Saturday 10 October 2020

Nighthawk!!!

 Just a couple of additions to my Sussex list this week..Purple Heron & er...COMMON NIGHTHAWK!! 

Monday 21 September 2020

Lark

 The Greater Short-toed Lark showed averagely well over the w/end; better views of a Hobby and a Merlin at the Bill.

Sunday 20 September 2020

Not. A. Thing.

 A remarkable walk this morning in that it yielded no birds at all apart from a single Black-headed Gull..similarly, nothing in the moth trap.

 I’m done over and out.

Monday 14 September 2020

Owl Point

 A rebrand! Moving swiftly on... four Stonechats and a Whinchat in the southern hedges up from the quay and five or so Cattle Egrets at Owl Point were all I could muster in a quick look today.

Sunday 13 September 2020

helice Clouded Yellow, Spotted Flycatcher

helice Clouded Yellow was along Pagham beach front with five Clouded Yellows and a few other bits; yesterday's visit yielded a Long-tailed Blue. A few Spotted Flycatchers have been around north wall where I flushed an interesting large Pipit sp. which was in turn flushed by walkers..(bird responded initially to Richard's Pipit call but not twice)...oh well.





Saturday 12 September 2020

Stonechat

 The Peninsula was busy with birders today but not so much with birds! Best were a couple of Wheatears and a Stonechat (the first here for a good while) along the coast path; nothing of note at the Bill. 

Friday 11 September 2020

Blackcaps

 A mobile flock of passerines around the north wall provided some entertainment today: 40 Blackcaps, 10 Chiffchaffs, 4 Spotted Flycatchers being the best. Still no Wryneck on the Peninsula though...

Monday 7 September 2020

Red-backed Shrike

 One at the North Wall was lovely to see:




Whinchat, Wheatear, Warbler

A few from the last few days: Whinchat, Clouded Yellow, Spoonbill,  Wheatear, and a juvenile Reed Warbler with yellow feet 










 

Friday 4 September 2020

Warblers or not

 Well a day of frustration really: what was probably a hippolais or maybe a large sylvia warbler was near the hide at Church Norton but evaded further scrutiny and a Wood Warbler at Greenlease disappeared after a good showing to two observers. 😕

Yesterday, no sign of the Lapland Bunting which sadly joins the Hen Harrier and Red-rumped Swallow on this year’s impressive Peninsula  dip-list!


Saturday 29 August 2020

Redstarts 2

The south facing hedges from the Quay towards Owl Point were considerably more sheltered than those at the North Wall and consequently there were a few small birds around including four Redstarts, a male Lesser Whitethroat, a dozen Whitethroats, a Chiffchaff, a Blackcap and two Willow Warblers. A few Linnets were around the saltmarsh with c.200 hirundines, including a good number of House Martins overhead, whilst in the distance 25 Cattle Egrets flew towards Marsh Farm. Interesting raptor over the other day too...







Friday 28 August 2020

Redstarts

 Not much at the Bill today but Halsey’s was a little better with c.5 Redstarts, including a plush male, a few Willow Warblers and Whitethroats as well as the regular Cattle Egrets; also a few Yellow Wagtails with the cattle. A brief look at the Severals tuned up a Sedge Warbler and a few Wheatears but sadly no sign of a hoped-for Wryneck!

Tuesday 25 August 2020

Little Stint

 Thanks to BFF & DM today.. .a Little Stint found by them at Church Norton was my first for 18 months (!). A few days prior and a breakdown (the car not me..) at the Ferry Pool led to finding a smart Redstart and later on 41 Cattle Egrets at Halsey's Farm with IP.

Monday 17 August 2020

Pied Flycatcher

 A Pied Flycatcher (found by me for a change) was showing well at Northcommon Farm on the 16th.



A video of the Pied Flycatcher is here

Saturday 15 August 2020

Reed Warbler

 The highlight today was a juvenile Reed Warbler at Halsey’s Farm but other than that it remains deadly quiet!

