22nd - 24th September 2015

Thursday, 24th September: A grey and wet start, before slowly brightening up from the west....

Selsey Bill: (0730-0830) Nothing really moving - just c50 Gannets and a Mediterranean Gull west offshore, and 12 Meadow Pipits and c100 Swallows west overhead. (AH/GH)

Gannet past the Bill (AH)

Ferry Pool: There were four Spotted Redshank and eight Redshanks on the pool first thing, along with a Green Sandpiper, a Common Sandpiper, a Snipe, six Avocets and five Black-tailed Godwits. (AH)

Snipe on the Ferry (AH)

Church Norton: A Sandwich Tern and a Whimbrel were in the harbour on the high tide, but otherwise it was quiet. A Spotted Flycatcher and a big mixed flock containing plenty of Chiffchaffs was around the hide, along with up to four Green Woodpeckers. A couple of Whitethroats and up to ten Blackcaps were by the concrete wall, with a few of the former, a Wheatear and a pair of Stonechats were along the beach/Severals area and a Buzzard was in the horse field. Around 20 Meadow Pipits, 50 Goldfinches, 40 Linnets and 200 Swallows all went west along the beach. (AH)

Spotted Flycatcher (above), Wheatear, Stonechat, Whitethroat, Buzzard & Green Woodpecker at Church Norton (AH)

Medmerry: Eastons to Stilt Pool: The two Garganey were still present along with a Little Grebe, a Little Egret and a Grey Heron, whilst opposite at the sluice, sat the Kingfisher. Along the route to the Pools were 8 Whinchat, 3 Wheatears, 4 Stonechats, 4 Kestrels, a Buzzard,  35 Goldfinches, 7 Skylarks, 40 Meadow Pipits, 2 Whitethroats, c30 Swallows, 35 Black-tailed Godwits and 25 Teal.
It was very windy at the Stilt Pool and the water level was high, with just a Little Ringed Plover, a Sandwich Tern and17 Dunlin present, and little else of note.  The two Bar-headed Geese were amongst the Canadas, and there were 3 or 4 Wheatears and good sized flocks of Meadow Pipit and Goldfinch about the banks. (SR)

This evening along Easton Lane,  there was just one Garganey on show, along with two Green Sandpipers, there were 20 or so Yellow Wagtails in with 100+ Meadow Pipits, and there was a Buzzard, a Sparrowhawk and three Kestrels around. (S&SaH)

Wednesday, 23rd September: A beautiful bright and still start, with a bit of cloud and a breeze picking up through the morning.....and freshening to a WSW5-6 later....

Selsey Bill (0745-1100hrs):  (Obs: C&ME/GH).
Gannet - 3E, 85W 

Red-throated Diver - 1E

Brent Goose - 13W

Common Scoter - 2W

Mediterranean Gull - 4W

Pied Wagtail - 19N

Grey Wagtail - 4W

Meadow Pipit - 131W
Wheatear - 1 ob
Linnet - 5W                            
Siskin - 32W   

CE attempts to fly like a bird....too long sea-watching in the sun perhaps...? (OM)

                                                                                  

Ferry Pool: There were four Spotted Redshank at the back this morning, along with a Common Sandpiper, a Dunlin, four Black-tailed Godwits, six Avocets and c40 Lapwing, plus the usual Teal and Shoveler. (AH)

Spotted Redshanks (above) & Avocet on the Ferry (AH)

North Wall: A lot of waders along White's Creek, mainly Redshank, Black-tailed Godwits and Lapwing, a few Curlew and one Spotted Redshank, whilst Swallows, House and Sand Martins were passing through in small numbers and there were two Wheatears along the Wall. The only migrants in any numbers were at the Macracarpa copse where there was a mixed feeding group of some 40 birds comprising up to 20 Chiffchaffs, nine Long-tailed Tits, three Blackcap, three Goldcrests and a few Blue and Great Tits. Also in that vicinity were three Buzzards, a Sparrowhawk, a Kestrel, one Green and 2 Great Spotted Woodpeckers. Also a good morning for dragonflies. (JDW)

Chichester GPs: Ivy Lake - The juvenile Black Tern was still present this morning at the back of the lake, (SH) and it was also still there this afternoon (SR). At 6pm it was still sat on a buoy and there were 30+ Sand Martins and a few Swallows over the water. (AH)

Black Tern on Ivy Lake (AH)

Medmerry: Easton Lane to the Stilt Pool - The two Garganey were still on the first pool, though mostly lurking in the reeds, and there was also a Green Sandpiper and six Gadwall there. On the tidal area there were six Curlew and 15 Redshank but it was pretty quiet along the banks until Marsh Farm, bar a Corn Bunting by the barn.

