Birding the Selsey Peninsula: 4th

Monday, 6th October: A pleasantly warm morning of sunshine and white cloud in just a moderate north-westerly breeze.........

Selsey Bill: The sea remains quiet, but there was a bit of visible migration, including a few Siskins, Redpolls and Swallows Full log below. (AH)

(0710-0825hrs) (NW, F4)

Gannet - 12W

Shag - 6E, 1W

Brent Goose - 2W

Shelduck - 2W

Turnstone - 11

Mediterranean Gull - 7E, 36W

Common Gull - 1W

Razorbill - 8W

auk sp - 14W

Swallow - 33W

Pied Wagtail - 9W

Meadow Pipit - 46W

Redpoll - 12W

Siskin - 25W

Linnet - 14W

Goldfinch - 9W

Common Gull (above), Mediterranean Gull & Shag at the Bill (AH)

Later, at 0930hrs, three Kittiwakes were among the gulls lingering offshore. (AW)

Kittiwakes at the Bill (AW)

Ferry Pool: There were just c150 Lapwings, eight Shovelers and 32 Teal on the pool this morning. (AH)

Lapwings and Teal at the Ferry (AH)

Mill Pond Marsh: A single Teal was the only bird on the flooded field this morning, and nothing was in the hedges, though three Stonechats were busy around the reeds. (AH)

Stonechat at Mill Pond Marsh (AH)

West Itchenor: A Hawfinch went over this morning, along with a Grey Wagtail, and there were also a Firecrest and two or three Goldcrests about. (SH)

Fishbourne Creek: A probable Glossy Ibis flew in and landed by the edge of reeds at the top of the creek at high tide this morning. (M Wright)

North Selsey: At least two Crossbills were heard, but not seen, going over Park Lane this morning, and also c110 Siskins went over heading south, too. (MRe)

East side and Spit: A pair of Whooper Swans were out in the harbour this morning, before flying over to the other side of the harbour.

Also, a Spotted Redshank, two Greenshanks and a Yellow-legged Gull were along White's Creek, whilst in the harbour there were a flock of 34 Golden Plovers, 45 Grey Plovers, 80 Lapwings, a Bar-tailed Godwit and 23 Black-tailed Godwits, with a total of 211 Siskins and 11 Redpolls over and a Peregrine and a couple of Marsh Harriers about, too.

Two Curlew Sandpipers and four Knot were among c70 Dunlin and c80 Ringed Plovers on the shingle bar near the harbour mouth and four Rock Pipits and two Wheatears were along the spit. (LP/PA)

North Wall: A Goldcrest was along the lane to the stables and a pair of Stonechats were in the paddock, whilst a Marsh Harrier was in the trees further back and c50 Meadow Pipits passed overhead.

A Rock Pipit was by the sluice and a Spotted Redshank, a Curlew Sandpiper and a Common Sandpiper were along White’s Creek. A Kingfisher was fishing over the Breech Pool, but with the water level having risen again, there were no other birds there.

Eight Reed Buntings and a Jay were along the bushes, and 24 Cattle Egrets were with three Little Egrets and a Grey Heron out on their island, but it was quiet at Halsey’s Farm with just a few Meadow Pipits along the fence. (LP/MJa/NM/JDW)

The two Whooper Swans flew up from near Tern Island and did a circuit of the harbour before heading off west, calling noisily as they did so, and three Spoonbills also went west over the harbour.

A count of 105 Cattle Egrets at Halsey's Farm is a new record for the Peninsula, whilst there were also c200 Swallows about, along with two Water Rails, two Cetti's Warblers and four Stonechats. (S&SaH)

Rock Pipit (above), Cattle Egrets, Reed Bunting, Stonechat & Goldcrest at the North Wall (LP)

Church Norton: The pair of Whooper Swans were visible from the spit and the west side, before they finally flew over much closer, and a Glossy Ibis flew over, heading west, though the harbour was fairly quiet on the rising tide, apart from good numbers of Knot, Grey Plovers and Dunlin, along with a few Wigeon and Pintail.

At least 40 Chiffchaffs were spread along every bit of hedge line, with a Wheatear along the spit, couple of Blackcaps at Greenlease Farm and up to four Stonechats in the marshy area by the horse field, whilst a constant flow of 100+ Meadow Pipits and c20 Swallows went over west.

