Birding the Selsey Peninsula: 25th

Sunday, 27th October: A glorious autumn morning, with unbroken, warm sun after a chill start, and just a very light northerly breeze....

Selsey Bill: There was another good variety of species, though over 11000 Wood Pigeons dominated, with a Hawfinch, a Redpoll, four Black Redstarts, a Woodlark, a Mistle Thrush and three Redwings also of note, together with a record count of 1021 Jackdaws, most which were circling around in two huge loose flocks. Full log below. (SH/BI/AH/JA/SR/IP/M&LL)

(0615-0930hrs) (N, F1)

Gannet - 5E, 10W

Shag - 1E

Little Egret - 1W

Brent Goose - 1E, 9W

Common Scoter - 2W

Sparrowhawk - 2

Turnstone - 3

Mediterranean Gull - 1os

Common Gull - 1W

Sandwich Tern - 3E, 2W

auk sp - 130W

Wood Pigeon - 11655S

Stock Dove - 128S

Great Spotted Woodpecker - 1

Woodlark - 1W

Swallow - 1E

Pied Wagtail - 14W

Meadow Pipit - 3E

Redwing - 3W

Mistle Thrush - 1

Black Redstart - 4

Chiffchaff - 1

Jay - 2W

Magpie - 55W

Jackdaw - 1021

Hawfinch - 1W

Redpoll - 1W

Linnet - 21W

Goldfinch - 64E

Mediterranean Gull (above), Gannets & Wood Pigeons at the Bill (AH)

Ferry Pool: There were again 21 Avocets on the pool this morning, along with a dozen Black-tailed Godwits, c 30 Lapwings, six Shelducks, a pair of Gadwall, c30 Wigeon, c60 Shovelers and c150 Teal. (AH)

Wigeon (above) & Avocets, Black-tailed Godwits, Lapwings and Shovelers on the Ferry (AH)

Long Pool: There wasn't too much in a quick look this morning, though three Yellowhammers were present, along with four Stonechats and seven Reed Buntings, with three Little Grebes on the pool. (AH)

Yellowhammer (above), Stonechat & Little Grebe along the Long Pool (AH)

Park Farm, Selsey: There were just a Goldcrest and Long-tailed Tit around the lanes this morning. (IP)

Church Norton: There were two Bearded Tits again in the Severals, plus four more going over, whilst among the visible migration activity there were seven Bramblings, 2 Lesser Redpolls, 17 Siskins, 22 Linnets, 71 Goldfinches, three Greenfinches, 21 Chaffinches, 11 Reed Buntings, 36 Meadow Pipits, 12 Pied Wagtails, 12 Skylarks and a Swallow, mostly heading north.

Also, a Dartford Warbler, three Stonechats and seven Chiffchaffs were along the front, with a Coal Tit, three Firecrests and seven Goldcrests in Bluebell Wood, four Water Rails were heard in the Severals, six Brent Geese, 30 Stock Doves and 700 Wood Pigeons went over and a Sandwich Tern, two Razorbills and six Great Crested Grebes were offshore.

Five Great White Egrets was a high count and an unusual sight in the harbour, but three Knot, three Turnstones and a few Grey Plovers, plus a Kingfisher on the metalwork was about it, otherwise. (MRe/IP/MW/M&LL/GM et al)

Dartford Warbler (above) & Stonechat at Church Norton (GM)

North Wall: There was an amazing count of 17 Bearded Tits around the Breech Pool before most dispersed, mainly west - this may well be the highest number ever seen on the reserve.

At least two Marsh Harriers and three Buzzards were around, with a dozen or so Reed Buntings, a Chiffchaff, c25 Long-tailed Tits and a couple of Stonechats also seen along the wall, plus a Firecrest at Halsey's Farm.

There wasn't too much to report from the harbour, though there were 40+ Brent Geese and plenty of the regular wildfowl and waders present. (LP/SP/S&SaH/AH et al)

Bearded Tits (LP) (above), Long-tailed Tits, Marsh Harrier & Grey Heron (AH) at the North Wall

This evening there were two Barn Owls out hunting at Halsey's Farm, and at least 40 Cattle egrets came in from the Sidlesham area to roost in Owl Copse. (AW)

Barn Owls (above) & Cattle Egrets at the North Wall (AW)

Sidlesham: There was more good visible/audible migration early this morning, including eight Hawfinches, a Brambling, nine Siskins,, eight Chaffinches, 14 Redwings, 16 Skylarks, ten Pied Wagtails, two Snipe, two Pintail and 50 Golden Plovers, along with 2570 Wood Pigeons. There were also a Firecrest, a Goldcrest and a Chiffchaff in the garden. (PA)

Firecrest in a Sidlesham garden (PA)

Medmerry: Easton Lane to Greenwood Farm - At least 40 Yellowhammers and 20 Reed Buntings were in the hedges around the cover crop field late this afternoon, along with c50 Linnets and a few Meadow Pipits, whilst c120 Golden Plovers and c300 Lapwings came up from out on the reserve. (AH)

Yellowhammer at Medmerry (AH)

Saturday, 26th 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

(1545-1645hrs) (JA)

Gannet - 6W, 6os

Shag - 1W

Brent Goose - 4W

Common Scoter - 1E

Black-headed Gull - 148E

Common Gull - 2E

Lesser Black-backed Gull - 1E

auk sp - 4W

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)

This evening a Barn Owl and a Tawny Owl were at Halsey's Farm. (BI)

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

West Wittering: Among the species sound-recorded recently there have been Siskins, Firecrests, Goldcrests, Tawny Owls, Barn Owls and a Yellow-legged Gull. (GM)

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/PA et al)

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)