Friday, 6th March: A cool and grey morning, with a bit of rain later, in just a light northerly breeze........
Selsey Bill: A flock of 24 Brent Geese east was the only hint of migration, with two Canada Geese east, too, the most unusual sighting, with nothing else much to report, though seven Great Northern Divers were on the sea. Full log below. (AH et al)
(0700-0815hrs) (N, F2)
Great Northern Diver - 7os
Great Crested Grebe - 1os
Brent Goose - 24E
Canada Goose - 2E
Oystercatcher - 3W
Mediterranean Gull - 1E
Common Gull - 1E
Great Black-backed Gull - 1E, 2W
Sandwich Tern - 4os
Brent Geese (above), Canada Geese, Great Northern Diver & Sandwich Tern at the Bill (AH)
Ferry Pool: Three Avocets and two Redshanks were the only waders present this morning, along with c60 Shovelers, c40 Teal, c100 Wigeon and eight Shelducks. (AH)
Avocet (above) & Shoveler at the Ferry (AH)
Church Norton: A female Marsh Harrier was hunting over the harbour this morning, but it was very quiet, otherwise, with just c50 Knot, c20 Grey Plovers and c100 Dunlin on the mud, along with c80 Brent Geese, c50 Wigeon and c20 Teal, plus the usual Redshanks, Curlews and Oystercatchers.
The striking, but elusive, leucistic Blackbird showed up for the first time in a while, but a few Linnets along the front were the only other passerines of note and there was absolutely nothing offshore.. (AH/AW)
Marsh Harrier (above), Linnet (AH) & leucistic Blackbird (AW) at Church Norton
Medmerry: Coastguards to the windmill - A Swallow flew west over the field between the Coastguard Station and the windmill, but it was the only migrant seen, with, otherwise two Skylarks and half a dozen Linnets and Meadow Pipits about it.
Also, a Great Northern Diver was offshore, along with two Common Scoters, six Red-breasted Mergansers and five Great Crested Grebes, plus a Sandwich Tern. (AH)
Great Northern Diver (above), Sandwich Tern, Skylark & Meadow Pipit at Medmerry (AH)
Fishbourne Creek: On the rising tide this morning the large gull flock at Fishbourne included three Lesser Black-backed Gulls and a small proportion of Mediterranean Gulls. There were also seven Great Crested Grebes off the Lavant outflow, with two Red Breasted Mergansers towards Dell Quay where there were three Greenshanks. (RW)
Chichester GPs: There were plenty of the usual geese and ducks present this morning, but no hirundines were seen, though there were several Chiffchaffs and Cetti's Warblers, plus a male Reed Bunting along the path and three pairs of Great Crested Grebes were displaying on the water. (RBe).
Great Crested Grebes at Chichester GHPs (RBe)
Chichester Canal: A look between Hunston and the Birdham Road produced several large flocks of Wood Pigeons (200-300 birds in total) and c50 Jackdaws, with at least 20 Redwing in the adjacent fields, plus two Siskins in the alders near the Birdham Road. (RBe)
Redwings (above) & Wood Pigeons along Chichester Canal (RBe)
Thursday, 5th March: Another bright and sunny morning, though the fairly fresh easterly breeze was keeping the temperature down somewhat......
Selsey Bill: After a slow start, a few bits were seen this morning, including a Yellowhammer - a rare bird at the Bill - in the bushes on the Oval Field, all three diver species on the sea and a Fulmar west. Full log below. (IP/AH/PA et al)
(0710-0910hrs) (ESE, F4)
Great Northern Diver - 2os
Black-throated Diver - 1os
Red-throated Diver - 1E, 1W, 2os
Great Crested Grebe - 1os
Fulmar - 1W
Shag - 2E
Brent Geese - 2E
Mallard - 2E
Common Scoter - 4E
Red-breasted Merganser - 6E
Oystercatcher - 1W
Mediterranean Gull - 1W
Lesser Black-backed Gull - 1E
Great Black-backed Gull - 3W
Sandwich Tern - 5E, 2os
Pied Wagtail - 2E
Linnet - 8E
Yellowhammer - 1
Yellowhammer (above), Great Northern Diver, Red-breasted Merganser, Shag & Sandwich Tern at the Bill (AH)
Ferry Pool: There were two Avocets, two Redshanks, two Oystercatchers and half a dozen Lapwings present this morning, though there were less wildfowl about, with just eight Shelducks, four Gadwall, c60 Shovelers, c40 Teal and c100 Wigeon seen. (AH/JC)
Later, a Red Kite went over the Visitor Centre. (per RP)
Lapwing at the Ferry (AH)
Church Norton: A Greenshank and three Bar-tailed Godwits were among the waders in the harbour late this afternoon. (JC)
North Wall: A total of four Red Kites, including three together, went over heading east, whilst at least three female-type Marsh Harriers were about, along with five Buzzards and a Sparrowhawk.
