Review of the Year 2024
One thing that is always true in bird-watching is that every year is different, and after last year's low number of species and a lack of rarities - autumn sea-watching excepted - this year's 218 was the highest number of species this century and an above average count of scarcities and rarities, many of which were widely appreciated.
Also, we keep a monthly total of species seen, and four months - March, June, July and September - all returned their highest totals since the start of the blog, with the latter recording the most at 161 species.
Once again, though, for the fourth year running, there were no additions to the Peninsula list, still on 344, depending on what you split or don't, however the milestone of 300 species seen this century was achieved this year.
The highs and lows of sea-watching - a glorious mid-winter dawn (above) (PB), a busy spring sea-watch (CRJ) & fog-bound despair (SR) - at the Bill
One thing that did seem to be the same as last year was the weather, with the rain that started last autumn just continuing on through much of the year, with the period between 1st October 2023 and 30th September 2024 the wettest 12 consecutive months this century, before finally easing off towards the end of the year.
Fortunately, despite the endless rain, there weren't too many dramatic weather events - something to be grateful as one looks around the world, but the huge spring tides in early April, that caused unprecedented flooding around the Visitor Centre and the area adjacent to the Stilt Pool among other places was a worrying sign of what may be to come.
The trends of recent years broadly continued for our bird populations, with summer visitors continuing their inexorable decline and winter visitors arriving later and in smaller numbers, whilst some of our newer colonists continue to prosper, and, as ever, there were exceptions, with a number of generally scarce species occurring in unexpectedly large numbers.
Away from the world of birds there was not much to report, though the Bottle-nosed Dolphins continue to appear regularly off the Bill, and the colonisation of the Peninsula by the Norfolk Hawker continues apace, with a new colony being discovered at Chichester Gravel Pits, and Lesser Emperor and Southern Migrant Hawker were both recorded for the first time in a number of years.
There were also a number of sightings of Muntjac Deer around the horse field area at Church Norton in the late autumn - possibly the first records of this introduced species locally.
Unsurprisingly, given the weather, it was a very poor year for butterflies, with a White-letter Hairstreak along the hedges on the East side of the harbour on 27th July the only scarcity, and numbers low for most species, and particularly for migrants like Clouded Yellow and Painted Lady.
The birds
As in previous years, this is a list of the bird-watching highlights - and interesting and unusual reports of more familiar birds - rather than a full report, and has concentrated on the birds rather than the finders. Records of rarer species are only included where there is likely to be a description submitted to the SOS.
Divers
It was quite a respectable first half of the year for Great Northern Divers, with peak counts off the Bill of 15 on 6th January and 14 on 30th March and 14th April, whilst one seen there on 16th and 17th June was very unusual for the time of year.
Away from the Bill, numbers were low off of Church Norton, with three offshore on 22nd February the best, whilst one seen flying over the harbour and off inland over the North Wall on 1st January was a strange record. There were good numbers seen off the Chichester Harbour coastline, though, from East Head to Dell Quay, with six off West Itchenor on 31st January the best count.
The first of a good autumn was back at the Bill on 20th October, whilst on 25th November a new record day-total was established, with a minimum of 23 birds counted, mainly heading west.
In what was quite a good year for Black-throated Divers, the one that took up residence off of West Itchenor from 21st January until 23rd March proved particularly popular, giving excellent views to many admirers during its prolonged stay.
There were also fairly regular sightings of one off the Bill during January and February, but there were only a well below average nine records - three a month, oddly - during March, April and May of birds heading east, with last on 13th May.
The first returning bird went west past the Bill on 22nd November, with one, and possibly two, birds being seen fairly regularly thereafter.
Red-throated Divers were quite numerous early in the year, with several good counts from the Bill, culminating in two spectacular mornings of westward movement, with 235 birds counted on 25th January, and a further 362 on the 27th.
Spring passage was by comparison, quite modest, with just 256 counted going east, with a peak of just 70 on 3rd March and the last seen on 27th May.
The first (two) back were on the fairly early date of 15th September, with numbers slow to build up, until the first decent day on 9th December, when 66 went west, with another 91 west on the 20th, and then some big days at the end of the month, including 155 west on the 27th and 188 west on the 30th.
Grebes
What was presumably the same Red-necked Grebe that has been present intermittently over the last few winters popped up at the Bill on just five occasions this year - on 24th February and 1st March - with the only sightings later in the year being one there on 12th December and again on the 26th and 27th.
The only two Black-necked Grebe reports of the year were of two seen in the mouth of Chichester Harbour from East Head on 2nd November, and whilst they were present for a number of days around that date, they were mostly in Hampshire waters, and then one in Fishbourne Creek on 23rd December.
Black-necked Grebe in Fishbourne Creek on 23rd December (LH)
Sadly the number of Slavonian Grebes seen on the Peninsula is a fraction of what it once was, particularly off of Church Norton, where the highest count was just five on 3rd March, though these days they are as likely to be seen off the Bill, where a peak of 13 was seen on 6th January, but between to two and four was more usual.
The last of the spring went east there on 28th March, whilst the first back were on the pretty typical date of 14th November, when one was at the Bill and two at Church Norton, with four at the latter site on the 16th, and then five at the Bill on 24th and 27th December proving to be the best counts.
Seabirds
There was no repeat of last year's seabird bonanza, but amazingly Leach's Petrel made it onto the list for the year, with a very unexpected individual seen twice off the Bill on 9th April, initially appearing to come from over land following a very stormy night. This was only the second ever spring record.
There was also a spring Sooty Shearwater, with one going west at the Bill on 29th March, whilst one west on 31st August, two west on 20th October and one west on 23rd November were on more typical dates, making it another respectable year for a species that has become a little more regular in recent times.
After a slow start, it was a fair autumn for Balearic Shearwaters, too, with the first not seen until 14th August, when three went west at the Bill. Thereafter, there were one west on 23rd August, two east and three west on 29th September, one west on the 30th and, lastly, nine west on 20th October.
It was a reasonable year for Manx Shearwaters, after an early start, when three went east and three west on 29tth March and another west on the 31st, though there were then none until nine went west on 27th April, followed by a good count of 20 west on the 29th.
Birds were seen on eight dates in May, with 19 east and four west on the 14th being the best day, whilst June produced birds on four days, including a highest count of the year 32 west on the 15th, but one west on 4th July proved to be the last of the year.
Shag numbers were low in the early part of the year, with six offshore at the Bill on 6th March a modest best, but it was a much better autumn, with many double figure counts and peaks of 19 east on 26th September and 18 east on 8th November.
Gannet numbers were very low early in the year, except for one massive movement of 653 west on 20th January - the biggest count of the year, whilst spring and summer counts were pretty unremarkable, too.
The latter part of the year produced some big days, though, including 465 west on 23rd November and a total of 1559 west between the 26th and the 31st, including 518 on the latter date.
Gannets at the Bill on 23rd November (AH)
Herons
Cattle Egrets have become a permanent fixture in recent years, though they tend to spent a lot of the winter months away from the most watched areas, but with the 60 seen at Chalder Farm on 25th February a fairly typical winter peak.
Breeding was again successful in Owl Copse, with multiple youngster fledged, and the species is more conspicuous in the summer months, with small numbers popping up regularly around both the harbour and Medmerry, whilst counts of 63 on 21th August and 61 on 19th September at the North Wall suggest a stable population.
The only records for the Bill this year were of two west on 8th May and one that flew in from way out on 23rd July.
There were many more records this year than ever before of Great White Egrets, being reported in every month bar April, with Medmerry, Drayton Pits and, particularly, the North Wall area being their favoured sites, with the latter hosting one almost continuously on the Breech Pool .from 20th July until 22nd September.
A number of sightings of multiple birds were recorded, including three over Medmerry on 28th February, three at the North Wall on 21st June, four there on 28th August, five in the harbour at Church Norton on 27th October and three over Selsey on 14th November, whilst both sightings from the Bill were of two birds - on 21st May and 21st October.
