13th - 15th March 2014

Saturday, 15th March: Much clearer this morning after yesterday's persistent fog. We start with a late update from Pagham Hbr for yesterday......

14th March: Adult Spoonbill at the back of Ferry pool 12.30 till at least 13.30; also a pair of Grey Partridges in fields on west side of harbour and a Treecreeper in front of Norton Priory (Iain and Dave Elliot). 

Selsey Bill (06.15 to 09.00hrs):           (Obs: JA, SH et al)
Great Northern Diver - 5 os
Red-throated Diver - 1W, 1 os
Diver sp - 1E
Great Crested Grebe - 1 os
Brent Goose - 3E
Wigeon - 8 os
R/b Merganser - 4E, 16W, 3 os
Common Scoter - 19E, 2 os
Velvet Scoter - 1E
Gannet - 4W
Fulmar - 1W
Redshank - 1W
Auk sp - 1W
Turnstone - 9E, 1W
Sandwich Tern - 1E, 2 os 
Meadow Pipit - 6N

Pair of Common Scoter off Selsey Bill (S. Hill)

Pagham Lagoon: The Iceland Gull and one Siberian Chiffchaff were again present this morning. (B. Ives)

Iceland Gull on Pagham Lagoon again (B. Ives)

 

Church Norton: Walk from Selsey to Church Norton: (S&SaH, IP)

1 Arctic Skua dark phase bird offshore

4 Chiffchaff

1 Yellowhammer (at Park Farm)
1 Buzzard
1 Sparrowhawk
1 Kestrel
1 Goldeneye
10 Red-Breasted Mergansers

Sidlesham: A male Bullfinch in our lane on the west of the village - the first one here since last spring! (AH)

Medmerry Banks: Earnley to Bracklesham (16.00hrs) (S & SaH)
Shoveler - 4,  Gadwall - 5,  Tufted Duck - 16, Merlin - 1,  Buzzard - 3,

Chiffchaff - 2,  Fieldfare - 1,  Reed Bunting - 4,  Yellowhammer - 3.

 

 

 

Merlin at Medmerry (S. Hill)

 

Friday, 14th March: Thick coastal fog overnight and into the morning.    

 

Pagham Lagoon/Spit: The dense fog kept yesterday's goodies hidden, but I did track down a pair of Goldeneye and 20 Wigeon on the Lagoon, and 20+ Meadow Pipits and half a dozen Linnets on the Spit. I could hear Brent Geese, Mediterranean Gulls and Skylarks but never saw them! (AH)

 

Goldeneye on Pagham Lagoon (AH)

Meadow Pipit on Pagham Spit (AH)

 

Ferry Pool: Six Avocets this morning, plus at least 50 Shoveler and Shelduck. (AH)

 

Thursday, 13th March: Sunny and bright after early morning haze and fog, then fog returning later. Ads Bowley reports that 3 Spoonbills have just dropped into Medmerry mid-morning - further details below. Meanwhile there was a big scramble in West Sussex this morning with news of a Savannah Sparrow at Lancing... but apparently this has now turned out to be a hoax!

 

Medmerry: The 3 Spoonbills found by AB were still settled on the new pools NW of the caravan park late morning - a handsome adult pair and a first-year bird. Three Wheatears (2 males & a female) around the rubble heaps, but no sign of the Black Redstart. Also several Linnets and Meadow Pipits were about, a Spotted Redshank briefly, 20 Dunlin & 4 Ringed Plover on the pools along with 100 Brent Geese, a Peregrine briefly disturbed the peace and there were 5 Shoveler sat on the sea. (AH)

 

Spoonbills at Medmerry (AH above & AB below) 

 

 

Wheatear at Medmerry (AB)

  

North Wall: Two Spotted Redshanks were on the Breech Pool this morning, along with 3 Snipe, a Water Rail and 174 Teal, whilst there were a couple Linnets and Reed Buntings along the hedges. There were two Avocets in White's Creek early on, along with a pair of Red-breasted Mergansers and 40 Black-tailed Godwits (some in summer plumage). (AH & JW)

 

Spotted Redshank (above) & Red-breasted Merganser from the North Wall (AH)

