A week at Selsey, West Sussex...
Monday, 25/09/06
A quick excursion to Pagham Harbour gave kestrel, juv. common buzzard, teal, pintail (f), wigeon, brent geese (several small groups flying in), grey plover (first I've seen this year), redshank, oystercatchers, common terns, little egrets and a pile of comorants. Not bad for a short walk. Also, many pheasants and red partridges in the fields bordering the harbour. The hide at the Sidlesham reserve was a strange set-up with the hide overlooking the road before the creek, which contained a few dozen lapwings and some shelduck.
After getting back to Selsy Bill that evening, saw a gull being mobbed by black-headed gulls and a closer look showed a mediterranean gull, which is a lifer for me. Quite chuffed with that.
Tuesday, 26/09/06
A look at the gulley behind the West Beach near the caravan park gave a small flock of linnets, a meadow pipit, a few tree pipits and a few rooks. Walking along to the Bill a wheatear hopped off of a wall just in front of me and ran into a garden, which was another first for this year. On the beach at the Bill, a large flock of small dark birds turned out not to be starlings (as they were very close to two ladies sunbathing), but turnstones, about 40-50 in all. The med. gull was circling overhead and a sandwhich tern sat on one of the marker posts. A flock of four common terns flew past on the way back along the West Beach.
Wednesday, 27/09/06
Slightly larger number of linnets in the gulley, several wheatears and a few more tree pipits. Med. gull seen again over the Bill, then later over caravan park. Not seen again.
Thursday, 28/09/06
Green woodpecker right outside the caravan that morning, female from the spots on the face. The gulley had exploded with linnets and a conservative estimate of ~100 were flitting back and forth from beach to gulley. Four tree pipits, three or four wheatears. A few turnstones flew past on the West Beach. At the bill, my dear wife pointed out a small black-and-white bird, that turned out to be a razorbill, fairly close to the shore. Also, two adult greatblack-backed gulls and one 3rd winter juvenile.
Friday, 29/09/06
Lazy day...
Saturday, 30/09/06
Good views of great black-backed gulls on the East Beach, one with a still-juvenile bill, but adult plumage.
Not a bad trip, although I've been reliably informed I've missed out on ospreys, yellow wagtails, etc...
Doesn't sound like you 'missed' anything Tony - good list there and nice report