Selsey Bill Spring Summary - 2024

 Foreword

by the Editors

As each spring approaches, anticipation starts to build, especially amongst the sea-watchers and those keen to get stuck into some decent up-Channel passage. Throw in the chance of some scarce passerine migrants arriving off the sea and it’s an exciting mix. Will there be a good Pom Skua movement? Will the weather be favourable? What will be bird of the season? Will it be a memorable season? Will it be a bumper year? Well, what follows should hopefully answer those questions….

Once again our stalwart log-keeper JA managed to keep the Bill log going to his high standards, although this year he continued to face a number of work-related and other problems, which inevitably impinged on his available birding time.  We remain very grateful for his time and effort and are thankful that he remains in post with this key role.

Anyone who watched at the Bill this year will be aware of how things actually panned out. The worst spring ever. Where are all the birds? Just awful. Dire. Such descriptions were to be heard this year, all too often, with some even emanating from the editorial desk! So, did all of this match the reality? Check out the following summary to make your own decision!

The Selsey Bill Recording area (south of the line between the old Coastguard Station to the west and the Lifeboat Station to the east)

 Selsey Bill Sea-watching - Spring 2024 Summary

Compiled by Justin Atkinson

Every day in March, April and May was covered and the total number of hours watched this spring was 401. There were mainly westerly winds in March and April, but winds from the supposedly favourable east persisted in the first half of May, before then becoming mainly westerly.

Great Northern Diver – Seen in varying numbers offshore most days throughout the period. Fourteen there on 30^th March and 23^rd April. Numbers declined from mid-May, but at least one was still present on 31^st. Some individuals had attained summer plumage by mid-April.
 
Red-throated Diver – 256 went east this spring, over half of those in March. The odd bird was also seen on the sea.

Black-throated Diver – Three singles were seen on the last three days of March, and another three in April, and three more in May. Nine in a spring is well below the average.

Diver sp. – Twenty-one went east and 13 west, the bulk of these in March and April.

Great Crested Grebe – Between 1-4 offshore and/or flying east & west on several days.

Slavonian Grebe – There were 1-2 occasionally on the sea up to mid-March. The last one was seen going east on 26^th March.

Fulmar – A total of 77 were seen going west and nine going east.
 
Leach’s Petrel – Astonishingly, one was seen flying out to sea from inland over the heads of several observers on the 9^th April at 07.50. It was then seen again offshore at 08.15. Presumably the same bird was offshore later in the afternoon at 16.20.
 
Manx Shearwater – Six (3e, 3w) were seen on the early date of 29^th March and another went west on the 30^th. Two sightings in April, nine west on the 27^th and 20 west on the 29^th. May totals were 38 east and 15. An average spring.
 
Sooty Shearwater – Two records on 29^th March, one sheared west at 06.40 and another at 07.15

Gannet – Spring totals were 2,087 east and 1,168 west. Over half of these were seen in May. Occasional birds seen offshore including 180 on 4^th May.

Cormorant – Birds seen offshore or flying past every day.

Shag – Regularly seen in March when 21 went east and two went west. As is usual with this species it is often seen going east in the morning and west in the afternoon. There was also the odd bird offshore during March but six offshore on the 6^th was a higher-than-normal offshore count. Sightings reduced after March with nine  seen in April and only one in May.

Great White Egret – Two came in off the sea together at 06.55 on 21^st May.

Little Egret – Only one record, one flying west on 22^nd March.

Cattle Egret – A flock of four went west on 26^th April and two more were seen flying west on 8^th May.

Grey Heron – One flew west offshore on 20^th March. One came in off the sea on 31^st March. Five further records in April, two west on the 8^th, two north on the 16^th and one west on the 17^th.

Brent Goose – A total of 2,673 this spring was below the average total of 2,994. The majority of passage was in March with the biggest day being the 13^th when 503 went east. Birds continued to move during April and May, albeit in much smaller numbers. The last were eight going east on 18^th May.

Canada Goose – Three west on 13^th April and a single west on 20^th April.

Egyptian Goose – Three flew west and then back east on 14^th April. Another three went east on 4^th May.