For the third time in the last four years, after occurring in just three of the preceding 20 years, a Purple Heron graced the Peninsula, with an at times frustratingly elusive individual taking up residence around the North Wall from 18th April until 13th May.
There were rather fewer reports of Spoonbills than of late this year, and very few of more than one bird, with the first not seen until 27th February, when one settled in around the Ferry until 7th March. This was followed by the best count of the year on the 10th, when a total of five birds were in the harbour, but these just were followed by one at Medmerry on 18th March, one over Church Norton on 24th March, one at the Ferry on 16th April and, lastly, three at Medmerry on 20th April.
There were then, unusually, no reports until two were seen going over Church Norton on 4th September, followed by one at Medmerry on 16th to 18th, and then two over the Ferry on the 28th, with possibly the same two at Church Norton on 30th, where one remained in the vicinity until 13th October.
Spoonbill on the Ferry on 10th March (MRB)
There were just three reports of White Storks, presumably all 'Knepp' birds, with one at Medmerry on 18th August and seen at East Head two days later probably being the same bird, with the other record being a remarkable record of a flock of c20 birds on the Chichester Golf Course at Hunston on 23rd September, though they were never sighted again.
Wildfowl
One of the more unlikely records of the year, and the first for five years, was of a pair of Whooper Swans that were first seen sat on the sea off of Medmerry, drifting west, and then a little later also seen off of Bracklesham on 20th March.
Whooper Swans at Medmerry on 20th March (IP)
It was a good, but frustrating, year for White-fronted Goose reports, with none seen by anyone beyond the finders, and all bar the flock of three seen in flight over South Mundham on 26th January were of birds passing the Bill, with two east there on 8th January, two more east on 2nd February, and, lastly four, also east, on 4th November.
Dark-bellied Brent Geese were in reasonable numbers early in the year, and were slow to depart, with no big days until 503 east on 13th March, whilst the overall spring total of 2673 birds east was just below average.
There were just two summer records, both from the Bill, of two east on 12th June and one west on the 26th, whilst the first birds back were on the fairly average date of 17th September, with 11 at Church Norton and ten west past the Bill, with a count of 531 west there on 3rd November by far the most notable movement.
By mid-month the bulk of the winter population was back on the Peninsula, with a huge flock of up to 3500 birds - almost the entire winter population - taking up residence in the fields at Church Norton, though there appeared to be very few juveniles among them.
Dark-bellied Brent Geese at Church Norton on 16th December (AH)
The first Black Brant for four years turned up among the huge Dark-bellied Brent Goose flock at Church Norton on 9th December, but surprisingly, it was not seen again.
A Pale-bellied Brent Goose turned up in the harbour mouth on 2nd November and was seen intermittently among the large Dark-bellied Brent Goose flock at Church Norton from then on, with two seen among them on 9th December and on several subsequent dates around the harbour.
Five Barnacle Geese seen among the Brent Geese in Fishbourne Creek on 11th February could conceivably been wild, but the one seen around the harbour on a number of dates in October and November almost certainly wasn't.
Another bird that almost certainly wasn't wild was the Red-breasted Goose that dropped in on the harbour on 11th June - sadly not a good date to claim a vagrant one.
The population of Egyptian Geese continues to grow, particularly around the Pits, with different families with young seen in March, April, May and June, with a flock of 20 in Fishbourne Creek on 5th September the highest count elsewhere.
There were three records from the Bill, of three east on 14th April, one west on 11th November and two west on 29th December.
It was moderately respectable year for Garganey at the Bill, but very poor elsewhere, with just a pair at the North Wall on 4th May and a lone drake on 11th and 12th May the only records from the land.
In the spring at the Bill a pair went west on 23rd March, with one west on 4th May and a very late one east on 2nd June, whilst returning birds comprised one west on 18th August, two east on 14th September.
There were just three broods of Pochards noted around the pits this summer - one on Ivy Lake and two on the Drayton Pits, though the latter site held some good counts away from the breeding season, including 119 on 21st September.
There were also three records from the Bill - of one west on 9th April, one east on 3rd November and then a flock of 20 west - the second biggest count ever recorded there - on 27th December.
Red-crested Pochards appeared again this spring, with two drakes and a female turning up on the rarely watched Whyke Lake, just the wrong side of the A27 on 6th March, before relocating to Ivy Lake and remaining until the 14th. There were no more sightings until what was presumably the regular pair re-surfaced on Vinnetrow Lake 14th April, but the only subsequent reports were of a drake on 7th May and then a pair there on 2nd June.
After three blank years, there was finally a Scaup on the Peninsula again, though not a very obliging one, with a female unfortunately on a private site near Runcton from 26th to 28th January.
Sadly, the wintering population of Goldeneye is a far cry from what it once was, with peaks counts of just six in Fishbourne Creek on 16th January and four off Pagham Spit on 26th January and 1st February.
There were more records than usual from the Bill, where it is rarely recorded, though, with a drake west on 5th January, a pair east on the15th and then two offshore on the 22nd.
The first autumn bird was a drake in Fishbourne Creek on 12th December, 19 days beyond the previous latest return date, with up to three there on the 29th, whilst a female was on Pagham Lagoon from the 13th, and three went west past the Bill on the 24th.
It proved to be quite good for Eider early in the year, with two regularly off Pagham Spit up to 10th February and regular sightings of various numbers from the Bill, including a peak of 11 east on 12th February, whilst a flock of seven east there on 11th March settled in off Pagham Spit until the 25th, with a different flock of seven also seen there on 19th May, having earlier passed the Bill.
There were also a couple of good counts from West Itchenor, of eight on 9th March and 12 on 16th May.
A moulting female was recorded regularly off the Bill from 7th June until 8th July, whilst the first three back went east on 17th October, with 11 east on 3rd November the highest count of a poor autumn for the species.
One of the most remarkable stories of the year was the sheer number of Long-tailed Ducks about early in the year, with the numbers present not seen since the 1960s. It would seem a bare minimum of ten birds were present at the peak, including nine at the Bill on 16th March, but the number may have been higher, with birds clearly commuting between there and Church Norton, where a maximum of six were recorded between 3rd and 10th March. At least three hung on into early April, with the last of the spring at the Bill on the 14th.
There was also one seen at Medmerry on 22nd January, then presumably the same bird remarkably seen on Ferry Pool on 6th and 7th February, with it, or another off Fishbourne Creek, and occasionally West Itchenor from 12th February until the late date of 25th April.
The autumn started promisingly, too with one west at the Bill on 11th November and one offshore there on the 16th, whilst a very fine drake was off Pagham Spit on the 15th and again off Church Norton spit on 14th and 28th December, with up to two female-types seen intermittently off the Bill through December, too.
All the records of Velvet Scoter were from the Bill, where a good start to the year fizzled out to a below average spring, though autumn was respectable, too.
They were recorded in flight or offshore on many dates in the first two months, with peaks of seven on 11th January and five on 26th February, but a spring total of just nine was a quarter of the long-term average, with just five in March, four in April and the last on 11th May.
The first back were two west on 11th November, with regular sightings of up to three thereafter, and also four seen on several dates, and up to five on 9th December.
Common Scoter numbers were pretty modest early in the year, though they were more or less ever-present offshore, and the spring total of a below average 3843 birds east reflected that. The two biggest days of the spring were 26th and 31st March with 623 and 613 birds east respectively, whilst 163 east on 26th May was a good count so late and 71 east on 22nd June was a surprisingly big count for mid-summer.
As ever, small numbers were seen throughout the summer, whilst the wintering flock was better than it has been in recent years, with up to as many as 110 birds taking up residence offshore in the autumn.
There were no reports of Goosander all year until one flew past West Itchenor on 5th November, but this was followed by a flurry of records, starting with one over Sidlesham on the 13th, one east past the Bill on the 14th, one at Medmerry on the 16th, one off East Head on the 18th, and one at Fishbourne Creek on the 22nd, all of which were redheads, whilst a fine drake was seen on the latter date along Chichester Canal, north of Hunston.
