19th - 21st April 2025

Easter Monday, 21st April: A cool and murkily grey morning in a light breeze, initially from the south-east and later from the south-west...........

Selsey Bill: There was very little on the move, though an Arctic Skua, ten Whimbrel,  18 Common Terns and 33 Brent Geese went east, as did two Greylag Geese - surprisingly scarce here, and two Bonxies were sat on the sea. Full log below. (JA/SH/BI/IP/MRe/AH/SR)

(0530-0900hrs) (SSE, then SW, F1-2)

Great Northern  Diver - 7os

Red-throated Diver - 1E, 2os

Fulmar - 3E

Gannet - 14E, 6W

Little Egret - 1E

Greylag Goose - 2E

Brent Goose - 33E

Shelduck - 2W

Mallard - 2

Common Scoter - 7E, 50os

Red-breasted Merganser - 1os

Oystercatcher - 7E

Curlew - 2E

Whimbrel - 10E

Turnstone - 4W, 2 present

Great Skua - 

Arctic Skua- 1E

Mediterranean Gull - 9E, 2os

Kittiwake - 2E

Sandwich Tern - 20E, 2os

Common Tern - 18E

Little Tern - 2E, 9os

Greylag Geese (above), Brent Geese, Little Tern & Sandwich Tern at the Bill (AH)

Ferry Pool: The Green Sandpiper and the two Little Ringed Plovers were again on the pool this morning, along with two Snipe, 14 Black-tailed Godwits, 16 Avocets, four Shoveler and c20 Teal and Shelducks.

Also, a Whitethroat and a couple of Chiffchaffs and Blackcaps were around the Discovery Area and a Marsh Harrier went over. (AH/MRe)

Green Sandpiper and Little Ringed Plover (above) & Avocet and Little Ringed Plovers at the Ferry (AH)

Park Farm, Selsey: Two Swallows flying around and a Pied Wagtail on the Park Lane roofs, plus two Shelducks over was about it this morning. (IP)

Church Norton: The harbour was very quiet, with just 22 Sandwich Terns, plus a Common Tern, a Whimbrel, two Black-tailed Godwits and a Ringed Plover of note, whilst a lone Brent Goose was at Greenlease Farm

A Cuckoo and a Marsh Harrier were at the Severals, with plenty of Whitethroats, Reed, Sedge and Cetti's Warblers about, along with a male Reed Bunting and aGreen Woodpecker, and a Little Grebe was on the second Several, along with the pair of Mute Swans. (IP).

Cuckoo (above) & Green Woodpecker at Church Norton (IP)

: 

North Wall: A Raven and two Cuckoos flew over the wall and across the harbour this morning, and along White’s Creek two Great Crested Grebes were performing their courtship dance, and further out on the mud there were two Wigeon, two Whimbrels, nine Curlews, 17 Grey Plovers and 23 Dunlin, but for the first time this year there were no Redshanks to be seen.

The pairs of Shelduck and Gadwall were again on the Breech Pool, and in the reeds, there was lots of activity from the Sedge Warblers and Reed Warblers, as well as a few singing Cetti’s Warblers, while the lone Brent Goose was again in the fields, and the Grey Herons and Cattle Egrets were busy in the trees at Owl Copse.

A Song Thrush, a Jay, a Green Woodpecker, and a Pied Wagtail were in the paddock, with another Cuckoo in the bushes further back, and both male and female Marsh Harriers over the reeds. (LP/MJa/TRH/CT)

Cuckoo (above), Great Crested Grebes, Gadwall, Sedge Warbler, Raven, Grey Herons & Song Thrush at the North Wall (LP)

Runcton: South of the village this morning there were single pairs of Mute Swan, Greylag Goose and Egyptian Goose, along with eight Shelducks, 24 Mallard, 3 Shoveler , 12 Gadwall, 11 Tufted Ducks, 32 Coot, 5 Moorhens, two Little Grebes, a Song Thrush, a Swallow, a Skylark and a Reed Warbler , plus six Roe Deer, whilst a flock of nine Whimbrel flew over eastward. (CRJ)

Sidlesham: A Cuckoo could be heard calling from Cow Lane this morning. (PA)

Medmerry: Easton Lane to the Stilt Pool - A Barn Owl was hunting near the car-park early this morning and there was also a Cuckoo in the vicinity. (PB/MRB/GR)

Barn Owl at Medmerry (MRB)

Medmerry: Medmerry Trail to Porthole Farm - A Cuckoo was calling to the north of the Tail this morning, whilst the most conspicuous species was Whitethroat, with up to 40 birds seen along the Trail and around the farm.

Also along the Trail were two Lesser Whitethroats, a Reed Warbler, five Sedge Warblers, wo or three Chiffchaffs, Blackcaps and Cetti's Warblers, with a Marsh Harrier and a Raven over.