Shelduck – Not many seen and no obvious movements noted; 1-4 birds did seem to be hanging around in April but they did not attempt to breed.

Wigeon – Six east in March and one east on 6^th April.

Gadwall – Four east and two west in May.

Teal – Five east in March.

Mallard – A few local birds seen infrequently in March and April. Just one seen in early May.

Pintail – The spring total was 85, with all but one being seen in March. The big day was the 7^th March when 60 went east. Two birds were on the sea on 14^th March. The sole April record was one east on the 10^th.

Garganey – A pair flew west on 23^rd March and a single went east on 4^th May.

Shoveler – Main passage was noted between the 3^rd and 11^th March when 36 went east. There were five others noted that month. Six more went east and three went west in April.

Pochard – One west on 9^th April, and a flock of four west on 12^th May.

Tufted Duck – Two went east in March and another flew east on 7^th April. Seven were seen in May, including five east on the 18^th.

Eider – A total of 46 east and ten west. There were also small flocks seen on the sea on several days. Sightings decreased after March.

Long-tailed Duck – Between 1-3 were offshore on several days during March, apart from the 13^th when there were seven seen and the 16^th when eight were on the sea and one flew west, those sorts of totals not seen since the 1960’s. Sightings tailed off quickly in April with the last sighting on the 14^th when there was a single bird on the sea.

Common Scoter – A below average spring total of 3,843. The only big days were in March, with 623 on the 26^th and 613 on the 31^st. Flocks were also seen offshore, mostly up to 30, but 50 on the sea on 6^th April and 45 on 23^rd May. Passage was steady throughout the spring and birds were seen still moving in late May, such as 163 on the 26^th.

Velvet Scoter – Only nine seen, well below the spring average of 40. Two east and three east on 15^th and 27^th March respectively. One east and three west on 14^th April, and the last was one on the 11^th May.

Red-breasted Merganser – No clear passage, but an easterly bias noted, 189 east and 114 west. Small numbers offshore during March and even less in April. The last were two going east on 7^th May.

Kestrel – Singles present on three days in March and three days in April. There were also three sightings in the middle of May. All records seem to relate to local birds using the Oval Field to hunt on.

Hobby – The first returning bird was on 20^th April, one day later than the average. It came in high and was seen to go higher and take a passerine before heading inland. There were only four more seen, all in May.

Peregrine – Just one flying east offshore on 31^st March.

Merlin – One flew in off the sea on 4^th April.

Sparrowhawk – Seen on eleven occasions during March and April. The majority of sightings relating to the same bird, a male.

Marsh Harrier – One coasted west offshore on 12^th May.

Hen Harrier – A ringtail flew north on 17^th April.

Oystercatcher – No obvious passage, apart from maybe 21 east on 9^th March. Seen most days going east or west either singularly or in small flocks. Birds occasionally on the beach or shingle bar.

Avocet – A flock of seven went east early on the morning of 9^th March. A flock of four went west the next day.

 Ringed Plover – Fourteen passed east in April and three went west in May.

Grey Plover – One east on 9^th March was probably just going between the harbours. Two east on 26^th March may have been early migrants. A further 11 recorded east and 14 west in April and May.

Knot – Two west on 3^rd March were probably just going between harbours. The only up channel movement in April was a flock of 54 birds on the 20^th, the only other sighting that month being two west on the 24^th. Six east and 30 west in May.

Sanderling – Six going east in early March were probably just heading for Pagham Harbour, whilst 26 went east in April. As is usual with this species, up-Channel migration picked up in May and continued until the end of the month. A total of 215 were seen in May. Ten were on the beach on the 12^th.

Dunlin – With birds passing east and west throughout, rather hard to judge migrating birds. Spring totals were 49 east and 37 west. However, 25 heading east on 4^th April appeared to be on migration. Occasional birds also seen on the beach or shingle bar, such as six on the 26^th and two on 28^th April.

Purple Sandpiper – One on 22^nd March.

Black-tailed Godwit – Two east on 9^th March, and one west on 3^rd April.

