Wednesday, 30th April: Another warm and sunny day from the outset, with an almost cloudless blue sky and prolonged sunshine, well above average for the time of year, with a light NE breeze force 2 gradually backing to the SSE.
Elmer Rocks: After yesterday evening's disappointment with Pomarine Skuas, it was back for another try this morning as conditions still looked perfect. Fortunately, it proved to be a good decision, for news came in of a flock of five passing Selsey Bill at 08:25hrs - and twenty minutes later they were passing Elmer Rocks - admittedly fairly distantly, but giving perfectly acceptable scope views. Job done at last!
There were a few waders also passing through eastwards, and I logged Whimbrel - 25, Oystercatcher - 6, Bar-tailed Godwit - 9 and Sanderling - 6, whilst two Little Egrets also went east. A gull flock had again built up offshore and around 20 Sandwich Terns and a Mediterranean Gull were present with them and three Gannets flew west.
Later, a casual evening visit (1800-1900hrs) produced two Arctic Skuas heading east, plus a small flock of five Sanderlings, three Oystercatchers and two Little Egrets. Also a total of 12 Great Black-backed Gulls were amongst the gull flocks on the beach.
Whimbrels and (below) Sandwich Tern passing Elmer Rocks
Tuesday, 29th April: After a cool start early on, soon warming up to give a glorious day of warm and unbroken sunshine, though a bit hazy at times, with a moderate coastal breeze 2-3, increasing to force 4 later. Continuing very dry.....
Elmer Rocks: On arrival there was a gathering of c.200 gulls fishing and resting offshore - the majority being Black-headed Gulls - and in amongst them were up to 20 Sandwich Terns coming and going, plus two Common Terns (where are they all this spring?) Eventually, most of the flock slowly drifted away eastwards, whilst two Mediterranean Gulls, three Whimbrel and a Little Egret also went east and two Shelduck west. Generally though, it was notably quiet with very little visible migration; two Great Crested Grebes were offshore, singles of Sand Martin and Swallow arrived from the sea and a crazy group of four Mallard spent time chasing east other all over the beach and beyond. The now-regular Whitethroats and Blackcaps were singing, but there was so little happening it was time to move on.
Lidsey WTW and area: All of the fields are now devoid of any remaining floodwater as the dry spell continues, leaving areas such as rifes and reservoirs to be of importance to wildlife at present. In the area around the WTW were a nesting pair of Coots, two Little Grebes, five Tufted Ducks, four Gadwall and 14 Mallard, with a single Common Sandpiper being the highlight, and nearby, a single Little Ringed Plover.
A bit of a theme here, with (above) another pair of Coots nesting on plastic floats, whilst a Common Sandpiper and a small group of Tufted Ducks were also present.
Climping: Following information received earlier from local birder Bola (BA) I made an evening visit, where I was able to catch up with a Corn Bunting and a Whinchat - both species I had been seeking this spring. There was a sting in the tail however, for I arrived just three or four minutes too late to see a superb flock of 14 Pomarine Skuas close in, these birds having passed Selsey Bill, then being logged at Rustington, Worthing and all stations east. Such is the joy of birding - can't win them all I guess!
Monday, 28th April: A rather hazy but bright start, soon becoming sunny and quite warm, with the light E/NE breeze easing round to the SE by mid-morning.
This blog, as I'm sure readers are now fully aware, generally deals with the birdlife within my home-5Km local patch. However, I'm sure you'll also be aware I frequently go birding elsewhere at times, mostly in West Sussex, but also other places too. As a general rule I don't include such information in my write-ups, but there are times when it may be of interest, or when it puts local information into context, hence the following:-
Yesterday, I headed for the Downs to the west of Hove, where a male Cirl Bunting was singing - this being its second year - and after a while it eventually made an appearance. I wearily opted out of any further local birding when I eventually got back, hence no local report!
Today, the weather conditions seemed promising for a visit to Selsey Bill, when a passage of skuas was anticipated - including Pomarine Skuas ('Poms'), that sought-after and enigmatic species that can be so hard to connect with. So it was that at 09:26hrs I was present amongst a group of birders when two Poms flew steadily east past the Bill, much to everyone's delight. But pleased as I was, I couldn't of course include it on the local patch list. Often this species passes Elmer/Climping beach just too far out to be visible from the shore of our little patch - but not today, when at least two of the Climping regulars managed to see the two Poms, about twenty minutes later. Well done chaps!
Bilsham Farm: After my visit to the Selsey peninsula, I once again decided to check out this area on my way back home. There was nothing very exciting on the reservoir, which held four Little Grebes, five Tufted Ducks, seven Gadwall and 12 Mallard, plus 12 Coots, of which one pair has now built a nest on the plastic floats. It will be interesting to see if this survives, given the number of gulls which visit daily.
A single Whimbrel flew over, quite high and calling, whilst four Swallows were feeding over the water. Two Yellowhammers were singing from the hedgerows, four Linnets were on the reservoir fence and the number of singing Whitethroats has now increased. A male Kestrel was also hunting around the area.
Nesting Coots (above) on the floats at the reservoir, four Little Grebes and pair of Gadwall
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