Around 25 Swallows and 15 House Martins were over the settling tanks, whilst around Porthole Farm there were also half a dozen Yellowhammers, a Reed Bunting, a Stonechat and c30 Linnets, plus seven Skylarks and c20 Stock Doves and Mediterranean Gulls. (MRe/AH)

Whitethroat (above), Linnet & House Martin at Medmerry (AH)

Easter Sunday, 20th April: Another decidedly cold and grey morning, with the strong breeze back to north-easterly, with some rain early on and a bit of sunshine later.......

Selsey Bill: The first - very distant - Manx Shearwater of the year went west this morning, and a Hobby, catching prey en route, plus a few Swallows came in off the sea, but little was heading east. Full log below. (JA/SH/BI/PB/IP/AH/SR)

(0540-0855hrs) (NE, F6)

Great Northern Diver - 4os

Manx Shearwater - 1W

Fulmar - 1W

Gannet - 136E, 55W, 30os

Common Scoter - 11E, 24W

Hobby - 1N

Oystercatcher - 1E

Whimbrel - 8E

Bar-tailed Godwit - 7E

Arctic Skua - 1os

Mediterranean Gull - 3E

Black-headed Gull - 4E

Common Gull - 4E

Lesser Black-backed Gull - 1os

Kittiwake - 2E, 3W

Sandwich Ten - 225E, 32os

Common Tern - 21E, 6os

Little Tern - 24E, 18os

auk sp - 14W

Swallow - 3N

Rook -1N

Bottle-nosed Dolphin - 4os

Little Tern (above), Sandwich Tern, Common Gull, Gannet & Common Scoters at the Bill (AH)

This afternoon, a flock of 70 Bar-tailed Godwits went east, a Bonxie went west and a few Swallows and a Sand Martin came in off the sea. (SH/JA/AW/MRe)

(1500-1745hrs)
Great Northern Diver - 2os

Red-throated Diver -2E

Great Crested Grebe - 1E

Fulmar - 2E
Gannet - 4E, 30os

Common Scoter - 4E
Red-breasted Merganser - 1os
Oystercatcher - 2E
Whimbrel - 1E
Bar-tailed Godwit - 75E

Great Skua - 1W
Mediterranean Gull - 10E, 4os
Sandwich Tern - 11E, 25os
Common Tern - 5E, 10os
'Commic' Tern - 1E

Little Tern - 3W

auk sp - 2E, 2W
Swallow - 23N
Sand Martin - 1N

Bar-tailed Godwits (above), Red-breasted Merganser & Sandwich Tern at the Bill (AW)

Ferry Pool: It was business as usual about the pool this morning, with the Green Sandpiper and a Little Ringed Plover both present, along with 14 Avocets, 22 Black-tailed Godwits, four drake Shovelers, the drake Gadwall and c20 Teal and Shelducks. (AH)

Green Sandpiper (above), Little Ringed Plover & Avocets at the Ferry (AH)

This afternoon, what were presumably the two Spoonbills seen over Halsey's Farm earlier (see below) were feeding actively on the pool. 

They were still there later, when there were also a Greenshank, two Snipe, both Little Ringed Plovers and three Grey Herons p[resent on the pool, and half a dozen Whimbrel were off the Tramway. (AH/RP)

Spoonbills at the Ferry (AH)

North Wall: Two Spoonbills that flew over from Halsey’s Farm were the highlight of a cold, wet and windy morning along the wall, though a Cuckoo was calling from behind Owl Copse, a few Sedge Warblers, Reed Warblers and Cetti's Warblers were singing in the reeds, and three Blackcaps, four Chiffchaffs, four Whitethroats and a couple of Greenfinches were along the bushes, and ten Swallows went over.

Two Jays, a Pied Wagtail and five Little Egrets were in the paddock and further back a Red Kite, and both Marsh Harriers were over the reeds, with three Buzzards and a Kestrel also about, while on the Breech Pool there were two Tufted Ducks, a Gadwall, two Shelducks, two Great Crested Grebes and a Little Grebe.

Also, a Kingfisher flew out from the sluice, a Whimbrel was along White’s Creek, and a flock of 92 Dunlin flew out from the harbour and over the wall before circling around and back over the harbour and c30 Cattle Egrets were around Owl Copse. (S&SaH/MJa/LP/MRi/DHi)

Spoonbill (SH) (above) & Marsh Harrier (LP) at the North Wall

Honer Reservoir: There were just four Gadwall, six Tufted Ducks, a pair of Little Grebes and a few Mallards and Coots on the reservoir, and up to half a dozen Sand Martins and a dozen Swallows were feeding over the water, with a few more of the latter along the lane, along with a Mistle Thrush, a Blackcap and a couple of Whitethroats. (AH)

Swallow (above), Whitethroat & Gadwall at Honer Reservoir (AH)

Medmerry: Stilt Pool - A Swift went over the pool this afternoon. (GW)

Runcton: After having two adult Song Thrushes gathering food in our garden for several weeks it was great to see two fully fledged juveniles visit this evening. (CRJ)

Chichester GPs: Ivy Lake complex - Around 50 Swallows and 20 Sand Martins were feeding over the various pits this morning, but just a handful of Pochard, c20 Tufted Ducks and similar of Greylag and Canada Geese were on the water.