Bar-tailed Godwit – Two going east on 23^rd March were presumably just relocating to Pagham Harbour. Passage for this species takes place mainly towards the end of April and early May; 223 went east in April, most of those towards the end of that month. The best day was the 21^st with 92 seen. A bird was on the beach on the 28^th. In May, 92 more were seen, 42 of those going east on the 6^th. The spring total of 315 is less than half the average.

Whimbrel – A total of 274 east this spring, well below the average. Highest day count of 54 on 27^th April. Five were seen to head inland on 12^th May.

Curlew – Four sightings in March and April and another nine seen in May.

Redshank – One flew east on 11^th May.

Common Sandpiper – Two were seen on the beach on the early date of 17^th April, with another there on the 28^th. Just one May record, a bird on the beach on the 6^th.

Turnstone – No obvious passage noted. There were 1-21 on the beach most days.

Pomarine Skua – The first were two heading east together at 07.25 on 29^th April, a week later than the average first date. Two more were seen next day, a distant bird at 10.11 and another closer one at 10.30. Five more were seen in May: one on the 5^th at 08.27, two dark phase birds east on the 11^th at 06.45, one on the 14^th at 06.11 and the last, a dark phase bird, was seen at 07.30 on the morning of the 19^th. A total of nine is well below the average total of 50.

Arctic Skua – Sixty-five this spring was well below the average. Two east on 29^th April were the first, one day earlier than the average first date. There were no ‘big days’. The odd bird or two were seen lingering offshore and harassing terns.

Great Skua – A dismal 14 at most, compared to the average spring total of 65. One west on 28^th March, one east the day after and one offshore the next day may relate to the same bird. Six went east in April and a bird was offshore at the end of that month. Two east on the 6^th May and another offshore on the 18^th.

Mediterranean Gull – The only obvious days with passage were 30^th March with 44 and the 12^th April with 41, these birds passing in flocks or pairs. Up to six offshore most days in March. April saw birds offshore and passing both ways. Numbers dropped noticeably in May, although 15 were offshore on the 29^th.

Little Gull – A very poor 26 recorded, well below the average of 82. Nine in March, three in April and fourteen in May.

Black-headed Gull – Large numbers regularly seen early morning on the Oval Field in March, such as 100 on the 9^th. Flocks totalling 46 passed east on both the 30^th and 31^st March. The only possible passage in April were 31 going east on the 12^th, whilst 296 went east in May, including 155 on the 5^th.

Common Gull – 159 seen going east this spring, most of those at the end of March.

Herring Gull – Offshore and on the beach and shingle bar, in varying numbers every day. From mid-May several hundred seen in feeding flocks offshore with 1,200 there on the 26^th.

Lesser Black-backed Gull – No doubt under recorded. Two east and three west in March. None noted in April. A handful of records in May.

Great Black-backed Gull – Under recorded. Several birds seen virtually every day offshore or on the shingle bar.

Yellow-legged Gull – One on 30^th April.

Kittiwake – Seen regularly in small numbers during March and April. In May, 521 east and 149 west included 179 east on the 15^th. Birds also seen lingering and feeding offshore on several days in May.

Sandwich Tern – With some now regularly over-wintering, as well as potentially breeding in nearby harbours, it is difficult to accurately determine the first migrating birds and the spring totals. Fourteen heading east, with purpose, on the late date of 25^th March may have been the first migrants. The spring total was estimated to be 2,726. Most of the passage occurred late March to mid-April, although some birds still appeared to be moving into May. Birds were seen offshore every day but only in numbers in May; 120 on 14^th May was the highest offshore count

Roseate Tern – A blank year.

Common Tern – A lowly total of 706 east, the ‘big day’ being 6^th May, with 218. A few birds seen lingering/feeding offshore, including 50 on 5^th May.

Arctic Tern – The first were two east on the early date of 3^rd April, then 22 more were seen that month. Just two in May.

Commic Tern – 558 east, including 200 on 23^rd April.

Little Tern – First was one east on 12^th April, the average first date. The total was 230 east for the spring, including 42 on 27^th April, with some also seen feeding offshore from 20^th April.