Raptors
The status of our two most familiar harriers continues to diverge rapidly, with Hen Harrier nowadays a very rare visitor, with just a single record for the year - of a ring-tail in off the sea at the Bill on 17th April.
However, Marsh Harriers are nowadays reported almost daily from around the Peninsula, with the established pair at the North Wall successfully rearing three chicks this year, with all three juveniles seen from mid-June.
The winter roost at the North Wall was regularly holding four or five birds, with six seen there on 17th October, whilst up to three birds were roosting in the Severals at Church Norton early in the year and a peak of eight there on 30th December.
As ever, it remains a rare bird at the Bill, though, with just two seen there, on 16th August and 1st September.
A Black Kite seen briefly by two lucky observers going over the North Wall on 31st August was the first on the Peninsula since April 1986 and becomes the 300th species recorded locally since the Millennium.
Is near relative, the Red Kite, is a much more regular visitor, but it remains a fairly uncommon one, despite their ever burgeoning population inland.
The fist of the year, over Sidlesham on 9th January was not followed by a second until two were seen at Ham (Medmerry) on 7th March, though as is usual, there was an uptick in records through the spring, including three over Selsey on 23rd March and a year's high of five at Church Norton on 11th May.
Again, as is typical, it was scarce through the summer months, with just a handful of records, followed by one or two more in early autumn, including, unusually, one sat out on the fence-posts at the Ferry on 16th September.
Honey-buzzard is another species for which the increase in numbers in the county is not reflected locally, with just a single record this year, of one over Church Norton on 29th August.
After a typically lean spring, with Ospreys reported just three times - at West Itchenor on the early dates of 21st March and 2nd April, and one over the harbour on 11th May, it ended up being a good year for the species, including a record count at Medmerry.
One that turned up at the afore-mentioned site on 1st June was unexpected, as was it choosing to remain around the harbour for the following five days, though there were no more then until one at the North Wall on the typical date of 17th August. From then on there were regular reports from both the harbour and Medmerry, with number rising to three at the latter site on 7th September and a record five on the 8th, with two remaining until the 15th and the last until the 22nd.
As is often the case, there were several late records from West Itchenor, with one seen there on 25th September and 1st October, and an exceptional two on the 16th, but the last of the year was actually at Medmerry three days later.
Osprey at the Bill on 1st September (PM)
The number of sightings of White-tailed Eagles is slowly increasing, year by year, with over a dozen in 2024, after the first on 27th February, seen at both Medmerry and the harbour, and including two together at Medmerry on 8th March, though none were seen between sightings from the North Wall on 21st April and 16th September, after which there were three further reports.
White-tailed Eagle at Pagham Spit on 28th February (TG)
The first reports of Hobby were on 20th April, with one in off the sea at the Bill, and it, or another, later seen over Sidlesham Quay, with four further birds at the Bill between 12th and 17th May the only other records of a very poor spring.
One at Church Norton on 16th June was unseasonal, with one over Sidlesham on 25th July probably the start of return migration, followed by half a dozen reports in August and a dozen in September, with the last two of the year being one at the Bill on 10th October and finally one at Medmerry on the 24th.
Merlins continue to be a more regular feature of winter birding these days, with fairly regular reports from the harbour and Medmerry in January and February, with the last of the spring at the latter site on the early date of 10th March, though one came in off the sea at the Bill on 4th April.
The first bird back was seen at Medmerry on the early date of 13th August, with regular sightings from both there and the harbour throughout the autumn, as well as over half a dozen at the Bill.
Merlin at Church Norton on 21st August (AW)
Gamebirds/Rails
The Grey Partridge population remains desperately low, despite increasing amounts of seemingly suitable habitat, with the only confirmed sightings being of two at Ella Nore, West Wittering, on 10th July and five there on 13th December, and one near the Earnley car-park at Medmerry on 23rd July.
Medmerry was once again the place to hear - and even see - Quail, with one heard calling in fields just west of the reserve on 20th and 21st July, and then one was seen crossing the banks there on 14th September.
Proof that Water Rails have bred locally is never easy, so a juvenile with an adult, seen amongst a total of five in the reeds at Mill Pond Marsh in late August and early September was good to see, whilst five were also seen on the Breech Pool on 11th November.
Waders
It would seem that it was a reasonable year for the Avocet colony at Medmerry, with a peak of 22 chicks seen with 28 adults on 1st June, and certainly some reached fledging, but a lot of youngster disappeared during June and July and it was unclear if families had moved out into the channels or if the young had been predated.
There was definitely success at the relatively new colony at Snowhill Creek, where eight or nine pairs raised young, and two juveniles, ringed as chicks there, were on the Ferry for a number of days in early August.
Avocets on the Ferry on 6th August (AH)
Little Ringed Plovers would seem to have bred successfully, too, but they were very late to arrive, and even earlier to depart. The first of the spring was on the late date of 31st March at Church Barton Farm, near the North Wall, but the next, and first back at Medmerry, were not until 5th May, six weeks later than normal.
One pair definitely raised young there, and quite possibly up to three, with it very likely a pair raised young on the Ferry, too, though none were seen until two young juveniles appeared with their parents on 20th June, and last seen there on 30th July, with the last report of the year of one there on the 2nd August, over a month earlier than average.
Little Ringed Plovers on the Ferry on 26th July (AH)
There were mixed fortunes for our breeding Ringed Plovers, with eight pairs at Medmerry only fledging two chicks, whilst seven pairs in the harbour reared an impressive 23 chicks.
Ringed Plover at Medmerry on 24th June (AH)
Wintering Golden Plover numbers continue to be high, with Medmerry very much to their liking, with a peak of 1000 birds there on 28th January, with another 500 or so regularly recorded from the harbour, though it is uncertain how much duplication occurs.
As usual they are mostly gone by mid-March, with the first of the autumn not back in the harbour until the late date of 16th September, though by mid-November numbers were back up to those recorded earlier in the year, though the larger flocks were usually seen in the harbour, rather than at Medmerry.
Golden Plovers at Medmerry on 16th January (AH)
One of the birds of the year was the summer-plumaged American Golden Plover that turned up on the east side of the harbour on 5th June, remaining until the 11th, allowing all those that wished to connect with it to do so, though it was nearly always frustratingly distant out on the mud.
This was just the third Peninsula record, after one in the harbour in September 1988 and one in Fishbourne Creek in September 2010.
American Golden Plover at the North Wall on 6th June (MB)
The two Purple Sandpipers present last autumn would appear to have over-wintered by the breach at Medmerry, though they were only seen between 11th and 24th February, whilst another went west past the Bill on 22nd March.
Autumn birds were seen passing the Bill on the fairly early dates of 26th September and 7th October, with one bird back at Medmerry on 18th November, and still present on 17th December.
Purple Sandpiper at Medmerry on 11th February (AH)
Knot are much more numerous in the harbour than formerly, but a count of 844 birds on 2nd February was very noteworthy, and possibly the highest ever, and at least 500 were back again, late in the autumn.
Knot at the North Wall on 10th December (LP)
It was an unremarkable spring for Sanderling migration, with just 26 in April and 215 in May heading east, with a few more in early June, though eight west on 14th June could even be the first back.
Sanderlings at the Bill on 19th May (AH)
It was a very poor year for Little Stints, with just one spring bird - at Medmerry on 17th May, and just half a dozen autumn records.
The first back was an adult on the Ferry from 15th to 17th August, with a juvenile seen at Church Norton on the latter date, too, followed by further reports from there on 29th August and 2nd September, and two final sightings from the East side on the 9th and 14th.
Little Stint at Medmerry on 17th May (AH)
Meanwhile, the good recent run of Temminck's Stints continues, with the one at Medmerry from 6th to 8th May being the sixth in the last four years, after just two in the preceding ten.