Tuesday 11 August 2020

Lesser Emperor

 Surprise of the day was a Lesser Emperor dragonfly found by AB which showed very well this evening at Deep Lake. Also c.4 Common Terns and a Kingfisher around the area.

Sunday 9 August 2020

Wood Sandpiper

 A Wood Sandpiper on the Ferry was decent today but there wasn’t much else of note about bar a Garden Warbler and a few Willow Warblers at Halsey’s/Sidlesham Quay.

Saturday 8 August 2020

Whinchat & Eider

Two Whinchats today: one was at Halsey’s where there was also a Wheatear, six Lesser Whitethroats, a Garden Warbler and c.6 Willow Warblers. Another Whinchat, two Lesser Whitethroats and a Willow Warbler were at Warner Lane but it was generally quiet here. At the Bill, c.11 Common Terns went east and a young Eider west west.

Friday 7 August 2020

Whinchat

 There was little of note at the Bill this morning and Northcommon Farm was similarly quiet. Coastguards, however, found an overdue year-tick of a Whinchat, two Stonechats and a few young Pied Wagtails and Meadow Pipits. At Sidlesham Quay there was a Wheatear but Halsey’s Farm didn’t produce the hoped for Redstart! Bill log below:


Sunday 2 August 2020

More Cattle Egrets!

Thirteen west past Selsey Bill today! Elsewhere a Pied Flycatcher was briefly behind the hide at Church Norton and two Willow Warblers and two Lesser Whitethroats were at Warner Lane.



Saturday 1 August 2020

Cattle Egrets at the Bill


A nice surprise this morning when eight Cattle Egrets flew west at Selsey Bill. A Wheatear was on the beach here and another was at Warner Lane where there was also a Willow Warbler and a pair if Red-legged Partridges. Northcommon Farm remained quiet but there was a nice showy Corn Bunting at Toe End.


 



Friday 31 July 2020

Autumn Wheatear

My first “autumn” Wheatear at Medmerry windmill this morning and c.200 Sand Martins went through at the Bill, log below:



Saturday 6 June 2020

Sunday 16 February 2020

Gulls

A look at Fishbourne Creek was disturbed by an absolute idiot of a dog-walker letting her charge put the gulls and geese up...but present after the melee were 100s of Common Gulls and few Mediterranean & Lesser Black-backed Gulls...




Cattle Egrets

There were 22 Cattle Egrets in "Misery Martin's Farm" at Hunston (they hate birders looking at their fields... I wonder why that would be...I have no idea...)




Saturday 8 February 2020

Long-tailed Duck

The Long-tailed Duck was still at the Lavant outflow and in the gull roost were three Lesser Black-backed Gulls, a Yellow-legged Gull and c.600 Common Gulls.


Long-tailed Duck:



Friday 7 February 2020

Red-throated Divers

It remains quite offshore at Selsey Bill with no real auk passage and just a few divers moving through but not in any numbers.


Red-throated Divers:



Friday 31 January 2020

Ivy Lake

A look at Ivy Lake in the drizzle produced c.40 Herring Gulls, c.50 Pochards, a dozen Tufted Ducks and a pair of Shoveler but not a lot else.

Still lots of tree cutting and shrub clearance going on... hopefully it will settle down as it's been dire there for the past year...

A quick look at the Bill found it mist-bound with little to no visibility...

Sunday 26 January 2020

Red-legged Partridges

Nothing of note at Selsey Bill but two Red-legged Partridges, new for year, were on the stubble maize fields at Reedy Marsh.


Red-legged Partridge:



Saturday 25 January 2020

Chifchaffs etc. etc.

Considerably more luck today...a Raven at Summer lane, a Merlin at the Long Pool and again at Brimfast Lane & a Black-throated Diver at the Bill were all new for the year and were welcome boosts for the list.

At Pagham SF there were c.20 Chiffchaffs & at first I thought there were two of "classic" tristis Siberian Chiffchaffs, which show no yellow in the upperparts.. but on this second bird..note the very pale underparts, brownish cheeks, long supercilium..but also the apparent hint of yellow at the eyebrow...this is interesting though...and both pale birds did respond to Siberian Chiffchaff call so...not sure!