 
Pagham Lagoon: At 12.20 the first-winter Iceland Gull was here again, before it flew seawards at 12.36. Not a single Mediterranean Gull today, but three Goldeneye still and further along the Spit by the hide a male Black Redstart was stunning for sure.From 10.30 to 11.00, at the east end, in bushes particularly the isolated gorse bush, there were two Siberian Chiffchaffs. One of them was singing a lot both in this halfhour and on my return at 12.20 - remarkable song, not like our Chiffchaffs but sort of sooee sooee sooee then odd chif chaffs and so on. They need be heard to be believed, but proof to me that this is Phylloscopus tristis rather than a race of collybita. (ARK per SOS)

Ferry Pool: Four Avocets and two Black-tailed Godwits today. (AB)

Ivy Lake: No sign of the Scaup this morning first thing, though I did catch up with the pair of Bullfinches, and a Cetti's Warbler and 3 or 4 Chiffchaffs were making their presence heard. (AH)

The 2 Bullfinches, 2 Mediterranean Gulls and a Kingfisher this afternoon (AB)

10th - 12th March 2014

Wednesday, 12th March: A bright, but hazy, morning with a light northerly and little evidence of any migration, either in or out.... Meanwhile, an update on the Nuthatch sightings at Church Norton, where it seems the bird has been present in the private woods of the Priory since last December, so may perhaps be encountered again on the Reserve in future (per Ivan Lang).

 

Selsey Bill (0740-0820hrs): Light N wind

Nothing moving at all, but a Sandwich Tern was on one of the triangles, the Chiffchaff was still in the tamarisk, and 3 Great Northern Divers and 6 Red-breasted Mergansers were on the sea.(AH)

Sandwich Tern (above) and Chiffchaff at Selsey Bill (AH) 

 

Medmerry: The female Black Redstart and male Wheatear both still present around the rubble heaps this morning, though fairly elusive at times, along with half a dozen Meadow Pipits and the displaying Ringed Plovers. (AH & SR)

 

Wheatear at Medmerry (AH)



Black Redstart & Wheatear at Medmerry (SR)

 

Ferry Pool: Five Avocets were present this morning, and there were several pairs of displaying Lapwing and Redshank. (AH) Later, 9 Avocets on the Ferry (IL).

Park Farm, Selsey: A Chiffchaff here this afternoon (IP)

 

Ivy Lake: The drake Scaup was reported at 8am on Birdguides, but PC couldn't find it shortly afterwards (as indeed neither could I, later on) but he did find a pair of Goldeneye and a pair of Bullfinches as consolation. (AH)
 

Tuesday, 11th March: First off, just a quiet mention that this blogsite is one year old today (although the first live blog actually included a bit of back-dated info to 3rd March 2013). We've had a couple of name and format changes along the way, but thanks to all contributors and readers for your support, suggestions and kind comments.

One late snippet from last week - Graham Jenner & Dave Francis reported seeing & hearing a Nuthatch on the edge of Priory Wood from Church Norton, so worth keeping eyes and ears open for this peninsula rarity.

A cold grey start today with a brisk NNE  wind, but improving as the day wore on. Early migrants are now beginning to appear, and today's haul included Wheatear, Black Redstart, Chiffchaff, Sand Martin, Swallow and Sandwich Tern....though I think the Red-legged Partridge flushed from the beach might be pushing it a bit! (OM&AH).

Selsey Bill (0630-1000hrs): Grey, quite cool, dry; wind NE4. (Obs: SH/OM/SR/DF/DS et al)

Red-throated Diver -  8E, 2W
Black-throated Diver - 2E
Great Northern Diver - 5 os
Diver sp - 1E
Slavonian Grebe - 2 os
Brent Goose - 27E
Common Scoter - 12E, 6 os
R/b Merganser - 16 os moving back and forth
Gannet - 3W
Fulmar - 2W
Avocet - 1E (0900hrs)
Curlew - 1E
Turnstone - 10E
Razorbill - 1E, 1 os
Auk sp - 2E, 2W
Red-legged Partridge - 1 flushed from beach vegetation - into gardens!
Sandwich Tern - 5E
Kittiwake - 1W
Starling - 8N
Chiffchaff - 1 beach/gardens
Additional watch (1140-1300hrs): (Obs: OM/RJS)
Red-throated  Diver - 5E, 1W
Shoveler - 2W
Sanderling - 1 ob
Med Gull - 1W

Emergency repairs to sea-defences following storm damage between the Bill and the Lifeboat station. Note the shingle thrown up by the sea now extending all the way to the housing line on the old Pontins estate. I recall giving evidence that this would happen, at the public enquiry prior to the estate being developed, but alas the Council/developers knew best and the result was a foregone conclusion (OM).

