Very quiet offshore but nice to see good numbers of Sandwich Tern moving. Nice to catch up with a couple of Grey Partridge, just about hanging on as a breeding species in the local area, and my first Whinchat in the setaside.

Sandwich Tern 70E 90W

Gannet - 2E

Med Gull - 7E

Great-crested Grebe - 1os

Little Egret - 4

Whimbrel - 8

Sanderling - 20W

Oystercatcher - 1W

Grey Partridge - 2

Red-legged Partridge - 1

Whinchat - 1

Lesser Whitethroat - 1

Swallow - 20

Yet another unrewarding attempt at a sea watch, with the highlight being a pod of Dolphin, some close inshore, moving slowly east.

Sandwich Tern - 87E 37W

Commic Tern - 2E

Gannet - 12E

Med Gull - 2W

Bar-tailed Godwit - 4E

Whimbrel - 33E

Oystercatcher - 5W

Turnstone - 3W

Common Scoter - 22E

Brent Geese - 13E

Swallow - 9 

Dolphin

Whimbrel

Brent Geese

I was just finishing a cup of tea at home, when Paul Bowley, who was at Selsey Bill, reported a flock of four Pomarine Skuas going east, at moderate range, via the WhatsApp group. Knowing that a good number of such Poms are too distant to see from the local patch, I hesitated for a minute or two, pondering my chances. It usually takes about 20 minutes for such birds to appear at Elmer Rocks, if they are going to, so it was up and away, onto my push bike, and I was in position with a good five minutes to spare. A few birds were moving offshore, but no sign on any Poms at the 'designated' time. A few minutes passed and I was thinking it was too late - but then at 0637hrs they appeared, a flock of 4 Poms in a line, close together and at a range allowing good views. Magic. Presumably the very strong headwind had slowed them somewhat. I immediately put the news out and the birds were subsequently reported off Worthing at fairly close range. A very productive half-hour's local birding.

Other stuff seen was:-
Arctic Skua – 1 l/p chasing terns then flew off east
Bar-Wit – 10E
Whimbrel – 5E
Fulmar – 1 o/s flew off west
Sand Tern – 4E
Gannet – 2E
Gt B-b Gull – 4E
 
In just over half-hour, cheers OM

Very warm in sheltered spots and cold and very windy out in the open, with the strong NE wind gusting to near gale-force at times.

Bit and pieces today, though nothing very startling. I did just 2 hrs on and off, list below….

Red-throated Diver 1W, dropped onto sea

Bar-tailed Godwit – 45E

Whimbrel – 5E

Sanderling – 22, most resting on rock islands before flying off

Dunlin – 1E

Oystercatcher – 2 on rocks

Turnstone -  4 on rocks

Gannet – 2E & 3W

Sandwich Tern – 4E & 10W

Little Tern – 1W, quite possibly 2

Great Black-backed Gull – 6

Swallow – 16 flew in N from sea

Whitethroat – 3 in hedges behind beach

Linnet - 4

Kestrel campsite

Out late morning in bright sunny windy conditions, Chiffchaff, Blackcap and Whitethroat present in good numbers, but nothing unexpected in areas out of the wind.

Lesser Whitethroat - 1 heard camp site

Red-legged Partridge - 1 south side longwood

Swift - 6

Sand Martin - 2

Swallow - 30+

Stonechat - 1

Cetti's Warbler - 3

Reed Warbler - 10

Sedge Warbler - 4

Yellowhammer - 3

Reed Bunting - 4

Whimbrel - 10 golf course

Bart-tailed Godwit - 3E

Great-crested Grebe - 3 os

Sandwich Tern - 5W

Med Gull - 2

Little Egret - 4

Grey Heron - 1

Not very much offshore today in the blustery conditions, the clear highlights being 2 Avocets east at 0843hrs, and a Great Skua heading west, half way out and upsetting the local gulls. Other sightings were:- (OM)

Great Black-backed Gull  - 9 (6E, 1W, 2os)
Whimbrel – 1E
Oystercatcher – 6 on rock islands
Gannet – 2W
Gt Crested Grebe – 2 o/s
Sandwich Tern – 23 (4E and 19W)
Swift – 3N from sea
Whitethroat – 3 in bushes behind beach
Linnet – 4

Avocet east off Poole Place

Another fine sunny morning with less wind, found Wheatears into double figures along the beach. Frustratingly I did miss the seven Pomarine Skua reported earlier from Selsey, moving just too far out for Climping, but found some consolation in the form of a Great Skua tracking east from Poole Place.

