TheFinancialBirder

For the first time in a very long time, it was raining on the 1st of the month! I took the day off today to hopefully get a good start this month in getting near to lasts month total of 120 species. That was my third highest for the year but October is normally I total month judging from years gone by. One obstacle, which was potentially going to be in my way, was the weather as at least two days of rain and wind were forecasted. So, when one has crap weather, sea watching is the answer so Selsey Bill was my first port of call.
Reaching the Bill at around 10am (the traffic was horrendous), I briefly watched from inside the car as the rain was lashing down from a strong north westerly wind. From the car, I picked up an adult Gannet heading east quite close in and also a small flock of three Common Scoters flying east. Close to the sandy beach, which was being blown vigorously by the wind, up to 11 Mediterranean Gulls, lingered on the water in various states of plumage. Was this going to be a good mornings seawatch?
To my left, I noticed a fellow birder taking shelter behind the seawall near the Bill House and so I drove round and joined him. I don’t like naming names incase of a backlash, but it was one of the well-known birders from the area who I have met several times. He told me that he had seen an adult Sabine’s Gull go past at around 8.30am this morning the lucky bugger, so my hopes were high for something unusual. I stayed to around midday in which there were a few interesting sightings. Most unusual of all was a probable Great Shearwater flying east though very distant and very difficult to pick up on the horizon. The bird showed characteristics of a large Shearwater species and the upperparts were very dark while the underparts appeared light coloured. We could definitely rule out Cory’s Shearwater as it was too dark and Cory’s fly with bowed wings, so Great Shearwater could only be the conclusion. But it really was distant and to year tick the bird was going to be a hit and miss affair.
Both Sandwich Tern and Common Tern were gratefully added to my month total with all birds flying east and Gannets were the most type of seabird we saw all morning with some birds flying very close to shore. An immature Gannet drifted past whilst sitting on the sea close in. Also drifting past on the sea was an immature male Eider, which fished and swam as it headed east.
Overhead, good flocks of both Swallow and House Marten flew by, all heading east with a few Sand Martens amongst them. Meadow Pipits were going by in small flocks and one flock held a pair of Brambling, which called when they flew over our heads. A year tick for me. By midday, the wind had calmed down and sightings became few and far between so I said cheerio to my fellow birder and gave Church Norton a try.

Once reaching the car park, I noticed the wind had got up again and the skies became gloomy as well, but at least the rain kept off. There was a funeral on this morning within the churchyard so I headed off to the harbour to get some waders under my belt. The usual suspects were seen within the harbour in pretty good numbers and amongst them, I picked out a lone Bar-tailed Godwit and at least four Knot on the mudflats. Also on the mudflats, my first Brent Geese of the month were seen with a flock of around a dozen birds grazing on the mud. Behind them, a good number of Wigeon and Pintail had gathered by the channel. Within the channel, at least four Great Crested Grebes were seen. Apparently, a Black throated Diver was seen yesterday evening near the harbour entrance.
A walk through the churchyard, coming in from the harbour entrance, I picked out a single Redstart, which flashed its tail before flying off into cover. A Green Woodpecker flew away from me as I neared the wall entering the back of the churchyard, then flew deep within the foliage of a tree. A single Chiffchaff was seen within the churchyard flitting around some trees then disappearing deep within a bush. Not a great deal else I’m afraid so I headed off to the Ferry Pool.

Yesterday, a juvenile Pectoral Sandpiper frequented the Ferry Pool yesterday afternoon but there was no sign of it while I was there, but it reappeared later on this afternoon apparently! Grrrr! Instead, up to four juvenile Little Stints were seen feeding on the mud around the pool and amongst the Lapwing present. Apart from many Eurasian Teal being present, there was little else of note, which was a shame, and so I headed home for a spot of lunch.
The Great White Egret was again seen this morning on the Deeps area at Thorney Island. Geoff Farwell had at least one bird flying west over Farlington Marshes yesterday afternoon as well as a Short eared Owl too.

Piczo