Selsey Bill Spring 2018 Summary – compiled
by Justin Atkinson
March weather – Cold spells, early, middle and end of
the month, with predominantly moderate to strong easterly winds, the odd west/south-westerly
in between, and several misty days.
April weather – Light to moderate south-easterlies at
start of month, and very little wind until the last week, changeable towards
end, low temperatures, mist!
May – Other than a southerly force 6/7 on 2nd,
winds were generally light to very light during the month. Variable directions
with north-easterlies being the most common. Many misty, murky days.
March - 103
hours, 28 days watched
April – 215 hours, 30 days watched
May – 225, 31 days watched
Great Northern Diver – Generally
1-5 birds seen most days during the period, with 8 or 9 on the sea a few days
up to the 12th April and a peak of 12 offshore on the 9th
March. Six were still offshore on the 5th May, and four on the 20th.
Last seen on the 28th May when two summer plumage birds were present.
Red-throated Diver – A good
spring for this species, with a total of 781 birds moving east. 395 of these in
March, 378 in April and just eight in May. The peak day was the 4th
March when 118 passed and four were offshore. Numbers dropped off dramatically
after 18th April, and the last record was one seen heading east on
the 18th May.
Black-throated Diver – A
better spring than in recent years with 21 passing up channel. The peak day was
the 7th May when seven were seen, and the last record was one east
on the 20th May.
Diver sp – Unidentified fly-by diver totals (the
majority of which were presumably Red-throats) were 30 in March, 43 in April
and 6 in May.
Great Crested Grebe – Generally
1-4 seen most days, moving predominantly east, with the odd one or two
offshore. Nine flew east on 2nd April, when there were also two on
the sea. Fourteen moved east on the 7th May, with eleven of those in
one flock. Sightings tailed off after that date.
Red-necked Grebe – Only
two records, presumably relating to the same bird. One east on the 6th
April and one offshore the following day.
Slavonian Grebe – One offshore
on and off, up until the 16th March.
Fulmar – Seen regularly from mid-March....300+
sightings during the period with two thirds of those going west. No notable day
counts.
Manx Shearwater – First seen
were seven west on the 29th March. Spring totals were 258 east and
78 west, making it the best spring ever for this species. The peak day in April
was the 15th when 33 flew east, including a flock of 19 birds. 60+
passed east on the evening of the 21st May, including a flock of 40+,
this being the biggest ever flock seen at the Bill.
Gannet – A total of 9,209 Gannets were counted
during the spring, with over two thirds of those heading east. Adult birds
predominated early on with younger birds only being seen from late April. The
highest day count was on May 11th, when 823 flew east.
Cormorant – Several birds seen every day offshore. No
notable movements.
Shag – Only two singles in seen in March. A
handful of records for April, including three offshore and one east on 28th.
A couple of birds went east and west in May and 1-4 birds were offshore early
on in that month.
Little Egret – Four records, one east on the 15th
and 27th April, one west on the 1st May and one flying
north inland on the 12th May.
Grey Heron – Six records of single birds during the
period.
Mute Swan – Two west on the 20th April
was the only sighting.
Brent Goose – The spring total of 4,100 east was
higher than average. 1,742 flew east in March with over half of those (1,070) being
seen on the evening of the 26th, whilst 2,359 flew east in April,
including 1,097 on 3rd. None were seen in May.
Pale-bellied Brent Goose – One east with Dark-bellied Brent on the 3rd April.
White-fronted Goose – One east on the 7th April was the first record since 2007.
Barnacle Goose – Three
flying east on the 22nd May had flown over a boat in the Solent
earlier in the day. They were subsequently seen at Medmerry and flew east past the
Bill again on 29th May.
Canada Goose – Three records: two west on the 7th,
seven east on the 11th and seven east on the 21st April.
Greylag Goose – A flock of nine passed east on the 16th
April.
Shelduck – A few records of 1-6 birds flying past,
both directions with the highest day count of 14 east on 6th May. A
pair that was seen offshore or on the beach from the 11th April to
the end of May were probably trying to breed nearby. Four birds were present
for a few days in the middle of May.
Note: Breeding was successful; one of the
adult birds was seen with eight chicks on the sea on the 8th of
June. This constitutes the first proved breeding record of this species at The
Bill.
Wigeon – Only recorded in March, with 25 east on
the 6th and five east on 14th.
Gadwall – Only seen in May. One flew west on the
4th, two flew north inland on the 5th and two moved east
on the 13th.
Teal – The 29th of March was the
peak day with 13 flying east, a further 20 were seen that month. The only other
record was five east on the 6th April.
Mallard – 2-5 birds present most days, with six on
12th May.
Pintail – 25 east in March, included twelve on the
29th.
Garganey – One east on the 3rd April
and another on the 6th were the only records.
