13th - 15th April 2025

Tuesday, 15th April: After the first rain of the month overnight, a fairly mild and murky morning in just a light north-easterly breeze.......

Selsey Bill: It was slow again offshore, though a few Common and Little Terns went east, along with 100+ mostly distant Common Scoters, and a pair of Wheatears were along the front. Full log below. (PB/PM/PD/IP/AH/SR)

(0615-0915hrs) (NE, F4)

Great Northern Diver - 7os
Red-throated Diver - 1E
Gannet - 30E, 2W
Shag - 4E
Little Egret - 1os
Mallard - 1E
Velvet Scoter - 12E
Common Scoter - 190E
Oystercatcher - 7E
Curlew - 1E
Whimbrel - 1E
Turnstone - 6W
Arctic Skua - 1E
Mediterranean Gull - 8E
Common Gull - 1E
Kittiwake - 1E
Sandwich Tern - 115E
Common Tern - 20E
'Commic' Tern - 36E
Little Tern - 11E, 6os
Yellow Wagtail - 3N
Meadow Pipit - 4N
Wheatear - 2
Linnet - 3E
Goldfinch - 6E

Wheatears (above) & Sandwich Tern at the Bill (AH)

Ferry Pool: The Green Sandpiper was again present, along with a dozen Avocets, c60 Black-tailed Godwits, c20 Shelducks, the pair of Gadwall, half a dozen Shovelers and c50 Teal. (AH/PD)

There was also a Whinchat on the fence in the field later on. (SM)

Green Sandpiper (above), Black-tailed Godwit & Gadwall at the Ferry (AH)

Warner Lane paddocks and Mill Lane - A Grasshopper Warbler - the first of the year - was reeling from the small marshy area along Mill Lane this morning, with a Whitethroat and a few Linnets there, too, whilst in the paddocks there were a Whinchat and a female Redstart, with at least half a dozen Swallows and a Sand Martin over. 

(MRe/IP/AH/SR/PD/BI/PB/PM et al)

Grasshopper Warbler (PM) (above) & Whitethroat (AH) at Mill Lane, Selsey

Long Pool: At least half a dozen Sedge Warblers and Whitethroats were singing and displaying along the path, with a couple of Reed Warblers singing from the reeds, and there were also a Willow Warbler, a Chiffchaff, a Blackcap, couple of Cetti's Warblers, a Reed Bunting and a dozen Linnets about.

Also, a Marsh Harrier and a Buzzard went over, a Little Grebe was on the pool and a Whimbrel and c40 Redshanks were in Ferry Channel. (AH/PD et al)

Sedge Warbler (above), Whitethroat & Little Grebe along the Long Pool (AH)

North Wall: The two Hoopoes were along the path by the paddocks early on, but later moved to the fields further along Church Lane, opposite the church, where they showed on and off through the day..

There were plenty of Sedge Warblers, Reed Warblers and Cetti’s Warblers singing from the reeds around the Breech Pool, and on the water were pairs of Shoveler, Shelduck and Gadwall, as well as a Little Grebe, and a Teal, but it was quiet elsewhere, with just a few Shelducks and a couple of Redshanks in the harbour and two Blackcaps, a Chiffchaff, two Linnets and ten Greenfinches along the hedges, plus a Red Kite and seven Buzzards over.. (DHi/LP/CT/MJa/PB/PM et al)

Also, a Spotted Redshank was in the harbour this evening. (S&SaH)

Hoopoes (PM top, KT lower) (above), Sedge Warbler, Shovelers, Gadwall (LP) & Spotted Redshank (SaH) at the North Wall 

Birdham: Another Grasshopper Warbler was reeling loudly at a private site in the village this morning. (SH)

Runcton: South of the village this morning there were a pair of Mute Swans, a pair of Canada Geese, eight Shelducks, 12 Mallards, six Gadwall, two Shovelers, a pair of Teal, two pairs of Tufted Ducks, two pairs of Little Grebes, three Grey Herons, three Buzzards, 35 Coots, a Common Sandpiper, three Green Woodpeckers, five Swallows, three Skylarks, two Reed Warblers, a Cetti’s Warbler, a Willow Warbler and three Chiffchaff. (CRJ)

Fishbourne Creek: Along the creek this morning were 11 Greenshanks, a Whimbrel, 20 Black-tailed Godwits, two Curlews, five Brent Geese and a Wigeon, whilst along the hedges were five Cetti's Warblers, three Whitethroats, a Willow Warbler and numbers of Blackcaps and Chiffchaffs. (RW)

Medmerry: Easton Lane to Stilt Pool and Breach - There was no sign of the Least Sandpiper this morning, though two Wheatears flew in, a calling Cuckoo was heard, six Swallows and two Sand Martins went over, and ten Yellowhammers and two Reed Buntings were along the banks.

