Birding the Selsey Peninsula: 4th

Sunday, 6th October: A cool, grey and heavily overcast morning, with the prospect of drizzly rain never far away, in a fresh and blustery south-easterly breeze ..........

Selsey Bill: The Black Tern and the Merlln both re-appeared offshore again this morning, and there was still a bit of visible migration going on. Full log later. (SH/BI/MRB/IP/AH/SR/P&LH)

(0645-0915hrs) (SSE, F5-6)

Great Crested Grebe - 1os

Gannet - 8E, 5W, 39os

Shag - 5E

Brent Goose - 16W

Wigeon - 4E

Common Scoter - 11E, 2W

Merlin - 1E

Turnstone - 7

Mediterranean Gull - 26E, 5E

Common Gull - 2W

Sandwich Tern - 2E, 3os

Black Tern - 1os

Guillemot - 5E

Razorbill - 13E, 2os

auk sp - 28E, 1W

Swallow - 75E

Pied Wagtail - 23E

Meadow Pipit - 22E

Linnet - 76E

Black Tern (above) & Shags at the Bill (AH)

This afternoon a Wheatear and a Sanderling were about, with lots more Swallows on the move. Full log below. (P&LH/SH)

(1140-1455hrs)

Gannet - 9E, 23W, 9os

Grey Heron - 1W

Common Scoter - 5E, 2W

Red-breasted Merganser - 1W

Sanderling - 1

Turnstone - 29

Mediterranean Gull - 3E

Common Gull - 1E

Sandwich Tern - 5E

Swallow - 416E

Meadow Pipit - 1E

Wheatear - 1

Chiffchaff - 1

Sanderling (above), Wheatear, Sandwich Tern & Common Scoters at the Bill (LH)

Ferry Pool: There wasn't too much beyond the regulars this morning, including a Little Grebe, five Avocets, c40 Lapwings, c20 Shelducks and Shovelers and c50 Teal, with a couple of Buzzards in the fields behind and a few Swallows over. (AH/MRB)

Avocets on the Ferry (AH)

Church Norton: There were just a handful of Goldcrests and Chiffchaffs, plus a couple of Blackcaps and Jays around the sheltered hedges this morning, though c80 Swallows and a handful of House Martins went over.

A Greenshank, a Whimbrel and half a dozen Bar-tailed Godwits were in the harbour, along with c30 Grey Plovers and c50 Dunlin and Redshanks, plus the usual Oystercatchers ad Curlews, with six Great Crested Grebes, c20 Mediterranean Gulls and c40 Wigeon and Teal also present. (AH/IP/MRB/P&LH et al)

Greenshank (above) Grey Plovers, Redshanks, Mediterranean Gull & Jay at Church Norton (AH)

North Wall: There were still two Whinchats around the paddocks, along with six Stonechats, two Reed Buntings, a Chaffinch, six Chiffchaffs, a Green Woodpecker and a Jay, with two Buzzards, a Kestrel and a Marsh Harrier over the reeds further back and a few Swallows passing over.

White’s Creek was busy with Wigeon, Pintail, Redshanks, Black-tailed Godwits, Lapwings and Curlews, with a few Dunlin and the Yellow-legged Gull out on the mud beyond, whilst a Kingfisher flew out from the sluice and a Grey Wagtail was nearby, but apart from a three Meadow Pipits passing overhead, that was about it. (LP/SP/DHi)

Whinchat (above), Stonechats & Grey Wagtail at the North Wall (LP)

Medmerry: Easton Lane to the Stilt Pool - A Merlin was about this morning, along with a Buzzard and four Kestrels, with two Egyptian Geese on the reserve, whilst the banks held two Dartford Warblers,14 Stonechats, seven Chiffchaffs, four Cetti's Warblers, three Yellowhammers and three Pied Wagtails, plus 11 Swallows over. (S&Sa)

Hunston Church to Fisher: A flock of 97 Greylag Geese with 14 Egyptian and two Canada Geese among them landed on a stubble field, whilst a flock of 30 Swallows flew overhead. There were also a Green Woodpecker, five Chiffchaffs, two Yellowhammers, two flocks of Long-tailed Tits, six Stock Doves and a Kestrel about. (SR)

Egyptian Geese at Fisher (SR)

Saturday, 5th October: Another fairly warm and mostly sunny morning, though with a brisk southerly breeze throughout..........

Selsey Bill: There was a good selection of species again this morning, including a Merlin seen carrying prey in from well offshore, a lingering Black Tern again, the most auks seen this autumn and a bit of visible migration. Full log below. (SH/BI/AH/IP/JFi/SR)

(0645-0930hrs) (SSW, F4-5)

Gannet - 1E, 1W

Shag - 2E

Brent Goose - 1E, 3W

Wigeon - 2E

Common Scoter - 15E, 6W

Merlin - 1E

Oystercatcher - 1E, 3W

Curlew - 1

Turnstone - 6

Mediterranean Gull - 26E, 20os

Common Gull - 2E

Sandwich Tern - 2E, 2os

Black Tern - 1os

Guillemot - 1E, 1os

Razorbill - 16E, 2W

auk sp - 147E, 49W

Swallow - 223E

Yellow Wagtail - 1E

Grey Wagtail - 2E

Pied Wagtail - 54E

Meadow Pipit - 17E

Linnet - 36E

Chaffinch - 1E

Merlin (above), Shag & Mediterranean Gull at the Bill (AH)

Ferry Pool: The Green Sandpiper and the Common Sandpiper were both present again this morning, along with a Little Grebe, eight Avocets, 11 Black-tailed Godwits, c80 Lapwings, 24 Shelducks, c15 Shovelers, c30 Wigeon and c50 Teal.

