Birding the Selsey Peninsula: 4th

Saturday, 6th April: A very grey and hazy morning, though quite mild in the brisk south-south-eastly breeze.........

Selsey Bill: The shift in wind direction produced an interesting morning of passage for a good turn-out, including 266 Sandwich Terns, 33 Common Terns, two dark-phase Arctic Skuas, a Little Gull, 25 Whimbrel, 11 Bar-tailed Godwits, a Black-throated Diver and 100 Common Scoters east. Full log below. (SH/BI/PB/PM/IP/KT/AHu/AH/P&LH/CRJ/AW et al)

(0600-1100hrs) (SSE, F5-6)

Great Northern Diver - 1E, 4os

Back-throated Diver - 1E

Red-throated Diver - 9E

diver sp - 1E

Great Crested Grebe - 1W

Fulmar - 5W

Gannet - 7E, 7W

Shag - 1E

Brent Goose - 30E

Shelduck - 2W

Wigeon - 1E

Common Scoter - 125E, 30os

Red-breasted Merganser - 11E, 2os

Oystercatcher - 2E, 2W

Sanderling - 10E

Bar-tailed Godwit - 11E

Whimbrel - 28E

Turnstone - 10

Arctic Skua - 2E

Mediterranean Gull - 8E, 54W, 2os

Common Gull - 10E

Kittiwake - 1E, 2W

Little Gull - 1E

Sandwich Tern - 280E

Common Tern - 39E, 2W

Guillemot - 2E, 2os

Razorbill - 1E

Swallow - 2N

Meadow Pipit - 12N

Wheatear - 1

Linnet - 21

This afternoon, the first pale-phase Arctic skua went east, along with 94 Common Scoters , and a Long-tailed Duck popped up offshore. Full log below. (SH/P&LH)

(1230-1600hrs)

Great Northern Diver - 6os

Red-throated Diver - 1E

Long-tailed Duck - 1os

Common Scoter - 94E (including a flock of 60+), 4W, 50os

Oystercatcher - 1W

Ringed Plover - 9E

Dunlin - 2E

Whimbrel - 2E

Turnstone - 5

Arctic Skua - 1E (pale-phase)

Mediterranean Gull - 2E, 2os

Common Gull - 3E, 6W

Sandwich Tern - 21E, 2W, 1os

Meadow Pipit - 5N

Arctic Skua (above), Common Tern, Fulmar, Wheatear (AW), Sandwich Terns, Whimbrels, Common Scoters & Brent Geese (AH) at the Bill

Happy sea-watchers at the Bill (CRJ)

Ferry Pool: The moulting Spotted Redshank was back on the pool at high tide today, along with half a dozen Redshanks, 36 Avocets, c120 Black-tailed Godwits and c30 Wigeon and Shovelers.

Also a Cetti's Warbler and a Chiffchaff calling from nearby, and early on a pair of Marsh Harriers went over. (KT/AHu/aH/RWh et al)

Spotted Redshank at the Ferry (AH)

Chichester GPs: Drayton Pits - Shortly after I started the WeBS count at South pit, I came across the first Common Sandpiper of the year, followed soon after by the first singing Reed Warbler, subsequently finding two more of the latter on North pit.

The count also produced a Kingfisher and joint totals of 31 Pochard, six Shovelers, a dozen Tufted Ducks, an Egyptian Goose and a pair of nesting Mute Swans, although it was otherwise standard fare. Passerines included three Willow Warblers, three Blackcaps, up to six Cetti’s Warblers and about the same of Chiffchaffs. (OM)

Medmerry: Medmerry Trail to Ham - A Sedge Warbler was singing along by the reed beds this morning whilst at Ham it was good to see three Corn Buntings present. (BI)

Corn Bunting at Ham (BI)

East side: The first Whitethroat of the year was singing from hedges by the old golf course (by the Slipe Field) this morning. (NB)

West Itchenor: The year's first Whinchat was along the coastal path, about a mile south of the village this morning. (SM)

