Good Friday, 18th April: There was a fresh south-easterly breeze blowing this morning, with it cool under grey skies and with the threat of rain later....
Selsey Bill: The south-easterly breeze drew a crowd of over 30 observers to the Bill this morning, but despite a few bits going through - including seven Arctic Skuas (of which four together), an Arctic Tern, a few Little and Common Terns among 300+ Sandwich Terns, two Velvet Scoters, plus a Bonxie offshore and two more east - it was still not quite the bumper morning hoped for.
Later, more Arctic Skuas and Bonxies went east, as did a flock of 60 Bar-tailed Godwits and a flock of 18 Common Terns. Full log below.
(JA/SH/BI/PB/IP/RHa/PM/MRB/AGB/KT/JF/AH/OM/MO-W/P&LH/SR/PG et al)
(0545-1645hrs) (SE, F3, increasing to F5)
Great Northern Diver - 4os
Red-throated Diver - 3E, 1W, 1os
Great Crested Grebe - 3E, 2W
diver sp - 1W
Fulmar - 2E, 6W
Gannet -76E, 35W, 7os
Shag - 1os
Brent Goose - 20E
Pale-bellied Brent Goose - 1E
Shelduck - 1W
Velvet Scoter - 2E
Common Scoter - 129E, 9W
Red-breasted Merganser - 2E, 1W, 1os
Sparrowhawk - 1
Oystercatcher - 7E
Curlew - 4E
Whimbrel - 15E, 3W
Bar-tailed Godwit - 61E (inc a flock of 60)
Great Skua - 5E, 1os
Arctic Skua - 10E
Mediterranean Gull - 45E, 6os
Sandwich Tern - 411E, 20os
Arctic Tern - 1E
Common Tern - 34E, 1os
'Commic' Tern - 5E
Little Tern - 23E, 18os
Guillemot - 1E
auk sp - 4W
House Martin - 1N
Swallow - 1N
Pied Wagtail - 1E
Little Terns (above), Fulmar, Mediterranean Gulls & Common Scoters at the Bill (AH)
Ferry Pool: The two Little Ringed Plovers were on the pool again, along with three Snipe, 12 Avocets, c40 Black-tailed Godwits, two drake Shovelers, the drake Gadwall, c20 Teal and a dozen Shelducks. (AH/OM et al)
Little Ringed Plover (above), Black-tailed Godwit & Avocets at the Ferry (AH)
Church Norton: Two Little Terns and 14 Sandwich Terns were in the harbour this morning, along with four Whimbrel and a few Ringed Plovers, but not much else, whilst a Reed Warbler in the Severals and a Blackcap and a Whitethroat behind the hide was about it on the landside. (AH/AHu et al)
Little Tern (above), Whimbrel & Blackcap at Church Norton (AH)
North Wall: A Hobby went over the Pagham Road this morning (MRe), and later a Raven went over the wall (IP/RWh), whilst this afternoon a Red Kite went over, he lone Brent Goose was still about, along with a Jay and a few Stock Doves (EB/AHaines)
Red Kite (above), Stock Dove, Brent Goose (A Haines & Jay (EB) at the North Wall
Chichester Canal: A Nightingale was singing on the north side, near Hunston this morning. (MRe)
Honer Reservoir: A drake Smew -sadly a known escape seen recently in Hampshire - was with a dozen Tufted Ducks, two Gadwall, a Shelduck, two Little grebes and a few Mallards and Coots on the reservoir this afternoon.
Also, two Little Ringed Plovers were on the bank, and a dozen Swallows were overhead, whilst nearby, a Cuckoo was along the rife and there were lots of Sedge Warblers, Reed Warblers and Whitethroats along the reeds and hedges. (NR/RHa/NM/LP/BI/SR)
Smew (above), Smew and Tufted Ducks & Little Ringed Plover at Honer Reservoir (LP)
Drayton: The first-winter White-fronted Goose was still on the field opposite the pits, in the company of three Canada Geese and Greylag Geese. (AHu)
Medmerry: Easton Lane to the Stilt Pool - Two Cuckoos were along the banks and a Raven, a Sparrowhawk and two Buzzards went over this morning, but just nine Avocets, a Dunlin and two Ringed Plovers were on the Stilt Pool.
