31st March 2019 - Selsey Peninsula

For Mother's Day, Mum and I went for a huge walk around the Selsey Peninsula. We started at Pagham Harbour visitor centre so first port of call was the hide at Sidlesham Ferry. The ferry held 2 Little Ringed Plovers, 15 Avocet, 24 Black-tailed Godwits, 20 Lapwing, 10 Redshank, 20 Teal and 50 Shovelers as well as 6 Gadwall. We pressed onto Church Norton and on route we picked up a singing Cetti's Warbler. Upon arrival we took shelter from the wind in the hide. Here we could see 3 Sandwich Tern on the mudflats and some c50 Mediterranean Gulls in with Black-headed Gulls on the island. Surprisingly, there was no sign of the Peregrine on the island. We moved onto the beach where we were greeted with 4 Wheatear which showed nicely. 

Between Church Norton and Selsey Bill we saw several more Wheatear (12) and also 5 Sand Martin come in off the sea. We stopped for lunch at the bill and looked out to sea where there was very little doing other than the odd Gannet and 10 Sandwich Terns which flew East. However, some excitement came when a House Martin shot through over the Oval Field. Moving round to the Coastguard Cottages there was no sign of any Great Northern Divers or the Eider offshore but there was 4 Red-breasted Mergansers (3 female and a drake). We were starting to get tired but we pressed on through the strong winds to the toe end at RSPB Medmerry where again we came across several more Wheatear (8) as well as 2 Corn Buntings and a lone Brent Goose out in the middle of the reserve and a couple of Curlew. After Medmerry we headed for Ham Road where we came across a single Willow Warbler and a few Chiffchaff. Now approaching the car at the top end of Sidlesham Ferry was a couple of singing Blackcaps and a female Sparrowhawk which shot through. 

On our way home we quickly called into the North Wall where there was a Little Grebe in White's Creek and the Breech Pool held 179 Black-tailed Godwits and a single Knot. 

Our monster walk around the Selsey Peninsula!