Whimbrel - 23E

Bar-tailed Godwit - 1E

Dunlin - 3E

Sanderling - 20E

Oystercatcher - 13E

Common Scoter 8E

Shelduck 3E 1W

Red-breasted Merganser - 2W

Ringed Plover - 2

Little Egret - 7

Med Gull - 12

Sandwich Tern - 40E 30W

Gannet - 7E 4W

Swallow - c50+

Swift - 2E

Yellowhammer - 8

Cetti's Warbler - 4

Reed Warbler - 4

Sedge Warbler - 2

Willow Warbler - 3

Reed Bunting - 6

Whitethroat - nc

Blackcap - nc

Chiffchaff - nc

Mistle Thrush - 2

Green Woodpecker - 2

Wheatear 

Yellowhammer

 

Records from (DB) of a Little-ringed Plover calling and seen twice over the setaside this morning, and a Swift over the golf course. 

Sea watch Climping beach from 15:10

Little-ringed Plover - 1 setaside

Wheatear - 3

Great -crested Grebe - 3

Med Gull - 8

Gannet - 5E 2W

Sandwich Tern - 34E 5W

Commic Tern - 2E

Whimbrel - 37E

Common Scoter - 7E

Swallow - 15

Kestrel - 1

Buzzard -1

Cetti's Warbler - 1

Grey Seal - 1

LRP in the setaside 15:00

A very cold cloudy morning found it very quiet around the bushes in the north east wind.

Garden Warbler - 1 (DB)

Whitethroat - 17

Willow Warbler - 3

Chiffchaff - 10

Blackcap - 25

Reed Warbler - 5

Sedge Warbler - 4

Cetti's Warbler - 3

Wheatear - 1

Reed Bunting - 10

Yellowhammer - 4

Stonechat - 2

Swallow - 11

Sand Martin - 1

Peregrine - 2

Buzzard - 4

Little Egret - 6

Great-crested Grebe - 3

Shoveler - 5E

Whimbrel - 3E

Med Gull - 8

Whitethroat Mill Road

Sedge Warbler Ferry Rd Rife

Out again sea watching from 14:30 at Climping Beach in a brisk chilly easterly wind.

Bar-tailed Godwit - 33E

Whimbrel - 4E

Sanderling - 11E

Sandwich Tern - c30E

Gannet - 7W 4E

Swallow - 4

Sandwich Tern Climping Beach

 

Records for the 20th from OM. Still quiet offshore but a few bits of interest this morning, mainly around the usual area near Poole Place.

2 Great Crested Grebe (Podiceps cristatus) offshore all morning

2 Oystercatcher (Haematopus ostralegus) on beach

4 Whimbrel (Numenius phaeopus) flew east offshore

1 Bar-tailed Godwit (Limosa lapponica) flew east offshore

13 Sandwich Tern (Thalasseus sandvicensis) 3 flew east offshore and 10 flew west

6 Mediterranean Gull (Ichthyaetus melanocephalus) flew west, fairly high

1 Great Black-backed Gull (Larus marinus) on beach

5 Gannet (Morus bassanus) heading west offshore, with a couple of them stopping to fish for a while before moving on.

1 Little Egret (Egretta garzetta) feeding around rock islands

1 Grey Heron (Ardea cinerea) flew east offshore at some distance

2 Swallow (Hirundo rustica) flew north from the sea

3 Blackcap (Sylvia atricapilla) in bushes and set-aside corner at back of the beach

1 Lesser Whitethroat (Curruca curruca) one early morning had clearly just arrived in bushes at the back of the beach - seen and heard singing for a while at close range to observer

4 Whitethroat (Curruca communis) along hedges and set-aside corner and at Poole Place..singing and showing, some newly arrived

1 Wheatear (Oenanthe oenanthe) newly arrived bird dropped in on beach - vegetated shingle

6 Linnet (Linaria cannabina) visiting vegetated shingle along bea

 Had a look around Atherington/ Bailiffs this morning, trying for Pied Fly and R. Ouzel but as you can guess I failed! Cheers OM

 Herewith my list….

