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
Also, later on, a Grasshopper Warbler was heard reeling from the gardens along the front. (ML)
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)
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