17th March 2025

Monday, 17th March: A generally cold, grey and overcast day, still with a brisk north-easterly breeze, though with a few brief interludes of brightness by afternoon.....

Selsey Bill: Another quiet morning, with a flock of a dozen Mediterranean Gulls east and a dozen Meadow Pipits in off the sea the only hint of migration. Full log below. (IP/SR/P&LH/AW)

(0630-0815hrs) (NE, F4-5)

Great Northern Diver - 6os

Red-throated Diver - 1os

Gannet -6E, 2W

Red-breasted Merganser - 1E, 2os

Turnstone - 6E

Mediterranean Gull - 12E, 2os

Common Gull - 6E

Sandwich Tern - 1os

auk sp - 2E

Meadow Pipit - 12N

Pied Wagtail - 1N

Mediterranean Gulls (above), Common Gull & Red-breasted Merganser at the Bill (AW)

Later on, there was a good arrival of 89 Meadow Pipits in off the sea and eight Red-throated Dives went est. Full log below. (P&LH)

(1000-1130hrs)

Great Northern Diver - 3os

Red-throated Diver - 1E, 8W

Great Crested Grebe - 1os

Gannet -2E, 1W

Red-breasted Merganser - 4E, 8os

Meadow Pipit - 890N

Pied Wagtail - 2N

And later still, two Slavonian Grebes were on the sea. full log below. (P&LH)

(1240-1410hrs)

Red-throated Diver - 3W

Slavonian Grebe - 2os

Gannet -3E, 14W

Common Scoter - 2E

Red-breasted Merganser - 1E, 7W

Sanderling - 1W

Turnstone - 17

Common Gull - 6E

Great Northern Divers (above), Red-breasted Mergansers & Common Scoter at the Bill (LH)

Ferry Pool: Two Avocets and a dozen Lapwings were the only waders about, with wildfowl comprising four Gadwall, eight Shelducks, c60 Teal, c80 Shovelers and c100 Wigeon. (AH)

Long Pool: It was very quiet early this morning, with two Reed Buntings, two Cetti's Warblers and half a dozen Linnets along the path, a pair of Great Crested Grebes and a pair of Tufted Ducks on the pool, c30 Redshank in the channel and a Snipe over being about it. (AH)

Reed Bunting along the Long Pool (AH)

Church Norton: The strong wind made things rather unpleasant so only a short visit this morning, which produced the usual wildfowl and waders, and no sign of any Knot or Whimbrel. The meagre highlight was two Mistle Thrushes over the churchyard. (L&PH)

Pagham Spit and Lagoon: Two Mediterranean Gulls and two Common Gulls were on the lagoon, as well as a Little Grebe and a Great Crested Grebe. It was quiet along the spit with just a Kingfisher on the metalwork, and a Skylark on the shale, in the offshore channel there were three Red Breasted Mergansers, with two more in the harbour, where there were also 54 Brent Geese and 32 Wigeon, and out on the mud a Bar-tailed Godwit was with three Black-tailed Godwits and a few Dunlin and Grey Plovers. (LP)

Kingfisher (above), Red-breasted Mergansers & Brent Geese and Wigeon at Pagham Spit (LP)

North Wall: The Spotted Redshank was again by the sluice, but otherwise it was just the regular species out in the harbour.

A Kestrel, a Little Egret, a Pied Wagtail, a Song Thrush, a Green Woodpecker and a Great Spotted Woodpecker were around the paddock, and both male and female Marsh Harriers were up over the reeds, but that was about it. (CT/MJa/LP)

Spotted Redshank (above) & Little Egret at the North Wall (LP)

Medmerry: Easton Lane to the Stilt Pools - There were still two Little Ringed Plovers on the Stilt Pool today, along with five Ringed Plovers, 13 Avocets, four Dunlin, three Black-tailed Godwits, seven Lapwings and a few Wigeon and Teal, whilst around the reserve there were a Green Sandpiper, a Kingfisher, siox Mediterranean Gulls, four Red-breasted Mergansers and 35 Brent Geese.

Four fieldfares were the most notable things along the banks, with, otherwise, three chiffchaffs,, nine Reed Buntings,, c30 Yellowhammers and c200 Linnets noted.

Little Ringed Plover (above), Fieldfare & Teal and Black-tailed Godwit at Medmerry (PA)