Also, a Whinchat and at least five Stonechats were along the fence-line in the field, with a Cattle Egret briefly present, too, whilst two or three Blackcaps and a dozen Chiffchaffs were around the Discovery Area and c20 Swallows and House Martins went over, as did two Greylag Geese among c20 Canada Geese.. (AH/JFi/SB/RP)

Green Sandpiper (above), Common Sandpiper, Black-tailed Godwits, Blackcap, Cattle Egret & Greylag Geese and Canada Geese at the Ferry (AH)

Church Norton: The Spoonbill was in the harbour again this morning, though elusive, and there were also 14 Bar-tailed Godwit, two Whimbrel, two Greenshanks, a handful of Knot, a Black-tailed Godwit, c50 Grey Plovers, c150 Dunlin and c80 Redshanks present, along with a dozen Pintail, c30 Teal, c50 Wigeon and five Brent Geese, with two more of the latter going west offshore, where were also a dozen or so Gannets feeding.

There wasn't too much in the churchyard/hide area beyond a handful of Chiffchaffs and three Jays, whilst c30 Swallows and c20 House Martins went over. Along the Severals were six Stonechats and a Mistle Thrush flew over. (AH/JFi/SB/G&CTa/BI)

Bar-tailed Godwits and Knot (above), Wigeon, Whimbrel & Chiffchaff at Church Norton (AH)

This evening there were three Sandwich Terns and c40 Mediterranean Gulls in the harbour, along with c30 Black-tailed Godwits, a dozen Bar-tailed Godwits, a Greenshank, five Knot and plenty of the regular waders. (AH)

Sandwich Tern (above), Mediterranean Gull & Bar-tailed Godwit at Church Norton (AH)

West Wittering: Two flocks of Lapwings went over the house in West Wittering this afternoon - one of 20 and the next of 30 birds - heading north from Chichester Harbour, along with 50 Mediterranean Gulls, and at least 20 Chiffchaffs were in the garden as well. (GM)

Medmerry: Easton Lane to the Stilt Pool - Despite the windy conditions there was a good count of 17 Stonechats along the banks, with a Chiffchaff, seven Yellowhammers, three Pied Wagtails and two Cetti's Warblers about, too.

Also, a Kingfisher was on the reserve and c30 Swallows, a Marsh Harrier, two Kestrels and four Buzzards went over. (S&SaH)

Friday, 4th October: A pleasant morning of quite warm sun and light cloud in a moderate easterly breeze.....

Selsey Bill: There was a good bit of visible migration this morning, including 14 Sand Martins among over 1500 Swallows and 400 House Martins, 37 Skylarks, six Yellow Wagtails, four Reed Buntings, plus a Wheatear and a Rock Pipit on the beach and a dozen Chiffchaffs in the bushes. Full log below. (BI/MRe/IP/AH/SR/RAI)

(0645-0900hrs) (E, F4)

Gannet - 10os

Shag - 1E

Brent Goose - 6E, 5W

Wigeon - 13E

Common Scoter - 1E

Sparrowhawk - 1

Oystercatcher - 1W

Turnstone - 9

Mediterranean Gull - 3E, 6W

Sandwich Tern - 2E

Green Woodpecker - 1

Great Spotted Woodpecker - 1

Skylark - 37E

Swallow - 1598E

Sand Martin - 14E

House Martin - 424E

Yellow Wagtail - 6E

Grey Wagtail - 2E

Pied Wagtail - 29E

Meadow Pipit - 76E

Rock Pipit - 1

Wheatear - 1

Chiffchaff - 12

Rook - 1E

Jackdaw - 25E

Magpie - 9E

Linnet - 180E

Goldfinch - 87E

Chaffinch - 9E

Reed Bunting - 4E

House Martins (above), Swallow, Wheatear, Meadow Pipit, Chiffchaff & Sandwich Tern at the Bill (AH)

Ferry Pool: A Common Sandpiper and a Greenshank were on the pool this morning, along with nine Avocets, nine Black-tailed Godwits, c60 Lapwings, eight Shelducks, a dozen Shovelers and c40 Teal and Canada Geese, with c20 Swallows going over. (AH/RAI)

Late this afternoon a Spoonbill was roosting at the back of the pool. (RP)

Common Sandpiper (above) & Greenshank and Black-tailed Godwits at the Ferry (AH)

Church Norton: There were 20+ Chiffchaffs and a couple of Blackcaps around the hedges this morning, with eight Stonechats along the front of the Severals and c100 Swallows, c20 House Martins and a handful of meadow Pipits went over. A Mistle Thrush was in the churchyard and three Greylag Geese were with c.50 Canada Geese and four Red-legged Partridges in the adjacent field.

There wasn't too much in the harbour beyond a couple of Bar-tailed Godwits and Knot, c30 Grey Plovers, c50 Dunlin, whilst four Brent Geese flew in from offshore. (AH/BI/RAI/GHi et al)

Stonechats (above) & Blackcap at Church Norton (AH)

North Wall: There were still two Whinchats around the paddocks this morning, along with four Stonechats, four Chiffchaffs, two Blackcaps, two Reed Buntings, a Green Woodpecker, a Great Spotted Woodpecker, a Grey Wagtail, and a Lapwing, with two Marsh Harriers, a Buzzard and a Kestrel further back.

A Rock Pipit was by the sluice and a Kingfisher flew down White’s Creek, where there was the usual selection of Wigeon, Pintail, Redshanks, Black-tailed Godwits, Curlews and Lapwings.

A Reed Warbler was in the reeds by the Breech Pool and c100 House Martins and a few Swallows passed overhead, whilst out in the fields, 18 Cattle Egrets were with the cows and at Halsey’s Farm, three Stonechats were on the fence and a Jay was in the field. (LP/TRH/JDW)