2nd - 4th April 2025

Friday, 4th April: A bit cloudy at first, but otherwise another very dry, sunny and bright day, and feeling a little warmer with the E/SE wind somewhat lighter than of late.

Well, it's beginning to happen now, as spring starts to unfold with some interesting species appearing....

Yesterday evening, a report was received of a Short-eared Owl at Barnham Brooks (with thanks to Oliver Handson), whilst another report was received of potential breeding activity of Barn Owls in M-o-S parish. This morning, at Selsey Bill, an Alpine Swift was seen heading generally east, so I headed immediately to the local beach, just in case, though predictably there was no sign of the Swift!

Elmer Rocks: So, scanning constantly in the forlorn hope that the above Swift might appear, when soon after my arrival an Avocet flew east offshore  - at least some small compensation. Also logged on my half-hour visit were a Shelduck and two Sandwich Terns going east and a small flock of six Brent Geese on the sea.

Avocet flying east off Elmer Rocks

Barnham Brooks - Shripney/Lidsey area: A look around some of the still wet patches of the area produced a surprise gathering of five Green Sandpipers - surely newly arrived migrants - and also two Snipe, six Little Egrets, 18 Shoveler, 90+ Teal and six Gadwall. Two Blackcaps and a few Chiffchaffs were singing from the hedgerows.

Shovelers on the still remaining flooded area at Barnham Brooks

Wednesday, 2nd April:  Another dry, bright and sunny day with blue skies and a bit of scattered cloud, but also with a cool and persistent E/NE wind, blustery at times with gusts reaching force 5-6 or even 7.

Elmer Rocks: There was very little going on in the hour or so I visited, not helped by the dead low tide or the rasping easterly wind. A couple of Great Crested Grebes were on the sea, whilst two Mediterranean Gulls were around, together with a gathering of immature Herring Gulls and two Common Gulls. A few Oystercatchers and Turnstones were coming and going, but as it was so quiet I checked out the fields behind the beach. There was little here either, except for at least three Chiffchaffs, a couple of Chaffinches and Greenfinches and a pair of Buzzards, so I decided to cut my losses. In the end I opted to just stay very local and out of the wind where possible.

Elmer & Ancton: I decided on another look around the Lane End paddocks at Ancton, and the adjoining woods. I was pleased to finally connect with a couple of Swallows on the local patch, having not had a sniff of any hirundines at all locally in March. In the paddocks were two Pied Wagtails, a Mistle Thrush, two Song Thrushes...then another thrush-like bird lurking in shadows all the time, which eventually turned out to be a rather late Redwing; it will surely depart our shores soon. A male Kestrel put in an appearance over the paddocks for a short while, then directly overhead, on the edge of the adjacent woods, a pair of Buzzards were displaying for a while, before drifting off. Three Chiffchaffs and a Blackcap in the woods rounded off my visit.

Buzzards displaying over Ancton woods and (below) Redwing in the paddocks. This bird insisted on keeping in the shadows, thus I have had to adjust the gloomy photo to get any sort of usable image. It surely won't be long before it departs these shores for its breeding grounds.

29th - 31st March 2025

Monday, 31st March: Another bright, very dry and sunny day, with high pressure now well established and a light to moderate SE breeze, though still with a chilly edge along the coast.

Elmer Rocks: There was very little moving offshore this morning, though eventually a pair of Shovelers and a Little Egret flew east and a single Curlew went west, whilst two Mediterranean Gulls that were sat on the sea eventually also flew off west. Two Gannets fishing offshore for some while also drifted away in the latter direction, and a total of four Great Crested Grebes and two Red-breasted Mergansers were lingering offshore behind the rock islands.

Migrants were few, but a Pied/alba Wagtail arrived N from the sea, four Linnets went west and two or three Chiffchaffs were singing from hedgerows behind the beach. The best though was a total of three Wheatears; one around the Poole Place area and two together a little further east towards Atherington on the sea-ravaged 'cliffs' of Cudlow field.