Also, a White-tailed Eagle was seen crossing over the harbour and then heading back towards Thorney Island and a Great Northern Diver was off the jetty. (PH)

White-tailed Eagle with Bar-tailed Godwits and Grey Plovers at West Itchenor (PH)

East Head: Four Great Northern Divers and an immature male Eider were in the harbour from Ella Nore, whilst ten Bar-tailed Godwits, 25 Knot and an impressive count of 110 Sanderlings were in the roost there. (SM)

Park Farm, Selsey: A minimum of two Swallows were around the buildings at the farm this morning, along with a couple of Chiffchaffs and a Pied Wagtail, whilst a pair of Sparrowhawks were over the fields, along with two Buzzards, and three Gadwall went over there. (IP/RWh)

Church Norton: A Grasshopper Warbler called for a short while, late morning, near the Mound, and was briefly re-heard early afternoon in the nearby field.

Also there, there were a Willow Warbler, at least ten Blackcaps and six Chiffchaffs in the hawthorns, whilst another Willow Warbler and three or four Blackcaps and Chiffchaffs were in the general area of the Severals, along with a Reed Bunting, whilst a Wheatear, seven Skylarks, a Meadow Pipit and numerous Linnets were along the spit.

Encouragingly, there were 100+ Black-headed and Mediterranean Gulls around the harbour, along with at least 15 Sandwich Terns, and they were venturing onto Tern Island in numbers for the first time this spring.

Among waders seen on the high tide were two Greenshanks, four Turnstones and a dozen Ringed Plovers, whilst four Gadwall were flying around the harbour, and eight Brent Geese went east and c75 Mediterranean Gulls went west, close inshore. (MO-W/MI/AH/P&LH/BI/IP/RWh/GR/KT et al)

Chiffchaff (above), Blackcap & Gadwall at Church Norton (AH)

This afternoon the Grasshopper Warbler was still in the vicinity of the Mound, though generally silent and elusive, whilst in the harbour there were a Greenshank, seven Bar-tailed Godwits, three Knot, c20 Ringed Plovers and c60 Dunlin. (AH)

Greenshank (above) & Bar-tailed Godwits at Church Norton (AH)

Friday, 5th April: Yet another morning of decidedly fresh south-westerly winds and mostly overcast skies, with just the odd sunny interlude.........

Selsey Bill: A very quiet morning, with, again, no real indication of any migration. Full log below. (BI/AH/IP/SR/AW/R Williams)

(0645-0915hrs) (SW, F6-7)

Great Northern Diver - 3os

Fulmar - 3W

Gannet - 2E, 13W

Brent Goose - 6E

Common Scoter - 34E, 11W

Red-breasted Merganser - 2W

Turnstone - 14

Mediterranean Gull - 1W, 8os

Kittiwake - 3W

Sandwich Tern - 33E, 22W

Fulmar (AW top, AH lower), Kittiwakes & Sandwich Terns (AH) at the Bill

Ferry Pool: A re-run of yesterday, with c60 Black-tailed Godwits and 38 avocets on the pool, along with c30 Shovelers and Teal, plus a pair of Lapwing and four Shelducks on the field. (AH)

Later, a Swallow went over the pool. (AW)

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

Long Pool: This morning, both a Peregrine and a Marsh Harrier were hunting the area. (AW)

Marsh Harrier (above) & Peregrine at the Long Pool (AW)

Chichester GPs: A Little Gull was still on Runcton Lake this morning, whilst five singing Willow Warblers were along the hedges around Ivy Lake and 60+ Sand Martins and 10+ Swallows were feeding overhead. (CS)

Church Norton: There was a small arrival of up to ten Willow Warblers along the sheltered hedges, with a couple singing, and there were also half a dozen singing Chiffchaffs and a couple of Blackcaps, but two Swallows north over the harbour were the only other migrants seen.

