Birding the Selsey Peninsula: 25th

Saturday, 25th October: It remains mild but very murky, with a grey and humid morning in a light southerly breeze....

Selsey Bill: There were five Black Redstarts around the houses this morning and 65 Brent Geese and 131 Razorbills went west offshore, though there was less visible migration than of late. Full log below. (BI/SH/JA/PB/SR/IP)

(0720-0900hrs) (S, F2)

Great Crested Grebe - 1os

Gannet - 3E, 4W

Shag - 1E

Brent Goose - 65W

Red-breasted Merganser - 2W

Sparrowhawk - 1

Kestrel - 1

Oystercatcher - 2W

Turnstone - 2

Mediterranean Gull - 5E

Common Gull - 2E

Razorbill - 13E, 121W, 3os

auk sp - 33E, 29W

Wood Pigeon - 1995E

Stock Dove - 6E

Swallow - 16E

Pied Wagtail - 4E

Meadow Pipit - 8W

Black Redstart - 5

Chiffchaff - 2

Linnet - 26E

Greenfinch - 6E

Goldfinch - 47E

Ferry Pool: There were 21 Avocets and c25 Black-tailed Godwits on the pool this morning, with, otherwise, a pair of Gadwall, six Shelducks, c75 Shovelers and c100 Teal. (AH),

Avocets on the Ferry (AH)

Park Farm, Selsey: A Chiffchaff, two Grey Wagtails, a Jay, a Great Spotted Woodpeckers and a Sparrowhawk were around the farm. (IP)

Long Pool: A very late Reed Warbler was in the reeds this morning, but there wasn't too much else beyond a few Linnets and Reed Buntings. (AH)

Reed Warbler along the Long Pool (AH)

Church Norton: There was quite a good selection in the harbour, including eight Bar-tailed Godwits, c20 Black-tailed Godwits, a Golden Plover, c30 Grey Plovers and Dunlin, c100 Lapwings, c30 Brent Geese, c60 Pintail and lots of Wigeon and Teal, plus a Little Grebe and a couple of Great Crested Grebes.

Also three Eider, including a drake, went west offshore, along with seven Gannets, whilst 33 Turnstones were on the beach, whilst a pair of Stonechats were along the beach, with c20 Siskins, two Grey Wagtails, three Meadow Pipits and c50 Goldfinches going over, heading east, and a couple of Kestrels and Sparrowhawks were about, too. (AH/IP)

Eiders (above), Brent Geese, Stonechat, Grey Plover & Pintails at Church Norton (AH)

North Wall: Four Spotted Redshanks were along White’s Creek, together with two Egyptian Geese, a Little Grebe, six Snipe, 12 Black-tailed Godwits, two Grey Plovers, and all the usual Redshanks, Curlews, Lapwings, Wigeon and Teal, whilst two Grey Wagtails were by the sluice, two Rock Pipits were along the rocks, and Curlew A7 from the Peppering Farm project was moving between the harbour and Honer 2.

Along the hedgerows there were two Great Spotted Woodpeckers, a Song Thrush and a few Reed Buntings, Stonechats and Greenfinches, and at Halsey’s Farm, 18 Meadow Pipits and six Skylarks were on the fences, and a Kingfisher was in the harbour by the outfall.

There was still plenty of activity around the paddock, with four Stonechats, three Reed Buntings, two Meadow Pipits, a Chiffchaff, 12 Long-tailed Tits, two Goldcrests, 15 Goldfinches, a Green Woodpecker and a Jay, with five Marsh Harriers over the reeds further back. (LP/MJa/MO-W/CT/CRJ et al)

Spotted Redshank (above), Curlew, Stonechats, Rock Pipit, Meadow Pipit, Reed Bunting & Grey Wagtails at the North Wall (LP)

Medmerry: East side - A Short-eared Owl and a Merlin were both seen on the reserve this morning. (GR/GW)

This afternoon, between Chainbridge and Ham viewpoint there were two Marsh Harriers, a Peregrine and a Sparrowhawk about, along with half a dozen Stonechats. (S&SaH)

Later on, there were two Merlins hunting at Ham - one towards Oakhurst Farm and the other near the breach, where there was also a calling Greenshank, whilst two Dartford Warblers and half a dozen Stonechats were near the viewpoint. (AH)

Medmerry: Easton Lane to the Stilt Pool - A male and two female Marsh Harriers, a Merlin, a Peregrine, three Kestrels, a Sparrowhawk and a Buzzard made it a good morning for raptors.