Little Egret (above) passing Elmer Rocks and (lower two) newly-arrived Wheatears along the coast from Poole Place to Atherington

Elmer & Ancton: A look at the Lane End horse paddocks in Ancton produced yet another sighting of a Black Redstart - although this one seemed unusually elusive, giving just a few occasional glimpses as it favoured the hedgeline along the footpath leading from Sunnymead Close. Also present were the Mistle Thrush feeding in the paddocks, a Green Woodpecker, a Pied Wagtail and two singing Chiffchaffs.

Sunday, 30th March: A dry, bright and breezy day, with plenty of sunshine but also a fresh N/NW breeze 4-5, taking the edge off the temperature and giving a chilly feel at times.

Bilsham farm: Limited time available today, so a fairly brief visit hoping for a few new migrants, but alas it was all fairly quiet. There were a few things of interest though, with an obvious influx of Tufted Ducks which produced a count of 28, together with eight Mallard, 24 Coots and two Little Grebes. In the hedgerows were four singing Chiffchaffs, a Willow Warbler, a Blackcap and two Jays, whilst a pair of Buzzards were displaying, before one of them broke away to have a brief spat with a soaring Red Kite which drifted past.

Tufted Ducks on Bilsham reservoir where numbers had increased to 28

Saturday, 29th March: A generally fine and sunny spring-like day after a cool start, but still with a chilly edge to the moderate W/SW wind force 4.

Elmer Rocks: There didn't seem to be much at all moving offshore, beyond a couple of Sandwich Terns heading west and six Mediterranean Gulls which eventually went east. On the sea were four Red-breasted Mergansers and four Great Crested Grebes, but most of the action involved waders arriving to roost on the rock islands just before high tide, with some feeding along the beach. There were no less than 220 Turnstones today, plus 39 Oystercatchers and 18 Sanderlings amongst them.

I continued my circuit along the beach and then the fields behind, but on reaching the Poole Place rocks, up popped a Black Redstart, which almost immediately flew over to the fence and gardens of the large property there, before dropping down out of sight. This species is a scarce migrant in this part of the county, but the last few days have seen an above-average and very welcome showing at several sites on our patch. Other species seen included four Linnets on the beach, several Greenfinch and Long-tailed Tits, three singing Chiffchaffs and a single Goldcrest.

(above) Waders roosting on the rock island groynes around high tide; these are mainly Turnstones with some Sanderlings amongst them. Pre-migration gatherings tend to build up here at this time of year.

Sanderlings feeding along the beach (top two) and Turnstones feeding on the outfall pipe (below)

26th - 28th March 2025

Friday, 28th March: A grey and damp start with light rain for several hours and a moderate W/SW breeze, then becoming dry and bright with sunshine for the rest of the day.

Lidsey WTW: I was birding off the local patch again for most of the day, with just a short visit here on the way back. The only highlight here was a White Wagtail amongst three Pied Wagtails on the filter pans, whilst 14 Mallards were loafing on the flooded screening area within the works. Nearby were two Tufted Ducks, a dozen Teal and two Little Grebes. Around the hedgerows were at least four Chiffchaffs, a Blackcap and two Cetti's Warblers.

Mallards sunning themselves near the sewage screening area within the WTW this afternoon!

Thursday, 27th March: Early morning mist and fog slowly cleared as the sun burnt through, giving a generally bright and sunny day with just a light SSW breeze, though becoming hazy again by afternoon as a light sea mist developed. 

Shripney & Lidsey: A visit to this edge of Barnham Brooks this morning produced a Green Sandpiper in a flooded area near the A259 road bridge and nearby a flock of c.10 Yellowhammers feeding on a set-aside area.

Another area, where a flooded field still exists, held some wildfowl, including 70 Teal, four Shoveler, ten Wigeon and a handful of Mallard, with at least 12 Lapwings displaying. A Red Kite also soared over, whilst a Buzzard and a Kestrel were also logged, and three Cetti's Warblers and two Chiffchaffs were singing.

Yellowhammer at Shripney - one of a flock of about ten feeding in a partly-flooded set-aside area.

Elmer & Ancton: A short visit found the Mistle Thrush again, with one Black Redstart still present in the paddocks and two Chiffchaffs were the only other migrants.

Mistle Thrush in the paddocks, together with a Black Redstart (below)

Wednesday, 26th March: After a rather cool and murky start, a bright and sunny spring-like day with a light S/SW breeze, with a bit of sea mist rolling in just occasionally...

