Pool.
A Raven and a couple of Whimbrel were the only birds of note around Owl Point, whilst most small birds were keeping low along the wall, but did include a Lesser whitethroat, a Chiffchaff, a couple of Cetti's Warblers, half a dozen or so Reed and Sedge Warblers and a Reed Bunting, plus about 20 Swallows over.
Also, the male Marsh Harrier was around early on, whilst the Honer fields held a Gadwall, c30 Shelducks and a pair of displaying Lapwings, the Wigeon, the nesting Mute Swans and a few Tufted Ducks were on the Breech Pool and around a dozen Bar-tailed Godwits were still along White's Creek. (AH/JDW et al)
Purple Heron (above), Raven, Bar-tailed Godwits, Sedge Warbler & Reed Bunting at the North Wall (AH)
Pagham Spit and East side: A Corn Bunting was seen between the caravan park and the spit this morning - the first sighting on this side of the harbour in a long time, with two Yellow Wagtails, two Meadow Pipits two Lesser Whitethroats, a Willow Warbler, a Reed Warbler, seven Sedge Warblers, a Cuckoo and a Swallow also in the vicinity.
Along the east side of the harbour waders included three Greenshank, 11 Whimbrels, c60 Bar-tailed Godwits, 20+ Grey Plovers, Ringed Plovers, Dunlin and Turnstones, with two Red-breasted Mergansers, 17 Brent Geese and two Greylag Geese also seen, with three Gannets and three Sandwich Terns offshore. (H Ramm/MB)
Medmerry: Porthole Farm - Half a dozen House Martins and c30 Swallows were around the settling tanks this evening, but a Cuckoo calling distantly to the north and a Blackcap along Ham Road were the only other things of note. (AH)
House Martin (above), Swallow & House Martin and Swallows at Medmerry (AH)
Tuesday, 23rd April: The wind finally eased to a light to moderate northerly this morning, though it remained cool and mostly heavily overcast......
Selsey Bill: It remains remarkably quiet for the time of year, with four Whimbrels going east the only potential migrants, though nine Little Terns were lingering offshore, and a flat sea revealed the presence of 14 Great Northern Divers. Full log below. (IP/AH/SR)
(0655-0825hrs) (NNE, F2-3)
Great Northern Diver - 14os
Gannet - 8E, 12W
Common Scoter - 8os
Whimbrel - 4E
Sandwich Tern - 4E, 19W
Little Tern - 9os
Whimbrel (above) & Sandwich Tern at the Bill (AH)
There were a couple of very distant flocks of c100 'Commic' Terns going east this afternoon, with a few Sandwich, Common and Little Terns going east closer in. Full log below. (SH/AW)
(1600-1730hrs)
Great Northern Diver - 3os
Red-throated Diver - 1E
Gannet - 2W
Common Scoter - 1E
Oystercatcher - 5E
Sandwich Tern - 32E, 23os
Common Tern - 11E, 3os
'Commic' Tern - c200E (in two flocks of c100)
Little Tern - 5E, 8os
Razorbill - 2W
Little Terns at the Bill (AW)
Ferry Pool: There was not much change this morning, with just 18 Avocets, four Redshanks, 12 Shelducks, ten Shovelers and five Teal, plus a family of Mallards, around the pool. (AH)
Avocet and Mallard family at the Ferry (AH)
North Wall: A Cuckoo was calling from the trees by Honer Farm and in the flooded fields there was a Ruff, a Greenshank, a White Wagtail, two Greylag Geese, four Gadwall six Shelducks and c200 Black-headed Gulls, with a Swift, a Sand Martin and 12 Swallows overhead.
The bushes along the wall were busy with lots of Sedge Warblers, Cetti’s Warblers, Reed Warblers, Reed Buntings, Blackcaps, Whitethroats, and a Lesser Whitethroat, whilst two Wheatears were along the rocks and a Great Spotted Woodpecker, 2 Green Woodpeckers and 2 Stock Doves were around the stables
On the Breech pool there were four Tufted Ducks, two Gadwall, a Great Crested Grebe, the Wigeon and the pair of Mute Swans, whilst three Whimbrels were along White’s Creek, along with six Redshanks and 35 Bar-tailed Godwits, and further out there were six Brent Geese, two Teal and 34 Grey Plovers. (LP/JDW et all)
Cuckoo (above), Wheatear, Whitethroat, Whimbrel and Bar-tailed Godwit, Bar-tailed Godwits and Redshank & Bar-tailed Godwits around the North Wall (LP)
Medmerry: Porthole Farm to Ham Farm - At least a dozen Swallows were over the settling tanks this morning, and a Cuckoo was sat out on the wires by the Medmery Trail, but otherwise thee were just a couple of Whitethroats and Chiffchaffs, plus half a dozen Yellowhammers around Porthole Farm and the trail.