Shoveler – A total of 62 made it a good spring for
this species, with most of those in April. Eleven east on the 6th
April was the peak day. Only one seen in May, on the 7th.
Tufted Duck – One east on the 18th March,
two east on the 7th April, seven east on the 18th April,
two west on the 30th April and two east on the 5th May.
Scaup – Four flying east on the 25th
March was the only sighting.
Eider – A small number of birds were seen
passing in both directions and offshore, on several dates during the spring.
Eleven east on the 2nd April was the highest day total. Six were seen
offshore on the late date of the 28th May.
Common Scoter – Following on from recent years, another
good spring for this species. A spring total of 7,141 was the second highest
this century and well above the average. 510 passed east in March with the best
March day being 198 on the 30th. There was also a flock of 100+
offshore that month. 4,704 flew east in April, the peak day count being 854 on
the 6th, when there was also 300+ offshore. The 4th and
15th were also good for passage birds with 654 and 601 seen
respectively. The offshore flock had all but disappeared by the 20th
April. Birds continued to migrate throughout and until the end of May, the
total for that month being 1,927.
Velvet Scoter – The flock of five birds that had been
offshore here and at Norton, since February, were last seen on 2nd
March. Only ten other birds were seen during the spring, well below the average;
one east on the 11th March and three east, and one offshore on the
29th, three on the 6th, one on the 22nd and
one on the 27th April. None were recorded in May.
Red-breasted Merganser – Smaller numbers than normal. The largest easterly movement was on the
14th March when 25 passed east. The most seen offshore was fifteen
on the 9th March. Numbers dropped off after 13th April,
and there were only two sightings in May.
Goosander – Two flying west on the 1st
April was the only record.
Kestrel – Only four records. One was present over
the Oval field on the 14th March, with another there on the 29th
May. No incoming birds were noted, but singles moved south, until lost to view,
on the 16th and 27th of April.
Hobby – A poor spring with only six seen. The
first came in off the sea on the 24th April, with two others that
month and three more in May.
Peregrine – Only two sightings. One that had
presumably been hunting over the sea headed north inland on 31st
March. The other drifted over the beach westwards on 15th April.
Merlin – One flying north on the 11th
March was the sole record; it had possibly been hunting offshore.
Sparrowhawk – There is normally an increase of
sightings of this species in spring, as birds are drawn to incoming migrants
that are tired and easier to catch, with sightings of multiple birds being
quite common. However, presumably due to the very small numbers of migrants,
only six sightings, all of single birds, were seen all spring. Singles seen on the
29th March, the 8th and 19th of April, and the
3rd, 11th and 16th of May.
Red Kite – One flew in off the sea, and continuing
north inland, on the 16th May.
Buzzard – One over on the 20th March.
Pheasant – One on 24th March on the Oval Field
was unusual, and was even seen to perch on the sea wall and then fly out over
the sea briefly. Another was seen in the gardens on the 11th April.
Water Rail – One in the Bill House garden from 26th
March to the 3rd April was a first for the site. This bird showed
very well at first light, particularly during the first few days of its stay.
Oystercatcher – Ones and
twos seen most days. 15 east on 21st April were probably on
migration, though small numbers moved in both directions during May.
Avocet – One east on the 17th April,
and a flock of four flying east, which landed on the beach briefly before
flying off back west, were the only records.
Ringed Plover – Surprisingly
uncommon at The Bill. Two were on the beach on the 2nd March, with
four there the next day. Five others moved east in May.
Golden Plover – Two
records. Five east on the 11th March and 23 east on the 18th.
Grey Plover – The only definite up channel migrants
were two on the 6th, one on the 20th and five on the 28th
of May. Sightings related to birds just moving from/to Pagham/Medmerry/Chi
Harbour were 170 east on the 22nd April, 80 west on the 24th
April and 150 west on the 25th April. A flock of six birds were on
the beach on the 3rd March.
Lapwing - Go back a few decades and a spell of cold
weather would produce significant movements of this species. The cold weather
at the start of March produced one north on the 3rd!
Knot – Amazingly only one seen in the whole of
the spring, heading east on the 22nd April.
Sanderling – A very poor spring. 1-8 were on the
beach early on in March. Only 41 east seen in April, with 30 of those on the 4th.
May wasn’t much better with a total of 140 east.
Dunlin – 85 flying west on the 3rd
April and 200 west on the 23rd April, presumably were local
movements. One flew east in May.
Black-tailed Godwit – Five
west on the 23rd April was most likely just a local movement.
Bar-tailed Godwit – 600 east
was slightly poorer than average. Singles on the 4th and 11th
March probably relate to wandering local individuals, the first obvious
migrants being fourteen east on the 14th April. The best day was the
29th April when 225 flew east.