There were up to eight Wheatears spread out from the farm to the beach, a couple of Stonechats and 50+ Linnets and Goldfinches were on the rough ground and about ten Skylarks got up intermittently, but the most striking feature was Meadow Pipits. All along the banks, the pool, the beach and the cattle-fields there were many hundreds - some flitting about and feeding, some going off westwards, but too many to count. Also, among the cattle there were still around a dozen Yellow Wagtails and the odd Pied Wagtail, plus several hundred Swallows and the occasional House and Sand Martin.

The pool itself was pretty quiet, with just three Common Sandpipers and c100 Teal of note, and just six Canada Geese. Also a Peregrine was over the reserve and a Hobby briefly appeared near Marsh Barn. (AH)

Yellow Wagtail (above), Wheatear, Swallows, Corn Bunting, Green Sandpiper, Common Sandpiper & Meadow Pipit and Goldfinch at Medmerry (AH)

A reminder of how low-lying Medmerry is! (AH)

Church Norton: A quick look this evening at the rising tide produced a Kingfisher fly-by, a Whimbrel and plenty of Curlew and Redshanks, and there were two Sandwich Terns, two Common Terns, a dozen Mediterranean Gulls and a Common Gull amongst the gul roost. (AH/RHa)

Whimbrel (above) & Curlew at Church Norton (AH)

Tuesday, 22nd September: Cloudy with rain/showers and a brisk W/NW wind, but also some drier, brighter spells through the morning. It's easy to be put off sometimes by the weather forecast, but once again the gloomy prediction does not appear to match the reality so far.......

Selsey Bill: (0730-1000hrs) (JD/DS/DF/AH)

Gannet - c80W, c20E

Brent Goose - 1W

Grey Plover - c50W

Knot - c20W

Common Tern - 2W

Swallow - c50W

Meadow Pipit - c50N

Chichester GPs: Ivy Lake - A juvenile Black Tern and a juvenile Common Tern were present this morning, plus a steady movement of Swallows. (JD/DS/DF)
Both terns were still present at 6pm. (AH)

Black Tern at Ivy Lake (BI)

Black Tern (above) & Common Tern on Ivy Lake (AH)

Ferry Pool: Not many waders now that the water level has risen again - just a Common Sandpiper, two Dunlin, five Avocets and c40 :Lapwing present this morning. There were also 12 Shelduck, c30 Shoveler and c80 Teal. (AH)

Teal (above) & Shoveler on the Ferry (AH)

Church Norton: An Osprey appeared along the beach by the second Several from the west and went over Priory Wood into the harbour at 8.55am.

There was a huge roaming flock of c50 Chiffchaffs, c50 Long-tailed Tits, c30 Goldcrests and similar of Blue Tits around the churchyard/Mound area, along with a couple of Jays and Green Woodpeckers. A Whimbrel was in the harbour, though not much else of note, and along the front there were half a dozen Whitethroats but not many other migrants, though c150 House Martins went over west.

There was a Knot in with eight Dunlin on the beach, and offshore there were two Common Terns and a few Gannets. (AH)
This evening there were 75+ House Martins, 2 Sand Martins, 20+ Swallows and a Swift over the Severals, 3 Stonechats on the beach, 10+ Chiffchaffs in the second Several and a Wheatear on the beach. (S&SaH)

Osprey (above), Knot, Dunlin, Jay, Goldcrest, Chiffchaff & Long-tailed Tit at Church Norton (AH)

19th - 21st September 2015

Monday, 21st September: A real contrast to yesterday - grey and breezy with the threat of heavy rain hanging in the air.....which duly arrived by afternoon!
The morning was dominated with reports of Osprey sightings and it seems there are/were at least three birds involved.....