At Ham there were another 30+ Swallows over the fields, a Wheatear was towards the breach and a Whimbrel was on the tidal area, but otherwise there were just a couple of singing Reed Warblers, a couple of Whitethroats, half a dozen Skylarks and c40 Linnets. (AH)
Cuckoo (above), Whitethroat, Chiffchaff, Yellowhammer & Skylark at Medmerry (AH)
Medmerry: Easton Lane to the Stilt Pools - There were several Yellowhammers along the banks today, and some of the Avocets on the Stilt Pools looked like they were sitting on eggs. (EB)
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Yellowhammer (above) & Avocets at Medmerry (EB)
Monday, 22nd April: The morning started with a fresh north-easterly that later backed to the north-west, though it remained cool and mostly grey throughout......
Selsey Bill: Another slow morning, with ten Whimbrel and a Bar-tailed Godwit east the only hint of migration, with 127 Sandwich Terns heading west and a handful of Little Terns about being the only other things of note. Full log below. (LP/AH/IP/SR/AW)
(0645-0900hrs) (NNE, F4)
Great Northern Diver - 1W, 4os
Gannet - 17E, 36W, 3os
Common Scoter - 1E
Red-breasted Merganser - 2E
Bar-tailed Godwit - 1E
Whimbrel - 10E
Turnstone - 7
Sandwich Tern - 12E, 127W
Little Tern - 5E, 4W
Swallow - 1E
Little Terns (above), Whimbrel and Bar-tailed Godwit, Whimbrels, Swallow (AW), Sandwich Terns, Common Scoter & Gannet (AH) at the Bill
Ferry Pool: There was not much change from recent days this morning, with just 22 Avocets, a single Black-tailed Godwit, eight Redshanks, four Lapwings, 20 Shelducks, 14 Shovelers and six Teal around the pool and fields.
A look around the Tramway circuit and Yeoman's field was equally slow, with just two or three Whitethroats, Chiffchaffs, Blackcaps and Song Thrushes noted, with none singing with much enthusiasm in the cold breeze. (AH)
Later, a Ruff and two Snipe were in the flooded area of Ferry Field. (TG-P)
Whitethroats (above), Chiffchaff & Song Thrush around the Ferry (AH)
North Wall: A Hobby went over the Halsey's Farm end of the wall this morning, whilst two Greenshank were in Honer 1 field and 32 Bar-tailed Godwits and 20 Whimbrel were in the harbour. (JDW/PB)
Two Ravens were perched in the dead tree at Owl Point this afternoon before heading off towards Church Norton. (AW)
This evening, the Marsh Harriers were seen passing food again, and a Barn Owl was out at Halsey's Farm, whilst three Avocets, a Snipe and a Greylag goose were in the flooded fields.
A good selection was seen/heard from the wall, including a Yellow Wagtail, six Pied Wagtails, a Blackcap, two Chiffchaffs, four Reed Warblers, three Sedge Warblers, four Cetti's warblers and three Reed Buntings, whilst three Sand Martins and c50 Swallows were overhead. (SH)
Ravens at the North Wall (AW)
West Wittering: There were plenty of Chiffchaffs and Blackcaps along in Ellanore Lane this morning, with lots of Oystercatchers and a single Ringed Plover on the spit and a Sedge Warbler singing from a nearby hedge. (GM)
Chiffchaff at West Wittering (GM)
Church Norton: It was extraordinarily quiet for the time of year this evening, with not a bird singing and the harbour almost completely devoid of life, with just eight Whimbrels, two or three Curlews, Ringed Plovers and Dunlin and half a dozen Oystercatchers and Shelducks to be found. (AH)
Whimbrel (above) & Shelduck at Church Norton (AH)
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