"The problem is that tristis knows many variety, with most ‘aberrant’ birds showing green tones in mantle. Some even have some yellow at the eyebrow (especially in front of the eye). It’s not clear where the exact plumage boundaries lie between such birds and other taxa or hybrids between them"

...full article here: birdingnetherlands.com/blog/identification-of-siberian-chiffchaff



Friday 24 January 2020

Toe End & Drayton

Another look around Toe End again failed to turn much up! Four Stonechats and handful of Meadow Pipits were around the rough ground but the much vaunted breach has yet to really turn up anything of note; apparently the mudflats will soon be teeming with life, hmmm..how long has Medmerry been open for and why are there less birds now?!!?

On the way back a walk at Drayton found the pair of Coal Tits but no nice surprises like Woodcock and Bittern!


Stonechat (lost apparently...):



Sunday 19 January 2020

Mistle Thrushes

Mis-fired on my four target birds today...no sign of Raven, Red-legged Partridge, Black Redstart or Corn Bunting and also missed the Drayton Pit Goosander...did manage to see two smart Mistle Thrushes in Rectory Lane though and a Shag east then west at the Bill was NFY and a nice bit of walking was done. Later on, a single Sandwich Tern west at Bracklesham Bay whilst eating ice-cream was welcome.

Mistle Thrush:





Saturday 18 January 2020

Stonechat, RNP and Whimbrel

A walk at Toe End was a bit more lively than of late with four Stonechats and c.20 Meadow Pipits around the rough ground. No sign of any Black Redstarts or Corn Buntings and not much at the breach of indeed offshore though.

Earlier, a Ring-necked Parakeet was heard at Selsey Bill (though apparently it wasn't according to someone who didn't hear it..work that one out...)

The Whimbrel was still at Church Norton.


Stonechat:



Whimbrel:


Saturday 11 January 2020

Owls

A Tawny Owl heard this evening near Ham Road ended a day that started with a Little Owl seen at Northcommon Farm.... also added Fulmar and Bar-tailed Godwit for the year at the Bill & Church Norton respectively.

Friday 10 January 2020

Coal Tit & Siberian Chiffchaff

Coal Tit at Drayton, Siberian Chiffchaff at Pagham and two Jack Snipe at North Wall today.


Coal Tit:


Siberian Chiffchaff:


Monday 6 January 2020

Redwings & Kingfisher

Lots of Redwings at Mapsons Lane today, a Kingfisher at Fishbourne and a Spotted Redshank in Ferry Channel were the highlights today.

 Redwing:



Sunday 5 January 2020

Barn Owl & Bittern

Finally managed to see the Drayton Bittern as it flew across the north pit before disappearing south-east wards, pleased with that..also a surprise Barn Owl seen.

Friday 3 January 2020

Firecrest & Nuthatch

My first Firecrest, (Drayton Pit) Nuthatch and "standard" Treecreeper (Wilf's Copse) of 2020 today as well as 22 Cattle Egrets and four Egyptian Geese at Marsh Farm... I contrived to miss the Drayton Bittern so back for a stakeout tomorrow...!


Nuthatch:

Firecrest:


Wednesday 1 January 2020

Water Pipit & Northern Treecreeper

A good start to 2020 with a Long-tailed Duck east at Selsey this morning first thing. Also the usual Great Northern Divers, Red-throated Divers and miscellaneous seabirds! A quick look at Birdham Pool produced the female Mandarin Duck and an extended look at Fishbourne Creek finally turned up the Water Pipit along with c.10 Rock Pipits, a Lesser Black-backed Gull, a Yellow-legged Gull and a few Goldeneye on the water.

Moving off the Selsey Peninsula for a welcome change I went up to Patching for a second try at the Northern Treecreeper...this time success! The bird showed very well for c.10 minutes before apparently resuming its circuit of the undergrowth.

At home my son found a Robin and a Chiffchaff in the garden, good for him! We also have a number of Rook nests in the trees expertly spotted by Ives jnr..!

Water Pipit at Fishbourne:



Northern Treecreeper at Patching: