Saturday, 15th November: Apart from one fairly brief, but dense patch of sea--mist that fortunately moved through quickly, a much better than forecast morning of sun and light cloud in a light north-easterly breeze..........
Selsey Bill: There wasn't too much going on offshore, though a Sandwich Tern, 20 Brent Geese and 195 Razorbills went west, 17 Shags went east and also a Black Redstart was on the rooves. Full log below. (SH/JA/PBI/PB/IP/AH/P&LH)
(0700-0900hrs) (NE, F2)
Great Northern Diver - 2E, 2os
Red-throated Diver - 1W
Great Crested Grebe - 1E, 1W, 1os
Gannet - 8E, 22W
Shag - 17E
Grey Heron - 1W
Brent Goose - 1E, 20W
Common Scoter - 2W
Oystercatcher - 2W
Mediterranean Gull - 1os
Kittiwake - 2E
Sandwich Tern - 1W
Razorbill - 30E, 195W
auk sp - 81E, 296W
Wood Pigeon - 258W
Skylark - 2N
Pied Wagtail - 3E
Meadow Pipit - 4N
Black Redstart - 1
Chaffinch - 1E, 1 present
Goldfinch - 4
(1315-1415hrs) (P&LH)
Red-throated Diver - 2W, 2os
Gannet - E
Brent Goose - 1E
Shag - 1os
Mediterranean Gull - 1os
Great Black-backed Gull - 6os
Curlew - 1W
Sandwich Tern - 2E, 2W
Pied Wagtail - 1
Gannets (above), Razorbill, Shag & Black Redstart at the Bill (AH)
Ferry Pool: The Green Sandpiper was back on the roadside pool this morning, whilst three Avocets, 24 Lapwings, 16 Wigeon, eight Shelducks, c40 Shovelers and c60 Teal were on the main pool, along with a Grey Wagtail and two Pied Wagtails. (AH)
Grey Wagtail (above), Green Sandpiper & Avocet at the Ferry (AH)
Park Farm, Selsey: A Grey Wagtail was on the roof of the stables and a Dartford Warbler was on top of the bush at the far eastern end of the fields this morning. (IP)
Dartford Warbler at Park Farm, Selsey (IP)
Church Norton: Remarkably, after the very late bird in Selsey, an even later - and probably latest ever- Turtle Dove was in a tree at Greenlease Farm this morning, though not associating with the Collared Doves also present. It appears to be in more advanced adult plumage than the Selsey bird, suggesting this is a different individual.
Also, the trees between the Severals were busy again, with at least two Firecrests present, along with c20 Goldcrests, a couple of Chiffchaffs, a male Siskin and numerous Long-tailed Tits, whilst there were was a Dartford Warbler and a number of calling Cetti's Warblers, but not much else along the front, and just a couple of Chiffchaffs and Goldcrests in the churchyard/hide area.
A Marsh Harrier went over the harbour, where there were several hundred Brent Geese and c100 Wigeon present, along with a Kingfisher, two Greenshanks, c50 Knot, c30 Grey Plovers, c20 Turnstones and 500+ Dunlin, plus c400 Golden Plovers at the far end. (IP/AH/MO-W/MI/P&LH et al)
Turtle Dove (above), Kingfisher (IP), Chiffchaff & Greenshanks (AH) at Church Norton
North Wall: A Dartford Warbler was in the Tamarisk by Owl Copse this morning, and along the bushes were c20 Reed Buntings, a Yellowhammer, eight Greenfinches, a Mistle Thrush, a Song Thrush and a Kestrel. A Water Rail was again at Owl Water with a Little Grebe, and a Shoveler also present.
Six Rock Pipits were along the rocks, and on the Breech Pool there were three Spotted Redshanks, two Black-tailed Godwits and a Snipe, with both male and female Marsh Harriers further back over the reeds, and 52 Cattle Egrets were around the cows in the fields. (MJa/LP et al)
Spotted Redshanks (above), Snipe, Cattle Egrets, Water Rail, Yellowhammer, Rock Pip[it, Reed Bunting, Song Thrush & Kestrel at the North Wall (LP)
Medmerry: Easton Lane to the Stilt Pool - Two Fieldfares flew into the poplars late this morning, whilst along the banks there were two Dartford Warblers, a Chiffchaff, three Cetti's Warblers, five Goldcrests, 13 Stonechats, a Reed Bunting, four Yellowhammers, c20 Skylarks, c30 Linnets and c40 Meadow Pipits.
Also, a Greenshank, three Golden Plovers, c100 Lapwings, 20 Brent Geese and six Egyptian Geese were on the reserve, ten Snipe and two Ringed Plovers were on the Stilt Pool, and a Merlin, three Kestrels and a Buzzard went over. (SH/PB)
Friday, 14th November: A dismal morning's weather, with persistent heavy drizzle under leaden skies, though the south-easterly breeze was no more than moderate and it remains mild.......