Also, a Cattle Egret was on the reserve, two Little Ringed Plovers and 14 Avocets were on the Stilt Pool, five Sanderlings were along the tideline, seven Sandwich Terns, three Little Ringed Plovers, eight Ringed Plovers and half a dozen Dunlin were around the breach and a Great Crested Grebe was offshore. (PB/PM)

The Least Sandpiper was reported from the pool opposite the Stilt Pool this afternoon. (per RBA)

Sanderling (above) & Yellowhammer at Medmerry (PM)

Medmerry: Windmill area - There was very little here beyond a Skylark, a couple of Meadow Pipits and half a dozen Linnets. (AH/IP/PD)

Meadow Pipit at Medmerry (AH)

Monday, 14th April: The moderate to fresh breeze was from the south this morning, but it was fairly cool, despite the wind direction and a mix of sun and white cloud.........

Selsey Bill: A Bonxie went west, then east this morning, with a bit of eastward movement going on, including 84 Brent Geese, 146 Common Scoters, a Velvet Scoter, 82 Sandwich Terns and two Common Terns, and there was also a Black Redstart in the gardens. Full log below. (PB/MRe/IP/AH/OM/P&LH/SR/AHu et al)

(0615-1030hrs) (S, F3-4)

Great Northern Diver - 3os

Red-throated Diver - 6E

Fulmar - 1W

Gannet - 30E, 1W, 6os

Brent Goose - 84E

Long-tailed Duck - 1E

Velvet Scoter - 1E

Common Scoter - 146E, 12os

Oystercatcher - 9W

Curlew - 1E

Whimbrel - 3E

Turnstone - 6W

Great Skua - 1W, then E

Arctic Skua - 1E

Mediterranean Gull - 22E

Common Gull - 8E

Kittiwake - 2E

Sandwich Tern -  82E,12os

Common Tern - 2E

Little Tern - 2os

Razorbill - 1E

auk sp - 1E, 1W

Stock Dove - 2E

Black Redstart - 1

Whimbrel (above), Red-throated Diver, Common Scoters & Brent Geese at the Bill (AH) and Brent Geese (bottom) (OM)

Ferry Pool: A Wheatear and a Whinchat were along the fence-line across the field this morning and a Whitethroat was singing along the Tramway, but it was very similar to yesterday on the pool, with the Green Sandpiper and two Little Ringed Plovers still present, along with ten Avocets, two Lapwings, four Redshank, c50 Black-tailed Godwits, 18 Shelducks and c25 Teal. (TG-P/LL/AH/PB)

Green Sandpiper (above), Little Ringed Plovers, Avocet & Shelducks at the Ferry (AH)

Long Pool: The first Common Sandpiper of the year was at the far end of Ferry Channel late this morning, along with c40 Redshanks, whilst a Lesser Whitethroat, a couple of Whitethroats and Sedge Warblers, a Reed Bunting and a dozen Linnets were along the path and two Swallows and a House Martin went over. (LL/PB/AH)

North Wall: A Hoopoe was along the path behind the stables late this morning, and even calling on occasion, continuing to show through the afternoon.

Also, two Cuckoos were calling at Halsey's Farm, the first Garden Warbler of the spring as singing near paddocks, with four Reed Warblers around the Breech pool, and a Marsh Harrier, a Red Kite, a Buzzard and a Kestrel went over. (TRH/GHi/BFF/AD/CRJ/LP/P&LH et al)

Remarkably, this afternoon, there were two Hoopoes, seen together and heard calling to each other around the paddocks before disappearing into the garden of Little Welbourne. (LP/AHu/SP/GD et al)

Hoopoe at the North Wall (GHi top three, then CRJ, BFF, then LP lower three)

Church Norton: A Cuckoo was heard calling this morning, (LP), and later a Willow Warbler was singing from the Mound (GR).

Hunston: The first two Swifts of the year went over the village this morning. (TB)

Chichester GPs: A pair of Mute Swans are nesting on Nunnery Lake, along with two male and a female Pochard and two pairs of Coot with a total nine young, with a Reed Warbler, a Cetti’s Warbler and two Chiffchaffs nearby. (CRJ)

Sidlesham: A Cuckoo was heard calling early this morning from just south of Cow Lane. (AH/PA)

Drayton: This evening the White-fronted Goose was in the field opposite Drayton Pits in the company of a dozen Egyptian Geese and c20 Greylag and Canada Geese. (AH)

White-fronted Goose, Egyptian Goose and Greylag Goose at Drayton (AH)

Sunday, 13th April: The wind shifted round to the west for the first time in several weeks, bringing a mild, but grey morning in a moderate breeze......

