Birding the Selsey Peninsula: 28th

Wednesday, 30th September: A muggy and grey morning, with spells of heavy rain in a strong southerly breeze.......

Selsey Bill: There weren't many species this morning, but there was a bit of interest, including a Hobby coming in from way out, and an Arctic Skua, a Guillemot and 21 Brent Geese heading west. Full log below. (SH/AH/KB)

(0700-0900hrs) (S, F6)

Gannet - 3E, 45W

Brent Goose - 21W

Common Scoter - 1W

Hobby - 1os

Arctic Skua - 1W

Mediterranean Gull - 3W

Great Black-backed Gull - 7E, 5W

Sandwich Tern - 8E, 3W

Guillemot - 1W

Swallow - 1E, 6W

(1315-1500hrs) (SH/PB)

Gannet - 15W, 1os

Merlin - 1os

Mediterranean Gull - 8W, 4os

Great Black-backed Gull - 7W

Sandwich Tern - 4W

Swallow - 2W

Brent Geese at the Bill (AH)

Ferry Pool: The Little Stint was present again early this afternoon, and a Spotted Redshank was in the channel opposite. (KB)

A bit later, five Rock Pipits - unusual here - were feeding on the pool and two Snipe and an Avocet were about, too. (PA)

Late this afternoon the Little Stint was among c50 Redshanks and c30 Lapwings on the shingle islands and a Snipe was at the back. (AH)

Little Stint, Redshanks and Lapwings at the Ferry (AH)

Mill Pond Marsh: Two Spotted Redshanks, a Greenshank and a Bar-tailed Godwit were in the creek in the harbour this morning, viewable from Mill Lane. (LL)

Church Norton: The first Brambling of the year was seen in a bush along the west side this morning, with a Dartford Warbler and a Yellow Wagtail also about, along with a Hobby, two Peregrines and a Marsh Harrier.

A good count of 11 Bar-tailed Godwits were in the harbour, along with three Whimbrel, five Greenshanks, a Knot and c60 Grey Plovers. (KB/BFF et al)

North Wall: A Kingfisher flew out from the sluice and two Spotted Redshanks were along White’s Creek this morning, along with an Avocet, a Bar-tailed Godwit, 27 Black-tailed Godwits and lots of Redshanks, Wigeon, Pintail and Teal, whilst a Greenshank was on the Breech Pool, and a Peregrine, a Marsh Harrier and a Sparrowhawk flew over the fields and across the harbour.

Elsewhere, 53 Cattle Egrets were in the newly mown fields at Halsey’s Farm, a few Reed Buntings and Chiffchaffs were along the wall, and eight Stonechats were in and around the paddock. (LP/SP)

Spotted Redshank, Greenshank, Bar-tailed Godwit, Cattle Egrets & Reed Bunting at the North Wall (LP)

Medmerry: A White Stork was perched on the dead trees south of the poplars late this morning, whilst a Peregrine flew over low, a Redstart, a pair of Dartford Warblers and a few Linnets, Skylarks and Meadow Pipits were along the banks, seven or eight Egyptian geese were on the reserve and a handful of Swallows went over. . (RBe)

Peregrine at Medmerry (RBe)

Sidlesham: A Raven went over Cow Lane early this afternoon. (AH)

Chichester GPs: On Ivy Lake this morning there were 43 Canada Geese, with another 52 on West Trout Lake, whilst along the main path there were a Cettis Warbler, two Chiffchaffs and a Clouded Yellow.

Also, several pairs of Migrant Hawkers were mating on the reeds at Nunnery Pit. (CRJ)

Migrant Hawkers at Chichester GPs (CRJ)

Tuesday, 29th September: A fairly mild, but hazily grey and blustery morning in a fresh south-easterly breeze.......

Selsey Bill: There was a fair range of expected species seen this morning, but only Meadow Pipits and Linnets in more than modest numbers. Full log below. (SH/PB/IP/AH/P&LH)

(0645-0900hrs) (SE, F5-6)

Gannet - 3E, 12W, 40os

Shag - 4E

Grey Heron - 3

Wigeon - 20W

Common Scoter - 4E

Sparrowhawk - 1

Oystercatcher - 1E, 1 present

Turnstone - 11

Mediterranean Gull - 1os

Lesser Black-backed Gull - 1E, 1os

Great Black-backed Gull - 2E, 1W, 2os

Sandwich Tern - 5E

Swallow - 28E

Sand Martin - 1E

House Martin - 1E

Pied Wagtail - 6E

Meadow Pipit - 89E

Jay - 3E

Linnet - 78E

Goldfinch - 40

Shags at the Bill (AH)

(1155-1355hrs) (P&LH)
Gannet - 3E
Shag - 1E
Brent Goose - 2W
Ringed Plover - 1
Sanderling - 2
Knot - 1
Turnstone - 42
Mediterranean Gull - 3os
Swallow - 16E

Knot (above), Sanderlings & Ringed Plover at the Bill (LH)

Ferry Pool: The Little Stint dropped in again on the pool late this morning, and there were also 102 Lapwings, four Shelducks present, with a Mistle Thrush, a Raven, a Buzzard, a Kestrel and six Swallows going over.