Selsey Bill: The elusive Black-necked Grebe flew in from the west and settled on the sea this morning, whilst four Great Northern Divers went east, a Bonxie went west and a few Gannets, Kittiwakes and Mediterranean Gulls were among a big feeding flock offshore. Full log below. (BI/IP/AH/MRe)
(0715-0915hrs) (SE, F4)
Great Northern Diver - 4E, 1os
diver sp - 1W
Black-necked Grebe - 1os
Great Crested Grebe - 1E, 1os
Gannet - 23E, 5W, 20os
Shag - 13E, 1os
Red-breasted Merganser - 2E
Oystercatcher - 2W, 4E
Turnstone - 2E
Great Skua - 1W
Mediterranean Gull - 15E, 30os
Common Gull - 4E, 1W, 1os
Kittiwake - 2W, 22E, 28os
Razorbill - 28E, 2os
auk sp - 31W
Pied Wagtail - 3E
Rock Pipit - 1E
Meadow Pipit - 1E
Black-necked Grebe (above), Great Northern Diver, Gannet & Shags at the Bill (AH)
Ferry Pool: There were a lot of ducks on the pool this morning - namely 14 Shelducks, 18 Wigeon, c40 Shovelers, c75 Teal and c30 Mallards, but, otherwise, just two Lapwings. (AH)
The Ferry was exceptionally quiet mid-afternoon, with a solitary Shelduck the only bird actually on the pool, with a dozen Red-legged Partridges on the left bank.
The channel opposite was similarly quiet, with just four Redshanks and three Moorhens the only birds present. (JC)
Shovelers and Shelduck (above) & Wigeon and Teal at the Ferry (AH)
Church Norton: A fairly brief look in the poor conditions produced c300 Brent Geese, c150 Wigeon, c40 Pintail and Teal, c50 Knot, c25 Grey Plovers and c800 Dunlin, with a Mistle Thrush and a handful of Goldcrests in the churchyard. (AH)
Brent Geese (above), Pintail and Wigeon & Dunlin, Knot, Grey Plovers and Wigeon at Church Norton (AH)
Thursday, 13th November: Another warm morning of sunshine and cloud in a moderate south-westerly breeze....
Selsey Bill: A total of 325 Kittiwakes, virtually all adults, went west in the first hour or so, before stopping abruptly, with a Bonxie, two Red-throated Divers and a few Gannets, Razorbills and Mediterranean Gulls also moving west. Full log below. (AH/RJS)
(0720-0920hrs) (SW, F4)
Great Northern Diver - 2os
Red-throated Diver - 2W
Gannet - 4E, 51W, 20os
Shag - 3E
Brent Goose - 3W
Red-breasted Merganser - 1W
Oystercatcher - 1W
Turnstone - 8
Great Skua - 1W
Mediterranean Gull - 46W
Common Gull - 4W
Kittiwake - 325W
Razorbill - 37W, 20os
auk sp - 105W
Meadow Pipit - 8W
Linnet - 1W
Goldfinch - 11W
Kittiwakes (above), Red-throated Diver, Red-breasted Merganser & Common Gull at the Bill (AH)
Ferry Pool: The Green Sandpiper was on the roadside pool, with seven Lapwings, nine Shelducks and c60 Teal on the main pool. (AH)
Green Sandpiper (above) & Teal at the Ferry (AH)
Church Norton: At least 200 Brent Geese were in the harbour this morning, along with a Sandwich Tern, five Common Gulls, a Mediterranean Gull, six Shovelers, five Pintail and a few Wigeon and Teal, whilst there were five Avocets, in the main channel and a Greenshank, c200 Golden Plovers, c50 Knot and Grey Plovers and c1000 Dunlin out on the mud.
Also, a Great Northern Diver and a Red-breasted Merganser were offshore, with a Peregrine and a Marsh Harrier about, too
On the land-side, two Black Redstarts were at Greenlease Farm, a Dartford Warbler was along the Severals, a female Blackcap was in the churchyard and a total of five Firecrests were seen along with five Chiffchaffs and a dozen Goldcrests and Long-tailed Tits, with 13 Redpolls, six Siskins, a Rock Pipit, 16 Meadow Pipits, two Grey Wagtails, a Redwing, 25 Linnets and half a dozen Blackbirds seen, too. (PA/AH/CRJ/RJS/AWi)
Black Redstart (above), Redpoll, Firecrest & AH in classic pose at Church Norton (PA)
North Wall: A Spotted Redshank was in White's Creek this morning and half a dozen Cattle Egrets and a few Curlews were in the fields.
Also, along the wall, there were one or two Rock Pipits, a Pied Wagtail, a Kingfisher, a Little Grebe and a Kestrel. (EB)
This afternoon, a male Merlin was present and there were three Spotted Redshanks in White's Creek, whilst a Kingfisher, a Marsh Harrier and six Snipe were also about, (AWi)
Spotted Redshank (above), Kingfisher, Little Grebe, Curlews, Rock Pipit, Pied Wagtail, Kestrel & Cattle Egrets at the North Wall (EB)