Temminck's Stint at Medmerry on 6th May (AH)
What was undoubtedly the rarest and most twitched bird of the year was the adult Semi-palmated Sandpiper that turned up at Church Norton on 3rd August. Initially identified as a Little Stint, it proved to be very popular - if challenging - during its week-long stay in the harbour, but became even more popular, and much easier to see, after it de-camped to the Ferry, remaining until the 22nd.
This was the first for Pagham Harbour, and only the second for the Peninsula, after one at Chichester Gravel Pits in September 1998.
Semi-palmated Sandpiper at Church Norton on 4th August (AW)
The third of the summer's trio of American waders was sadly much less obliging, with the adult Pectoral Sandpiper found on the East side on the evening of 24th July not seen again.
It is by far the commonest American vagrant on the Peninsula, with this being the tenth this century, but it was actually the first since September 2015.
Pectoral Sandpiper on the East side on 24th July (MRe)
After a blank spring, there were an above average number of sightings of adult Curlew Sandpipers in the early autumn, after the first at Church Norton on 28th July, with further records from there on 2nd and 12th August, whilst two in White's Creek on 31st July became four on the following day, remaining until the 5th, with three remaining until the 9th and two until the 16th, but the sole juvenile was one on the Ferry on 25th to 28th August.
Curlew Sandpiper at the North Wall on 2nd August (BI)
The early part of the year saw the most wintering Ruff for a long time, with one at Medmerry from 10th January until 1st February, when two were also at the Ferry, with up to three seen regularly at the North Wall thereafter, rising to four on 1st March, five on the 14th and a peak of seven on the 20th, though subsequent spring passage was very slight, with two there on 1st April and one on 12th May, and one at the Ferry on 22nd April the only records.
One at the North Wall on 2nd September was the first of a quiet autumn, followed by three on the Ferry on the 4th and four there on the 8th, with two still present on the10th, but after that there was just another there on the 16th, one over Church Norton on the 22nd and the last two of the year on the Ferry on the 25th.
Ruff at Medmerry on 18th January (EB)
After failing to get onto the Peninsula list last year, it was something of bumper year this time around for Wood Sandpipers, with a minimum of five birds seen, starting with two very elusive spring individuals in the flooded Honer fields at the North Wall on 12th May, followed a much more obliging one on the Ferry from 14th to 16th June, though whether it was heading north or south was the subject of debate.
One there on the typical date of 27th July was clearly a returning birds, and was followed by what was presumably one long-staying and mobile bird, first seen there on 13th August, visiting both the North Wall and the newly uncovered - albeit temporary - wader hot-spot of the flooded field by Mill Pond Marsh during its stay until the 25th.
Wood Sandpiper on the Ferry on 13th August (AH)
It was a good year for Green Sandpipers, too, with one, and just possibly two, around early in the year, with one around the North Wall during the first half of January, and then it, or another seen regularly around the Ferry from 28th February until 31st March, with, again, it or another from 8th until14th April.
The first one back was at the Ferry on 24th June, with three there on 12th July, and there were more or less continuous reports of one or two, and occasionally three, birds until the end of October, with one seen there on 13th and 30th November, one at Medmerry on 4th December and then two on the Ferry on the 27th suggesting that birds are wintering locally.
The first back at the North Wall was on 11th July, but there were only few records from there in July and August, though five on 16th August was notable, and there were also five seen on several occasions between 19th and 26th August at Mill Pond Marsh, with two remaining until 4th September.
Also, two west over the Bill on 1st September was noteworthy, as they are a rare bird there.
Green Sandpiper at the Ferry on 1st November (AH)
The first Common Sandpiper of a slow spring was on the fairly early date of 6th April at Drayton Pits, and only four were noted at the Bill, though the first returning bird was seen there on 25th June.
They seemed quite plentiful over the ensuing weeks, with five in the harbour at Church Norton on 7th July and six there on the 29th good counts, whilst the last of the year, two week's ahead of average was on the Ferry on 11th October.
Common Sandpiper on 27th September (LP)
Greenshanks seem to have finally started to winter in the harbour, with one, and occasionally two, seen at various locations until 30th March, whilst two were at Medmerry and a peak of five were along Fishbourne Creek.
There were some good counts during the spring, too including 11 at the afore-mentioned site on 25th April, ten at the North Wall on 11th and 12th May and an impressive 15 there on the 13th.
The first back was on the Ferry on 28th June, whilst a flock of 16 over Church Norton on 12th August was the best count of the year, though up to nine were around the North Wall from 28th August until 5th September, with nine also recorded in Fishbourne Creek on 14th September up until 12th November.
At least five wintering birds were around Fishbourne Creek and two at Medmerry, whilst Church Norton seemed to be supporting wintering birds again, with a peak of three seen roosting there between 13th and 15th December.
There were also two records from the Bill, where they are much less than annual, with one over on 31st August and another on 7th December.
Greenshank at Church Norton on 3rd October (AH)
There were probably only single Spotted Redshanks wintering in the harbour and Fishbourne Creek early in the year, with the only record of two, on the Ferry on16th April, likely relating to migrants.
The first back on 20th June was a smart summer-plumaged bird, joined by another on the following day, and both remained for a month as they moulted into winter grey. Four or five birds were present through much of August and early September, whilst five together were present, mainly on the Ferry from 20th September until 3rd October, with three still around by 14th November and at least one in the harbour, and one in Fishbourne Creek at the end of the year.
Spotted Redshank on the Ferry on 29th June (AH)
The wintering Whimbrel in the harbour remained until at least the end of March and presumably the same individual was back in its usual haunts in the autumn. It was, however a well-below average spring for eastbound passage at the Bill, with just 274 counted, including a best day of 54 on 27th April, with 22 at Medmerry on 10th May the highest count from elsewhere.
Three at Church Norton on 27th June were the first back, but numbers seemed low throughout the summer and early autumn.
Whimbrel at Church Norton on 16th July (AH)
A count of 13 Bar-tailed Godwits at Church Norton on 27th January was the highest of the winter, whilst a mobile flock of 53 off the North Wall on 24th March were presumably very early migrants, with most of the 315 (which was less than half the annual spring average) not passing the Bill until the second half of April, including a best day of 92 on the 21st.
Return passage was minimal, though a juvenile on Mill Pond Marsh on 7th September was unusual, whilst low double-figure counts from the harbour in the autumn was fairly normal.
Bar-tailed Godwits at the North Wall on 26th April (LP)
As usual, Fishbourne Creek was the only reliable place to find Jack Snipe, with at least one recorded on a number of dates in January and February, though six there on 19th January, during a spell of harsh weather, was exceptional.
The only other one recorded early in the year was at Drayton Pits on 11tth February, whilst the only two in the autumn were one at Church Norton on 16th November and one at Halsey's Farm on 26th November.
Jack Snipe at Fishbourne Creek on 19th January (AH)
The only record of Woodcock for the year was of one flushed from the north pit at Drayton Pits on 16th November.
Remarkably, after a nine-year absence, there were two records of Red-necked Phalarope this year, with a widely-appreciated spring one on the Ferry on 30th May (exactly the same date as the 2015 bird), with the other just seen and photographed by one fortunate observer, flying around the Severals at Church Norton on 13th September.
Red-necked Phalarope on the Ferry on 30th May (AH)
Skuas
It was another very poor spring for all the skua species, and none more so than everybody's most anticipated spring migrant at the Bill, the Pomarine Skua, with just nine birds recorded heading east (against an average of 50), starting with two on 29th and two on 30th April, with May records of one on the 5th, two on the 11th, one on the 14th and the last on the 19th.
There was also one autumn record, of one west on 29th September.
Pomarine Skua at the Bill on 5th May (AH)
The first Arctic Skua of the year went east at the Bill on the fairly typical date of 26th March, but the spring total of 65 was half the long-term average. As usual, summer birds were regularly recorded, including four on 17th June and three on 28th August, whilst up to 11 seen on 29th September was a very good autumn count.
Away from the Bill, there were also three records from Church Norton - all of birds in the harbour, rather than offshore, on 15th June and 2nd and 9th September, with one seen from East Head on 4th September.