There were also a couple of Clouded Yellows about. (AH/CRJ/MRe/AW et al)

Whooper Swans (top two AW, lower CRJ), Glossy Ibis (AH), Wheatear (CRJ top, AH lower), Chiffchaff & Clouded Yellow (AH) at Church Norton

The pair of Whooper Swans spent the afternoon around the harbour mouth as the tide dropped, before flying back to the east side, and then later flying around and appearing to settle in the vicinity of Greenlease Farm.

There were also lots of Chiffchaffs around the churchyard and hide area, along with a Blackcap, but the harbour was quiet. (EB/RP/PA/AH et al)

Whooper Swans at Church Norton (EB)

Sunday, 5th October: Another very windy morning, though slightly less so than yesterday, with the strong north-westerly increasingly pushing through banks of cloud, with some sunny intervals in-between.....

Selsey Bill: Two Arctic Skuas lingering offshore early on was the highlight from the sea, whilst a bit of visible migration included a Woodlark, four Skylarks and 30 Siskins among the usual mix. Full log below.

(SH/BI/PB/MRB/IP/JFi/MRe/AH)

(0700-0900hrs) (NW, F6)

Gannet - 1E, 6W

Shag - 1E

Brent Goose - 1E, 4W

Common Scoter - 6E

Oystercatcher - 1E, 1W

Ringed Plover - 13W

Grey Plover - 2W

Turnstone - 14

Arctic Skua - 2os

Mediterranean Gull - 6W, 6os

Razorbill - 2E

auk sp - 7E, 1W

Woodlark - 1W

Skylark - 4W

Swallow - 24W

Grey Wagtail - 1W

Pied Wagtail - 41W

Meadow Pipit - 163W

Siskin - 30W

Linnet - 16W

Goldfinch - 71W

Later in the morning, a Whinchat was in the gardens. (M&LL)

Brent Geese (above) & Mediterranean Gull at the Bill (AH)

Ferry Pool: A Green Sandpiper flew in and then away again this morning, whilst two Avocets were among the 120 Lapwings present, and a dozen Shovelers were with c40 Teal. (AH)

Avocet and Lapwings (above) & Shovelers and Teal at the Ferry (AH)

Mill Pond Marsh: A Snipe and 14 Black-tailed Godwits were roosting on the flooded field this morning, along with a dozen Shovelers and c60 Teal. (AH)

Snipe (above) & Black-tailed Godwits, Shovelers and Teal at Mill Pond Marsh (AH)

Park Farm, Selsey: A pair of Ravens went over the farm this morning, with a few Skylarks, a Pied Wagtail, a Grey Wagtail and 100+ Meadow Pipits around and over the fields, a Chiffchaff in the hedges and a Jay and a Green Woodpecker about, too. (IP)

Also, a Grey Wagtail was in our garden to the north of the village - only the second one ever seen here. (S&SaH)

Marsh Farm Sidlesham: A Hawfinch, seen and sound recorded, flew over near the farm buildings this morning and there was in general a decent number of small birds present including Chaffinches, Goldfinches, Skylarks and Meadow Pipits.

A mix of gulls were near the new excavations, including a Yellow-legged Gull, and there were c.12 Cattle Egrets in the fields nearby.(BI)

The/a Hawfinch flew from the dairy buildings area to the copse to the south late this afternoon, and there were also 14 Stonechats, three Chiffchaffs, three Yellowhammers and c20 Pied Wagtails in the area, with a Marsh Harrier, a Buzzard and two Sparrowhawks going over. ,(SaH/SH)

Early this evening a Glossy Ibis flew over towards Halsey's Farm with five Cattle Egrets, and in addition to the above, there were also 25 Linnets, 43 Meadow Pipits, two Grey Wagtails, a Goldcrest and two Skylarks, plus a Green Sandpiper that flew over, calling. (MRe)

Church Norton: There was a bit of visible migration over the Several area this morning, including 12 Siskins, 50 Goldfinches, six Reed Buntings, 87 Linnets, ten Chaffinches, three Swallows, a Yellow Wagtail, 166 Meadow Pipits, 62 Pied Wagtails and 21 Skylarks.

There were also a Wheatear, a Whitethroat, a Firecrest, three Goldcrests, two Blackcaps and 15 Chiffchaffs in the vicinity, whilst a Coal Tit was in the gardens towards East Beach and a Peregrine went over.