 

Medmerry: At the end of the caravan park, around the rubble piles, this morning there was a smart male Wheatear and a female Black Redstart. Also 10+ Meadow Pipits, 2 Linnets and 5+ Pied Wagtails there, a pair of displaying Ringed Plovers overhead, and 50 Brent Geese dropped onto the otherwise empty pools.(AH)
Easton Lane to Bracklesham: 1 Kestrel, 2  Buzzards, 28 Curlew, c30 Skylarks, 8 Linnets, 3 Pied Wagtails, 17 Tufted Ducks, 18 Teal, 31 Shelduck, 2 Avocets  (SR).

Black Redstart (above) and Wheatear at Medmerry (AH)

Ivy Lake: A drake Scaup and a drake Goldeneye present early on, and at least one Swallow and one Sand Martin present. (Pete Hughes)

Ferry Pool: The Avocet population had risen to eight birds today.(AH)

Monday, 10th March: A beautiful spring morning with hazy skies and a light north-easterly wind, more reminiscent of May than March. Highlight of the morning was 2 Spoonbills east past the Bill at around 9am; well picked up by Mich & Colin Eames a fair way out and almost along the bar line, they had already passed the straight-out point, so presumably came in from further out before turning east. However, as M&CE managed to get us all onto them, Sam Hill was observed to become very animated - punching the air, repeatedly chanting "Bill tick" and even kissing the finder!" Ah the excitement of birding!

 

Selsey Bill (0630-1100hrs): Sunny, becoming quite warm. Wind light NE 1-2.

Red-throated Diver - 5E

Great Northern Diver - 5 os

Great Crested Grebe - 2 os

Greylag Goose - 1E

Common Scoter - 57E, 10 os

R/b Merganser - 4E, 12 os

Mallard - 2 p

Gannet - 2E

Fulmar - 2E, 2W

Spoonbill - 2E (0900hrs)

Grey Plover - 30E

Oystercatcher - 2E

Auk sp - 1E

Sandwich Tern - 1E

Med Gull - 1E

Woodpigeon - 3N

Meadow Pipit - 56N

Pied/alba wagtail - 1N, 1 ob

 

 Church Norton: Quiet still - a few Linnets along the west side, and many of the resident species starting to sing - but not much evidence of migration. A pair of Lapwings were displaying over the farmland along Rectory Lane.(AH) Later another Wheatear was briefly located on the beach opposite the Severals, the Peregrine was on its island and the Spotted Redshank was still present (TR).

Later, at 1600hrs, S&SaH did their regular walk from Selsey to Church Norton, and found 2 Common Buzzards, 3 Kestrels, a Stonechat and a Yellowhammer. SH comments' My local fisherman friend at Park Farm reports a Swallow there this afternoon and less welcome news of at least 50 dead auks offshore yesterday including a Puffin.'

Ferry Pool: Now 6 Avocets present, along with a pair of Gadwall, 20 Teal and the usual Shelduck, Shoveler and Wigeon flocks, though there were considerably less Brent Geese than in recent days. A couple of pairs of Lapwing were displaying here, too. (AH)

Brent Geese (above) and Teal at the Ferry (AH)

 

North Wall: An early afternoon visit to the Breech Pool failed to produce any spring migrants, but there were 2 Black-tailed Godwits and 1 Snipe, a Sparrowhawk, about 80 Teal and 30 Wigeon. I also checked out the flooded field behind the stables and could find little except another 40 Teal, a few more Wigeon, 14 Shelduck, 1 Black-tailed Godwit and small numbers of Lapwing; the habitat here looks good though for ducks and waders in coming days. (OM). 

I rode down to Honer mid-day, 49 Mute Swans on fields north of the farm, a pair of Buzzards courting at South Mundham and a further pair towards Lagness, although i scanned all the fields in-between, no Wheatears seen, (CRJ).

 

Medmerry: Happy to say I've seen my first Wheatear of the year, a superb male on the boulders at the rough ground just after the caravan site at Medmerry.(SR).