Arctic Skua at the Bill on 15th April (AW)
Unsurprisingly, given what is known of their plight, Great Skuas were the worst affected species, with just a maximum of 14 recorded past the Bill, against the spring average of 65, with possibly even some duplication due to lingering birds in that number.
The first was on 28th March, and no day had more than one or two, whilst there were just three June records, and one for August, September, October and November respectively, with the last of the year the 22nd December.
Great Skua at the Bill on 28th August (AH)
Gulls
Little Gulls were seen at the Bill on 1st January and off West Itchenor on the following day, but there were no more, then, until 29th March with a first-winter seen off the Bill and again on the following day, whilst three turned up on Chichester Gravel pits on 1st April, all three remaining until the next day, then two until the 4th and the last staying until the 9th. Spring passage at the Bill, though was poor, with a total of just 26 recorded, well short of the average of 82.
There were very few seen during the rest of the year, too, with one at the Bill on 18th June, three on 26th August, one on 1st October and one on 24th November the only ones reported.
Little Gull at the Bill on 29th March (AH)
Sadly, neither Mediterranean Gulls, nor Black-headed Gulls nested in the harbour this year, despite arriving in number in the spring, and we await the new season with hope and trepidation.
Mediterranean Gull at Church Norton on 25th June (AH)
There were four reports of potential Caspian Gulls this year - though this increase is probably more reflective of a better knowledge of the species (and some more knowledgeable people looking!) than a genuine change of status.
The records were of a second-winter on the East side on 20th January, a first-winter on 2nd February and a juvenile on 31st July in the same area, with another juvenile at Church Norton on 11th August.
Caspian Gull on the East side on 31st July (MRe)
There were also a lot more Yellow-legged Gulls than in recent years, with the same caveat as the previous species regarding the true status of the species, with records from the first half of the year from the Bill on 20th January, the Ferry on 27th March, the Bill again on 30th April and Medmerry on 18th June - all of various sub-adult types.
The first adult was back at the traditional site of the east side of the harbour on 15th July, rising to three on the 19th and 20th, with one, and occasionally two, recorded regularly there until 12th September, with additional sightings of one bird on 1st and 15th October.
Elsewhere, juveniles were seen at Church Norton on 16th and 29th July and the Bill on 26th July, with adults noted at West Itchenor on 5th August, Fishbourne Creek on 3rd and 5th September and East Head on 26th October.
Yellow-legged Gull at the North Wall on 15th July (AH)
Numbers of Kittiwakes seemed low all year, with 100 west on 20th January and 179 east on 15th May by far the biggest count in the first half of the year from the Bill, and very few at all in the autumn, aside from a little flurry in late November, including 78 east on the 21st and 130 west and 96 back east on the 23rd, and another 75 west on 30th December.
Kittiwakes at the Bill on 24th November (AH)
One of the most left-field records of the year must be the juvenile Sabine's Gull that dropped in at the Bill for a matter of minutes on the morning of 7th September. There had been no storms to push it our way and none had been reported elsewhere, and it disappeared again as swiftly as it came, never to be seen again.
Sabine's Gull at the Bill on 7th September (BI)
Terns
Sandwich Terns were recorded almost daily off the Bill during the early months, with up to ten recorded on many dates and a peak of 18 on 31st January, but the first birds that looked like they were heading east with purpose were 14 on the late date of 25th March. A spring total of 2726 birds east was close to the average, with 248 east on 27th April the biggest day.
Sadly, though, despite numbers building up again in the harbour, there was no serious attempts at breeding again this year, with the colony seemingly preferring to join those in Langstone Harbour. They were, however, ever-present offshore and around the harbour throughout the summer, though heading west rather than east with fish, and many families with juveniles settled in the harbour from early July onwards.
A count of 501 birds west past the Bill on 8th September was one of the biggest ever autumn movements seen, though just the usual half a dozen or so birds appeared to have remained into the winter period.
Sandwich Tern at Church Norton on 7th July (AH)
The first Common Terns - 16 in total over the day - went east past the Bill on the fairly typical date of 31st March, but it was a vey poor spring for them, with a mere 508 recorded, plus 706 'Commic' Terns, just a quarter of the long-term average number.
There was more disappointing news, too, from the pits, where the small roof-top colony was forced out as the owners fenced over their breeding site, though there seemed to be reasonable numbers of juveniles passing through the harbour and the Bill, suggesting successful breeding had taken place somewhere. The last of the year went past the Bill on the fairly early date of 3rd October.
Common Tern at Drayton Pits on 2nd June (OM)
Arctic Terns were very late to appear this spring, with the first - a flock of 14 - past the Bill not seen until 28th April, with just a further ten recorded.
A first-summer bird - a rarely seen plumage in Britain - was in the harbour on 15th and 16th June, with the first five returning birds seen going west past the Bill on 27th July, followed by further records of two east on 8th September, and juveniles going west on 26th and 30th September.
Arctic Tern at Church Norton on 15th June (AH)
It was a surprisingly good summer for Roseate Terns, with possibly five, or even six different birds recorded after the first went west past the Bill on 15th June.
There were then two off the Bill on 9th July, an unusual winter-plumaged bird along the east side on the 13th and then summer-plumaged birds at Church Norton on the 16th and 23rd. Given that a lot of terns were passing through at that time, they may all have been different individuals.
Roseate Tern (with Common Terns) at the Bill on 15th June (PA)
The first two Little Terns went east at the Bill on the pretty average date of 8th April and a spring total of 230 was below average, but respectable, including a good day count of 42 on 27th April.
Sadly, though, like the other tern species, the breeding season ended in failure, with what looked like a promising start in the harbour - with 32 counted from Pagham Spit on 5th May - ended with all the eggs in the colony being predated by a Fox. A count of 20 at Medmerry on 11th May was encouraging, too, but perhaps only three pairs settled and they failed to rear any chicks.
Counts of 36 off the bill on 8th July and 18 at Church Norton on the 18th clearly related to returning birds, though numbers dropped off very quickly from then on. There were three September records from the Bill, with three seen on the 9th, two juveniles going west on the 10th and the last of the year going west on the 12th, bang on the average last date.
Little Terns at Medmerry on 11th May (AHu)
After a bumper spring for Black Terns last year, it was a fairly average one this time, with three east on 27th April and five on the 30th followed by another 15 in May.
But it turned out to be a remarkable summer and autumn for them, though, with birds seen every month until October. The first were two offshore on 1st June at the Bill, with two west there on 6th July, three west on the 7th and another west on the 22nd, with one in the harbour on the 19th, then records on seven days in August, including three juveniles on the 17th.
A good run of September sightings started with two off Pagham Spit and a remarkable six offshore at the Bill on the 7th, with two there and four off Church Norton on the 8th, followed by three off the Bill on the 9th, two on the 12th and one on the 16th, with a last flourish of two west on the 29th and then one offshore on 5th and 6th October.
Black Tern at the Bill on 30th September (LH)
Just one lucky observer was able to rush back to the Bill to pick up the White-winged Black Tern that had been tracked east along the Hampshire coast on the morning of 11th May, with all the other regulars spread far and wide around the Peninsula!
This was just the fourth ever at the Bill, and the fourth this century for the Peninsula as a whole.
Auks
Guillemots remain quite a scarce bird on the Peninsula, with a very modest 25 west on 20th January and 29 west on 28th October at the Bill the very modest highest counts.
There was one exceptional record this year, though, with one seen on Ivy Lake on 31st March and 1st April - unsurprisingly the first record for the pits.
Guillemot on Ivy Lake on 31st March (NM)
By contrast to the previous species, Razorbills seem to increasingly occur in very large numbers off our coast, with the vast majority of identifiable auks being of this species, with the strong likelihood that those too far out to identify are similarly of this species.
The biggest counts were 528 west, along with a huge 4528 'auk sp' on 20th January and 2330, plus1272 'auk sp' west on 28th October.