A flock of c40 Mediterranean Gulls flew west over the harbour, with another half a dozen and a couple of Sandwich Terns among c50 Black-headed Gulls on the water, but a little group of three Bar-tailed Godwits, a Knot and 11 Grey Plovers and a flock of c50 Dunlin flying around the far side were the only waders beyond the usual Curlews, Redshanks and Oystercatchers. (AH/R Williams et al)

Willow Warblers (above), Chiffchaff, Sandwich Tern, Mediterranean and Black-headed Gulls & Bar-tailed Godwits and Grey Plovers at Church Norton (AH)

Late this afternoon there were a few more waders on the mud than of late, including a Greenshank, two Knot, a c20 Grey Plovers, c40 Ringed Plovers and c150 Dunlin, including an odd-looking leucistic bird.

There were also at least four Blackcaps in the hawthorns by the mound. (AH)

Greenshank (above), leucisic Dunlin & Blackcap at Church Norton (AH)

North Wall: Around high tide this morning there were 32 Pintail, 20 Teal, a Wigeon, eight Dunlin and 48 Grey Plovers out in the harbour, and 52 Shovelers, two Gadwall, eight Curlews, 13 Cattle Egrets, three Little Egrets and 12 Black-tailed Godwits on the flooded fields, whilst on the Breech Pool there was just a pair of Tufted Ducks, a Great Crested Grebe and a pair of Mute Swans, with the male Marsh Harrier further back over the reeds.

A Wheatear was on the fence posts at Halsey’s Farm, a few Skylarks were in the fields and two Buzzards were together in one of the trees, whilst the pair of Stock Doves were at Little Welbourne and a Green Woodpecker, a Jay, two Greenfinches, two Chaffinches and a Chiffchaff were by the stables. (LP/JDW)

Wheatear (above), Stock Dove, Buzzards & Shovelers at the North Wall (LP)

Thursday, 4th April: Another very unsettled morning in a very fresh and blustery westerly breeze, pushing through banks of heavy cloud and squally showers with a few brief interludes in between.......

Selsey Bill: A Merlin tracked from way out as it came in was the highlight, with a few hirundines in off the sea, three Sanderlings west and up to eight Great Northern Divers present being the best of the rest on a fairly slow morning. Full log below. (BI/AH/MO-W/LP/SR/P&LH/SM)

(0645-0935hrs) (WSW, F6)

Great Northern Diver - 5W, 3os

Great Crested Grebe -1os

Fulmar - 2W

Gannet - 2E, 1W

Brent Goose - 41E

Common Scoter - 5E, 2W

Red-breasted Merganser - 2W

Merlin - 1N

Sanderling - 3W

Dunlin - 25E

Mediterranean Gull - 7E, 2W, 4os

Common Gull - 3E

Kittiwake - 1W

Sandwich Tern - 8E, 3W,

Swallow - 4N

Sand Martin - 1N

hirundine sp - 5N

(1230-1300hrs) (P&LH)

Great Northern Diver - 1os

Turnstone - 10

Sandwich Tern - 1E

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

Ferry Pool: There were only 60 or so Black-tailed Godwits on the pool this morning, along with 38 Avocets, four Shelducks, and c40 Teal and Shovelers.

Also, the Willow Warbler was still showing well in the Discovery Area. (AH/BI/KJ et al))

Black-tailed Godwits and Avocets on the Ferry (AH)

Later on, two Swallows and three Sand Martins went north over the pool. (P&LH/AW)

Sand Martins over the Ferry (AW)

Long Pool: A sedge Warbler was singing from the bushes this evening. (S&SaH)

Church Norton: A Hooded Crow flew across the harbour at 0940hrs and landed out in the vegetation beyond the main channel, but unfortunately it could not be relocated. (AH/LP)

Otherwise, there were eight Sandwich Terns and eight Mediterranean Gulls about the harbour, along with a female Red-breasted Merganser, an handful of Ringed Plovers and Turnstones and a couple of small flocks of Dunlin flying around the far side.

Two Swallows went north over the harbour, but two or three singing Blackcaps and Chiffchaffs were the only other migrants seen. (AH/LP/BI/SR/P&LH/KT/KJ/SM et al)