Also, a pair of Egyptian Geese and nine goslings were by the house, along with a Grey Wagtail, whilst two or three Chiffchaffs and Cetti's Warblers, a Blackcap and up to five Reed Warblers were seen/heard along the path. (AH)

Amazingly, a male Hen Harrier went high over the pits heading north at 1550hrs this afternoon.

Otherwise, most of this morning's birds were seen, along with a House Marin, a Common Tern and a couple of Goldcrests. (MRe)

Swallow and Sand Martin (above), Grey Wagtail, Reed Warbler, Chiffchaff & Egyptian Goslings at Chichester GPs (AH)

Saturday, 19th April: After overnight rain, a cold and grey morning in a near gale-force easterly, though the sun did appear slowly, later on.......

Selsey Bill: There was a modest bur steady eastward passage his morning, including two Arctic Skuas, a Bonxie, 211 Sandwich Terns, 41 Common Terns, six Avocets, 52 Bar-tailed Godwits and ten Whimbrel, whilst a Hobby came in off the sea Full log below. (JA/SH/BI/PB/AH/NM/SR et al)

(0545-0930hrs) (ESE, F6-7)

Great Northern Diver - 1E, 3os

Great Crested Grebe - 2E

Fulmar - 4E, 3W

Gannet - 65E, 14W, 10os

Common Scoter - 6E

Hobby - 1N

Avocet - 6E

Whimbrel - 10E

Bar-tailed Godwit - 52E

Turnstone - 7W

Great Skua - 1E, 1os

Arctic Skua - 2E

Mediterranean Gull - 22E

Lesser Black-backed Gull - 1W

Kittiwake - 3E, 3W

Sandwich Tern - 211E

Common Tern - 41E

'Commic' Tern - 1E

Little Tern - 4E, 10os

auk sp - 1E

Swallow - 6N

This afternoon, a further five Arctic Skuas, 58 Bar-tailed Godwits, ten Whimbrel and 55 Sandwich Terns went east, along with two probable Pilot Whales at 1704hrs. Full log below. (SH/JA)

(1400-1800hrs)

Fulmar - 1E

Gannet - 10E, 5W

Common Scoter - 1W

Curlew - 2E

Whimbrel - 10E

Bar-tailed Godwit - 68E

Arctic Skua - 5E, 1os

Mediterranean Gull 2W, 13os

Sandwich Tern - 55E, 17os

Common Tern - 3E

auk sp - 1W

Swallow - 7N

Pilot Whale - 2E

Arctic Skua (above), Bar-tailed Godwits, Fulmar, Avocets, Sandwich Terns & Gannet at the Bill (AH)

Ferry Pool: Three Greenshanks dropped in briefly at the back, but otherwise there were just 14 Avocets, 12 Black-tailed Godwits, the drake Gadwall, three Shovelers, c20 Teal and 36 Shelducks. (AH)

Greenshanks (above), Avocet Black-tailed Godwits at the Ferry (AH)

North Wall: A Cuckoo was in the bushes by Honer 1 field and later possibly a second one was around the trees at Halsey’s Farm, but most of the small birds were lying low in the very windy conditions.

The lone Brent Geese was still in the fields and a single Wigeon was on the Breech Pool, where there was also a Great Crested Grebe, the regular pair of Shelducks and a pair of Gadwall, with both male and female Marsh Harriers up over the reeds.

Along White’s Creek there were just four Redshanks, two Teal and 12 Shelducks, and further out on the mud were 12 Black-tailed Godwits, 16 Grey Plovers and 13 Dunlin, but the only other birds of note were a few Mediterranean Gulls heading over towards the fields. (LP)

There was also a report by visiting birders of a White-tailed Eagle over he north of he harbour at midday. (per MP)

Cuckoo (above), Gadwall & Wigeon at the North Wall (LP)

Pagham Spit: There were 11 Little Terns around their island in the harbour this afternoon. (LP)

Medmerry: Easton Lane to the Stilt Pool - Along the banks and pools this morning, there were a Sedge Warbler, a Reed Warbler, four Chiffchaffs, four Cetti's Warblers, ten Whitethroats, five Reed Buntings and a dozen Yellowhammers, plus a Kestrel over, but there were just four Avocets and a Ringed Plover on the Stilt Pool. (S&SaH)

This evening, a pair of Egyptian Geese were in the field by the car-park. (AH)

Egyptian Geese at Medmerry (AH)

Drayton: The first-winter White-fronted Goose was still with 15 Greylag Geese on the field opposite Drayton Pits this morning. (AH)

White-fronted Goose at Drayton (AH)