A really great days birding on the Selsey Peninsular, starting with a sea watch on the Bill, followed by visits to Church Norton and the North Wall. Conditions were perfect at the Bill, a sunny clear day with a strong south easterly breeze and a high tide. I arrived about 0615 and was stunned to find that I was more or less the first there, quickly followed by John and Steve. Things started slowly with a constant movement of Gannets to the east and of course the ubiquitous Cormorants. However, like buses, along came the Skuas, an Arctic and a Pomarine at the same time, followed by 4 more Poms, 4 Arctic and 3 Bonxies. A full supporting cast of Red and Black Throated Divers, Great Northern Diver, Whimbrel, Bar- tailed Godwit and a fresh Wheatear on the beach. Occasionally a Swift or Swallow would flip over the sea wall and head inland. Terns were getting more numerous by the hour and good numbers of Common, Arctic, Sandwich and Little Terns were counted.
 |
| Black-throated Diver |
 |
| Pomarine Skua |
 |
| Pomarine Skua |
 |
| Wheatear |
On to Church Norton where it was fairly quiet, the fresh easterly having kept most birds low, in the churchyard a fresh in Willow Warbler and a couple of singing Blackcaps. A short trip to the beach revealed nothing so it was round to the North Wall. On arrival at the sluice a SEO was showing well and a pair of them kept watchers entertained for most of the afternoon. One individual was fairly dark in plumage and when on the ground showed his stubby ears.
 |
Willow Warbler
|
 |
| Short-eared Owl |
 |
| Short-eared Owl |
The day's total ended up at 69 with several year ticks - very satisfying after being incarcerated in the garden for so long.
Seems like a good day out Dave.
ReplyDelete