 

 

Ivy Lake, Chi GP's: A quick lunchtime visit failed to produce any early hirundines and in fact there was little to report - the usual wildfowl in diminishing numbers including a few Gadwall, several Great Crested Grebes and 2 Lesser Black-backed Gulls being all I can remember! (OM)



7th - 9th March 2014

Sunday, 9th March: A lovely sunny spring day with a light southerly breeze; perfect conditions for a spot of gardening, so yours truly took the risk of missing some early migrants, and may just have got away with it.... fingers crossed!? Afraid not...missed the first Wheatears! (OM) 

 

Selsey Bill 06.30 to 09.15hrs: Sunny, dry, wind light S 3.   (Obs: JA/ SH/PB/IP/SR)
Red-throated Diver - 13E, 2W, 1 os

Great Northern Diver - 1os

Diver sp - 1W

Great Crested Grebe - 1E

Fulmar - 4E, 2W

Brent Goose - 28E

Common Scoter - 21E, 7 os

R/b Merganser - 3E, 3W, 6 os
Long-tailed Duck - 1E

Shoveler - 11E

Razorbill - 3W

Auk sp - 1W
Sandwich Tern - 1E
Kittiwake - 1E

 

Church Norton: S & SaH, IP & PB claimed the laurels for the first Wheatear of the spring, with a smart male on the Peregrine's Island this morning.

This afternoon the Peregrine had returned (and hopefully the Wheatear had already moved on!). Not much else to report, except what sadly looks like the third moribund adult Glaucous Gull to turn up in the harbour this winter. This individual was looking very sorry for itself and was already receiving the unwanted attentions of a couple of Great Black-backed Gulls as it drifted up the harbour on the rising tide. (AH) A Spotted Redshank was also present (B. Ives)

Very bad pic of the Glaucous Gull and Great Black-backs in the harbour. (AH)

 

North Wall: A lovely Spring morning but very quiet along the Wall. A notable decrease in Curlew and Wigeon numbers. It was a Cetti's Warbler morning, 3 calling along the Wall, one at the top end of Owl Copse and one by the wooden bridge over Bremere Rife. A Great Spotted Woodpecker drumming in Owl Copse. There seem to be a lot of Magpies around, I counted 14 this morning. (JW)
Ferry Pool: Six Avocets on the pool this morning (B. Ives).
 

Medmerry Bank: This afternoon there was a Wheatear (2nd of the day!), 6 Yellowhammers, 20 Fieldfares, 5 Meadow Pipits, a Kestrel and 4 Buzzards along the banks along with a Hare and 8 Roe Deer. Also there were 3 Sanderling on the beach and 5 Eider offshore. (S&SaH)

 

Wheatear & (colour-ringed) Sanderlings at Medmerry (SH)

 

Pagham North Wall: A lovely Spring morning but very quiet along the Wall. A notable decrease in Curlew and Wigeon numbers. It was a Cetti's Warbler morning, 3 calling along the Wall, one at the top end of Owl Copse and one by the wooden bridge over Bremere Rife. A Great Spotted Woodpecker drumming in Owl Copse. There seem to be a lot of Magpies around, I counted 14 this morning. (JW)

Saturday, 8th March: A sunny morning after some hazy overnight mist, and with a light SE breeze.

Selsey Bill (0630-0900hrs): Hazy, wind fresh SE 4 (JA, SH, IP & AH)

Great Northern Diver - 2 os

Red-throated Diver - 2 E

Great Crested Grebe - 1 E & 1 os

Fulmar - 1 W

Gannet - 1 E

Brent Goose - 22 E

Shelduck - 1 E

Teal - 32 E

Shoveler  - 6 E

Pintail - 2 E

Wigeon - 3 E

Common Scoter - 3 os

Red-breasted Merganser - 6 E, 6 W & 5 os

Little Gull - 1 E

Mediterranean Gull - 1 W

Kittiwake - 1 W

Sandwich Tern - 1 E
Guillemot - 1 E
auk sp 1 W
Sparrowhawk  -  obs
Skylark - 1 N

 

Ferry Pool: Four Avocets on here this morning along with usual Shoveler, Shelduck and a big flock of Brent Geese. (AH)

Avocets on the Ferry (AH)

Church Norton: The walk from Selsey to Church Norton this morning produced 1 Stonechat, 1 Cetti's Warbler, 2 Buzzard, 1 Yellowhammer & 1 Reed Bunting (S&SH)