Selsey Bill (0750-1030hrs): Cloudy, dull, wind WSW4-5  (Obs: OM/C&ME/SR)
Gannet - 33E, 9W, 12os
Fulmar - 1W
Brent Goose - 5W
Common Scoter - 22E
Sandwich Tern - 6E, 15W
Arctic Skua - 1E (d/p)
Kittiwake - 1W
Mediterranean Gull - 3os loitering, 5W
Auk sp - 1E
Meadow Pipit - 3W
Grey Wagtail - 1W
Swallow - 35 mainly E/SE
Chiffchaff - 4 gardens
Siskin - 3W

Additional: 1700 - 1800hrs   (SH)
Gannet  - 11E, 6W
Brent Goose - 13W
Dunlin - 1W
Hobby - 1 flushed a Turnstone off the beach, chased it high off over housing estate
Arctic Skua - 1E (d/p)
Common Tern - 1E
Sandwich Tern - 6W, 1os
Mediterranean Gull - 1 os
 

Ferry Pool: An Osprey went over westwards at 7.30am this morning upsetting all the waders, which had included a total of ten Spotted Redshanks, a Greenshank, a Common Sandpiper, three Redshank, seven Avocets, four Black-tailed Godwits and 40 Lapwing. Also a Grey Wagtail landed briefly by the sluice and 30+ Swallows went over. (AH) Later a Green Sandpiper appeared, but it was lean pickings as most of the above waders had gone. The path and Visitor centre area held 20+ Chiffchaffs and c.10 Blackcaps but nothing unusual. (OM)

Spotted Redshank and Lapwing (above), Osprey & Grey Wagtail at the Ferry (AH)

Medmerry: Easton Lane - Stilt Pools: The two Garganey were still present in the small pool, along with three Wigeon and nine Gadwall this morning, with a flighty Green Sandpiper also present and two Greenshank were in the tidal area. There were also quite a few Swallows and Meadow Pipits about. (AH)

On the walk to the pools 0830-12.00 there was an Osprey sitting on a post in the centre of the reserve, later it was fishing near the Selsey side; at one time I thought there were two fishing there, but very distantly. On and around the pools were 550 Canada Geese, 2 Bar-headed Geese, 2 Greylag Geese, 3 Buzzard, 1 Sparrowhawk, 2 Kestrel, 5 Stock Dove, 3 Mediterranean Gull, 5 Avocet, 2 Black-tailed Godwit, 2 Greenshank,  Green Sandpiper, 1 Dunlin,1 Water Rail, 6 Yellow Wagtail, 4 Stonechat, 2 Whinchat, 20 Skylark, 6 Meadow Pipit,120 Starling and 120 Linnet. The 2 Garganey were also still present on my return walk (CRJ).

Garganey at Medmerry (AH)

Breach area - An Osprey was fishing over the east of the reserve late this morning; it took about eight dives before it caught a fish and headed off NW. It or another reappeared from the N at about 13.00, caught a fish first time in one of the lagoons and then headed off again NW. Also 2 Kingfishers on the creeks on the east side.(PH) 
There was no sign of any Ospreys by the time I arrived, but with the rain starting and the wind increasing, the only thing of any note was a gathering of 125 Mediterranean Gulls on the mudflats by the lagoons, two Bar-headed Geese plus a few each of Ringed Plover, Dunlin and Grey Plover (OM).

 

Church Norton: Another Osprey flew westwards along the main channel at 9.00am until lost from view. Fairly quiet in the harbour with just a Greenshank and Whimbrel of note, whilst  there were eight Common Terns and three Sandwich Terns, plus a few first-year Mediterranean Gulls among the flock feeding offshore.

There were two or three Spotted Flycatchers and plenty of Chiffchaffs, Blackcaps and Goldcrests around the hide/churchyard area, whilst along the Severals there were up to four Stonechats, a Lesser Whitethroat and at least ten Whitethroats, plus a steady flow of Swallows overhead and a number of noisy Jays in the trees. (AH)

Osprey (above), Stonechat, Chiffchaff, Greenshank and Redshank & Common Tern at Church Norton (AH)

 

 

 

Sunday, 20th September: A beautifully calm and sunny autumn morning, with a hint of crispness in the air early on before the sun powered through...

Selsey Bill (0630 - 0945hrs):  (Obs: SH/JA/C&ME/SR/IP/CN)
Gannet - 4E, 1W
Shag - 1E
Brent Goose - 12W
Common Scoter - 2W
Teal - 3W
Wigeon - 3W
Gadwall - 1os
Sandwich Tern - 19E
Mediterranean Gull - 2E, 1W
Meadow Pipit - 4N, 14W
Pied Wagtail - 4W
Yellow  Wagtail - 6E, 13W   
Grey Wagtail - 4W          
Stonechat - 1ob
Sand Martin - 4 present
House Martin - 200+ p
Swallow - 400+ p
Chiffchaff - 17 gardens
Willow Warbler - 1 gardens
Siskin - 2E, 3W

After the sea-watch this morning I took another look at the House Martin nests and found the Canadian Crescent young still being fed (one youngster looking almost ready to fledge) and another active nest (Coxswain Way). Also a Kestrel was hunting the edge of Oval Field.(SR)

Active House Martin nest, Canadian Crescent, Selsey Bill (SR)

Ferry Pool: No reports of the Pectoral Sandpiper by early afternoon, but an Osprey flew over N (10.05) with a fish in its talons. Also three Spotted Redshanks, three Green Sandpipers and an Avocet (RAI).