I was birding off the patch for much of the morning when I headed over to Brooklands Lake at Lancing, in order to catch up with a county rarity - a Bluethroat - which was originally found yesterday by a birding friend (thanks to Dave Sadler). Judging by the number of photographers present with big lenses, there will be some fine photos around on social media and various birding sites - but my efforts will certainly not be amongst them!

Bluethroat (of the white-spotted form) at Brooklands, Lancing. A couple of cropped record shots that at least give the idea!

Bilsham farm: Having returned to the patch, after battling through the traffic, I decided to make a visit here. The reservoir held 15 Tufted Ducks - a few more than of late - and also four Gadwall, four Mallard and three Little Grebes. A circuit of the perimeter hedgerows also produced more than of late, the best being a Black Redstart, whilst the list of other species seen included 15 Redwings, two Chaffinch, a Yellowhammer, a Cetti's Warbler, four Chiffchaffs and my first Willow Warbler of the year.

Black Redstart at Bilsham Farm

Elmer & Ancton: Another visit to the Lane End horse paddocks produced two female-type Black Redstarts and there has clearly been a fall recently (for non-birders = migratory influx). A Mistle Thrush was singing and feeding in the paddocks - and is possibly even nesting nearby - whilst a pair of Pied Wagtails also looks a good bet. Other species logged included a couple of Chiffchaffs, a Green Woodpecker, a couple of Song Thrushes and a Buzzard.

(above) Mistle Thrush and (below) Black Redstart at the Lane End paddocks

22nd - 24th March 2025

Monday, 24th March: A fairly grey, cool and rather hazy start, although remaining dry, slowly becoming a little brighter as the day progressed, with a light to moderate N wind force 3-4. 

A morning which again began very slowly bird-wise, but which at last ended up producing some overdue early spring migrants.....

Elmer Rocks: A few Brent Geese (23) moved east offshore this morning, as did 12 Sandwich Terns, a Mediterranean Gull and a single Gannet, whilst two Great Crested Grebes and seven Red-breasted Mergansers were on the sea There seemed to be little evidence of any inward migration, but then two Pied/alba Wagtails were seen coming in of the sea. It had to be worth staying a while longer, and in due course it paid off when a newly arrived Wheatear was found on the beach. This was my first of the year and there is always something special about this smart little harbinger of spring, which shows that migration is well and truly underway...!

Brent Geese moving east past Elmer Rocks and (bottom) Red-breasted Mergansers offshore

Wheatear on the beach - a smart little bird and it's always a joy to get your first one of the year!

Elmer & Ancton: I paid a visit to the Ancton Lane horse paddocks and was pleased to find some welcome migrants. Highlights were three Black Redstarts (two smart males and a female), together with my first patch Blackcap of the year, singing and showing, plus two singing Chiffchaffs. Also present were a Mistle Thrush, a Pied Wagtail, two Green Woodpeckers and several Greenfinches.

Black Redstarts - female (above) and male (below), plus a Green Woodpecker (bottom)

Sunday, 23rd March: A fairly grey, cloudy and sometimes murky morning, but mild with just a very light S/SE breeze, then some intermittent drizzly showers later.

Lidsey area: I started my visit around the WTW area, where the sewage seemed particularly pungent today, whilst a Grey Wagtail was on the filter pans, half a dozen Chiffchaffs were active (with some singing) and a small group of at least 10 Redwings were in the tree-tops. Nearby it was quiet for wildfowl, with just four each of Mallard and Tufted Duck and a single Little Grebe.

Moving on to another part of the area, I found the partly flooded section now seems to be steadily drying out, but it was still able to attract 17 Mute Swans, eight Grey Herons, a Little Egret, four Shoveler and c.100 Teal. Two Snipe and 20 Lapwings were the only waders located, some of the latter clearly becoming frisky as spring sets in, with frequent bouts of display flighting and calling, and a Reed Bunting was singing almost continually in the background.

At Lidsey this morning: (above) Lapwing in flight displaying, (centre) Mute Swans on the still flooded area and (bottom) Redwings in the tree-tops.

