Sunday, 15th February: A really miserable morning's weather, with almost continuous drizzle, interspersed with often prolonged periods of rain in a near gale-force southerly wind......
Selsey Bill: It was unsurprisingly quiet in the very poor visibility this morning, though a small auk that shot through, but couldn't be identified, would have made it more interesting!. Full log below. (SH/AH et al)
(0730-0930hrs) (S, F6-7)
Great Northern Diver - 2os
Red-throated Diver - 3W
diver sp - 1W
Gannet - 10W
Common Scoter - 1E, 1W
Red-breasted Merganser - 3E, 4W
Turnstone - 6
Common Gull - 2E, 1W
Sandwich Tern - 2E, 1W
auk sp - 1W
(1310-1410hrs) (SH)
Gannet - 1W
Great Black-backed Gull - 1W
Sandwich Tern (above), Great Northern Diver & Turnstone at the Bill (AH)
Ferry Pool: There were six Avocets on the pool this morning, along with a couple of Redshanks and at least 800 Lapwings, with plenty of wildfowl still around, comprising 16 Shelducks, c80 Shovelers, c100 Teal, c200 Wigeon, c25 Mallards and a pair of Canada Geese, whilst c40 Common Gulls and a couple of Mediterranean Gulls were among the roosting gull flock. (AH)
Avocets (above), Shovelers & Lapwings at the Ferry (AH)
Church Norton: There wasn't much to see in the harbour at high tide, with c100 Dunlin, a few Grey Plovers, Redshanks and Curlews roosting in various places and a dozen Shelducks and Wigeon and c25 Teal, plus a few Common Gulls, otherwise, being about the sum. (AH)
Common Gull (above) & Wigeon, Shelducks and Dunlin at Church Norton (AH)
Saturday, 14th February: A rare bright and sunny morning, though cold in the fresh north-easterly breeze.........
Selsey Bill: It was another quiet morning, though up to four Great Northern Divers were about. Full log below. (JA/SH/PB/IP/AH/JFi)
(0700-0900hrs) (NE, F4-5)
Great Northern Diver - 1E, 1W, 2os
Red-throated Diver - 1E, 11W
diver sp - 2E, 1W, 1os
Gannet - 3E
Brent Goose - 2W
Common Scoter - 2E, 7os
Red-breasted Merganser - 11E, 3W, 9os
Turnstone - 22W
Mediterranean Gull - 6E, 1W
Common Gull - 2E
Great Black-backed Gull - 2E, 1W, 5os
Sandwich Tern - 1E, 5W
auk sp - 4E, 10W
Starling - 8N
Great Northern Diver (above) & Sandwich Tern at the Bill (AH)
Ferry Pool: There were only a few dozen Lapwings around the pool this morning, though there were still plenty of wildfowl, comprising six Shelducks, eight Gadwall, c80 Shovelers, c30 Mallard, c150 Teal and c250 Wigeon.
Also, a Marsh Harrier was around, along with at least four Buzzards and a few Skylarks. (AH)
Marsh Harrier (above), Lapwing, Shovelers & Wigeon at the Ferry (AH)
North Wall: The fine weather brought out a good selection of raptors, namely two Red Kites, three Marsh Harriers, two Sparrowhawks at ten Buzzards, plus a Raven whilst c30 Cattle Egrets were in the fields and a Water Rail was in the Breech Pool.
Also, seven Redwings,, four Cetti';s Warblers and two Reed Buntings were along the wall, whilst the three Spotted Redshanks were in White's Creek andc500 Brent Geese, c100 Knot and c1000 Golden Plovers and Lapwings were in the harbour. (S&SaH/PB/LP/MJa)
Red Kite (above), Marsh Harrier & Spotted Redshanks at the North Wall (LP)
Park Farm, Selsey: There were two Buzzards cruising around, calling continuously, this morning, whilst the fields were full of Meadow Pipits, and both a female Reed Bunting and a Chiffchaff were in a single bush at the eastern end. (IP)
Church Norton: A first-winter Little Gull went east along the beach late this morning, but the sea just held a pair of Red-breasted Mergansers and two Great Crested Grebes, plus two Sandwich Terns going east well offshore.
An adult Yellow-legged Gull was in the harbour, along with c50 Common Gulls and c20 Mediterranean Gulls, whilst at least 500 Brent Geese were spread about the harbour, along with c20 Pintail and c50 Wigeon, whilst waders included a Bar-tailed Godwit, a Greenshank, c50 Knot, c150 Grey Plovers, 56 Turnstones and c1000 Dunlin.
Also, a Raven went over, and spectacular numbers of waders came up again from the far end of the harbour, including c1000 Black-tailed Godwits, c400 Golden Plovers and at least 3000 Lapwings.(AH/IP)
Little Gull (above), Bar-tailed Godwit, Raven, Brent Geese & Grey Plovers and Dunlin at Church Norton (AH)
Fishbourne Creek: The highlight of a walk north from Dell Quay at lunchtime was two Goldeneye together in mid-channel, plus a Greenshank at the Lavant outfall and an active roost of Black-tailed Godwits and Dunlin. (GSh)
Goldeneyes (above), Greenshank & Black-tailed Godwits at Fishbourne Creek (GSh)
Drayton Pits: The two White-fronted Geese were still with the Greylag Goose flock in the fields near the railway crossing. (BI)
White-fronted Geese at Drayton Pits (BI)
Chichester Marina: The Nuthatch was in Salterns Copse again this morning, along with a Great Spotted Woodpecker, with a flock of a dozen Reed Buntings nearby and a few Red-breasted Mergansers were on the water. (BI)
Nuthatch (above) & Reed Bunting at Chichester Marina (BI)
Medmerry: Easton Lane to the Stilt Pool - A Corn Bunting was along the banks this afternoon, along with three Yellowhammers, a Reed Bunting, three Dartford Warblers, two Stonechats, nine Meadow Pipits and c50 Linnets, with a Marsh Harrier over.
