Birding the Selsey Peninsula: 7th

Thursday, 9th October: A pleasantly warm and sunny morning after a murky start, in just a light northerly breeze........

Selsey Bill: A quiet morning, with 23 Skylarks east and a dozen Chiffchaffs in the bushes the most notable counts. Full log below. (AH/IP)

(0710-0825hrs) (N, F1-2)

Gannet - 2W

Brent Goose - 6W

Mediterranean Gull - 22W, 20os

auk sp - 27E, 11W

Skylark - 23E

Grey Wagtail - 1W

Pied Wagtail - 26W

Meadow Pipit - 19W

Chiffchaff - 12

Linnet - 9W

Goldfinch - 30

Chiffchaff (above) & Brent Geese at the Bill (AH)

Ferry Pool: The Green Sandpiper and Black-tailed Godwit were on the small roadside pool again this morning, with c120 Lapwings and a dozen Teal on the main pool. (AH)

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

Long Pool: A Hobby was over the pool this afternoon, and six Brent Geese were in the harbour. (RP)

Mill Pond Marsh: This evening, three Snipe, three Shovelers, six Gadwall and c25 Teal were on the flooded field and two Stonechats were in the hedges. (AH)

Stonechat (above) & Gadwall at Mill Pond Marsh (AH)

North Wall: There were still three Curlew Sandpipers along White’s Creek, along with a Common Sandpiper, three Spotted Redshanks, two Grey Wagtails and a Kingfisher, as well as all the regular species, and the Yellow-legged Gull was again sat out on the mud.

There was lots of activity along the bushes with 20 Chiffchaffs, 12 Reed Buntings, 14 Greenfinches, 12 Goldfinches, c30 Meadow Pipits, six Rock Pipits, six Blackcaps, a Yellowhammer, a Song Thrush and a Great Spotted Woodpecker, whilst at Owl Water, three Little Grebes were on the water, and three Water Rails were along the banks, and 12 Swallows were over the Breech Pool. (MJa/TRH/LP/SP)

This evening a female Marsh Harrier flew in low over the fields and dropped onto a Cattle Egret, but, after a brief tussle, the egret got away.

There were 39 more in the vicinity, with five Brent Geese in the harbour and two Snipe, three Chiffchaffs, four Cetti's Warblers, three Stonechats and five Reed Buntings also noted. (S&SaH)

Little Grebe (above), Water Rail, Blackcap & Yellowhammer and Blue Tit at the North Wall (LP)

Church Norton: It was very quiet around the churchyard/hide area this morning, save a Mistle Thrush, but along the front there were two Dartford Warblers, up to eight Stonechats, a dozen Chiffchaffs and a couple of Reed Buntings, plus a couple of calling Ceri's Warblers, whilst c20 Meadow Pipits and similar of Linnets were along the start of the spit, but a dozen of the former and a couple of Swallows were all that went over.

There was little to report in the harbour beyond a Bar-tailed Godwit, a few Grey Plovers, Knot and Dunlin and plenty of Redshanks.

Also, a couple of Clouded Yellows were about. (AH/RPa)

Dartford Warbler (above), Stonechat, Mistle Thrush & Chiffchaff at Church Norton (AH)

Wednesday, 8th October: Another very grey morning, in just a light westerly breeze........

Selsey Bill: There was a good bit of activity again this morning, including over 500 Razorbills/auks and 100+ Gannets west offshore, and some visible migration, including 89 Siskins and a Redpoll west and a big increase in House Martin numbers, with three Wheatears and 11 Chiffchaffs seen, too. Full log below. (SH/PB/AH/IP/MO-W)

(0700-0930hrs) (W, F2-3)

Gannet - 7E, 110W

Shag - 15E

Common Scoter - 3E, 1W, 2os

Sparrowhawk - 1

Oystercatcher - 1W

Turnstone - 5

Mediterranean Gull - 18W

Sandwich Tern - 1W

Razorbill - 52E, 371W

auk sp - 52E, 235W

Swallow - 82

House Martin - 55

Pied Wagtail - 28W

Meadow Pipit - 43W

Wheatear - 3

Chiffchaff - 11

Siskin - 89W

Redpoll - 1W

Linnet - 49W

Goldfinch - 45

Wheatears (above), Chiffchaff & Shags at the Bill (AH)

Ferry Pool: A Green Sandpiper and a Black-tailed Godwit were on the small roadside pool this morning, with c180 Lapwings and a dozen Teal on the main pool. (AH)

