7th - 9th October 2024

Wednesday, 9th October: After overnight rain continuing well past dawn, it was  eventually warm and sunny, with the brisk westerly easing during the morning.....

Selsey Bill: There was another good westward movement of 400+ auks, including 385 Razorbills, this morning, whilst 74 Swallows, plus a single Sand Martin, were feeding and drifting east and four Rock pipits dropped in before heading off west. Full log below. (SH/AH/MO-W/IP/SR/P&LH/AW)

(0700-0915hrs) (W, F4)

Gannet - 3E, 23W

Turnstone - 11

Mediterranean Gull - 6E, 1W

Sandwich Tern - 2E

Razorbill - 385W

auk sp - 55W

Skylark - 3W

Swallow - 74E

Sand Martin - 1E

Grey Wagtail - 2W

Pied Wagtail - 13W

Meadow Pipit - 13W

Rock Pipit - 4W

Rock Pipit (AW) (above), Swallow, Razorbills & Sandwich Tern (AH) at the Bill

This afternoon there were two Wheatears on the beach, and a Shag and c20 Ringed Plovers and Dunlin went west. (AW)

Wheatear (above), Shag & Dunlin and Ringed Plovers at the Bill (AW)

Ferry Pool: Just one Green Sandpiper was about this morning, along with a Common Sandpiper, eight Avocets, six Black-tailed Godwits, c50 Lapwings, a dozen or so Shelducks and Shovelers, c20 Wigeon and c50 Teal. (AH)

Green Sandpiper (above) & Common Sandpiper at the Ferry (AH)

Park Farm, Selsey: There were around 75 Meadow Pipits, 30 Pied Wagtails and 40 Swallows on and over the fields this morning. (S&SaH)

Church Norton: It was quiet again, even after the wind dropped, but a handful of Chiffchaffs and a couple of Blackcaps and Goldcrests were around the churchyard/hide area, along with at least three Jays, a Mistle Thrush and a couple of Green and Great Spotted Woodpeckers, whilst c25 Swallows, a House Martin, a Grey Wagtail and a Sparrowhawk went over.

The harbour held two Greenshanks, half a dozen Bar-tailed Godwits, three Turnstones, and c30 Dunlin and Grey Plovers, as well as a handful of Mediterranean Gulls, Wigeon and Teal, whist a Barnacle Goose of likely dubious origin flew into the harbour from the west side (AH/P&LH)

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

North Wall: There were two Whinchats, six Stonechats, two Chiffchaffs, two Reed Buntings, a Cetti’s Warbler, a Wren, a Grey Wagtail, 2two Song Thrushes, two Blackcaps and a Green Woodpecker in and around the paddocks this morning, with six Jays, a Pied Wagtail and five Swallows passing overhead and a Marsh Harrier over the reeds.
A Spotted Redshank was along White’s Creek, with the usual Wigeon, Teal, Black-tailed Godwits, Redshanks and Lapwings, and eight Mediterranean Gulls were with the Black-headed Gulls out on the mud, along with the Yellow-legged Gull and a Lesser Black-backed Gull.
Two Wheatears were along the rocks, three Water Rails were calling from the reeds and seven Cetti’s Warblers were along the bushes, while at Halsey’s Farm, a Kingfisher was at the far end of the rife, a Sedge Warbler and a Whitethroat were in the bushes and a Meadow Pipit was on the mud. (LP/TRH/CT)

Wheatear (above), Stonechat, Grey Wagtail, Kingfisher & Cetti's Warbler at the North Wall (LP)

Medmerry: Easton Lane to the Stilt Pool - Two Wheatears were along the banks this evening, together with five Stonechats, four Dartford Warblers, four Chiffchaffs, four Cetti's Warblers and three Yellowhammers, whilst six Swallows went over.
Also, a Kingfisher and a Greenshank were on the reserve, with a Peregrine, three Kestrels, two Sparrowhawks and a Buzzards also about. (S&SaH)

Runcton: Only a few birds were around the village this morning, including a male Stonechat and six Chiffchaffs, along with a Painted Lady. (CRJ)

Stonechat (above) & Painted Lady at Runcton (CRJ)

Tuesday, 8th October: After yet more overnight rain, another mild and mostly sunny morning in a fresh south-westerly breeze.....