Medmerry Bank: The walk from Easton Lane to Bracklesham produced 2 Avocet, 5-6 Lapwing, 50+ Teal, 4 Gadwall, 10 Tufted Duck, 20+ Shelduck, 5 Little Egret, 2 Grey Heron, 2 Buzzard, 1 Sparrowhawk, 6 Reed Buntings, 2 Yellowhammers, 2-3 Meadow Pipits and about 50 Fieldfares that flew in and settled in the tall trees late in the afternoon.(AH with S&SaH)

Part of the Fieldfare flock at Medmerry (AH)

  

Friday, 7th March: A grey, cold morning with a brisk SSW wind and not much evidence of migration.....somehow three hours was put in at the Bill with little reward and after an hour or so of sunshine, an irritating sea mist rolled in seriously reducing visibility.

 

Selsey Bill (0800-1100hrs): Sunny, then misty and cool, wind fresh SSW 4-5.

(Obs: AH/OM/SR/JA).

Great Northern Diver - 1 os

Red-throated Diver - 1E

Great Crested Grebe - 3W, 1 os

Fulmar - 2W

Brent Goose - 3E, 3W (different birds...!)

Common Scoter - 12E, 8 os

R/b Merganser - 4W, 9 os

Kittiwake - 1E

Our dedicated Selsey Bill Log-keeper Justin Atkinson appeared for a short while this morning, so why is Andy House furtively spying on him? Well, as shown below, he wasn't really, it's all to do with the different levels on the Wall. The rose between two thorns is Sarah Russell, scoping intently. (OM)

 

 

Church Norton: Little on show this morning - 2 calling Cetti's Warblers and a few Linnets along the Severals, and the usual wader suspects in the harbour.(AH)

Ferry Pool: Still around 60 Shoveler and 75 Shelducks along the banks and a half dozen Tufted Ducks on the water. The Brent Goose flock had relocated to the arable fields between the Centre and Sidlesham village. (AH)

4th - 6th March 2014

Thursday, 6th March: A bright and breezy morning, but thus far little evidence the migratory birds think it is spring.....

Selsey Bill: 0810-0850hrs:  Sunny, bright, wind S 3. (Obs: AH)

Great Northern Diver - 2 os

Great Crested Grebe  -  os

Common Scoter - 4 os

Red-breasted Merganser - 8 os

Mediterranean Gull - 2 os

And not a bird moving east or west, bar a couple of Cormorants!

Additional watch: 1000-1300hrs:  (Obs: C & M E)
Red-throated Diver - 3E
Great Northern Diver - 3 os
Diver sp - 1E
Great Crested Grebe - 4 os
Fulmar - 3W
Brent Goose - 1W
Common Scoter  - 10W, 4 os                 
R/b Merganser  - 8 os   
 

Ferry Pool: Still big flocks of Brent Geese and Wigeon showing no inclination to move on. A single Lesser Black-backed Gull was present, along with 4 Gadwall and at least half a dozen Tufted Ducks. (AH)

 

Tufted Duck on the Ferry (AH)

Pagham Lagoon: Just a handful of Mediterranean Gulls this morning, though the tide was very low. Trevor Guy reported 5 Goldeneye earlier that flew into the harbour. (AH)

North Wall: The North Wall has been quiet all week, just low numbers of Curlew and Wigeon in the fields. The Grey Herons have been busily nest renovating at Owl Copse. Today was much the same but there were 56 Mute Swans behind Bramber Farm and a pair of Kestrels appear to be nesting in the same area.  Three pairs of Lapwing were displaying in the fields west of Fisher Well and there was a White Wagtail at Fisher. En route 6 Roe Deer and a Small Tortoiseshell Butterfly. (JW).

 

 

Wednesday, 5th March: A lovely early-spring morning with plenty of sunshine and light wind. No definite incoming migrants yet reported on our patch, but given the forecast of a southerly airstream and warmish weather over the next few days, surely it won't be too long before the first Wheatear or Sand Martin arrives? Keep looking .....!

