Diminishing Returns

The anticyclonic conditions persist with a light northeasterly to easterly wind. The migrants have presumably poured through already as there seems to be less and less each day. We need a change in weather and fortunately there is change in the forecast with a strengthening easterly airflow for the next couple of days and then hopefully some southeasterlies and a southerly airflow later in the week. 

On the way to the Bill this morning I stopped off at Ferrry and the Curlew Sandpiper, Wood Sandpiper and Garganey were all still present with Green and Common Sandpiper, LRP and a Greenshank in the Channel. On the way back from the Bill Ian and I stopped off again and did the Tramway too HERE where the highlight was a couple of Cuckoo. Later in the day I did Church Norton HERE and had another Cuckoo, three Wheatears and also a nice group of Knot with some summer plumage birds and plenty of Whimbrels right across the harbour. 

The Bill was quiet HERE the highlight being a flock of Sanderling on the Beach and the lightest of passage. I tried again in the late afternoon/evening with Marc, Adam, Chris and I and had a couple of Arctic Skuas (and missed a Pom by the customary 15 mins), 3 Kittiwakes, 4 Great Northern Divers and good numbers of Little Terns. 

In the late morning I checked out Medmerry and Stilt Pool on the Bike HERE. Highlights included 2 Greenshank, 2 Common Sandpiper, Little Ringed and Ringed Plover, a Wheatear and a Stonechat and good numbers of singing warblers on the banks. 

So the first day with no new year ticks. Hoping the change in weather shakes things up a bit. 

Sanderlings at the Bill

Male Garganey back on Ferry after disappearing yesterday

Adult summer Black-tailed Godwit- the only one around as far as I know

Whitethroat at Medmerry 

Small Mottled Willow. Despite the very cool night temperatures still had this, Dark Sword Grass and Rusty-dot Pearl last night so clearly a bit of insect migration going on. The forecast is for some milder nights so fingers crossed for more moth action as it's been very slow this year so far. 

Wood Sand, Curlew Sand and Black Tern

It was another rather slow day this morning at the Bill HERE with highlights including 2 Black Tern, 2 Little Gull, 1 pale phase Arctic Skua, a female Eider, a Red-throated Diver, 4 Great Northern Divers,  an increase in Common Scoters, a few Barwits and Whimbrels and a Hobby.

While at the Bill news broke of a Wood Sandpiper on Ferry and fortunately it was still there on my way home. The Cuckoo was still singing on Mill Lane. 

As it was Sunday after church we had a picnic and walk around East Head. Three Wheatears were running round the roped off area. 

In the evening there was a report of a probable Curlew Sandpiper that had joined the Wood Sandpiper on ferry so I went over there to have a look. It was right at the back of the pool in bad light but looks good from what I could see. 

Wood Sand and Curlew Sand were local year ticks and Black Tern a world year tick so now on 168 and 838 respectively. 

Wood Sandpiper and Redshank

Winter plumage Curlew Sandpiper- didn't actually see the white rump to confirm it wasn't a hybrid but looks like a Curlew Sand from what I could see of it  

Common Scoters- an increase in passage today

Red-throated Diver flying east. Very few numbers on Spring passage this year.

Chocolate-tip. With night temperatures still down to 6 C the motht trapping is still very slow. A Silver-Y last night was the only migrant.

Holly and Isaac at East Head

Jacob birding the lane 

Down a gear

The anticyclonic conditions continue with clear blue skies and a northeast breeze. The wind had calmed down a lot today which seems to have slowed down migration. I did a 3.5 hour session at the Bill first thing HERE where the highlights included a group of 7 Arctic Terns (also 28 'Commics'),  4 Brent Geese (2 pairs moving east), 47 Common Scoter, 12 Whimbrel and 19 Barwits east, a dark phase Arctic Skua chasing the gulls, a Fulmar, 4 Wheatears (3f,1m) and a few hirundines. Later in the day there were 9 more Poms (a group of 3 and a single bird between 1515 and 1615 and another 5 at 1831) seen by the other guys. Full log and all news locally today HERE. 