Whimbrel – 393 this spring is almost exactly the
average. 182 of these in April and the other 211 in May. The most seen in one
day was 68 on the 5th May.
Curlew – Just three records of four birds in March,
only seven east in April, and three in May.
Redshank – One east on the 17th March.
Greenshank – One east on the 19th May.
Purple Sandpiper – 1-2 seen,
either on the beach or flying past, from 20th March to the 29th
April, with three present on the 17th April.
Common Sandpiper – Two on
the beach on the 28th April, and a further four in May, either on
the beach or heading east.
Turnstone – 28 on the beach on the 9th
March. 50 flew east on the 14th March and 30 east on the 17th
April. April totals showed a predominately eastward movement, 111 east and 27
west.
Pomarine Skua – The spring
total was a below average 37, all of these seen in May. The first sighting was
of two birds, passing east, close inshore at 6.40 on the 4th May.
The 7th May, ‘National Pom day’, was the best day with fourteen
seen, all of them after 16.00. Nine were logged on the 11th May,
seven of those being seen early evening, including a very close in flock of
four that contained two dark phase birds. The last was seen on the 25th
May.
Arctic Skua – A well above average spring with 202
logged east. First seen when one flew east on 30th March. 108 were
seen in April and 93 in May. The first light phase bird was not seen until the
15th April. Peaks were the middle of April, with nineteen on the 15th
and eighteen on the 17th, and the 11th May when 34 passed
eastwards. One bird was seen to catch something on the 6th April, which
was possibly a bat.
Great Skua – Two lingering offshore on the 11th
March was the only record for that month. The spring total of 110 was almost
double the average. 98 of these were in April and only 10 in May, however, it
was all about the 17th of April when a massive 51 flew east, the
second highest day total ever recorded. One attacked and killed a Herring Gull
on the 21st April, a gruesome affair that took over twenty minutes,
the Herring Gull eventually drowning.
Mediterranean Gull – The
particularly cold weather brought 24 onto the beach on the 3rd March.
136 east was the spring total, with over half of those in April. Forty were
offshore and twenty flew east on 17th April.
Little Gull – A spring total of 92 east, with all but
one of these in April. The peak day was 15th April when 42 east were
seen.
Black-headed Gull – 378 were
on the beach on the 3rd March during the cold snap. Passage mainly
confined to April with 286 birds noted east, 149 of those on the 19th.
Common Gull – The second
highest day total ever occurred during the cold weather in early March, when
563 were seen on the beach on the 3rd. Passage was noted during
March and April with totals of 151 and 397 respectively. The biggest passage
day total was 138 east on the 7th April.
Lesser Black-backed Gull – Six were on the beach on the 3rd March. Only nine others
noted in March and six in April.
Great Black-backed Gull – Birds present offshore every day, no obvious movements noted.
Herring Gull – Highest
low tide counts were, 407 on the 22nd April, 630 on the 7th
May, and 501 on the 19th May.
Kittiwake – Spring totals were 190 east and 115
west. Most were seen in May.
Iceland Gull – One seen offshore on 5th
March was later relocated at East Beach. This bird was seen again at the Bill
on 14th and 20th March. A different bird was seen on the 3rd
April.
Sandwich Tern – 4,847
were logged going east this spring, well above the average. Eight passing east
on the morning of the 11th March were the first definite sign of
migrating birds and passage was well underway by the 30th, when 110
flew east. Heavy passage was recorded between the 2nd and 7th
April, with over 2,000 birds moving east, 760 of these on the 6th.
The total for the whole of April was 3,596 and for May, 1,044. As usual, many
birds lingered offshore to feed before passing on. Birds from the nearby
harbours also used the site for feeding purposes on most days during the
period.
Roseate Tern – One flew east on the 20th May
at 8.24 with a flock of Common Terns.
Common Tern – Spring total was 1,729 east. The first
was seen on the 24th March, with four others that month. 915 were
seen in April and 814 in May. The best day was the 11th May with
222. Ten to forty birds a day were seen lingering offshore late April and into
May.
Arctic Tern – Two east on the 17th April
were the first, but only another eight were specifically identified that month.
35 were seen in May, including nine east on the 4th and the 11th.
Commic Tern – A spring total of 3,487 was below the average.
1,617 in April and 1,865 in May. There were only four day counts over 200 in
April, the highest being 273 on the 6th. 643 passed east on the 5th
May, most of these someway offshore.
Little Tern – First seen with five east on the 7th
April. Always tricky to separate migrating birds from locals, but 307
were logged as migrating east during the spring, with the highest day count
being 85 on the 27th April. Two to ten birds were seen feeding
offshore regularly from mid-April with 28 there on the 25th April
and 40 on the 16th May.
Black Tern – One east on the 7th April was
the earliest ever for The Bill, and the only April record this spring. Another
17 east in May, with the peak being eight on the 24th.