Wheatear - 1

Blackcap – 8

Song Thrush – 3

Willow warbler – 2

Chiffchaff - 5

Whitethroat – 8

Cetti’s warbler – 3

Reed warbler – 1

Gt Spot Woodpecker – 3 (1 drumming)

Greenfinch – 6

Little Egret – 2  (one Atherington pool)

Med Gull – 2W

Kestrel – 1

Skylark – 8

Moorhen – pair Atherington pool

Buzzard - 1

Little Egret

Very quiet offshore this morning with 24W Sandwich Tern, 1W Gannet, 2W 1E Whimbrel ,1W Curlew, 6E Common Scoter, 1E Diver sp, a couple of Swallow in off the sea and 1 Wheatear.

I spent most of the morning along the beach in a chilly southwest wind hopeful of some quality passage, not to be, with just a few bits and bobs added.

Great-northern Diver - 1E

Red-throated Diver 1E

Brent Geese 34E

Gannet - 45W 1E

Common Scoter 5E

Sandwich Tern - 32W 

Commic Tern - 1E

Med Gull - 8W

Whimbrel - 2W

Bar-tailed Godwit - 1E

Oystercatcher - 4W

Wheatear - 1

Swallow - 1

Reed Warbler - 2

With the wind from the SSE the hopeful sea watch didn't materialise. However, we did log over a hundred Scoter moving east although distant. The first Artic Skua of the spring picked up from OM at Poole Place was a nice, but still very disappointing being the second week of April.  With Sandwich Tern 35, 40 Med Gull and 11 Gannet all west, very little else occurred.  My first Whimbrel of the spring was a heard only record, 2 Great-crested Grebe offshore and singles of Swallow and Wheatear, brought an end to the proceedings.

A cold bright sunny morning found me wandering around the golf catching up with a few year ticks.

 

Reed Warbler - 1

Sedge Warbler - 3

Wheatear - 4

Cetti's Warbler - 6

Willow Warbler - 4

Chiffchaff - 11

Whitethroat - 12

Blackcap - 18

Reed Bunting - 4

Swallow - 4

Linnet - c80

Song Thrush - 6

Jay - 2 

Green Woodpecker - 1

Sparrowhawk - 1

Buzzard - 5

Little Egret - 5

Sandwich Tern - 3E

Gannet - 1E

Med Gull - 9

Great-crested Grebe - 1

Sedge Warbler Golf course

 

Wheatear Cudlow Field

Reed Bunting Golf Course

Blackcap Bailiffscourt

A Short-eared Owl being mobbed corvids north of Poole Place was the undoubted highlight in a fine bright sunny morning.

Whitethroat - 4

Willow Warbler - 2

Chiffchaff - 11

Blackcap - 14

Cetti's Warbler - 2 hrd

Yellowhammer - 3

Reed Bunting - 2

Linnet - 25

Mistle Thrush - 2

Song Thrush - 5

Swallow - 9

House Martin - 1

Green Woodpecker - 2

Great-spotted Woodpecker - 3

Jay - 4

Buzzard - 2

Kestrel - 2

Little Egret - 5

Whitethroat Mill Road

Willow Warbler Bailiffscourt

Blackcap Bailiffscourt

A male Redstart in field beside the new pond this morning, also 4 Willow Warbler and 5 Wheatear in the area. (OM)

Records from yesterday 05/04/26 from (MB)

Swallow - 1

Willow Warbler - 1

Chiffchaff - 6

Cetti's Warbler -3

Blackcap - 3

Stonechat - 2

Wheatear - 8

Yellowhammer - 3

Reed Bunting - 3

Linnet - 14

Meadow Pipit - 1

Med Gull - 5

4 Avocet on the sea off Cudlow field on Wednesday 1st April (OM)

Very quiet again, with little movement offshore and around the bushes. 

