16th -18th October 2024

Friday, 18th October:  It was rather foggy in light winds up to 10am when the sun broke through to bring in a lovely autumn day...

Selsey Bill: Over 1600 Wood Pigeons went west but there was little offshore movement.

(0740-0840hrs) (NNE F1-2) (SR/BI/MO-W/AW)
Brent Goose- 41W

Red Breasted Merganser - 1W

Gannets - 20W

Wood Pigeon - 1679W

Stock Dove - 2W

Razorbill - 3W

Guillemot - 4W

Jackdaw - 290W

Pied Wagtail -  2E 18W

Meadow Pipit - 5W

Skylark - 1N

Wheatear - 1

Goldfinch - 24W

Linnet - 3E

Reed Bunting - 1N

Wheatear at the Bill (AW)

Church Norton: There were at least 20 Stonechats along the beach & Severals this morning, and two Blackcaps were present here as were two Cetti's Warblers, four Linnets and a Stoat. Bluebell Wood held a few Chiffchaffs and a flock of mixed Tits. Around the hide and churchyard were a Buzzard, 3 Jay, a Green Woodpecker, a Stonechat and 3 Chiffchaffs and a Greenshank was in the harbour. (CRJ/BI)

Stoat, above, Stonechat & Greenshanks at Church Norton (CRJ)

Ferry Pool: It was the same mix of birds on the pool today: 16 Avocets, 42 Black-tailed Godwits, four Lapwings, 28 Shoveler, 21 Teal, five Wigeon, seven Shelduck and a Pied Wagtail. (SR)

Medmerry Ham to Easton Lane: A Wheatear was in the fields behind Ham Farm and a cream-cap Marsh Harrier was over Easton Lane view point. (MN)

North Wall: A Ring Ouzel showed briefly in the bushes behind the Breech Pool as the mist cleared, but there were no further sightings throughout the morning. Two Song Thrushes and a few Blackbirds were in the vicinity and a few Greenfinches, Goldfinches, Stonechats and Long-tailed Tits were along the bushes. A Reed Warbler was in the reeds, at least four Rock Pipits were along the rocks and a couple of Skylarks flew over.

At Halsey’s farm, a lone Cattle Egret was in the field, three Jays and a Pied Wagtail flew over, and three Little Grebes were on the water.

There were just a few Wigeon along White’s Creek early on, and after all the recent activity around the paddock, there were no birds at all today. (LP/SP/TRH/IH/MJa/DH/SR/BI/CT)

Ring Ouzel (MJa), below, Little Grebe, Cattle Egret & Song Thrush at the North Wall (LP)

East Head: A Water Pipit was reported thus via ebird: "on waters edge with other pipits - clear call-also picked up by Merlin" (C.Cox)

Thursday, 17th October:  Another dry start with light south-westerly winds moving northerly later in the day...

Selsey Bill: There was a small movement of Wood pigeons but it was otherwise quiet this morning.

(0745-0900hrs) (W F4)(SR/AW)

Brent Goose - 9W

Common Scoter - 3E, 4os
Wigeon - 3W
Eider - 3E
Gannet - 1E, 1W

Wood Pigeon - 166W
Turnstone - 4
Razorbill - 42E, 38W
auk sp - 2E, 11W
Swallow 1W
Jackdaw + 20W
Magpie - 18W
Meadow Pipit - 13W
Pied Wagtail - 12W
Linnet - 8W
Goldfinch - 17W

Eider past the Bill (AW)

North Wall: A juvenile Ring Ouzel was in the bushes behind the Breech Pool along with 2 Song Thrushes and two Blackbirds, and four Rock Pipits were along the rocks. Both male and female Marsh Harriers were about, as were three Buzzards, a Kestrel and two Sparrowhawks.

Around high tide there was just a few of the regular species out in the harbour although eight Snipe and 12 Black-tailed Godwits flew up as the water level rose. A Yellowhammer was along the wall and there were a few Reed Buntings, Long-tailed Tits, Blue Tits and Great Tits along the bushes.