Also, three Spotted Redshanks, two Dunlin, an Avocet, c20 Redshanks, a Little Egret, a Grey Heron, a Gadwall and 54 Teal were in the channel opposite and a Grey Wagtail was again near the hide. (JC/AH/G Duckworth)

Spotted Redshanks (above), Lapwings (AH) & Buzzard (G Duckworth) at the Ferry

Park Farm, Selsey: A big Greenland-type Wheatear was on the fields this morning, along with eight Skylarks and c50 Pied Wagtails, whilst a Cetti's Warbler was in the hedges and two Swallows and a Buzzard went over. (SH/PB)

Mill Pond Marsh: A White Stork went high over the harbour in the company of seven Grey Herons, seen from Mill Lane early this afternoon. (LL)

Church Norton: There was a good selection in the fields along rectory Lane this morning, including a Wheatear, two Stonechats, eight Golden Plovers and c25 Skylarks and Meadow Pipits, whilst there were two more Wheatears on the concrete blocks, eight Stonechats around the horse field, and three Cetti's Warblers, four Skylarks, half a dozen Meadow Pipits and c30 Linnets along the Severals, along with c20 Swallows and a Raven over, but a couple of Blackcaps and Chiffchaffs was about it for the hedges.

The harbour was fairly quiet, though there were still a Greenshank, a Whimbrel, two Bar-tailed Godwits, seven Ringed Plovers, c45 Dunlin, c25 Grey Plovers, c20 Turnstones, 12 Pintail and 16 Little Egrets seen. (SH/PB/AH/P&LH)

Greenshank (above) & Linnets at Church Norton (AH)

Monday, 28th September: A cool and grey start slowly gave way to plenty of warm sunshine in just a fairly light north-easterly breeze.......

Selsey Bill: It was slow this morning, despite the potentially promising conditions for 'vis-mig'. Full log below. (SH/IP/AH)

(0650-0905hrs) (NNE, F2-3)

Gannet - 2E, 10W, 12os

Shag - 2E

Shelduck - 1E

Common Scoter - 1E

Oystercatcher -2E

Turnstone - 2

Mediterranean Gull - 8E, 2W

Great Black-backed Gull - 4os

Sandwich Tern - 2E

Green Woodpecker - 1

Swallow - 13E

Grey Wagtail - 1E

Pied Wagtail - 4E

Meadow Pipit - 19W

Chiffchaff - 1

Shags at the Bill (AH)

Ferry Pool: There were c120 Lapwings, a Snipe, a Dunlin, a Black-tailed Godwit, a Redshank, a juvenile Shelduck and 14 Teal on the pool this morning, with eight Skylarks flying over east and a Kingfisher, an Avocet, three Dunlin, half a dozen Redshank and c60 Teal in the channel opposite.

Also, a Grey Wagtail was in the small pond opposite the hide and Cetti's Warblers were singing nearby and at the Visitor Centre. (AH/JC)

Later, the Little Stint was seen at the back, 13 Stonechats were in the field and a Rock Pipit was flying about. (TG-P/PA)

Snipe (above) & Dunlin at the ferry (AH)

Long Pool: At least eight Stonechats were along the path and fields this morning, along with a dozen Reed Buntings, 15 Meadow Pipits, three Blackcaps and two Chiffchaffs and Cetti's Warblers, plus half a dozen swallows over and two Small Coppers..

Also, a Kingfisher was in the rife at the far end, a Greenshank, the adult and juvenile Spotted Redshanks, an Avocet, two Dunlin and c40 Redshanks were along Ferry Channel and c80 Lapwings, half a dozen Golden Plovers and c60 Wigeon were out in the harbour. (AH)

Stonechat (above), Reed Buntings, Kingfisher, Greenshank, Spotted Redshanks and Avocet & Small Copper at the Long Pool (AH)

North Wall: A Kingfisher, two Spotted Redshanks, four Knot, an Avocet and a juvenile Yellow-legged Gull were along White’s Creek and the adjacent harbour, and the bushes along the wall were busy with a Redstart, a Reed Warbler, three Wheatears, a Lesser Whitethroat, a Whitethroat, two Stonechats, 14 Chiffchaffs, eight Reed Buntings, two Yellowhammers, a Meadow Pipit and a few Long-tailed Tits.

Two Grey Wagtails were along Owl Water, a Water Rail was in Bremere Rife, and 22 Cattle Egrets were around the cows, whilst c100 Swallows and House Martins passed overhead. (DHo/MJa/TRH/LP/IH)

Redstart (above), Lesser Whitethroat, Grey Wagtails, Stonechat, Cattle Egrets (LP), Wheatear, Water Rail, Yellowhammer, Whitethroat, Meadow Pipit & Buzzard (DHo) at the North Wall

Medmerry: Easton Lane to the Stilt Pool - A good selection of birds were along the banks, including a Whinchat, 35 Stonechats, seven Dartford Warblers, a Blackcap, eight Chiffchaffs, four Cetti's Warblers, eight Yellowhammers, six Skylarks, c30 Meadow Pipits and c150 Linnets, with a House Martins and c300 Swallows going over.

Also, two Greenshanks were on the Stilt Pool, five Sandwich Terns were offshore and two Dunlin, c40 Ringed Plovers and four Egyptian Geese were on the reserve, with a Peregrine, a Red Kite, two Kestrels and seven Buzzards went over. (S&SaH)

East Head: This afternoon a female Merlin was showing well, and there were two Peregrines about, one of which swooped on one of the nine Golden Plovers present, with 13 Greenshanks, four Bar-tailed Godwits, c70 Black-tailed Godwits and an impressive count of 650 Curlews also around, whilst a flock of a dozen Brent Geese flew up the harbour and another 150 were over on the Hampshire side, and six Sandwich Terns were over the water.

Around the dunes there were two Dartford Warblers, a Lesser Whitethroat, a Wheatear and six Stonechats. (PA/AWi)