There were good numbers of birds along the banks, too, including nine Dartford Warblers, 21 Stonechats, 20 Yellowhammers, four Reed Buntings, two Chiffchaffs, 16 Goldcrests, five Cetti's Warblers, and five Pied Wagtails, with a Snipe and two Egyptian Geese on the reserve. (S&SaH)

Medmerry: Coastguards area - There were three Black Redstarts, including a smart male, around the houses and adjacent field early this afternoon. (AH/JMo/B&MC)

Black Redstarts at Medmerry (AH)

Friday, 25th October: Another mild, but heavily overcast, morning in a moderate southerly breeze....

Selsey Bill: There were even more Wood Pigeons today - with nearly 15000 birds going over, along with 335 Stock Doves and 325 Jackdaws, whilst a Black Redstart was on the adjacent rooves, but it remains slow offshore. Full log below. (BI/PB/AH/IP/SR)

(0720-0930hrs) (SE, F4)

Great Crested Grebe - 2os

Gannet - 5W

Shag - 4E

Brent Geese - 7W

Common Scoter - 3E

Sparrowhawk - 2

Kestrel - 1

Mediterranean Gull - 1E, 7W

Common Gull - 1os

Razorbill - 37E, 52W, 2os

auk sp - 6E, 78W

Wood Pigeon - 14922W

Stock Dove - 335W

Skylark - 2N

Swallow - 2W

Grey Wagtail - 4E

Pied Wagtail - 14E

Meadow Pipit - 63E

Black Redstart - 1

Jackdaw - 325W

Linnet - 261E

Goldfinch - 197E

Mediterranean Gull (above), Shag, Wood Pigeons (AH) & Black Redstart (SR) at the Bill

Ferry Pool: There were just ducks on the pool this morning, namely a pair of Gadwall, six Shelducks, 14 Wigeon, c40 Mallards, c75 Shovelers and c120 Teal. (AH)

Gadwall and Teal (above) & Shoveler on the Ferry (AH)

Church Norton: Two Bearded Tits were flying around over the first Several this morning, and there were also two Firecrests, 11 Goldcrests, five Chiffchaffs and seven Stonechats about, with a Tree Pipit, a Redwing and ten Swallows over.

A good selection around the harbour included two Red-breasted Mergansers, 16 Brent Geese, 42 Pintails, 15 Avocets, a Whimbrel, nine Bar-tailed Godwits, 62 Turnstone and 90 Golden Plovers, plus a Marsh Harrier over. (PA)

Red-breasted Mergansers at Church Norton (PA)

Sidlesham: Another Hawfinch was seen this morning, this time actually landing in an oak tree along Cow Lane. (PA)

North Wall: It was busy in and around the paddocks, with two Stonechats, two Reed Buntings, a Grey Wagtail, two Pied Wagtails, a Meadow Pipit, a Chiffchaff, a Green Woodpecker, a Great Spotted Woodpecker, 14 Long-tailed Tits and lots of Goldfinches and Blue Tits all present.

There was no sign of any Bearded Tits along the wall, though, with up to four Rock Pipits, a Chiffchaff and a handful of Reed Buntings and Cetti's Warblers the best on offer, whilst three marsh Harriers were seen up at the back and a Kingfisher flew by near Owl Copse.

A spotted Redshank and half a dozen Black-tailed Godwits were in White's Creek, along with plenty of Redshanks, Wigeon and Teal, with just a few scattered Grey Plovers and Lapwings present, whilst a Greenshank was near the sluice at the Halsey's Farm end. (LP/TRH/AH)