More and more birds are turning up now as spring sets in; the highlight this week was surely a Woodchat Shrike found near Honer Res (Pagham Hbr) on 18th (photo by Andrew House attached). It was still present on 19th and is the first on the Selsey peninsula since 2007.
Two Black-throated Divers flew past Worthing on 16th and another was seen off Selsey Bill the following day. A Garganey flew east with Common Scoters off Selsey Bill on 17th and there were two birds present at Waltham Brooks on 14th and Pulborough Brooks on 18th.
A pair of Black-winged Stilts was at Pulborough Brooks on 18th and 19th, and there were some feeble signs of early Bar-tailed Godwit passage offshore with birds going east off Climping on 15th and Worthing on 18th.
There was an interesting record of an adult Whooper Swan on Ardingly Res on 19th and reports of Glossy Ibis came from Combe Valley CP (one on 13th) and Fishbourne Creek (one on 17th and 19th).
Little Gulls were still to be seen at Chichester GP – a 2cy bird was there on 13th and again on 17th when an adult was also present.
An Osprey was at Pagham Hbr on 13th and one flew over East Preston the following day.
On 18th a Hoopoe was heard calling near Halsey’s Farm (Pagham Hbr) and the first Swift of the spring appeared over Goring Road (Worthing).
I keep expecting to hear a Yellow Wagtail overhead sometime but they seem conspicuous by their absence this year – the first birds noted at Selsey were on 18th.
A Siberian Chiffchaff was at Small Dole on 14th and on the same day a Garden Warbler was at Ferring Rife. A Water Pipit was at Pulborough Brooks and 15th and a Hawfinch was over Coldwaltham on 14th.