Razorbills at the Bill on 20th January (AH)
A Puffin was seen distantly from the Bill on 21st January, 11th and 25th February, with the probability being that all three records pertain to one lingering individual.
Pigeons/Owls etc
There were just two records of Turtle Dove this year, despite an apparent recovery of the population in Europe, with one heard at Mapson's Farm, Sidlesham on 8th September and then one seen flying over the Severals on the late date of 21st October.
The humble Wood Pigeon doesn't often merit a mention on the Blog, but there was a spectacular movement during the second half of October, with over 50000 birds counted at the Bill as they moved along the coast, including 14922 on the 25th and 11655 on the 27th.
Wood Pigeons at the Bill on 27th October (AH)
The first Cuckoo of the year was on precisely the average first date of 14th April, but it was a pretty modest spring overall, though two long-standing Selsey birders both heard a Cuckoo from their garden for the first time on 18th May, and one flew over the Bill itself, calling as it went on the 25th.
The North Wall was again the best place to see and hear them during the summer, with three or four birds regularly recorded there, whilst the last calling bird was at Porthole Farm on 26th June, with just a juvenile along the east side on 4th August and a very late one at Church Norton on 2nd September noted after that.
Cuckoo at the North Wall on 22nd May (LP)
Considering the relentless rain all year, it was another respectable year for Barn Owls, with the first seen before dawn on the 1st January in Highleigh, and the regular birds at Medmerry and Halsey's Farm seen intermittently throughout the early months.
The Medmerry pair are believed to have bred, though they were rarely reported during the summer, whilst at Halsey's Farm, birds were seen carrying food to two different nest sites on 11th July.
Halsey's Farm was the most reliable site in the autumn, but odd birds popped up in a variety of other locations, including at Medmerry late in December, where they had mostly been notable by their absence this year.
Barn Owl at the North Wall on 27th October (AW)
By contrast, the only place on the Peninsula to record Little Owls was the North Wall, with a pair around Little Welbourne and the adjacent paddocks seen fairly regularly throughout the year, though there was no indication of breeding, sadly.
Little Owl at the North Wall on 30th July (LP)
There was confirmed breeding by Tawny Owls again in the box in the Discovery Area by the RSPB visitor centre again this year, whilst three fledged owlets were seen at Mapson's Farm, Sidlesham on 1st May, and they were heard calling from a variety of sites during the year, including the North Wall, Sidlesham village and West Wittering.
Tawny Owlet at Mapson's Farm, Sidlesham on 1st May (AH)
For the first time in three years there were Long-eared Owls recorded on the Peninsula, with three roosting birds located using a thermal imager on 23rd December and seen on a number of dates thereafter.
Long-eared Owl on the Peninsula on 23rd December (C Rose)
It was a pretty poor year for Short-eared Owls, though, with none over-wintering and the first not seen until 17th March, when presumably an early migrant pitched up on Pagham Spit, whilst another came in off the sea at Church Norton on 31st March. The other spring records were of one in off the sea at the Bill on 26th April, later seen at Medmerry, with, oddly, another in off the sea at the Bill on the following day, with one at Medmerry on 6th May and one at Church Norton on 23rd May the only others seen.
The autumn was even quieter, with records from the same area of the east side of Medmerry on 22nd and 26th October - possibly referring to the same bird - being the only ones received before one turned up at Church Norton on 14th December, with, presumably, the same bird at Medmerry on the 15th, and again on the 18th.
Short-eared Owl at Medmerry on 6th May (AH)
Ring-necked Parakeet remains a surprisingly scarce species on the Peninsula, with one that settled in the trees on the Oval Field at the Bill on 16th March the only record until what was presumably the same bird seen at the North Wall on 7th November, the Bill on the 11th, Park Farm, Selsey on the 13th and, lastly, in a West Wittering garden on the 21st.
Ring-necked Parakeet at the Bill on 16th March (AH)
The first Swifts of the year - three of them at Chichester GPs - were pretty much on schedule on 16th April, whilst there would seem to have been a late arrival, including 37 in off the sea at the Bill on 31st May, and then a gathering of up to 500 birds over the North Wall, with a few others elsewhere, on the following day.
There was also a bit of activity on the late date of 12th June, with 300 over the Bill and 250 over the Long Pool early in the morning, though this may have been a feeding movement rather than migration. There appeared to be slightly lower than usual numbers around Selsey in the summer and not much obvious passage in August, with just two September Swifts seen - at Church Norton on the 12th and the last of the year at Northcommon Farm on the 14th.
Swift at the Ferry on 7th July (AH)
There were two records of Nightjars - a less than annual visitor to the Peninsula - this year, with one sound-recorded just before dawn on 13th May, from somewhere north of the High Street in Selsey, though its exact location was never established, and the other seen going east offshore from the Bill on 29th September.
The first even vaguely twitchable Hoopoe for many years turned up at Mapson's Farm, Sidlesham on 1st May, feeding along a farm track near the farmhouse, and present all day, allowing a few of of the locals to get a chance to see it.
Hoopoe at Mapson's Farm, Sidlesham on 1st May (AH)
By contrast, the only Wryneck of the year was a very shy bird, only seen once on 15th September and once on the following day, having been inadvertently flushed from their favourite area along the front of the Severals.
Larks/Pipits/hirundines
A Woodlark over the Bill on 16th March was a very rare spring record for the species, with the three autumn ones, all from the Bill, being much more typical, with three over on 28th September, one over on 27th October and two over on 2nd November.
The first Swallow of the spring was at Chichester GPs on 22nd March, but it was a poor spring, followed by a poor summer for the species, with, once again people commenting on the fact that traditional nesting sites remained unoccupied, as the cold and wet weather here and in the Mediterranean took its toll.
There were some reasonable days of passage in the autumn, but again not in the numbers we once had, with 1598 east at the Bill on 4th October being the best, whilst the last two reports of the year were of one over Pagham Spit on 18th November and, lastly, two at the Bill on 6th December.
Swallows at Northcommon Farm on 18th August (SR)
Chichester GPs on 22nd March also produced the first Sand Martins - 40 in total, with small numbers reported there and elsewhere throughout the spring.
The first back were over the Ferry on 19th June, but there was no repeat of last year's spectacular late summer counts, with 1000 over maize field along Ham Road (Medmerry) on 31st August the biggest gathering by far. One over the Bill on 9th October looked like the last of the year on a typical date, before one was seen and photographed over Pagham Beach on 10th November - this is the latest record this century, beating last year's previous latest ever by eight days.
Sand Martins at the Bill on 14th September (AH)
The first House Martin was also found at Chichester GPs, seen on 28th March, and there were reasonable numbers about again in the spring and summer, with most nesting areas being occupied locally.
The biggest count of the autumn was 1510 birds east at the Bill on 18th September, with the last of the year being a count of 30 east there on the fairly early date of 13th October.
House Martin at the Bill on 5th June (SR)
Two Water Pipits seen and photographed at the North Wall on 1st February was an unusual record, but sadly they were never seen again. There was also one reported from there on 2nd November, but that was never seen again, either!
Water Pipit at the North Wall on 1st February (GHi)
The only report of Scandinavian Rock Pipits was of two in Fishbourne Creek on 9th March - this sub-species must surely be under-recorded locally.
Scandinavian Rock Pipit at Fishbourne Creek on 9th March (AH)
After a blank spring, it proved to an astonishing autumn for Tree Pipits, with - following a marked influx into the country as a whole - an unprecedented number of records. The first of the year was in Church Norton churchyard on 16th August, with three there on the 17th and 18th and peaking at five on the 19th, with three at the North Wall on the 18th and five over the Bill on the 19th, too.
From then on, they were all flyovers, but included 13 over both the Bill and Medmerry, plus another half a dozen elsewhere, on 7th September, and multiple counts of one to three birds over the Bill and Church Norton during the month, and half a dozen in October, too, with the last over Church Norton on the 25th.