Also, along the banks there were three Stonechats, three Chiffchaffs, 13 Whitethroats, two Reed Warblers, two Sedge Warblers, a Cetti's Warbler, a Reed Bunting and seven Yellowhammers. (S&SaH)
Medmerry: Coastguards - Five Fulmars went east, including a pair and one in close to the beach this morning, whilst a distant flock of nine Little Terns went east and a Great Northern Diver was sat out on the sea. (AW)
Little Terns (above), Fulmar & Great Northern Diver at Medmerry (AW)
Thursday, 17th April: The breeze was back round to the north-east again this morning, and freshening through the day, though quite warm in the sun after a cold start.........
We would like to wish Adam Taylor farewell and all the best for the future as he leaves his role managing RSPB Pagham Harbour (and other areas) to go travelling whilst he is still (just about!) young enough to do it.
And we would like to thank him for all his efforts over the last few years, with the islands ready for the hopefully imminent return of the tern colonies and the exciting new project on the Ferry due to start in the near future. (Eds)
Selsey Bill: Oddly, what were presumably yesterday's Hobby and Great Skua were both seen this morning, well offshore, with the Hobby again heading west rather than flying in.
Otherwise, at least eight Little Terns were offshore, but very little on was the move again. Full log below. (BI/JF/IP/RHa/AH/A Bi/SR)
(0550-0935hrs) (NE, F2-3)
Great Northern Diver - 5os
Red-throated Diver - 1E, 1W
Gannet - 2E, 1W, 3os
Brent Goose - 4E
Shelduck - 3W
Common Scoter - 73E, 3W
Hobby - 1W
Oystercatcher - 4E
Curlew - 1W
Whimbrel - 1E, 2W
Great Skua - 1os
Mediterranean Gull - 30E, 2W
Sandwich Tern - 48E, 25W
Common Tern - 8E, 4os
Little Tern - 8os
Swallow - 4N
Pied Wagtail - 1N
Wheatear - 1
Linnet - 4E
Goldfinch - 3N
(1700-1800hrs) (JA)
Great Northern Diver - 2os
Gannet - 3E, 1W
Common Scoter - 11E
Mediterranean Gull - 9E, 10os
Kittiwake - 1W
Sandwich Tern - 2E, 22os
Common Tern - 3E
Little Terns (above), Common Terns, Sandwich Tern, Mediterranean Gull, Whimbrel & Brent Geese at the Bill (AH)
Ferry Pool: Two Little Ringed Plovers and the Green Sandpiper were around the pool this morning, along with three Lapwings, ten Redshanks and c40 Black-tailed Godwits, but there were just six Avocets about, whilst wildfowl comprised of a lone drake Wigeon, c20 Shelducks, the pair of Gadwall, four Shovelers and c25 Teal. (AH/aABI)
Little Ringed Plovers and Avocets (above), Wigeon & Black-tailed Godwits at the Ferry (AH)
Selsey: Four Egyptian Geese went over our garden, to the north of the town this evening. (S&SaH)
North Wall: A Cuckoo was calling briefly over Owl Copse, where there was the usual selection of Grey Herons, Cattle Egrets and Little Egrets, whilst a Kingfisher was along the water, whilst at Halsey’s Farm, a Wheatear and a Meadow Pipit were on the fences, and around the hedgerows were two Whitethroats, 16 Linnets, two Blackcaps, a Chiffchaff, two Chaffinches, and a Long-tailed Tit, with two Sparrowhawks, two Buzzards and a Kestrel high overhead, and five Swallows across the fields.
The Shelduck pair were again on the Breech Pool, as well as a Great crested Grebe, and in the reeds, there was lots of singing from the Sedge Warblers, Reed Warblers, Reed Buntings, and Cetti’s Warblers, and there as also a lone Brent Geese out in the field.
Two Mediterranean Gulls were along White’s Creek and in the paddock, a Green Woodpecker, a Kestrel, three Little Egrets, two Linnets and a Pied Wagtail were on the grass, a Blackcap and a Great Spotted Woodpecker were in the trees and further back, both male and female Marsh Harriers were over the reeds. (LP/IH/SP/TRH/MJa)
This evening, c30 Cattle Egrets were around Owl Copse with nine Reed Warblers, five Sedge warblers, three Cetti's Warblers, a Blackcap, four Chiffchaffs, three Whitethroats and a Reed Bunting along the wall, , the Brent goose in the fields and a Kestrel and two Marsh Harriers over. (S*SaH)
Cattle Egret (above), Wheatear, Linnet, Whitethroat, Mediterranean Gulls & Brent Goose at the North Wall (LP)
Church Norton: This evening there were four Little Terns, a Common Tern, c40 Sandwich Terns and 100+ Mediterranean Gulls in the harbour, along with a Whimbrel and a few Ringed Plovers and Dunlin. (AH)
Little Terns (above), Common Tern, Sandwich Tern & Mediterranean Gulls & Whimbrel at Church Norton (AH)
Runcton: A Whitethroat was in the garden this afternoon. (CRJ)
Medmerry: Stilt Pool - A flock of eight Little Terns were on the Stilt Pool this afternoon. (RBe)
Medmerry: Medmerry Trail to Porthole Farm - There was very little to report this morning beyond at least a dozen Whitethroats, spread along the path, with, otherwise, just a couple of Chiffchaffs and Cetti's Warblers, a Reed Warbler and a Blackcap, with half a dozen Mediterranean Gulls, three Buzzards and a dozen Stock Doves over. (AH)
Whitethroats (above) & Chiffchaff along the Medmerry (AH)
Wednesday, 16th April: The near gale-force south-westerly that picked up overnight continued through the morning, and it was decidedly cool despite plenty of sunshine.....