After the Bill I quickly checked out Ferry where a Garganey had been found and then went over to Mill Lane for the Cuckoo that has been around a couple of days. There was also a male Wigeon, LRP, Common and Green Sand on Ferry and 2 Spotted Redshank, Greenshank and Whimbrel in the Channel. Cuckoo and Arctic Tern were year ticks and Garganey was the first time I've had a decent view of one round here (most often seen on seawatches moving with Common Scoters). Now on 165 locally and 837 for the world year list. 

As it was Saturday the rest of the day was family day. Back in the field full on on Monday but hoping to sneak out a bit tomorrow too. 

Dungeness had it's biggest day this spring yet with an enormous sea passage (with thousands of Little Gulls and Terns HERE) so clearly the lighter easterlies are not quite enough to push the flight lines this far west. This was confirmed with even lesser numbers in Portland further west than us. There was also a big passage off Cap Gris-Nez involving lots of Black Terns and Little Gulls. We seemingly, in comparative numbers terms, get about 10 percent of the passerines seen at Portland and 10 percent of the seabirds seen at Dungeness. 

I put the moth trap out last night despite the cold nights (the anticyclonic conditions are causing temperatures to drop to below 5 C). Only four moths 2 Muslin, 1 Common Quaker but also a first for the garden- a Great Prominent proving that it's always worth a spin on the moth trap. Now on 60 moth species for the year (also had Nettle-tap during the day) and 633 all time for the garden. 

Arctic Terns off the Bill (above and below) 

Brents still moving

Fulmar

Common Scoters 

Male Wheatear

Male Garganey

Great Prominent. A new for garden. 

Up a gear

The migration went up a gear today. I started off at the Bill HERE with highlights including a Redpoll in-off (year tick), a female Eider west, 86 Whimbrel, 95 Bar-tailed Godwit, 6 Turnstone, a Dunlin and 50 Sanderling east, a dark phase Arctic Skua (and I missed 13 Poms that were seen throughout today!), 13 Little Gull, 2 Kittiwake and 55 Common Tern east, a Whinchat in the gardens and also an out of place Cattle Egret in the gardens too. Also 2 Wheatear, mixed hirundines, 3 Yellow Wagtail and 3 Willow Warblers in coming.  Full log HERE. 

I then did Ferry on the way home which was the same as yesterday apart from a new Common Sandpiper and a Wheatear. The Spotted Redshank and the Greenshank were both still in the Ferry Channel showing well.

I then went to East Head to try and get a count of the waders there HERE. The tide was low so not a great time to check but I still had 35 Whimbrel, 4 Barwits and there was a Snipe on Snowhill Marsh. What with the 60 or so Whimbrel in Pagham Harbour and the 35+ here in addition to the near 100 moving off the Bill today, there's nearly 200 Whimbrels on and off the Peninsula today and that's not including the Medmerry complex either. 

In the evening I had another attempt at trying to see the waders in the centre of the harbour. On a tip off from Andrew I went to Owl Point which was better but I had to go home to take Jacob to drums before the tide came in so still couldn't really see them properly. I made it 100 Grey Plover, 40 Whimbrel, 35 Barwit, 30 Knot and 200 Dunlin. There was also another Spot Red and Greenshank so there's 2 Spot Reds and 3 Greenshanks in the harbour at the moment too. In Owl Point Field there were 3 Whinchat and 2 Wheatear . List HERE. 

So all in all an escalation of migration. Full log on the Selsey Blog HERE. Across the UK there has been a major influx of inland Little Gulls, Black Terns and Barwits with large numbers going up the Severn and cutting across land and Poms have been seen all along the south coast. Hopefully more on the way tomorrow with a continuation of the north easterly airflow and high pressure. 

Finally got some decent photos of the summer plumage Spotted Redshank 

Little Gulls and Black-heads off the Bill

Sanderling and Dunlin. The first significant Sanderling passage today. 