Tree Pipit at Church Norton on 16th August (SR)
It was a poor spring for Yellow Wagtails, with all the records - of just 22 birds - seen over the Bill, after the first two on 14th April, with the first two back also there on 29th July.
The biggest count of the autumn was 120 at Medmerry on 26th August, with 50 at the North Wall on 13th September the next best, whilst 43 over the Bill on 1st September was the highest vis-mig total, and the last of the year was there on 22nd October.
Yellow Wagtail at the Bill on 29th August (AH)
Thrushes
There were some surprisingly good counts of Fieldfares at Medmerry early in the year, including 200 on 20th January and 100 on the 23rd, but they were thin on the ground elsewhere, with 30 at Chalder Farm on 13th January the next best count.
A flock of 150 over Sidlesham on 3rd November and 20 over Selsey on the 9th proved to be a false dawn in the autumn, with very few reported from anywhere after that, though flocks of 31 and 42 respectively were noted at Medmerry and Almodington on Christmas Day. Also of note - one over the Bill on 14th November was the only the third recorded there in the last decade.
Fieldfares at the North Wall on 12th January (LP)
Redwings were a little more widely spread early in the year, but only in generally low numbers, with 50 at Medmerry on 15th January the best count, whilst 50 at Marsh Farm, Sidlesham on 11th March were probably migrants.
A flock of eight birds at Medmerry on 16th October were the first back, but autumn numbers were very low thereafter.
Redwing at Medmerry on 8th November (EB)
After an unprecedentedly early male Ring Ouzel at Church Norton on 9th September - the earliest this century, the North Wall had a monopoly on the species, with an adult bird there on 16th October, a juvenile in the same area on the 17th and 18th and, lastly, another adult on the 29th.
Ring Ouzel at the North Wall on 16th October (LP)
The first Wheatear of the year turned up by the windmill at the start of the Seal Bay (Wet Sands) caravan park on the east side of Medmerry, with the next not until the 16th, when one was at Church Norton. It proved to be a good spring for the species, with some decent day counts, including 20 at Medmerry on 22nd March, 32 at the Bill with another 26 reported from elsewhere on the Peninsula on 14th April and a remarkable 51 at the Bill on the 28th, including a loose flock of 22 watched flying along the beach.
The autumn was much quieter by comparison, after the first at the Bill on 27th July, with ten at the North Wall on 3rd September a disappointing best, with the last, also at the Bill, on 28th October.
Wheatears at the North Wall on 19th April (LP)
A very early Whinchat turned up at West Itchenor on 6th April, with the next - two at the North Wall on the 12th - still being earlier than average. Three together by the windmill at Seal Bay on the 26th was the best count, with one at he Bill on 11th May being the only record there.
The first two back were at one of their favourite autumn haunts - Owl Point fields at the North Wall - on 14th August, but numbers were low, with five on 3rd September and seven on the 9th the best there, whilst seven was also the best at Medmerry - where they were much less numerous than usual - on the 26th. The last of the year was at the North Wall on 9th October.
Whinchat at Medmerry on 26th April (AH)
Stonechat numbers were lower than recent years, too, with just three at the Bill in the spring, and less breeding pairs than of late, particularly around Medmerry, where the highest autumn count was just 32 on 12th October.
Stonechats at the North Wall on 6th October (LP)
There were just five spring records of Redstarts, with the first two - by the windmill at Seal Bay and another at Bramber Farm - on 14th April, with the remainder all coming from the Bill, on 20th and 28th April and 7th May.
The first returning bird was in Sidlesham on 22nd August, with another dozen or so reports, including a peak of four around Church Norton from 26th to 28th August until the last, also there, on 26th September.
Redstart at Medmerry on 14th April (AH)
The only Black Redstart recorded on the Peninsula during the first nine months of the year was the one first seen last autumn around the new housing development along Summer Lane, at Pagham, which was seen on just 7th and 12th January.
There was a return to more normal numbers in the autumn, though, with the first at the Bill on 24th October, followed by a succession of reports over the next three weeks, including three at the Coastguard Station and five at the Bill on the 26th, and up to four around the windmill area at Seal Bay from 5th to 10th November, with one smart male remaining until the 16th. and it, or another male bird turning up at the Bill on the 28th.
Just when it appeared that none would stay to winter, but a female bird popped up at the Bill on several dates from 26th December.
Black Redstart at Medmerry on 10th November (D Carlsson)
Warblers/'crests/Flycatchers
The first two Sedge Warblers turned up at the North Wall on 29th March - the fourth year running they have appeared in March after just four occurrences in the preceding 20 years.
The last to leave, after a reassuringly unremarkable summer for the species was on the later than average date of 12th October.
Sedge Warbler at the North Wall on 9th May (ABi)
The first Reed Warblers - three on Drayton Pits - were also quite early, on 6th April, and again there was little to report about them, though they were almost completely absent from the Long Pool, where they are usually numerous, after the tidal flooding in early April severely impacted the reed-beds.
There was a very late bird, ironically at the Long Pool, on 26th October, the latest last date since one on 1st November 2001.
Reed Warbler at Chichester Canal on 14th July (RBe)
A total of five Grasshopper Warblers this year was an above average showing for recent times, with reeling spring birds at Church Norton on 6th April and at the Bill on 26th and 28th April.
The two autumn birds were both at the outer ends of their usual passage dates, with the first along the Medmerry Trail on 18th July and the other in the Severals on 23rd September.
The first Willow Warbler of the spring, that took up residence in the Discovery Area from 25th March to 4th April, was surprisingly popular, being just about the only one around until a small arrival on the 5th, with at least ten at Church Norton and five at Chichester GPs, whilst a small fall of 22 at the Bill on 20th April was the best of the spring.
The first bird back was at Medmerry on 21st July, whilst a meagre ten at Church Norton on the 31st was the best count. The last of a poor autumn was at the North Wall on the early date of 22nd September.
Willow Warbler at Church Norton on 5th April (AH)
A dozen Chiffchaffs at Porthole Farm (Medmerry) on 15th January was the best winter count, but spring passage was unremarkable and it seemed a poor breeding season locally, with few families noted in the late summer, and numbers only really picked up at the end of August
It would seem that it wasn't bad everywhere, though, with some big arrivals in the autumn, particularly at Church Norton, including 80 on 10th September, 50 on the 15th and 40 on 1st October, with reasonable numbers remaining there, and a variety of other locations, into the winter.
Chiffchaff at West Wittering on 23rd September (GM)
Somewhat disappointingly, given the big influx of Yellow-browed Warblers into the country this autumn, just a single bird made it onto the Peninsula, and then for just a single day, though the one at Church Norton on 2nd October did show well for a while to a little gathering of observers.
Yellow-browed Warbler at Church Norton on 2nd October (AH)
The first Whitethroat of the spring popped up along the East side of the harbour on 6th April and they appeared to be back in respectable numbers in all their usual haunts, whilst the last of the autumn was seen along the North Wall on 9th October.
Whitethroat at the North Wall on 12th May (LP)
Numbers of Lesser Whitethroats seemed down on recent years, after the first, at the North Wall on 13th April, with few spring reports and they were noticeably scarce in July and August, when family parties typically start to show themselves.
A few more appeared on migration, but it remained low key, with two at the North Wall on 22nd September the last seen.
Lesser Whitethroat at Church Norton on 19th August (KT)
Garden Warblers are always thin the ground in spring, and this year was no different, with just a handful of reports after the first on the late date of 29th April at the unlikely location of Hunston church, whilst two together at the Bill on 7th May was a rare sighting there.
Return passage was pretty slight, too, after the first at Church Norton on 28th July, with just ones and twos at regular sites until the last, also at Church Norton on the early date of 3rd September.
Garden Warbler at Church Norton on 8th August (AH)
The only report of a wintering Blackcap was of one in a garden at West Wittering on 31st January, with the next report, of a male at Chichester GPs on 10th March, probably being the first spring migrant.