Selsey Bill: A quite interesting morning, with a Purple Sandpiper west early on, a Merlin well offshore again and an Arctic Skua going east, with a constant westward movement of over 600 auks - with all those identified to species being Razorbill - and Swallows, too. Full log below. (IP/AH/SR)

(0715-0915hrs) (SW, F5)

Gannet - 72W

Shag - 1E

Brent Goose - 3W

Merlin - 1E

Purple Sandpiper - 1W

Turnstone - 6

Arctic Skua - 1E

Mediterranean Gull - 1E, 15W

Common Gull - 1W

Kittiwake - 1W

Sandwich Tern - 2os

Razorbill - 357W

auk sp - 9E, 256W

Swallow - 183W

Pied Wagtail - 21W

Razorbills (above), Common Gull & Brent Geese at the Bill (AH)

Ferry Pool: There were three Green Sandpipers around the pool this morning - one at the front and two that flew in at the back, though, otherwise, it was the usual mix, including eight Avocets, c25 Black-tailed Godwits, c60 Lapwings, eight Shelducks, a dozen Shovelers and Wigeon and c40 Teal. (AH)

Green Sandpipers at the Ferry (AH)

Church Norton: It was quiet again in the windy conditions, with just half a dozen Chiffchaffs and a couple of Jays in the sheltered hedges and c20 Swallows over.

Two Whimbrel were in the harbour, along with just two Bar-tailed Godwits, c30 Grey Plovers and Dunlin and c60 Redshanks, plus a few Wigeon and Teal, but that was about it. (AH)

Chiffchaffs (above), Whimbrel & Bar-tailed Godwit at Church Norton (AH)

Monday, 7th October: After overnight rain, a fairly warm, but very breezy morning of sun and white cloud in a fresh south-westerly......

Selsey Bill: A Red-throated Diver went west this morning, along with 144 Gannets and moderate numbers of Swallows and Meadow Pipits. Full log below. (AH/IP/SR)

(0710-0840hrs) (SW, F5)

Red-throated Diver - 1W

Gannet - 144W

Shag - 3E

Sparrowhawk - 1

Oystercatcher - 3W

Turnstone - 3

Mediterranean Gull - 3E, 26W

Sandwich Tern - 1E

Razorbill - 12W

auk sp - 31W

Swallow - 79W

Meadow Pipit - 89W

Pied Wagtail - 10W

Red-throated Diver (above) & Gannets at the Bill (AH)

Ferry Pool: There were just five Avocets, 24 Black-tailed Godwits, 45 Lapwings, six Shelducks, eight Wigeon, 16 Shovelers and c50 Teal on the pool his morning. (AH)

Shoveler (above), Wigeon & Avocets and Black-tailed Godwits at the Ferry (AH)

Church Norton: There wasn't much to report this morning, with a Blackcap, a dozen Chiffchaffs, two Jays, a Great Spotted Woodpecker and a Sparrowhawk in the sheltered hedges and c30 Swallows over being the only landbirds about, whilst in the harbour thee were eight Bar-tailed Godwits, a dozen or so Knot and c40 Dunlin and Grey Plovers, plus c20 Mediterranean Gulls and a few Wigeon and Teal. (AH/CRJ/AW)

Mediterranean Gull (above), Knot and Grey Plover & Bar-tailed Godwit & Redshank at Church Norton (AH)

North Wall: There were six Stonechats, two Chiffchaffs, two Reed Buntings, a Grey Wagtail, a Great Spotted Woodpecker, and a Jay around the paddocks, with a Marsh Harrier, two Buzzards, a Sparrowhawk and a Kestrel overhead.

Along White’s Creek it was busy with Wigeon, Black-tailed Godwits, Redshanks, Lapwings, Curlews and a Kingfisher, with a few Dunlin and 27 Shelduck further out, but it was otherwise fairly quiet, with just nine Cattle Egrets in the fields at Halsey’s Farm and six Meadow Pipits by the rife. (LP/TRH)