Porthole Farm/Sidlesham SF: A look round this morning produced 2 Yellowhammers, 2 'chiff-chaffing' Chiffchaffs, 2 Cetti's Warblers, 2 or 3 Meadow Pipits, a Skylark, a Buzzard and about 80 Pied Wagtails. (AH)

 

Pied Wagtail at Sidlesham SF (AH)

Medmerry:  A very pleasant walk from Easton Lane to Ham Lane across farmland produced 2 Kestrels, 4 Reed Buntings, 12 Skylarks, 22 Yellowhammers, 11 Pied Wagtails in the stubble and a Green Woodpecker. (SR). Still on the subject of Medmerry, the ringed Sanderling on the beach (see yesterday's report) was bearing colour rings and a small blue 'flag' (see pic). Info has now been received detailing where the bird was ringed and subsequent sightings...... originally ringed Eastoke, Hayling Island on 18/9/2013, it was subsequently recorded twice more on Hayling in autumn 2013, then on 26/2/2014 at West Wittering, before wandering to Medmerry, (with thanks to Paul Stent). Guess it will be on its travels further afield soon!

Colour-ringed Sanderling on Medmerry/Earnley beach, 4th March (Paul Stent)

 

Pagham Lagoon: The 1st-winter Iceland Gull was at the eastern end of the Lagoon at 09.15 before flying out to sea. Also 60+ Mediterranean Gulls, an adult Little Gull, four Goldeneye and a singing Cetti's warbler. (P. James et al, per SOS).

 

Fishbourne Creek: Whimbrel, Greenshank, male Goldeneye, 3 Rock Pipits and a singing Cetti's Warbler (P. James et al, per SOS).  

Tuesday, 4th March: Dry and fine with a light to moderate breeze and feeling a bit like spring - but with no early migrants located. At the Bill a light westerly didn't encourage any proper movement, though the potential bird of the day managed to escape the Log and was the subject of some discussion. An interesting grebe passed W and two of the four observers present were confident of the ID as a Red-necked, whilst the other two were less so and just couldn't be sure Great Crested had been fully eliminated. I plead guilty to being in the latter camp and sorry if I'm wrong, but only grebe sp. has been logged due to this uncertainty! Meanwhile the Iceland Gull at Pagham Spit/Lagoon continued to play hide-and-seek, showing well at times to some birders and eluding others; I'm in the latter camp there too! (OM).

Selsey Bill (0745-1115hrs): Mainly sunny and bright, wind W2-3 (Obs: DF/DS/OM/GJ et al).

Red-throated Diver - 1E
Diver Sp - 1E
Grebe sp - 1W (0947hrs)
Gannet - 2E
Mute Swan - 2E flew inland NE
Brent Goose - 2E
R/b Merganser - 1W, 8 os
Grey Plover - 25W
Turnstone - 20W
Oystercatcher - 3E
Auk sp - 1W
Med Gull - 1E

Pagham Hbr: North Wall: Pretty quiet along the North Wall - a singing Reed Bunting, 4 Gadwall, 100+ Teal and 2 or 3 Snipe on the Breach Pool were the highlights. (AH)

 





Gadwall (above) & Reed Bunting on the Breach Pool (AH)

 

Pagham Spit/Lagoon: No sign of the 'interesting' gulls this morning, though there were 4 Sandwich Terns around the harbour mouth. On the Lagoon, at least 150  Mediterranean Gulls and 20+ Common Gulls, along with at least 5 Goldeneye & 4 Great Crested Grebes. (AH) Also 2 R/b Mergansers and a Kingfisher there and later the Iceland Gull appeared at about 1300hrs (per Ads Bowley) but frustratingly had disappeared again by about 1345hrs! (OM) . Two Sandwich Terns roosting on the Spit with Med Gulls (Trevor Guy).

  

 

(above) - Mediterranean Gulls & Common Gull on the Lagoon (AH)
 (below) -  Iceland Gull and drake Goldeneye (Ads Bowley)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Medmerry: I walked the banks on the west side (Easton's Lane to the sea) and saw a similar selection of birds to that seen by other observers over the last week: a single Avocet, 50 Lapwing, 12 Shelduck, 15 Tufted Ducks, 17 Gadwall, c. 120 Teal, 20 Curlew and a Buzzard (OM). I was down Medmerry (Earnley end) this morning and found these 4 Sanderling on the beach. I noticed the left one in the picture had what appears to be 2 rings on the tarsus of each leg, with both being pink(?) over bright blue. (The 2 in the middle both managed a worm each). Wondered if you had any info perhaps on ringed Sanderling ? Paul Stent)               (I seem to recall a ringed Sanderling project; any info anyone? OM)

 

Sanderlings on Medmerry (Earnley) beach (P. Stent).

