22nd September 2024

Sunday, 22nd September: A very grey morning, with intermittent spells of heavy rain, though quite mild and muggy in a moderate south-easterly breeze and brightening up later.....

Selsey Bill: Over 450 Meadow Pipits and 300 Swallows went east this morning, though only low numbers of other migrants were among them, whilst a flock of 11 Little Egrets dropped in on the beach before heading off east, 15 Brent Geese went west and an Avocet and 25 Sandwich Terns east was about it for offshore movement, though over 150 Gannets were feeding offshore. Full log below. (JA/SH/MRB/IP/AH/SR)

(0630-0900hrs) (ENE, F4)

Great Crested Grebe - 1os

Gannet - 9E, 15W, 151os

Shag - 8E, 4os

Little Egret - 11E

Brent Goose - 15E

Teal - 3E

Common Scoter - 1E

Kestrel - 1E

Oystercatcher - 1E

Avocet - 1E

Turnstone - 26

Mediterranean Gull - 29E

Common Gull - 2E

Sandwich Tern - 25E

Swallow - 334E

Sand Martin - 2E

House Martin - 1E

Yellow Wagtail - 10E

Pied Wagtail - 1E

Meadow Pipit - 469E

Chiffchaff - 1

Avocet (above) & Shags at the Bill (AH)

Ferry Pool: The five Spotted Redshanks were feeding on the pool again this morning, with two Common Sandpipers, two Green Sandpipers, six Avocets, 42 Black-tailed Godwits, c90 Lapwings, five Shelducks and c30 Teal also present. (AH/MRB)

Spotted Redshanks (above), Green Sandpiper & Common Sandpipers at the Ferry (AH)

Park Farm, Selsey: Four Yellow Wagtails and a Wheatear were around the fields this morning, with eight Swallows, a Kestrel, two Sparrowhawks and three Buzzards going over.

There were also around ten Chiffchaffs in the patch of waste ground opposite the Selsey Centre. (S&SaH)

Church Norton: A Spotted Flycatcher and a Firecrest were in the churchyard, with another of the latter in the car-park, too, with two Goldcrests, two Jays, a Mistle Thrush and at least five Chiffchaffs and 11 Blackcaps also in the vicinity, and another 14 Chiffchaffs and a Willow Warbler along the Severals.

There was a bit of visible migration along the front, too, including 15 Yellow Wagtails, a Tree Pipit, 120+ Meadow Pipits, three Skylarks and 220 Linnets, with a Ruff over the beach heading north and ten Brent Geese heading west offshore, with two more in the harbour

There wasn't too much else in the harbour, though there were three Whimbrel and half a dozen Black-tailed Godwits among the regular species, and eight Pintail, eight Shelducks and c40 Wigeon and Teal were about, too. (MRe/PA/AH)

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

North Wall: There was still lots of action around the paddock this morning, with three Spotted Flycatchers, four Stonechats, six Chiffchaffs, a Green Woodpecker and a Jay, whilst a Marsh Harrier dropped into the reeds further back.

A Brent Goose was along White’s Creek, together with c150 Wigeon and 40 Teal, with a Common Sandpiper, a Kingfisher and a Grey Wagtail near the sluice, and a Yellow-legged Gull, two Lesser Black-backed Gulls, 36 Black-tailed Godwits and 22 Redshanks further along.

There was nothing to be seen on the Breech Pool, but six Cattle Egrets were in the fields with the cows, and there was lots of activity along the hedgerows, with 20 Chiffchaffs, joined by two Lesser Whitethroats, two Sedge Warblers, four Blackcaps and a Willow Warbler.

Also, at Halsey’s Farm, two Great White Egrets went over, heading towards Sidlesham, and a Hobby was chased over the trees by a pair of Carrion Crows. (LP/MRi/SP/DHi)

Spotted Flycatchers (above), Stonechat, Sedge Warbler, Yellow-legged Gull, Brent Goose & Common Sandpiper at the North Wall (LP)

Medmerry: Easton Lane to the Stilt Pool - An Osprey was sat out this afternoon, before flying off west, with a Merlin also sitting out, and a Peregrine, a Buzzard and three Kestrels over, whilst two Cattle Egrets, a Kingfisher and two Great Spotted Woodpeckers were on the reserve.

The banks were quite busy as the breeze eased, and included a Dartford Warbler, two Wheatears, nine Stonechats, c20 Chiffchaffs,, two Cetti's Warblers, three Yellowhammers, a Pied Wagtail and c20 Meadow Pipits, plus four Swallows over. (S&SaH)

Osprey at Medmerry (SaH)