There was still plenty of activity in and around the paddock with at least 20 Stonechats, 50 Goldfinches, two Chiffchaffs, two Greenfinches, a Pied Wagtail, a Grey Wagtail, two Jays, a Green Woodpecker and a Great Spotted Woodpecker in the field and the area behind. (LP/IH/TRH/SP/TH/MJa/GHi/CT/JDW)

This evening, six Marsh Harriers (1M, 4F,1immature M) went into roost, a Common Buzzard and a Sparrowhawk were noted and two Barn Owls were seen hunting together at Halsey's Farm. In the horse paddocks there were at least 16 Stonechats and 29 Cattle Egrets went to roost in Owl Copse. (SaH/SH)

Marsh Harrier, above, Ring Ouzel, Common Buzzard and Rock Pipit at the North Wall (B

Another picture of the Ring Ouzel at the North Wall below: (MJa)

Ferry Pool: Fourteen Avocets, 13 Lapwing, 42 Black-tailed Godwits, 30 Shoveler, 27 Teal, 19 Shelduck, 17 Wigeon and a Cetti's Warbler were the sum today. (SR)


Sidlesham Mill - Marsh Farm: Very little about today just two Green Woodpeckers, a Great Spotted Woodpecker, a flock of Long-tailed Tits, a Goldcrest, a Pied Wagtail, a Jay, five Chiffchaffs, 22 Meadow Pipits feeding in the stubble, 17 Goldfinches feeding on the sunflower heads and a Buzzard. (SR)

Runcton: A brief walk around the village this morning produced a Great Spotted Woodpecker, my first Redwing of the season, several Blackbirds, a pair of Stonechats and just a single Chiffchaff, CRJ

 

Wednesday, 16th October:  A dry start with the prospect of yet more sporadic and heavy showers through the day...winds south easterly veering south westerly later..

Selsey Bill: (0710-0910hrs) (ESE F4) (SH/SR/MO-W) Fifty-two Brent Geese went east this morning and there were still fair numbers of Razorbills moving. Full log below:

Brent Goose - 52E 6W

Common Scoter - 6E

Gannet - 6E 1W

Turnstone - 17

Mediterranean Gull - 5E 25os

auk sp. - 8E

Razorbill - 48E 29W 32os

Swallow - 9E

Meadow Pipit - 27E

Pied Wagtail - 10E
Goldfinch - 50E
Linnet - 20E

(1000-1045hrs) (PB)

Brent Goose - 2W

Common Scoter - 2E

Gannet - 8E 4W

Mediterranean Gull - 1E

Sandwich Tern - 1E

auk sp. - 12E 16W

Razorbill - 8E 58W

Turnstone at the Bill (SR)

Park Farm: The Barnacle Goose of possibly dubious parentage was on the fields here this morning as were three Pied Wagtails and a Swallow flew over. (SH)

Itchenor: Two Ospreys were over Chalkdock this morning and five Redwings flew north. (PH)

Ferry Pool: Eight Avocets, 27 Black-tailed Godwits, 12 Shoveler, 28 Teal and 22 Wigeon and a Cetti's Warbler were present today. (SR) Later, two Green Sandpipers were noted. (PB)

North Wall: A Ring Ouzel was in the bushes behind the sluice early on (but not later) along with four Redwings, a Song Thrush and eight Blackbirds, and it was busy again around the paddock with at least 12 Stonechats, four Chiffchaffs, five Swallows, two Pied Wagtails, a Grey Wagtail, two Reed Buntings, a Jay, a Great Spotted Woodpecker and a Green Woodpecker. Out in the harbour around high tide, 19 Brent Geese were with 37 Shelducks and many Wigeon and Teal, a Kingfisher was along the bank and a selection of Redshanks, Lapwings, Grey Plovers and Dunlin were out on the remaining mud. Two Snipe flew out from the harbour, four Rock Pipits were along the rocks, and in the wet Honer fields a Greenshank was on one of the newly formed pools. (LP/MJa/JDW/SR) Other sightings included a Marsh Harrier over the reeds, a Kingfisher, c.5 Cetti's Warblers calling and seven Egyptian Geese. Two Little Grebes were on the Breech Pool and c.100 Wigeon were out in the harbour; at least 20 Cattle Egrets were also sighted. (PB)

Images from the North Wall today, from top: Stonechats, Ring Ouzel, Brent Geese, Rock Pipit, Greenshank, Reed Bunting, Swallow & Grey Wagtail (LP)

Medmerry: Easton lane to the Stilt Pool: Two Buzzards, two Marsh Harriers and four Kestrels were present today along with 22 Stonechats, a Yellowhammer, a Kingfisher, eight Redwings and 11 Swallows. (SH)

Church Norton: Ten Redwings flew over this morning, two Great Spotted Woodpeckers were around the churchyard as was a Chiffchaff and 16 Red-legged Partridges were still in the fields nearby. In the harbour were three Great Crested Grebes, c.25 Grey Plover. c.100 Dunlin, 18 Brent Geese, two Know and ten Bar-tailed Godwits. (PB/MRe)