Selsey Bill: The first Hobby of the year was seen well out to sea this morning and, oddly, it seemed in no hurry to make land, continuing west and further out until lost to view. There was also a Bonxie seen going east, then west, but it was otherwise pretty slow going. Full log below. (SH/PB/KT/AH/IP/MRe/SR/P&LH)
(0600-0930hrs) (SW, F7)
Great Northern Diver - 6os
Red-throated Diver - 5E
Great Crested Grebe - 1W
Fulmar - 4W
Gannet - 4E, 30W
Brent Goose - 8E
Common Scoter - 24E, 4W
Red-breasted Merganser - 1W
Hobby - 1W
Oystercatcher - 1W
Sanderling - 1W
Whimbrel - 13E, 1W
Great Skua - 1E, then W
Mediterranean Gull - 6E
Common Gull - 1W
Kittiwake - 1W
Sandwich Tern - 31os
Razorbill - 1W
auk sp - 16E, 2W
Meadow Pipit - 7N
Wheatear - 1
Later in the day, both a Bonxie and an Arctic Skua were seen offshore. Full log below. (P&LH)
(1250-1350hrs)
Shelduck - 5W
Great Skua - 1os
Arctic Skua - 1os
Mediterranean Gull - 3W
Sandwich Tern - 10E, 14W
Sandwich Tern at the Bill (AH)
Ferry Pool: A Little Ringed Plover, the Green Sandpiper, 17 Avocets and c50 Black-tailed Godwits were around the pool this morning, along with the pair of Gadwall, 16 Shelducks, five Shovelers and c25 Teal. (AH)
Green Sandpiper (above), Little Ringed Plover, Black-tailed Godwits, Gadwall & Teal at the Ferry (AH)
Church Norton: There were just the now-settled migrants to be seen this morning, including two or three Whitethroats, Blackcaps and Chiffchaffs, along with a couple of Reed and Sedge Warblers in the Severals, plus a dozen Linnets.
Also, two Marsh Harriers went over the Severals, but the harbour just held c20 Dunlin, a handful of Ringed Plovers and the usual Oystercatchers, Curlews and Redshanks, plus a few Teal and Shelducks, with 20 or so Black-headed and Mediterranean Gulls and a handful of Sandwich Terns also present. (AH/P&LH)
Marsh Harriers (above), Whitethroat, Chiffchaff & Linnet t Church Norton (AH)
North Wall: It was predictably quiet along the wall in the very windy conditions, with 14 Cattle Egrets in the fields at Halsey’s Farm and a Coal Tit in the trees there. A few Sedge Warblers and Reed Warblers were calling from the reeds, and two Whitethroats, eight Chiffchaffs, four Blackcaps, a Jay and a Green Woodpecker along the hedgerows.
Two Brent Geese were in Honer 1, and the pair of Shelduck were again on the Breech Pool, whilst three Marsh Harriers were over the reeds further back, but it was quiet in the harbour with just four Grey Plovers and 12 Curlews on the mud and 14 Shelducks and eight Teal on the water. (LP/CT/MJa/HB/LT/GHi/IP et al)
Brent Geese (above) & Wren at the North Wall (LP)
Medmerry: Easton Lane to the Stilt Pool - A Merlin went over this afternoon, along with a Buzzard, a Kestrel and three Swallows, but the banks were quiet in the wind, with just two Whitethroats, two Chiffchaffs, two Reed Warblers, three Cetti's Warblers, five Reed Buntings and a dozen Yellowhammers seen.
Also, a flock of 14 Egyptian Geese were on the reserve, but there were no waders on the Silt Pool at all, until two Avocets and a Ringed Plover flew in. (S&SaH)
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