Also, four Avocets, five Redshanks, six Ringed Plovers and two Dunlin were on the Stilt Pool and c200 Brent Geese were on the reserve. (S&SaH)
Medmerry: Easton Lane to Wilson's Farm - There was a Corn Bunting and at least 60 Yellowhammers around the cover crop at Wilson's Farm, together with c100 Linnets, c20 Skylarks, Chaffinches and Goldfinches and a couple of Greenfinches, plus a Snipe.
There wasn't too much else, though three Stonechats together were along the path and a Raven, a Marsh Harrier and an Egyptian Goose went over. (AH)
Yellowhammer (above), Stonechats, Snipe & Raven at Medmerry (AH)
Friday, 13th February: Another grey morning complete with a few showers, though the breeze was fairly modest, initially from the west, before backing to the east.......
The RSPB are looking for volunteers to help prepare the islands in the harbour for the return of the tern colonies. Anybody interested can turn up at the Visitor Centre (see below), or just meet them at Church Norton shortly after that time, and if anyone wishes to know more, pop into the Visitor Centre or ring them on 01243 641508
Below is a summary of the Tuesday; Wednesday; and Thursday we'll be out next towards the end of February:
Tuesday 24th of February: 09:30-12:30 Low tide is at 09:19. Please arrive at the visitors centre by 09:30 when we will depart for CN. Hopefully we should have a good 2 hrs 30/ 3hours window out there so will likely leave the islands by 12:30. Come back to the VC for a nice bit of coffee/tea and our lunch.
Wednesday 25th of February: 09:30-15:00 Low tide is at 10:26. Please arrive to the visitors centre for 09:30 if you're seeking a lift to site, otherwise park at CN car park for 09:45. We will be out on the islands until 13:30. I'm intending to achieve a good hit of the vegetation until 12:45 before we stop to have lunch. We'll depart the island by 13:30 after lunch and make an hours start with the red valerian at CN spit. Remind me to bring 4/5 wooden fence posts on this day too please as I'm terrible at remembering!
Thursday 26th February: 11:00-15:00 Low tide is at 12:04. Please arrive at the visitors centre for 11am. We will be out on the island until 3pm with a lunch break in between so I assure you I'll have a tea kit prepared. Hopefully by this point we may also have moved over to 'Breech island' to make a start with managing the vegetation there particularly for our nesting little terns.
Selsey Bill: It was another very slow morning! Full log below. (AH)
(0735-0835hrs) (W, F2, backing to E, F3)
Red-throated Diver - 1W, 1os
Great Crested Grebe - 2W
Common Scoter - 1E, 2W
Red-breasted Merganser - 2E
Mediterranean Gull - 2E, 4os
Common Gull - 1W
Great Black-backed Gull - 2os
Sandwich Tern - 2E
Common Scoters at the Bill (AH)
Ferry Pool: The Green Sandpiper and a Redshank were on the roadside pool, with at least 500 Lapwings around the main pool and fields, along with eight Gadwall, six Shelducks, c80 Shovelers, c150 Teal and c200 Wigeon, whilst two Snipe flew out from the channel opposite.
Also, a Siskin and a Raven went over, with a Redwing in the hedges,, whilst out in the harbour there were 650 Golden Plovers among more Lapwing, as well as an Avocet. (AH/PA)
Green Sandpiper (above) & Teal at the Ferry (AH)
Mill Pond Marsh: There were two Chiffchaffs in the hedges this morning, one singing half-heartedly, whilst a Raven was calling intermittently from the big trees, and there was also a vocal Cetti's Warbler about. (M&LL)
North Wall: The male and female Marsh Harriers were seen this morning, as were the three White-fronted Geese and two Egyptian Geese, but there were no Corn Buntings at Church Barton, though plenty of Yellowhammers were about.
The three Spotted Redshanks were in White's Creek as the tide dropped, as was a Kingfisher, but most of the activity was further down the harbour (see below), with the flooded fields just holding c30 Curlews and a dozen or so Shovelers and Teal and a couple of Gadwall. (AH/EB/TS/LP/SP/IH/MJa et al)
Spotted Redshanks (AH top two, EB lower), Redwing, Curlews, Oystercatcher & the view down the harbour (EB) at the North Wall
East side: There were still vast numbers of birds in the harbour this morning, including c1000 Black-tailed Godwits, c2000 Lapwings and Brent Geese, c500 Wigeon, c200 Teal, c60 Pintail, c400 Knot, c500 Dunlin, c50 Grey Plovers and at least 400 Common Gulls, with similar of Black-headed Gulls, a dozen Mediterranean Gulls and a couple of Lesser Black-backed Gulls among them. (AH et al)
Pintail (above), Pintail and Black-tailed Godwits, Red-breasted Merganser, Knot & Common and Black-headed Gulls along the East side (AH)