Saturday, 22nd March: A dry and cloudy morning with brighter spells, after a bit of overnight rain - the first for some while - with a fresh breeze E/SE 4, although reasonably mild.

Elmer Rocks: A very short visit of a little over half an hour this morning, when it all seemed very quiet with no sign of any incoming migrants. All I logged were a couple of Gannets and two Sandwich Terns going east, plus two Red-breasted Mergansers on the sea and a few Turnstones on the beach. Then a message came in from the birders at Selsey Bill advising of a flock of 400 Brent Geese heading east....and sure enough 20 minutes later they passed Elmer - quite a sight!  As I left a Red Kite soared over the back fields towards the A259.

Bilsham farm: There was no sign of anything beyond the regular on the reservoir, with just nine Tufted Ducks, four Mallard, a Little Grebe and 20 Coots present.  Towards Barnham Brooks a herd of Mute Swans was still in an arable field at some distance and I counted at least 27 birds. Three Chiffchaffs (two singing) were the only sign of any migrant activity, whilst local birds included a male Yellowhammer,  two Greenfinches and a displaying Lapwing.

Greenfinch (above) in flight and male Yellowhammer at Bilsham farm

19th - 21st March 2025

Friday, 21st March: A rather grey start but some brighter spells breaking through the cloud by mid-morning, though rather chilly again in a fresh E/SE wind force 5. Rain promised by late afternoon/early evening....

Elmer Rocks: A couple of hours or so spent looking at the sea and checking the beach, gardens and fields behind. There was a bit of eastward migration over the sea and I logged a Red-throated Diver, a Great Crested Grebe, four Gannets, 41 Common Scoter and ten Sandwich Terns, plus six Red-breasted Mergansers chasing each other back and forth. Waders were few today - with many having already migrated away - and I managed just a couple of Sanderlings and c.30 Turnstones.

In contrast to the sea, things were very quiet again on the land and my search failed to deliver any migrants again, the only interest being a few finches at Poole Place - 12 Goldfinch, two Greenfinch, a singing Chaffinch and a couple of Linnets.

Sandwich Terns at Elmer Rocks and (bottom) a small flock of Goldfinches at Poole Place

Thursday, 20th March: A lovely bright and sunny spring day, with the  light to moderate breeze having eased round to the SE, and becoming quite warm as the day progressed.

The Local Patch (5Km) Birdlist: I have now updated the patch birdlist, which currently stands at 276 species, (with my own sightings total standing at 237), by the end of 2024. Full details can now be found by clicking the relevant link on the title bar above.

Ancton & Elmer: I'd spent all morning birding at Selsey Bill, so it was early afternoon before I returned to home territory and the local patch. As it was such a pleasant day I decided to stay out a while longer and visit the local woodland area, my main objective being to try and find a Treecreeper in the areas where the species has previously been present, up until the last couple years. Despite searching suitable areas I totally failed to find any trace of one again today; is it just me or are they beginning to disappear from coastal woodlands in this part of Sussex? Time will tell I guess.

There were a couple of small surprises though, the first being a Mistle Thrush (possibly two) near the horse paddocks and the second being a rather elusive Firecrest in the woods. Other records included a Buzzard, four Green Woodpeckers, three Great Spotted Woodpeckers, two Greenfinches, a Pied Wagtail, several Song Thrushes and three Chiffchaffs singing, amongst other commoner species.

The elusive Firecrest in Ancton woods

Wednesday, 19th March: Still cool early on, but becoming warmer in a mainly sunny day, with scattered cloud and a lighter wind, veering E/SE force 3.

Elmer Rocks: A two-hour visit (08:30-10:30hrs) this morning was all about Brent Geese on the move, but with very little else to raise the pulse. A couple of large flocks and a fair few smaller ones produced an overall total of 305 east, but apart from a single Curlew east and six Red-breasted Mergansers on the sea, there was precious little else to maintain the interest. Wader numbers were also low, with c.40 Turnstones and a couple of Grey Plover and Sanderling about the best on offer.

My watch was interspersed with checking out the beach and adjacent fields, in the hope of finding my first Wheatear of the year, but alas, it wasn't to be.... all very frustrating, with the only small birds of note being a Chiffchaff, two Pied Wagtails and two Greenfinch.