Auk sp – 50 in March with 45 of those going west.
123 in April and 251 in May, roughly half each way.
Guillemot – One offshore on the 25th
March was only March record. Seven seen in April and 13 in May.
Razorbill – Of the auks identified to species,
Razorbills outnumbered Guillemots by four to one. 85 Razorbills were seen this spring;
with an almost even split east and west.
Short-eared Owl – One flew
in off the sea high on the 4th May.
Nightjar – One hawking insects offshore on the
morning of the 16th May moved off east, still someway offshore. This
is the fourth spring in a row that Nightjars have been seen at the Bill.
Great Spotted Woodpecker – One in the gardens on the 8th April was the only record.
Swift – One north on the 24th April
was the first. Only four others in April! Well below average numbers in May,
with 107 north noted, 24 of those on the 7th.
Skylark – Four flew in off the sea on the 11th March.
One flew west on the 2nd April and one flew east on the 4th
May.
Sand Martin – None
in March or April and only three seen in off the sea in May!
Swallow – One north on the 6th April
was the first. Passage was slow in April with only 285 flying in, and only 608
were logged in May. The largest day total was 52 on the 18th.
House Martin – One north on the 10th April
was the first, and only another four flew north in that month! May was no
better with on seven seen coming in off the sea! Our local breeding birds
appeared from the 22nd April and ten were present by late May.
Meadow Pipit –
Well below average passage this spring,
only 523 (the vast majority of those flying north) in March, 444 of those were
on the 11th. A further 55 came in during early April, and nine in
May.
Rock Pipit – The only record was one on the beach on
the 5th March.
Yellow Wagtail – Two
north on the 18th April were the first. 18 more were seen in April,
with the best day being the 29th, when eleven flew north. Only ten
others were seen in May.
Pied Wagtail – 16 in March and 24 in April were seen;
most of these in off the sea and heading north.
White Wagtail – Just two
north on the 19th April, pausing for a while on the Oval field.
Robin – A bird flying in off the sea, on 11th
March, was taken and killed by a Black-headed Gull. A Herring Gull then stole
it and ate it.
Redstart – One present on the 29th April
was the only record.
Wheatear – Three north on the 11th
March heralded the spring, but only six more were seen that month. 45 logged in
April and just two in May. Seven on the 16th April was the highest
day count.
Starling – A few records of ones and twos coming in
off the sea, mainly in March.
Grasshopper Warbler – One was heard in singing briefly in the fog, near Seal Square, on 14th
April. A more obliging bird, although still not seen, was singing on and off
all morning on the 29th April, in the Bill House garden.
Reed Warbler – Only one
record, a late bird singing in the ornamental garden from the 23-25th
May.
Whitethroat – A very
poor spring. None were noted before the 29th April, when three birds
were seen to come in off the sea and another five birds were in the gardens.
Just five were recorded in May.
Garden Warbler – Only two
birds seen all spring, both on the 29th April.
Blackcap – The first was seen on 11th
April, but only six others were seen that month and only another three in May.
Willow Warbler – One on 27th March was the first. 15
were present on the 9th April. The biggest day was the 29th
April when 40 were logged, mostly in the gardens but also a few in offs. 24
were still present in the gardens on the 1st May, but most of these
moved off quickly with only 6 being seen after that date.
Chiffchaff – Two present on the 16th March
were the first migrants, and a further 14 were seen that month. 52 were seen in
April, mostly in the gardens but a few in offs. The peak day was the 9th
April when 15 were found in various gardens. Only five seen in May.
Firecrest – One on 14th March in Bill House
garden and another on the 16th in the ornamental garden.
Goldcrest – Two present in gardens on the 16th
March. Two seen in off the sea on the 25th March, and one present on
the 23rd April were the only records.
Long-tailed Tit – Three
records of this uncommon species. Seven present on the 26th March,
eight on the 12th April and a single briefly on the 7th
May.
Spotted Flycatcher – Only one bird seen on the 16th May.
Magpie – Magpies loath crossing water, but four in
off the sea from a long way out on the 6th May had possibly crossed
the channel.
Jay – One present on the 18th April
was the only record.
Jackdaw – One north on the 20th April,
and three north on the 6th May, were possible migrants as they were
a long way offshore when first picked up.
Carrion Crow – As usual a
few birds were seen heading in off the sea.
Serin – One was present in the Bill House garden
on the 3rd May, staying until the mid-afternoon.
Goldfinch – Three north on the 18th April
was the only evidence of migration.
Linnet – One flew in off the sea on 11th
March. Very small numbers seen in April going mainly east. Nine flew north on
26th May.
Redpoll – One flew north on the 11th
April and dropped into the gardens.
Yellowhammer – One present
in gardens on the 25th March.
Black Swan – One on the mile basket rocks on the 16th
April.
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