Gannet - 7W

Med Gull - 8W

Sandwich Tern - 4W

Shelduck - 2E

Common Scoter - 3E

Diver sp - 1E

Auk sp - 1W

Sanderling - 20W

Turnstone - 25 

Little Egret - 1

Chiffchaff - 5

Cetti's Warbler - 1 hrd

Blackcap - 3

Buzzard - 3

Kestrel - 2

A few more visitors today produced a bit of variety this morning, with a nice male Redstart lingered around the track off the third metal gate from Ferry Road, but alas, a Short-eared Owl seen by the same observer (DB) landing in the field east of the Black horse pub did not. A Slavonian Grebe offshore at Poole Place was a nice surprise and a Sand Martin east at the back of 1st Wood.

Gannet - 4W

Great-crested Grebe - 3

Red-breasted Merganser - 4

Sanderling - 31

Turnstone - 55

Oystercatcher - 7

Curlew - 1W

Med Gull - 8W

Red Kite - 2

Buzzard - 3

Kestrel - 1

Blackcap - 3

Chiffchaff - 4

Cetti's Warbler - 1 hrd

Linnet - 60

Very slow offshore Saturday 28th, with just 4 Gannet and 2 Sandwich Tern west and 8 Red-breasted Merganser offshore.

A Late morning visit around Black Ditch found singles of Red Kite, Shoveler and my first Swallow of the year, and 2 Egyptian Geese around Decoy Pond.

 Very overcast this morning with a sea mist which found it very quiet offshore with only one flock of Brent Geese moving.  At least 6 Wheatear along the beach from Elmer up to Cudlow field OM, and Chiffchaff numbers reached double figures.

Firecrest - 1 Longwood

Blackcap - 2

Linnet - 60

Meadow Pipit - 1

Yellowhammer - 2

Reed Bunting - 3

Fieldfare - 2

Mistle Thrush - 1

Song Thrush - 4

Jay - 2

Great-spotted Woddpecker - 1

Green Woodpecker - 2

Red Kite - 2

Buzzard - 5

Sparrowhawk - 1

Kestrel - 1

Grey Heron - 1

Great-crested Grebe - 3

Sanderling - 4

Turnstone - 10W

Red Kite east over Kents

Sparrowhawk Ferry Road

Fieldfare Longwood

With a few observers out today in another fine bright sunny morning despite a chilly northerly breeze, much more variety was 

on offer with the coverage. Combined totals below

Brambling - 1 Ferry Rd (MB)

Siskin - 1

Linnet - 20

Goldfinch - 35

Chiffchaff - 6

Blackcap - 1 

Cettis' Warbler - 3

Wheatear - 3

White Wagtail - 2

Mistle Thrush - 2

Red Kite - 1

Peregrine - 1

Sparrowhawk - 1

Kestrel - 2

Grey Heron - 2

Little Egret - 2

Red-breasted Merganser - 1

 Lovely bright sunny morning with a northeast breeze, found very little movement offshore but a few things arriving nevertheless.  22 Linnet and 13 Meadow Pipit in off the sea, a Sandwich Tern, 3 Common Scoter and a Med Gull moving east, a single, Red-breasted Merganser on the sea and a Little Egret along the beach. A Red Kite drifted east over Longwood, 

Red Kite east over Longwood

An area on the setaside has now been fenced off, and hopefully the Ringed Plovers will make use of this area.

Additional records from MB this morning, include 2 Canada Geese flying over the old campsite, a Redwing in Longwood, and a Ringed-necked Parakeet in fields adjacent to the Black Horse pub.

A Black-throated Diver offshore late morning on the 19th, with 5 Common Scoter and a Sandwich Tern east.

Quiet again offshore with 35 Brent moving east along with 4 Common Scoter, 2 Lesser BB Gull and a single, Red-breasted Merganser. A single Gannet moved west and a couple of Med Gull on the sea. The usual array of waders along the beach, small numbers of Meadow Pipit & Linnet in off the sea, and a nice male Wheatear off Poole Place.