1st - 3rd March 2014

Monday, 3rd March: Cloudy with brighter periods, but also very showery with occasional longer periods of rain; a fresh S/SSW wind f 4-5  making things rather cool and uncomfortable. Bird of the day was probably the first Manx Shearwater of the year past the Bill, initially picked up at some distance by AH before it headed into the Solent (thanks Andy!). Other than that the sea-watching was very slow and dull, despite it now being OBS at Selsey Bill (Official Birding Springtime that is!) I managed four hours before the high-tide and strong wind conspired to produce large waves at the viewpoint which finally soaked me and my optics! (OM).

Selsey Bill (0810-1210hrs): Cloudy with sunshine, frequent heavy showers. Wind S 4-5

(Obs: OM/AH)

Red-throated Diver - 3E

Diver sp - 1E

Common Scoter - 6E

R/b Merganser - 2 W, 9 os 

Manx Shearwater - 1W (0950hrs)

Auk sp - 2E, 1W

Sandwich Tern - 1W, 1 os

Kittiwake - 1W

  

Sandwich Tern at the Bill; presumably this is one of the over-wintering birds, but doubtless the usual arguments will soon start over which bird is considered the first spring migrant! (OM)

Medmerry: A washout of a morning, with my visit to Medmerry cut short by a fairly violent shower. The Avocet was feeding amongst the Tufted Ducks and Teal, and there were 2 Reed Buntings, 4 Skylarks & 7 Pied Wagtails. (SR)

Pagham Hbr:  On Pagham Lagoon there were 2 R/b Mergansers, 6+ Goldeneye, 75 Med Gulls and a 1st-w Little Gull, whilst on the Spit were another 50+ Med Gulls. OM/AB could find no trace of the Iceland Gull, not helped by the wind and frequent rain, but it seems ARK did better, finding it and a Kingfisher on the Lagoon a short while later.

Drake R/b Merganser, and below, a small section of the flock of Med Gulls on the Lagoon (OM)

 

Church Norton: Still 10 Avocets in the harbour, and a group of 24 Bar-tailed Godwits among the numerous Dunlin, Knot and Grey Plovers, plus at least 500 Brent Geese.(AH)

Knot & Dunlin in the harbour (AH)

And there is evidence that spring is not far away now, with both Oystercatchers and Ringed Plovers doing display flights over the spit, and the resident Collared Doves in my garden getting amorous, too! (AH)

 

   Not a bird that gets much attention! - Collared Doves in a Sidlesham garden (AH)





Sunday, 2nd March: Cloudy and cool with the promise of heavy rain at times. A few divers now starting to appear at the Bill, whilst the Iceland Gull was on the Spit at Pagham early afternoon.

Selsey Bill 0630 to 0900hrs:  Cloudy, dull, cool. Wind S 4-5.  (Obs: SH/PB/IP/SR/PC)
Red-throated Diver - 10E, 3W
Great Northern Diver - 9 os
Diver sp - 1E
Slavonian Grebe - 1W
Great Crested Grebe - 1W
Fulmar - 1E, 1W
Gannet - 1E, 7W
Brent Goose - 22E
Shelduck - 2W
Eider - 2W
R/b Merganser - 1E, 12W, 8os
Common Scoter - 5E
Oystercatcher - 5E
Turnstone - 12E
Razorbill - 1E, 3 os
Auk sp - 1E, 22W
Sandwich Tern - 1 os
Kittiwake - 1E, 12W
Med Gull - 4W, 5os

Medmerry: (a.m.)  
Kestrel - 1, Sparrowhawk - 1, Avocet - 1, Kittiwake - 1 os, Stock Dove - 50, Stonechat - 1, Fieldfare - 30, Yellowhammer - 3 and Reed Bunting - 2.  (SH/SAH/PB/IP)

North Wall: The 2 Whooper Swans were on the field in front of Honer Farm again this morning, along with at least 50 Curlews, and there were a few Wigeon and Teal on the Breach Pool. Also 8 Avocets were flying around near the Long Pool. (AH)

Whooper Swans from North Wall (AH)