(top two) Brent Geese flocks heading east offshore and (below) two Grey Plovers on the beach

Bilsham farm: It was disappointing here too, with two singing Chiffchaffs the only sign of any spring migrants. The reservoir held just six Tufted Ducks, two Mallard, two Little Grebes and 20 Coots, plus a mixed flock of a couple of hundred Herring and Black-headed Gulls washing and preening, but also with 14 Mediterranean and three Lesser Black-backed Gulls amongst them.

(above) Little Grebe on Bilsham reservoir, (centre) Lesser Black-backed Gull with Mediterranean Gull and (bottom) Lesser Black-backed Gull with Herring Gulls and Mallard.

15th - 17th March 2025

Monday, 17th March: A chilly and overcast sort of day, with a brisk NE 4-5 wind still prevailing and periods of heavy grey cloud in the morning producing a few brief showers. Still cloudy in the afternoon but with a few brief glimpses of sun.   

Elmer Rocks: Another very slow morning with the only hint of migration being a flock of 35 Brent Geese heading east offshore and four Meadow Pipits arriving from the sea. A single Common Gull also went east whilst seven Red-breasted Mergansers remained offshore. A small number of Oystercatchers, Sanderlings and Turnstones were also noted though no count was made today.

Brent Geese passing Elmer Rocks this morning

Lidsey area: Around the WTW and reservoir there were 45 Gadwall, 25 Teal, eight Tufted Ducks and three Little Grebes. Around c.60 Starlings were gathered in tree tops around the fields - albeit a bit distant - but on checking I noticed two Redwings were amongst them. A pair of Buzzards was also displaying nearby.

Moving to another site nearby where a small flood remains, there were still a few wildfowl to be found and I logged c.160 Teal, six Wigeon, two Shoveler and six Gadwall, plus a couple of pairs of Mallard. Three Grey Herons, two Little Egrets and 20 Lapwings were also present.

A heavily-cropped image of a Redwing in tree-tops at Lidsey (with Starling above)

Sunday, 16th March: More of the same really; cold again with a touch of frost, becoming bright and sunny through the day with some scattered white cloud, but still with a naggingly cold NE wind force 4-5.

Elmer & Ancton: Last evening, at about 20:45hrs, a Tawny Owl was clearly active for some while, repeatedly hooting from the local woods and easily audible from quite a distance, but especially from Ancton Way.

Elmer Rocks: The weather and the birding were much the same as yesterday, with nothing moving through offshore except for a single Gannet and no obvious migration going on, whilst there were just seven Red-breasted Mergansers and a couple of Great Crested Grebes on the sea. The tide was low, but eventually c.40 Oystercatchers put in an appearance, together with just a few Sanderlings, c.50 Turnstones and a single Little Egret.

A check of the fields and hedgerows behind the beach and Poole Place found there to be little activity and little birdsong, although two Green Woodpeckers were calling occasionally, two Chiffchaffs were present with one giving a bit of weak song and two rival male Chaffinches were singing at each other around the Poole Place area. 

Male Chaffinch at Poole Place; a rival male was not too far away and both were singing at each other for quite a while.

Saturday, 15th March: Another cold morning, with just a touch of frost and a chilly NE wind 4-5, though remaining dry; broken cloud and early brightness gradually giving way to longer periods of sunshine.

Elmer Rocks: An hour was enough this morning! Four Gannets (1E & 3W) were well offshore, whilst closer in were four Great Crested Grebes and eight Red-breasted Mergansers (2E & 6 o/s). The tide was fairly low, and some of the regular wader species were present, consisting of 40 Oystercatchers, the same of Turnstones and a handful of Sanderlings...but with little happening offshore and no obvious signs of any migration in the cold wind, it was time to move on.

Littlehampton Marina area: Time for a change of scenery today. I checked out some  partly-flooded areas in a couple of fields that looked promising, but my search produced very little of any note. The day was saved for me when I checked the banks of the R. Arun and found a Common Sandpiper - presumably an over-wintering bird rather than an early migrant.

Common Sandpiper on the R.Arun by Littlehampton marina - most likely an over-wintering bird rather than an early migrant.