In the harbour, exactly 20 Little Egrets were roosting on Tern Island along with a Grey Heron, but waders were limited to the usual Redshanks, Oystercatchers and Curlews, plus two Grey Plovers, five Turnstones and a Greenshank, whilst a female Marsh Harrier briefly cruised over disturbing the numerous wildfowl - mainly Wigeon and Teal, with seven Pintail among them, and a female Kestrel was also present. (MRe/IP)

North Wall: A Wheatear and a Rock Pipit flew out from the wall this morning, and a few Meadow Pipits and Swallows went over, but a couple of Chiffchaffs and Blackcaps were about it for the hedges.

Also, the Common Sandpiper was in White's Creek and three Spotted Redshanks were roosting further along, among plenty of Redshanks, Grey Plovers and Black-tailed Godwits, with two Snipe dropping in, too, with good numbers of Wigeon, Teal and Pintail about, with the odd hybrid bird among them, and eight Shelducks were further out in the harbour. (AH/JDW/SP/LP et al)

Common Sandpiper (above), Spotted Redshanks and Redshanks, Snipe, Pintail, Wigeon & hybrid duck at the North Wall (AH)

Medmerry: Easton Lane to the Stilt Pool - There were a few birds along the banks this morning, including two Wheatears, a Stonechat, three Chiffchaffs, nine Goldcrests, two Cetti's Warblers and three Yellowhammers, with two House Martins, six swallows, a Grey Wagtail, a dozen Pied Wagtails and c150 Meadow Pipits going over.

Also, a Merlin was about, along with three Kestrels and three Buzzards, whilst nine Egyptian Geese, 20 Golden Plovers, 24 Ringed Plovers and a Dunlin were on the reserve. (S&SaH)

Saturday, 4th October: A mostly bright, but cool, morning dominated by the gale force westerly that persisted throughout....

Selsey Bill: A distant Sooty Shearwater and two equally distant Balearic Shearwaters west and the Great Northern Diver offshore were the highlights of a generally quiet morning. Full log below. (SH/BI/PB/AHu/AH/IP/MRe et al)

(0645-0900hrs) (WNW, F8)

Great Northern Diver - 1os

Sooty Shearwater - 1W (0710hrs)

Balearic Shearwater - 2W

Gannet - 7E, 18W

Common Scoter - 2E

Oystercatcher - 1W

Grey Plover - 6W

Turnstone - 5

Mediterranean Gull - 1W, 1os

Kittiwake - 26W

Sandwich Tern - 1W

auk sp - 12E, 4W

Swallow - 10W

Pied Wagtail - 3W

Meadow Pipit - 15N

Great Northern Diver (AW) (above), Mediterranean Gull & Turnstone (AH) at the Bill

Ferry Pool: There were just c40 Lapwings and c60 Teal on the pool this morning. (AH)

Lapwings and Teal on the Ferry (AH)

Mill Pond Marsh: It was just ducks this morning, namely c20 Shovelers, c40 Mallards and c70 Teal. (AH/IP)

Shovelers and Teal on Mill Pond Marsh (AH)

Park Farm, Selsey: A Marsh Harrier and a Buzzard went over this afternoon. (SH)

North Wall: Seven Stonechats were around the hedges at Owl Point this morning, with five more and a Meadow Pipit along the fences behind Owl Copse, whilst a couple of Chiffchaffs, a Cetti's Warbler, a Grey Wagtail, a Rock Pipit and two Reed Buntings were along the wall.

Also, four Cattle Egrets were in the fields, a Green Sandpiper flew out from the muddy ditch behind Owl Copse, a Common Sandpiper was in the harbour, a Kingfisher was by the sluice at Halsey's Farm and a Swallow and a Kestrel went over. (S&SaH/PB/MJa/LP)

Stonechats (above), Rock Pipit, Kingfisher & Common Sandpiper at the North wall (LP)

Church Norton: At least 30 Ringed Plovers and Dunlin and a handful of Knot and Grey Plovers were on the last vestiges of mud before high tide, with a few Pintail, Wigeon and Teal on the water, whilst a Peregrine went over and a Kingfisher flew along the sheltered hedges, where a dozen or so Chiffchaffs were among a big, mobile mixed flock of Long-tailed, Great and Blue Tits. (AH/AHu/MRe et al)