Selsey Bill: What was presumably yesterday's Serin unexpectedly re-appeared this morning, heard and seen over the Bill-tip at 0738hrs, and then over the gardens towards Hillfield Road a couple of minutes later, and again at 0852hrs.

Unsurprisingly, given the wind direction, the sea was slow, though the Long-tailed Duck went east, as did 74 Brent Geese, and to five Little Terns were about. Full log below.

(SH/PB/MRB/BI/KT/IP/PA/AH/MRe/MO-W/NM/ML et al)

(0600-0900hrs) (W, F4)

Great Northern Diver - 1os

Red-throated Diver - 2E, 1W

Fulmar - 1W

Gannet - 9E, 9W

Shag - 2E, 1W

Brent Goose - 74E

Eider - 1E

Long-tailed Duck - 1E

Common Scoter - 35E

Oystercatcher - 3E, 8W

Curlew - 3W

Turnstone - 2W

Mediterranean Gull - 14E

Common Gull - 1E

Lesser Black-backed Gull - 1W

Kittiwake - 2E, 1W

Sandwich Tern - 55E, 20os

Little Tern - 2E, 3os

Guillemot - 1os

auk sp - 2E

Swallow - 1N

Pied Wagtail - 1N

Serin - 1

(1250-1350hrs) (SH)

Great Northern Diver - 1os

Gannet - 2E, 4W

Eider - 2W

Arctic Skua -1os

Sandwich Tern - 7os

Bottle-nosed Dolphin - 2E

Sandwich Terns (above) & Brent Geese at the Bill (AH)

Ferry Pool: The Green Sandpiper and two Little Ringed Plovers were on the Pool this morning, along with three Snipe, nine Avocets, c50 Black-tailed Godwits, c20 Shelducks, a dozen Shovelers and c30 Teal. (AH)

This afternoon, three whimbrel went over, heading east. (PA)

Green Sandpiper (above), Snipe, Little Ringed Plover & Shoveler and Teal on the Ferry (AH)

Park Farm, Selsey: There was just a single Swallow over the fields, two Pied Wagtails on the stable roof and an Egyptian Goose east over the small reservoir this morning. (IP/KT)

Later, a Hoopoe was seen and photographed in the paddocks there by local residents. (per Facebook)

Church Norton: A Common Tern was on the mud this morning, among c50 Mediterranean Gulls and c30 Sandwich Terns, but apart from the Shelducks the only wildfowl present were five Teal, plus a Little Grebe, whilst waders included a couple of Whimbrel, c20 Black-tailed Godwits, six Turnstones, c20 Dunlin, a Ringed Plover and a dozen Grey Plovers.

On the spit there were three Wheatears, including a male, whilst a Lesser Whitethroat was in the brambles between the Severals, with a Sedge Warbler displaying nearby, and a Reed Warbler and several Whitethroats and Cetti's Warblers were heard in the vicinity.

There was another Whitethroat and several Chiffchaffs and Blackcaps along the west side, but that was about it, beyond four Jays and a Great spotted Woodpecker at Greenlease Farm and a Mistle Thrush singing near the car-park. (IP/KT/AH/PB/MRB et al)

Whitethroat (above), Mediterranean Gull, Whimbrel & Black-tailed Godwits at Church Norton (AH)

North Wall: A Wheatear was in the field at Halsey’s Farm this morning, and there were two Linnets, two Blackcaps, two Chiffchaffs, a Lesser Whitethroat, three Whitethroats, a Song Thrush, a Green Woodpecker, and a Chaffinch around the trees.

Two Whimbrels flew over Owl Copse, where there was the usual selection of c 40 Cattle Egrets and a few Little Egrets and Grey Herons. whilst out in the harbour, 21 Curlews, 17 Grey Plovers and 12 Dunlin were on the mud.

It was quiet along the wall with just a few Reed Buntings, Sedge Warblers, Reed Warblers and Cetti’s Warblers calling from the reeds, whilst a Pied Wagtail was in the paddocks, along with seven Greenfinches and two Linnets who were collecting nesting materials, and a Great Spotted Woodpecker was in the garden at Little Welbourne, but the only other birds of note were three Blackcaps along Church Lane.

Also, three Marsh Harriers were behind the Breech Pool, and a Red Kite, a Buzzard and three Kestrels were seen. (LP/MRi/MJa/Dhi/S&SaH)

Song Thrush (above) & Pied Wagtail at the North Wall (LP)

Medmerry Trail: The first Cuckoo of the year was heard calling, somewhere to the north of the Trail this morning, and there were also two Lesser Whitethroats along the hedges. (BI)

Medmerry: Easton Lane to the Stilt Pool - The Least Sandpiper was again on the stilt pool this morning, and a Whinchat was reported from along the path. (JMo/NM)

This evening a short-eared Owl was out over the reserve, and a Peregrine was about, too. (BI)