Pagham Lagoon: At least 150 Mediterranean Gulls and 100 Common Gulls this morning, plus 5 Goldeneye and 2 Red-breasted Mergansers, and a few Linnets in the gorse. (AH)

Goldeneye on Pagham Lagoon (AH)

Pagham Beach: The first-winter Iceland Gull was at the harbour mouth again, late morning, along with 3 Sandwich Terns and at least 80 Mediterranean Gulls.(AH)

First-winter Iceland Gull from Pagham Beach (AH)

Church Norton: The regular walk from Selsey to Church Norton produced 1 Sandwich Tern, 100+ Mediterranean Gulls and 3 Red-breasted Mergansers along the beach, plus, sadly a dead Kittiwake and a dead Razorbill. There was also a Yellowhammer at Park Farm. (S&SaH)
 

Saturday, 1st March: A lovely spring morning, and a very busy day for birds,though the best birds were undoubtedly winter ones.....

Selsey Bill: 06.30-09.00hrs: bright SW3 (SH, PM & IP)
Great Northern Diver - 1 os
Slavonian Grebe - 3 W
Great Crested Grebe - 1 W
Gannet - 3 W
Shelduck - 1 W
Common Scoter - 1 E
Red-breasted Merganser - 11 E, 11 W & 2 os
Oystercatcher - 4 E
Sanderling - 1 ob
Mediterranean Gull  -7 w 2 os
Kittiwake - 1 E

Pagham Lagoon/beach: The first-winter Iceland Gull was again on the Lagoon at 11am before flying off towards the beach, and there was an adult Glaucous Gull on the beach near the sailing club. (CRJ & ARK). Both birds were on the shingle bank at the harbour mouth this afternoon, along with at least 50 Mediterranean Gulls. (AH)
North Wall: The 2 Whooper Swans were present in the North Fields and a Peregrine in the harbour (CRJ).
Early afternoon, high tide, SE corner Pagham Harbour, from Mike Collins' seat three Scandinavian Rock Pipits. (Compared with a British-type petrosus rock pipit seen later on North Wall, these Scandinavian littoralis rock pipits have brighter wing-bars, supercillia and underparts and upperparts are smoother with grey shawl effect; legs not particularly dark. (ARK per SOS)

Iceland Gull (above) and Glaucous Gull off Pagham Beach (AH)

Sidlesham Tramway: A Water Rail was in the harbour, before flying back into the reeds in the creek early this morning. (AH)

East Head: A lovely morning on the high tide produced the Snow Bunting at the northern tip, probably 2 Great Northern Divers, about a dozen Red-breasted Mergansers & 6 Great Crested Grebes on the water, a few mobile Sanderling and a great many Dunlin, 2 Sandwich Terns and a Stonechat.

At Snowhill Creek there were 2 Spotted Redshank and 2 Greenshank amongst the roosting waders, at least 1000 Brent Geese on the grass and the regular Mediterranean Gull over the carpark. (AH)

 

Snow Bunting at East Head (Alison Hall)

Snow Bunting (above) and Great Northern Diver at East Head (AH)

Selsey to Church Norton:  11.30 (S&SaH, IP)
3 Buzzards and up to 8 Yellowhammers (Park Farm).

Proof that spring is on the way - Red Admiral at Church Norton (SH)

A Spotted Redshank at Church Norton between the end of the path from the car park and the beach. Peregrine resting on its usual shingle island in the harbour. Others reported two Firecrests by the hide and 11 Avocets at the top of the harbour.
Female Eider offshore from the end of West St, Selsey. (Paul James per SOS)

Medmerry banks - Earnley (afternoon) (S&SaH).
Merlin - 1
Peregrine - 1
Buzzard - 3
Kestrel - 1
Avocet - 1
Skylark - 20+
Fieldfare - 20+
Cetti's Warbler - 1 singing

Avocet at Medmerry (SH)

 

Chichester Harbour: Highlights of the Birdham WeBS count included: 440 Brent Geese, 6 Little Egrets, 52 Wigeon, 60 Teal, 42 Red-breasted Mergansers, 183 Curlews, 15 Black-tailed Godwits, 210 Redshanks, 2 Greenshanks, 92 Oystercatchers, 1 Sandwich Tern and 2 Mediterranean Gulls. Several Buzzards, and by the entrance drive to Chichester Marina a flock of about 20 Redwings. (Steve Gilbert per SOS)