Green Sandpiper (above) & Lapwings at the Ferry (AH)

Selsey: A Wood Sandpiper was heard going over the north of the town this evening. (MRe)

Church Norton: Early this morning there was a flock of Siskins in the tree tops behind the benches, and there were two Green Woodpeckers and two Wheatears along the spit, together with ten Meadow Pipits and a flock of Linnets, whilst along the path in front of the Severals there were two Dartford Warblers with a mix of Goldfinches, Linnets, Chiffchaffs, Meadow Pipits, Stonechats. and Reed Buntings also present. (AW)

Later, c40 House Martins were feeding over the harbour and a Mistle Thrush was in the car-park, but the bushes were quiet, as was the harbour, with a Bar-tailed Godwit and c50 Wigeon the only things of note in a fairly brief look. (AH)

Dartford Warbler (above), Wheatear, Reed Bunting, Meadow Pipit, Green Woodpecker (AW), Mistle Thrush & Bar-tailed Godwit (AH) at Church Norton

The Osprey worked its way up the harbour and over the Ferry this afternoon, and there were also three Dartford Warblers up the west side amongst the gorse, while out on the water there was a single Brent Goose. (AW)

This evening, the Glossy Ibis was out feeding in the harbour, and there were also a Marsh Harrier and a couple of Goldcrests about. (S&SaH)

Osprey (above) & Brent Goose at Church Norton (AW)

North Wall: Early this afternoon, an Osprey caught a small fish in the Breech Pool, flew across the harbour toward Church Norton and then returned.

Also, a Common Sandpiper, three Curlew Sandpipers, three Spotted Redshanks and a Grey Plover, as well as plenty of Wigeon, Teal, Pintail, Redshanks, Lapwing and Black-tailed Godwits, were in White's Creek, with a dunlin unusually along the rocks and two Grey Wagtails and four Rock Pipits by the sluice

Along the wall there were 12 Chiffchaffs, ten Reed Buntings, a Cetti’s Warbler, two Jays, a Great Spotted Woodpecker, two Green Woodpeckers, two Stonechats and six Meadow Pipits, with a Swallow, a Marsh Harrier and a Kestrel over the fields

Also, two Water Rails were along the water's edge at Owl Copse, but it was quiet around Halsey’s Farm with just 44 Cattle Egrets in the fields, whilst there was also a Large Wainscot moth that landed in the grass beside the bench. (MJa/LP/SR/C Holter)

Osprey (SR) (above), Curlew Sandpipers, Common Sandpiper, Grey Plover, Dunlin, Water Rail, Cattle Egrets, Grey Wagtail, Rock Pipit, Chiffchaff (LP) & Large Wainscot (SR) at the North Wall

Sidlesham: A Tawny Owl was calling in Cow Lane last night, whilst early this morning, four Firecests were in the oaks, along with a Coal Tit, a Blackcap and half a dozen Chiffchaffs. (PA)

East Head: Four Greenshanks, 22 Lapwings, 140 Redshank, 45 Black-tailed Godwits135 Brent Geese, 80 Teal and 100 Wigeon were the highlights around the harbour, with another 350 of the latter going west offshore, and there were also two Peregrines and a kingfisher about.

There was a bit of visible migration going on, too, including three Crossbills, seven Redpolls, 126 Siskins, 110 Goldfinches,32 Reed Buntings, a Yellowhammer, a Grey Wagtail, 230 Meadow Pipits and 48 Pied Wagtails over, with half a dozen Blackcaps, four Dartford Warblers, 40+ Chiffchaffs, a dozen Goldcrests, three Cetti's Warblers, four Stonechats and three Song Thrushes in the adjacent hedgerows. (MRe)

Medmerry: Easton Lane to the Stilt Pool - Two Wheatears, 14 Stonechats, three Chiffchaffs, two Cetti's Warblers, seven Goldcrests, four Reed Buntings and 14 Yellowhammers were along the banks today, with a Snipe, 37 Golden Plovers and a good count of 25 Egyptian Geese on the reserve and a Marsh Harrier, two Buzzards and Kestrels over. (SH/PB)

Tuesday, 7th October: A very grey and fairly still start, before slowly brightening up as the westerly breeze began to freshen....

