Thursday, 1st April: A hazily grey morning, quite mild in a moderate north-westerly breeze.....
Selsey Bill: A pair of Pintail were the only birds heading east this morning, through three Wheatears, two Willow Warblers and four Chiffchaffs moved through. Full log below. (AH/IP/MO-W)
(0710-0855hrs) (NW, F3-4)
Great Northern Diver - 3os
Gannet - 2W
Pintail - 2E
Red-breasted Merganser - 7W, 5os
Turnstone - 8
Mediterranean Gull - 12E, 11W
Black-headed Gull - 133W
Lesser Black-backed Gull - 1W
Great Black-backed Gull - 3os
Wheatear - 3
Willow Warbler - 2
Chiffchaff - 4
Linnet - 2
Chaffinch - 2
Wheatears (above) & Chiffchaff at the Bill (AH)
Ferry Pool: A Ruff was still at the back this morning, with a pair of Avocets, a Redshank, a Curlew, four Lapwings and c30 Black-tailed Godwits about, but wildfowl were reduced to c30 Shovelers, a dozen Teal, six Gadwall and eight Shelducks. (AH/GSh)
Lapwings (above) & Shelducks and Black-tailed Godwits at the Ferry (AH)
Pagham Spit: There were six Wheatears along the spit this morning. (LP)
Wheatears at the Pagham Spit (LP)
North Wall: This morning, a Sedge Warbler was in the Breech Pool, whilst a Spotted Redshank was in White's Creek and four Bar-tailed Godwits, 25 Knot, 130 Grey Plovers, four Red-breasted Mergansers and four Pintail were out in the harbour, along with seven Common Seals.
Also, there were two male Wheatears in Owl Point field, two Red Kites, two Marsh Harriers and five Buzzards were over the fields and the first Grey Heron chick of the year was seen in the visible nest at Owl Copse. (LP/BFF/AB et al)
Church Norton: There were up to 50 Sandwich Terns and 200 Mediterranean Gulls among c500 Black-headed Gulls in and around the islands this morning, whilst in the harbour there were 20 Bar-tailed Godwits, c50 Black-tailed Godwits, two Knot, three Dunlin and 25 Grey Plovers, along with a male Red-breasted Merganser, a dozen Teal and a flock of seven Brent Geese that were flying around.
A Willow Warbler, a Blackcap and a few Chiffchaffs were around the Mound area, but a Reed Bunting, half a dozen Linnets and a couple of Long-tailed Tits was about it along the front, whilst a female Marsh Harrier was sat out at the Severals and a Green Woodpecker and a Great spotted Woodpecker were about, too. (AH/CRJ/GR/EB/BFF et al)
Bar-tailed Godwits, Knot and Grey Plovers (above), Black-tailed Godwits, Bar-tailed Godwits and Red-breasted Merganser & Sandwich Terns, Mediterranean and Black-headed Gulls at Church Norton (AH)
Medmerry: Windmill area - There were two male Wheatears on the beach this morning, with a Reed Bunting, a Skylark and half a dozen Linnets about, too, whilst offshore there were a Great Northern Diver and four Red-breasted Mergansers. (AH)
Wheatears (above), Reed Bunting & Great Northern Diver at Medmerry (AH)