Black Tern – A below average spring. Eight were seen in April, three east on the 27^th and five east on the 30^th. Fifteen more were seen in May, including five going east on the 3^rd, and a singleton that lingered offshore for a while before moving on.

White-winged Black Tern – One flew east at 10.17 on 11^th May. This is the fourth record for the Bill.

Auk sp – Sixty east and 40 west.

Guillemot – One west on 29^th March was the only record that month. Two more flew east in April, and just three seen in May.

Razorbill – Ten east and 16 west, also one on the sea on 31^st March.

Woodpigeon – Twelve flew south until lost to view on 14^th April.

Stock Dove – One was seen on 21^st March.

Cuckoo – One seen flying over the Bill House, and heading inland on 25^th May, was calling as it went.

Short-eared Owl – One came in off the sea and continued inland on 26^th April. Another did the same the next day.

Green Woodpecker – One on 14^th April.

Ring-necked Parakeet – One over on 16^th March.

Swift – Just 45 seen coming in off the sea and 37 of those were on the 31^st May. The first one was noted on the 21^st April, a few days ahead of the average, whilst 1-10 local birds seen from mid-May.

Woodlark – One north on 16^th March was the first spring record of this species.

Skylark – Just three north in March.

Sand Martin –  Four north on 31^st March were a week ahead of the average first date, with 22 more seen in April.

Swallow –  Just 394 seen arriving this spring. The first was on the early date of 23^rd March, and the next were eight in off on the 31^st, whilst 288 came in during April, the highest day count being 170 on the 27^th. Small numbers continued to come in throughout May, even at the end of the month, with two north on the 31^st. Very small numbers observed lingering around the Bill tip during May as well.

House Martin – A single coming in on the very late date of 26^th April was the first. Only two others were seen to come in off the sea. Local birds appeared from 29^th April, but numbers stayed low until 21^st May when 14 were present.

Tree Pipit – In decline and none seen this spring. Has now only been recorded in seven of the last twenty years.

Meadow Pipit – Just 321 north; 281 in March, including 152 on the 11^th and 40 in early April.

Yellow Wagtail – A low total of 22 headed in north during the spring, though the first were a day ahead of the average, two on 14^th April.

Pied Wagtail – Only 29 came in during March, three in April and five in the first half of May.

White Wagtail – One on 21^st April.

Robin – One in off the sea on 11^th March.

Redstart – One present on 20^th April and another on the 28^th. One May record, one on 7^th.

Whinchat – One north on 11^th May.

Stonechat – Three records. One flew in off the sea on 8^th March, another or the same was present three days later and one went north on 30^th April.

Wheatear – The first was seen flying in off the sea on the average date of 18^th March. Three days later there were 14 on the beach, and seven more were seen in March. The April total was a reasonable 123, although 51 of those were on one day, the 28^th. Just two May records, one on the beach on the 6^th and the last of the spring seen coming in on the 11^th.

Grasshopper Warbler – One singing in the Bill House Garden on 28^th April.

Reed Warbler – Two on 7^th May.

Whitethroat – Just nine records. Six in April and three in May.

Lesser Whitethroat – Three records; singles on 20^th and 28^th April and one on 7^th May.

Garden Warbler – Two on 7^th May.

Blackcap – One on 20^th April.

Willow Warbler – The first was on 31^st March. Another was seen on 17^th April and two came in off the sea on 19^th April. A small ‘fall’ occurred on 20^th April when 22 were present, five still around the next day. Nine more were recorded in April, and just two in early May.

Chiffchaff – A paltry ten seen. One was present on 8^th March and six others were seen that month, including three in off the sea on the 31^st. A further four seen in April.

Firecrest – One flew in off the sea and settled briefly in the bushes at the top of the beach on 9^th March.

Spotted Flycatcher – One on 18^th May.

Long-tailed Tit – One on 26^th March.

Hooded Crow – A bird was seen briefly on the shingle bar on 9^th May.

Crossbill – One came in off the sea on 24^th March.

Goldfinch – Four north on 31^st March.

Greenfinch – One flew in off the sea and continued north on 18^th March.

Linnet – Just 35 went north, including 21 on 6^th April, whilst 12 went east.