Church Norton: A mid-morning visit produced the following...... (S&SaH)
Buzzard - 8 around the harbour
Sparrowhawk - 2
Common Tern - 12 os

Sandwich Tern - 1 os

Kingfisher - 1 around the old metalwork
Swift - 1 over Greenlease farm
Stonechat - 4
Whinchat - 1
Wheatear - 1
Whitethroat - 4 along beach path
Also nearby, 2 Yellow Wagtails and a Blackcap (Park farm) (S&SaH)
Later there were 15 Siskin over,  6 Yellow Wagtails, a Stonechat and the Kingfisher, plus unusually high late September counts of 35 Whitethroats and 40 Robins. (RAI)

North Wall: Early on there was a steady eastward movement of House Martins, Sand Martins and Swallows plus a late Swift, many were using Honer reservoir as a drinks stop. On the Breech Pool were 56 Black-tailed Godwits and 2 Common Snipe. There were 2 Greenshank along White's Creek, whilst a few migrants were to be seen; several Whitethroats and Chiffchaffs, 4 Stonechats and 1 Lesser Whitethroat, plus 4 Stock Doves at Honer. (JDW).

Medmerry: Eastons Lane to Stilt pools: 16.00 (S&SaH)
There were three Ospreys present late afternoon; one fishing the channels and pools, one perched on a post and a third bird that drifted in from the north east but was mobbed by gulls and corvids before drifting away north east.  Also logged were...
a Hobby, two Kestrels, two Buzzards, two Greenshank, one Green Sandpiper, one Common Sandpiper, two Garganey, 60+ Mediterranean Gulls, nine Stonechat, six Whinchat, six Wheatears and 10 Yellow Wagtails. 

 Wheatear at Medmerry, and below, two record shots of Ospreys (SH)

Saturday, 19th September: Cloudy at first, soon clearing to give a fine and sunny day with a moderate NE breeze....
First news today (0830) is of a Honey Buzzard heading S out to sea at the Bill......

Selsey Bill (0630 to 0930hrs):  (Obs: SH/JA/PB/SR/C&ME)
Gannet - 3E, 21W
Common Scoter - 1E
Brent Goose - 2W
Curlew - 1W
Sanderling - 3W
Sparrowhawk - 1N]
Kestrel - 1 p
Honey Buzzard - 1S (0820)
Commic Tern - 5W
Common Tern - 2E
Sandwich Tern - 12E
Mediterranean Gull - 6E, 3W
Pied Wagtail - 4N
Grey Wagtail - 1E, 1N
Yellow Wagtail - 4W
Meadow Pipit - 12E, 202N
Wheatear - 3ob
Swallow - 6000+E
House Martin - 639E
Sand Martin - 4E
Stonechat - 1 gardens
Chiffchaff - 34 gardens
Goldfinch - 21E
Siskin - 2E

Medmerry: Eastons to Stilt pools: Two Garganey still present, also six Gadwall near the poplars. Ten Whinchat, eight Stonechat, two Wheatear and one Spotted Flycatcher were seen on the way down, and around the pools were two Bar-headed Geese, the Barnacle hybrid, the Canada Geese flock, a few Dunlin and hundreds of hirundines. (BI)

 Garganey, Wheatear and Whinchat at Medmerry (BI)

Ferry Pool: The Pectoral Sandpiper was reported as being present though generally elusive this morning (per RBA)  but there was no sign of the Grey Phalarope. The usual wildfowl were present including eight Shoveler, plus a few Teal, 30 Black-tailed Godwits, 20 Lapwing and a Green Sandpiper (BI). 
  

Shoveler on the Ferry Pool (BI)

Church Norton: An Osprey was reported late morning (per RBA).
A Spotted Flycatcher was around Park farm and the following were present around Norton.... (S&SaH/PB)
Common Buzzard - 4
Sparrowhawk - 3
Sandwich Tern - 20+ os
Common Tern - 3os
Swallow - 1000+
House Martin - 50+
Sand Martin - 4
Meadow Pipit - 50+
Stonechat - 3
Whinchat - 3
Wheatear - 6
Blackcap - 4
Chiffchaff - 20+
Whitethroat - 10+
Siskin - 14