Wheatear Poole Place

Brent Geese Climping Beach

 

Belated records of 2 Sandwich Tern east my first of the year on the 16th March, and a Great-northern Diver off Poole Place on the 14th.

Today's totals from OM Elmer Rocks.

Brent Geese - 73E

Red-throated Diver - 1E

Common Scoter - 3E

Red-breasted Merganser - 6

Great-crested Grebe - 1

Oystercatcher - 10

Grey Plover - 1

Turnstone - 45

Sanderling - 2

Med Gull - 1

Great Black-backed Gull - 4

Sparrowhawk - 1

Chiffchaff - 1

3 Little-ringed Plover late afternoon, on flooded fields west of Ham Manor Golf Course, (Black Ditch) also 3 Red Kite, 9 Gadwall, 2 Wigeon, 5 Little Egret, and 3 Grey Heron.

 LRP

The first big push of Brent Geese moving east this morning with over 400 seen at Climping beach, also my first Wheatear of the year in Cudlow field. Combined records below, BA & OM.

Shelduck - 2W

Teal - 2E

Sandwich Tern - 2E

Red-breasted Merganser - 16 

Great-crested Grebe - 1

Little Egret - 2E

Grey Heron - 1

Turnstone - 45W

Meadow Pipits - 25

Stonechat - 3

Yellowhammer - 2

Linnet - 8

Skylark - 30

Peregrine - 1

Kestrel - 3

Buzzard - 2

Grey Seal - 2 

Dolphin sp. 8W

Wheatear 

 

Meadow Pipit

Possible Caspian Gull Climping Beach

Very grey morning with little wind coming from the NNE, found very little movement offshore. 

Rose-ringed Parakeet - 1

Greylag Goose - 1

Chiffchaff - 8

Stonechat - 2

Redwing - 1

Song Thrush - 6

Skylark - 25

Meadow Pipit - 10

Pied Wagtail - 3

Linnet - 9

Yellowhammer - c70

Reed Bunting - 3

Jay - 1

Green Woodpecker - 3

Great-spotted Woodpecker - 1

Kestrel - 1

Buzzard - 1

Grey Heron - 2

Curlew - 2

Oystercatcher - 8

Sanderling - 30W

Turnstone - 45W

Red-breasted Merganser - 9 os

Great-crested Grebe - 2 os

Parakeet calling from Bailiffscourt

Greylag Goose & Mute Swan west of Bailiffscourt

Chiffchaff in good numbers south side of Longwood

Skylark setaside

 A nice bright morning with a chilly easterly breeze, and another wander up to Poole Place found it very quiet offshore and very little on the sea. The highlight being an Avocet at the end of Climping beach with Oystercatchers, before flying off west after being flushed by dog walkers.

Water Rail - 1 hrd Ferry Rd

Oystercatcher - 11

Turnstone - 40

Sanderling - c100

Grey Heron - 1

Great-crested Grebe - 1 os

Red-breasted Merganser - 1 os

Brent Geese - 4w

Chiffchaff - 1

Skylark - 35

Yellowhammer - c40

Reed Bunting - 12

Meadow Pipit - 10

Cetti's Warbler - 2 hrd

Song Thrush - 8

Redwing - 1

Kestrel - 1

Avocet Climping Beach

Kestrel

Reed Bunting

Yellowhammer

Out mid afternoon in glorious sunshine with very little sign of any migration along the coast.

Chiffchaff - 1

Redwing - 2

Song Thrush - 2

Meadow Pipit - 9

Skylark - 30

Snipe - 1

Great-spotted Woodpecker - 3

Green Woodpecker - 1

Kestrel - 2

Buzzard - 1

Grey Heron - 1

Great-crested Grebe - 3 os

Lesser BB Gull - 2 Marina

 

Lesser BB Gull Marina

Common Buzzard North Fields

+f

Great-crested Grebe Climping Beach

Grey Heron Bailiffscourt