Selsey Bill: There was a bit more activity offshore this morning, including an Arctic Skua and four Brent Geese west, with plenty of Gannets, auks and Razorbills about, but apart from a conspicuous presence of Swallows, plus a couple of House Martins, it was quiet overhead. Full log below. (AH/P&LH)

(0715-0915hrs) (W, F2-3)

Gannet - 8E, 86W, 7os

Shag - 11E, 1os

Brent Goose - 4W

Oystercatcher - 1E

Turnstone - 8

Arctic Skua - 1W

Mediterranean Gull - 6E, 112W, 5os

Razorbill - 43E, 22W, 20os

auk sp - 158E, 63W

Swallow - 184W

House Martin - 2W

Pied Wagtail - 4W

Meadow Pipit - 15W

Siskin - 18W

House Martin and Swallow (above), Brent Geese, Mediterranean Gull, Shags & Gannet and Herring Gull at the Bill (AH)

(1250-1350hrs) (P&LH)

Gannet - 2os

Turnstone - 17

Mediterranean Gull - 42os

Sandwich Tern - 2W

Razorbill - 4E

Swallow - 41W

Sandwich Tern at the Bill (LH)

Ferry Pool: A Green Sandpiper and a Black-tailed Godwit were on the pool this morning, along with c75 Lapwings and a dozen Teal. (AH)

Mid-afternoon the pool held five Black-tailed Godwits, 18 Teal and 127 Lapwings, with a Stonechat in the fields behind. (JC)

Green Sandpiper on the Ferry (AH)

Mill Pond Marsh: There were just four Teal on the flooded field and a couple of Chiffchaffs and a Cetti's Warbler in the bushes this morning. (AH)

North Wall: A Whinchat, a Goldcrest, a Yellowhammer, a dozen Reed Buntings, six Stonechats, a Jay, a Meadow Pipit, five head-only Cetti's Warblers and c25 Chiffchaffs along the hedges and a dozen Swallows went over, but there were just c25 Cattle Egrets at Halsey's Farm and two Little Grebes on the water there.

Three Spotted Redshanks, a Common Sandpiper, a Grey Plover and a Kingfisher were in White's Creek and a Snipe were the only waders of note, with a Kingfisher, a dozen Cattle Egrets and c20 Little Egrets also seen, and four Water Rails heard. (LP/PB/MJa/CT/JDW)

Common Sandpiper (above), Whinchat, Stonechat, Meadow Pipit & Kingfisher at the North Wall (LP)

Church Norton: There was a bit of variety in the harbour on the rising tide this morning, including a Curlew Sandpiper, two Greenshanks, a Bar-tailed Godwit, a couple of Black-tailed Godwits, c35 Golden Plovers and a good mix of Dunlin, Knot, Grey and Ringed Plovers, along with c25 Pintail and Teal, c50 Wigeon and a Little Grebe, with a Sparrowhawk, a Peregrine and two Marsh Harriers out hunting and two Brent Geese and a Kingfisher flying through.

A dozen Chiffchaffs and a couple of Blackcaps were in the churchyard, but most of the passerine activity was overhead, with c30 Swallows and a House Martin about, and a few Redpolls, Siskins, Goldfinches and Meadow Pipits over. (AH/P&LH/RBe/SM/KF et al)

Curlew Sandpiper and Redshanks (AH top, LH lower) (above), Greenshanks, Bar-tailed Godwit, Kingfisher, Pintail, Swallow, Chiffchaff (AH) & Green Woodpecker (LH) at Church Norton

Late afternoon, as the tide receded, there was a Sandwich Tern diving in the harbour, a Kingfisher was along the water's edge near the hide and there were also 17 Turnstones about.

Along the front there were six Stonechats with as many Chiffchaffs, three Blackcaps, two Cetti's Warblers, with a few Swallows over heading west. (AW/JC)

Sandwich Tern (above) & Kingfisher at Church Norton (AW)

Medmerry: Easton Lane to the Stilt Pool - Along the banks today there were a Dartford Warbler, several Chiffchaffs and Cetti's Warblers and a few Yellowhammers, with Linnets, Skylarks, Meadow Pipits and Pied Wagtails in the fields.

Also, two Snipe and a few Lapwings and Canada Geese were on the Stilt Pool and a Peregrine, a Marsh Harrier, two or three Kestrels and seven Buzzards were in the air. (EB/GR)

This evening, a Whinchat, four Wheatears, 13 Stonechats, four Chiffchaffs, c20 Goldcrests, three Cetti's Warblers a Corn Bunting and 14 Yellowhammers were along the banks, with a Greenshank, c100 Golden Plovers and three Egyptian Geese on the reserve and a Marsh Harrier,a Kestrel and three Buzzards over. (S&SaH)