Barwits on the move. Peak time and peak day today so far but expecting more to come 

Whimbrels- increasing numbers daily at the moment and the easterlies are set to continue so expecting more 

The bird of the moment- the estuaries and coast are set to the backdrop of calling birds 

Barwits again

Three Greenshank in the harbour at the moment 

Snipe at Snowhill

Yellow Wagtail at the Bill 

Whinchats Halsey

Must be Pom time at the Bill

Steady passage and steady build up

The Bill was slow but steady this morning with a drip and a trickle of a nice variety of migrants passing by HERE. Highlights included a cracking pair of Eider, 5 Teal and 3 Shoveler going east, 33 Whimbrel and 1 Barwit moving east, Red-throated Diver, 34 Barn Swallow, 6 House Martin, 3 Sand Martin, 4 Swift, 2 Yellow Wagtails and a Tree Pipit (year tick) over/coming in. Later in the day the other guys had a Pom and a flock of Black Terns. Full log HERE

I then met Andrew and we did Ferry and the Tramway HERE where the highlights were a nice accumulation of Whimbrel (68 birds by the end of the day), a flock of distant Barwits, 2 Greenshank and 1 Green Sandpiper.

I then had to go home and do some work but went out again in the evening to try and estimate the wader numbers in the harbour HERE. By accumulating some of the figures from the tramway in the morning I estimated amongst other totals 1 Brent Goose, 60 Shelduck,  100 Grey Plover, 18 Ringed Plover, 1 Lapwing, 68 Whimbrel, 32 Bar-tailed Godwit, 3 Greenshank, 15 Knot, 50 Dunlin, 20 Little Tern, 200 Sandwich Tern and 200 Med Gulls in the colony. Also had a nice first-summer Caspian Gull on Pagham Spit. The waders were mainly roosting in the central saltmarsh area making it pretty tricky to see and count them so I relied on them flying round occasionally. 

What we are seeing moving east past the Bill is being mirrored by the build up of waders in the harbour with primarily Whimbrels and Barwits moving and the odd Grey Plover and those same species building up in the harbour. Nearly 1400 individual birds in the harbour this evening not including Ferry (another 100 or so there). 

First-summer Caspian Gull

Eiders off the Bill

Barwit and Whimbrel moving east off the Bill

Sandwich Tern- there's been 200 or so moving east early every morning recently. Either migrants heading further north then the local colony birds or just colony birds moving around. This one carrying a fish presumably a local bird

Little Tern- at least 20 around the Spit this evening

Grey Plover, Knot and Dunlin in the harbour 

Bar-tailed Godwits (above) and Grey Plover, Knot and Dunlin (below). Pretty good numbers of Spring waders builidng up in the harbour. All the Whimbrels and Barwits are new in birds but the Grey Plovers, Dunlins and Knots are presumably hangers on from the winter. 

In the evening flocks of Whimbrels were flying over the harbour and off east. I assumed these were from the 68 counted in the harbour that got pushed off with the evening high tide and carried on migrating. 

Pomarine Skua

I was at the Selsey Seawatch this morning by 6am and had a good session HERE with my first Pomarine Skua and 2 Great Skua for the year and waterbirds on the move including 41 Whimbrel, 1 Grey Plover, 18 Bar-tailed Godwit, 6 Turnstone,  4 Fulmars, 33 Common and 132 Sandwich Terns and a few passerines coming in with 25 Barn Swallow, 6 Swifts and a few Mipits. 

It was a work day today so I was back at the lodge by 1030 to meet Matt and we then got the garden work done including sorting out the lawns and meadow and did all the planting up for the spring. 

In the afternoon news broke of a Ring Ouzel at the Ferry so I went over there to twitch that and also had Green Sandpiper and Wheatear there. I did another hour seawatching from Hillfield Road but nothing new. 

3 local year ticks puts me on 161 for the year and my world year list is now on 833.

Pale phase Pomarine Skua

Great Skua

Barwits and Whimbrels. Some Barwits are cutting across land as there are many reports across inland sites today. 

Whimbrels (above and below). The biggest movement of waders this Spring today. 

Male Ring Ouzel- stonking!

The first young birds are out in the garden

Today we sowed wildflower seeds on the front garden beds and tidied up there too

Also tied up the Airbnb area, planted new shrubs in the car park beds, potted on the tomatoes that we grew from seed and planted out the central food bed

Also mowed the first paths into the growing back garden meadow. Good birds and got some good work done in between! Had 4 Gadwall flying over the garden too.