It was another species for which local breeding success was limited, with relatively low numbers in the late summer and into the autumn for what is normally a conspicuous species, with 40 in Church Norton churchyard on the 30th August an exception. One at the Bill on 24th October proved to be the last of the year.
Blackcap at Church Norton on 4th September (AH)
The year started with up to half a dozen wintering Dartford Warblers at Medmerry, along with one at Church Norton and two on Pagham Spit, whilst it proved to be another successful breeding season at Medmerry, with three pairs breeding there this summer.
There was a good spread of autumn reports, too, with possibly a record 11 seen at Medmerry on 26th October, and others seen at less regular sites, like East Head and the Bill, both on 11th November, with the latter only the second record this century there, after one in the autumn of 2016.
Dartford Warbler at Medmerry on 28th June (MT)
The only apparent wintering Firecrest was in Sidlesham churchyard, with the first seen elsewhere not until 4th March, when two were at West Wittering and one was at Church Norton, whilst on 9th March one was seen to fly in off the sea at the Bill, though there were only a handful of subsequent spring records.
The first autumn bird was at Church Norton on the early date of 10th September, and the peak of a good autumn there was four on 10th October, with four in Sidlesham churchyard two days later also notable.
For the third year running, there were no spring Pied Flycatchers, with the first of a pretty poor autumn appearing in Church Norton churchyard on 13th August. There were further records from there on 18th and 19th August and from 4th to 6th September, with one at Northcommon Farm on 18th August and the last of the year at Chichester GPs on 9th September the only records from elsewhere.
Pied Flycatcher at Church Norton on 13th August (AH)
The first Spotted Flycatcher of the year was at the North Wall on the late date of 6th May, and there were only a handful of further spring records, including a rare report from the Bill on 18th May.
The first back were on 13th August, with one at Church Norton and one at the Visitor Centre, but like many of our summer visitors, numbers of returning birds were low, with the only reports of more than a couple of birds were from Northcommon Farm, with five on 26th August, and Church Norton, with six on 4th September and four on the 26th, with the last of the year there on 1st October.
Spotted Flycatcher at the North Wall on 22nd September (LP)
Tits/Crows etc
There were two Red-backed Shrikes seen this year, with the first a very unobliging female seen along the west side of the harbour by a handful of people on 5th June, and the other being one of the birds of the year - a showy adult male that graced the hedge-line around the horse field at Church Norton from 6th to 9th September, allowing a huge number of people close views during its stay.
Red-backed Shrike at Church Norton on 8th September (AH)
There were two Golden Orioles, too this year, with the first seen by a non-birder in the hedges around the recreation ground at Hunston on 29th April, and then one heard, and seen briefly, along the East side of the harbour on 6th June.
One of the more inexplicable events of the year was the arrival of unprecedented numbers of Bearded Tits, primarily at the North Wall, but also at Church Norton., particularly as in recent years it has gone from a scarce, but expected, autumn migrant to a real rarity, barely averaging a record a year.
The first two appeared on the Breech Pool on 24th October, with two at the Severals on the following day, and then, on the 27th, an astonishing 17 were seen at the former site - probably the highest number ever recorded locally, and though most moved quickly through, there were still nine and then seven on the next two days, with up to four remaining until at least 20th November, with a further sighting of two there on 20th December.
Bearded Tit at the North Wall on 27th October (LP)
Coal Tits are increasingly regularly recorded - indeed, this is the first year since the start of the blog that the species has been recorded every month - with birds reported intermittently from Halsey's Farm, Sidlesham churchyard and gardens in West Wittering and North Mundham, along with a single record from Greenlease Farm, Church Norton on 10th February.
The same regular locations all reported birds again in the autumn, whilst one visiting the feeders at the Pagham harbour Visitor Centre in late October and early November was very unusual there.
Coal Tit at Halsey's Farm on 2nd August (SaH)
The only Nuthatch in the first half of the year was one heard calling near Chalkdock Copse at West Itchenor, whilst one at Ella Nore, at West Wittering on 22nd July could suggest breeding nearby, given the date, and one was seen there again on 19th September.
Very unusually, one was in Church Norton churchyard on 16th September - the first in that area for a decade or more - though it didn't linger, with the only other record coming from a garden in North Mundham on 4th December.
Nuthatch at Church Norton on 16th September (AW)
Hardly any more numerous, though possibly under-reported, there were only five records of Tree-creepers through the year, after the first at Hunston Copse on 20th January. The village pond at West Itchenor was the only vaguely reliable site, with two together seen there on 7th March and one seen on 25th April and 3rd June, whilst two near Chichester Marina on 22nd October was the only record in the second half of the year.
Tree-creeper at Itchenor Village Pond on 7th March (AH)
There were two records of Hooded Crows this year, possibly relating to one roaming bird that appeared at various other sites in the county around the same time, with the first from Church Norton on 4th April, and then from the shingle bar offshore from the Bill on 9th May, though on neither occasion did the bird linger long.
Hooded Crow at the Bill on 9th May (AH)
The Jackdaw is a familiar and common species locally, rarely meriting a mention, but a movement of 1021 over the Bill on 21st October - the biggest ever count there by a distance - was both noteworthy and quite a spectacle.
It was a thoroughly unremarkable year for Raven records, with a steady handful of reports of one or two from a range of sites all through the year, with four together over Church Norton on 28th February a very modest best count.
Raven at Medmerry on 27th February (AH)
Finches/Buntings
There were very few reports of Bullfinches again this year, with one at Drayton Pits on 14th January and another along Chichester Canal on 17th March the only records early in the year, with a pair at Halsey's Farm on 6th May being very unexpected, though, sadly they were never seen again.
There were none seen through the summer, with the next report not until one was seen at Chichester Canal on 16th August, with just a couple of autumn records from Drayton Pits, plus one at Fishbourne Creek on 26th November and one at Ella Nore on 15th December completing the account.
Bullfinch at Halsey's Farm on 8th June (LP)
It was unclear, given the date, if the large flock of c50 Siskins seen along Chichester Canal from 16th to 22nd March had wintered, unseen, locally or were moving through, though the only other report in the first half of the year was one in a garden at the Bill on 1st May.
The first return migrant was one over the Bill on 28th September, though numbers were pretty low through the autumn, with 62 over Church Norton on 11th October the best day and a flock of 11 over the Bill on 12th November proving to be the last of the year.
Siskin at Chichester Canal on 21st March (AH)
It was a very poor year for Lesser Redpolls, with two over the Bill on 13th October followed by just another 25 birds there and at Church Norton, including a maximum of just six at the latter site on 2nd November and seven at the Bill on the 4th, with the last going over West Itchenor on 27th November.
There were reasonable numbers of Bramblings during the autumn, but almost all fly-overs at Church Norton, including peaks of seven on 27th and 30th October, with one over Sidlesham on 27th October and a late one over the North Wall on 18th November the only exceptions, meaning, unusually, there were none over the Bill.
Brambling at Church Norton on 11th October (PA)
Late October brought a little flurry of Hawfinches to the Peninsula, as part of a wider national arrival, with up to half a dozen seen several times over Sidlesham between 22nd October and 1st November accounting for most of the reports, with one over the Bill on 27th October and one over Easton Lane car-park at Medmerry on the following day the only other records.
There were no really big gatherings of Yellowhammers during the winter months - possibly due to the burgeoning amount of cover crops available locally - though breeding numbers were positive, with two pairs along the west side of the harbour and 40 pairs at Medmerry, up from 28 last year.
Yellowhammer at Medmerry on 1st June (AH)
Corn Buntings seemed thin on the ground all year, but the RSPB reported six singing males around Medmerry during the summer, which was encouraging, though we wait to see what impact the grassing over of their favourite spring crop field at Ham will have.
One seen around the Slipe field area along the East side of the harbour on 24th April was very unexpected and might have been a wanderer from further afield, whilst one at Wilson's Farm at Medmerry on 18th November was the only record from the second half of the year.
Corn Bunting at Medmerry on 30th March (BI)
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