There were still at least 1000 Brent Geese spread around, along with c400 Wigeon and c100 Teal, whilst a Spotted Redshank, c60 Golden Plovers and c30 Black-tailed Godwits were in White's Creek and c50 Curlews, though nothing else save c30 Coots, were in the Honer fields.
Also, at least 40 Cattle Egrets were around Owl Copse and adjacent fields, along with half a dozen Grey Herons, with two or three Reed Buntings and Cetti's Warblers along wall, but the only possible migrants were a cluster of three or four Chiffchaffs (including at least one singing) and a couple of Goldcrests at Halsey's Farm. (AH et al)
This afternoon, a Pale-bellied Brent Goose was among the Brent Geese in the Honer fields. (AB)
Red Kites (above), Marsh Harrier, Spotted Redshank and Redshank, Black-tailed Godwits, Golden Plovers, Cattle Egret, Chiffchaff & Brent Geese at the North Wall (AH)
Medmerry: Ham Farm - A Red Kite went over this morning, and there were also one or two Corn Buntings and Yellowhammers and a few Meadow Pipits and Linnets about, along with a Stonechat and a pair of Great Black-backed Gulls. (EB)
Red Kite (above), Corn Buntings, Meadow Pipit, Stonechat, Yellowhammer, Linnet & Great Black-backed Gull at Medmerry (EB)
Wednesday, 4th March: After a misty start, a bright and sunny morning in a moderate easterly breeze.....
Selsey Bill: A few Meadow Pipits in off the sea was the only hint of migration on another slow morning. Full log below. (PB/IP/AH)
(0700-0900hrs) (ENE, F3-4)
Great Northern Diver - 1os
Red-throated Diver - 1E
Great Crested Grebe - 2E
Gannet - 1W
Shag - 8E
Common Scoter - 2E
Red-breasted Merganser - 5E
Curlew - 1E
Turnstone - 7
Mediterranean Gull - 2os
Common Gull - 1E
Great Black-backed Gull - 3os
Sandwich Tern - 24os
Meadow Pipit - 7N
Pied Wagtail - 3E
Linnet - 6E
Sandwich Tern (above), Great Northern Diver, Shag & Red-breasted Merganser at the Bill (AH)
Ferry Pool: The Green Sandpiper and two Redshanks were on the roadside pool, but otherwise it was the usual mix of wildfowl, comprising eight Shelducks, three Gadwall, c80 Shovelers and Teal and c120 Wigeon, plus a Red-legged Partridge and two Buzzards, with lots of gulls at the back. (AH)
Later, a Sand Martin was over the back of the pool. (AB)
Gadwall and Shoveler at the Ferry (AH)
North Wall: A smart male Bullfinch was around the tops of the trees in Owl Copse this morning, as well as a Chaffinch, two Chiffchaffs, four Greenfinches, eight Goldfinches, six Cattle Egrets and eight Grey Herons, whilst at Halsey’s Farm a few Meadow Pipits and Skylarks were in the fields and an Avocet was along the Rife.
Eleven Tufted Ducks and two Great Crested Grebes were on the Breech Pool and four Gadwall, 26 Shovelers and 62 Brent Geese were in the flooded fields, also two Rock Pipits were along the wall, and as the tide rose a Spoonbill was out in the harbour, along with the Avocet and c60 Grey Plovers.
The two Grey Wagtails were again in the paddock and a Pied Wagtail, two Reed Buntings, a Chiffchaff, two Great Spotted Woodpeckers, a Green Woodpecker and a Goldcrest were around the hedgerows, whilst further back the male and two female Marsh Harriers were over the reeds and three Buzzards were high overhead. (CT/MJa/LP et al)
A Merlin was around this evening, along with a Kestrel, a Buzzard and two Marsh Harriers, whilst 71 Cattle Egrets came in to roost in Owl Copse and three Cetti's Warblers, three Meadow Pipits and a Reed Bunting were along the wall. (SH)
Bullfinch (above), Rock Pipit, Grey Wagtails, Cattle Egret & Spoonbill at the North Wall (LP)
Church Norton: A Spoonbill was in the harbour before relocating towards the North Wall, but otherwise it was the usual mix of waders, including two Greenshanks, ten Ringed Plovers, c150 Grey Plovers, c400 Knot and c600 Dunlin, along with half a dozen Pintail, c20 Teal and c50 Wigeon.
There were also two Great Crested Grebes, two Common Gulls, three Mediterranean Gulls, a Sandwich Tern and c20 Brent Geese also present and another c200 of the latter flying around to the north. (PB/AH)
Knot and Dunlin (above), Knot, Dunlin and Grey Plovers & Grey Plovers at Church Norton (AH)
Medmerry: Breach area - A Marsh Harrier, three Stonechats, three Meadow Pipits and a Pied Wagtail were around this morning. (SH)
West Wittering: A Black Redstart was briefly in the garden early this afternoon. (GM)
West Itchenor: A couple of Great Northern Divers and a Red-throated Diver were on the water off Ella Nore today, and there were also two Grey Partridges by the horse pond. (RBe)
Great Northern Diver (above) & Grey Partridges at West Itchenor (RBe)
