Sunday, 30th November: A cold, but bright morning in a brisk north-westerly breeze......
Selsey Bill: It was quality over quantity this morning, with the general lack of activity punctuated by a few good birds, including the Red-necked Grebe and two Slavonian Grebes on the sea, a Goosander west and a Velvet Scoter west. Full log below. (SH/BI/PB/MRB/AH/IP/RAI)
(0720-0920hrs) (NW, F4)
Great Northern Diver - 4E, 1os
Red-throated Diver - 3E, 3W
diver sp - 1W
Red-necked Grebe - 1os
Slavonian Grebe - 2os
Great Crested Grebe - 1E, 2W, 1os
Gannet - 1W, 1os
Shag - 6E
Brent Goose - 2W
Velvet Scoter - 1W
Common Scoter - 2E, 3W, 20os
Goosander - 1W
Red-breasted Merganser - 2E, 1W, 5os
Oystercatcher - 1W
Turnstone - 3E
Mediterranean Gull - 1W
Great Black-backed Gull - 2os
Kittiwake - 1W
Sandwich Tern - 2W
Razorbill - 10E
auk sp - 4W
Pied Wagtail - 1
Chiffchaff - 1
Goldfinch - 18W
Velvet Scoter (above), Great Northrn Diver & Shag at the Bill (AH)
Ferry Pool: There were c120 Lapwings on the pool this morning, along with a dozen Black-tailed Godwits, but wildfowl just comprised an Egyptian Goose, a dozen or so Shovelers and Teal and 16 Shelducks, with c80 Wigeon and c20 Mallards on the fields behind. (AH)
Egyptian Goose (above) & Black-tailed Godwits and Lapwings at the Ferry (AH)
Church Norton: There was no sign of the Barnacle Geese this morning, though c300 Brent Geese were around the harbour, with more coming and going, too.
Otherwise, the main interest was offshore, where the Black-necked Grebe, two Slavonian Grebes and four Great Crested Grebes were on the sea and a Kittiwake flew west.The harbour was full of birds, but just the usual, including a dozen Avocets, c500 Knot, c1000 Dunlin, c80 Grey Plovers and a few Golden Plovers, along with c25 Shelducks, c40 Pintail and 100+ Teal and Wigeon.
Also, a couple of Siskins were in with c30 Goldfinches along the path to the beach, a Chiffchaff and three Goldcrests were between the Severals, a Reed Bunting and a Great Spotted Woodpecker were at Greenlease farm and a pair of Stock Doves went over Priory Wood. (AH/BI/PB/MRB/RAI/IP et al)
Brent Geese (above), Siskin, Knot & Grey Plover at Church Norton (AH)
North Wall: There was a vast amount of birds out in the harbour, but they were all the regular species except for four Avocets, and 500 Brent Geese were along White’s Creek, with many small groups moving between the fields and the harbour, whilst two Kingfishers were around the sluice, and a Cetti’s Warbler was in the bushes nearby.
Two Rock Pipits were along the wall and there was lots of activity in the hedgerows with ten Yellowhammers, 12 Reed Buntings, four Greenfinches, ten Long-tailed Tits, two Stonechats,12 Goldfinches, two Song Thrushes, a Kestrel and a Sparrowhawk around the Honer fields, whilst five Snipe flew over and a Buzzard and the male Marsh Harrier were also about.
A Water Rail was again showing well along the banks of Owl Water, and a Little Grebe was on the water along with three Shovelers. (MJa/MRi/LP/CRJ/SP/CT/JDW/EB/SBr)
This evening there were two Stonechats at Halsey's Farm, with just a single female Marsh Harrier in to roost, and not much else beyond two Cetti's Warblers and a Water Rail. (SH)
Water Rail (LP top, EB lower) (above), Rock Pipits (LP top, EB lower), Yellowhammers, Song Thrush, Shoveler (LP), Reed Bunting & Little Grebe (EB) at the North Wall
Medmerry: Easton Lane to the Stilt Pool - The banks were quiet today, with just three Stonechats, two Goldcrests, a Reed Bunting, five Yellowhammers, up to ten Meadow Pipits and Skylarks and c50 Linnets, with 75 Brent Geese, eight Egyptian Geese and c200 Lapwings and Golden Plovers on the reserve and a Marsh Harrier, a Buzzard and a Kestrel over. (SH)
Saturday, 29th November: A very murky morning, with drizzly rain never far away in a fresh and blustery south-westerly.......
Selsey Bill: It was a busy morning, dominated by a huge westward movement of 1324 Kittiwakes, with many dropping in on the big distant feeding flock as they went.
There were also a number of interesting birds seen, including a Red-necked Grebe that dropped in offshore, along with two Slavonian Grebes and the Long-tailed Duck, with a Black-throated Diver, the first returning Fulmar of the autumn and a very late Manx Shearwater among the birds going west. Full log below. (JA/SH/PB/BI/IP/AH/MRe)
(0710-1010hrs) (SW, F6-7)
Great Northern Diver - 2E, 1W, 1os
Red-throated Diver - 3E, 1W
Black-throated Diver - 1W
diver sp - 3W
Red-necked Grebe - 1os
Slavonian Grebe - 2os
Great Crested Grebe - 1os
Manx Shearwater - 1W
Fulmar - 1W
Gannet - 44W
Shag - 5E
Brent Goose - 1W
Long-tailed Duck - 1os
Common Scoter - 6E
Red-breasted Merganser - 1E, 1W
Oystercatcher - 1W
Ringed Plover - 1E
Turnstone - 3
Mediterranean Gull - 2W
Common Gull - 5W
Great Black-backed Gull - 6E, 13W
Kittiwake - 1324W
Guillemot - 5W, 1os
Razorbill - 134W, 5os
auk sp - 14E, 224W
Kittiwakes (above), Black-throated Diver, Gannet & Razorbill at the Bill (AH)
Ferry Pool: There were c150 Teal on the pool this morning, along with 16 Shelducks, a pair of Gadwall, c40 Shovelers, c25 Lapwings and a lone Avocet, whilst the Kingfisher was again in the channel opposite. (AH)
Kingfisher (above), Avocet and Lapwing & Teal at the Ferry (AH)
Church Norton: There was a flock of 51 Barnacle Geese out in the harbour this morning, with another flock of 11 flying over, but not settling. This late autumn/early winter arrival of what are presumably wintering continental birds has been a feature of recent winters, though not the last one, with flocks turning and staying for just a day or two before moving on again.
Apart from that, though, it was pretty standard fare, with a few Brent Geese and Pintail about, along with plenty of Wigeon and Teal, with up to a dozen Avocets along the main channel and c250 Knot and c500 Dunlin, plus c50 Grey Plovers, out on the mud. (BI/AW/MRe/AH)
The flock of 51 Barnacle Geese were still out in the main channel late this afternoon, with 14 Avocets, two Greenshanks and a Bar-tailed Godwit about, along with three Marsh Harriers and a Peregrine. (AWi)
Barnacle Geese (top two AW, lower two AH) (above) & Knot and Dunlin (AH) at Church Norton
North Wall: It was dire along the wall this morning in the wind and rain, with just a Rock Pipit along the wall and a few Brent Geese, Wigeon and Teal along White’s Creek, and c200 Lapwings and a few Redshanks out on the mud.
A Marsh Harrier flew over the fields, and five Shovelers went over the Breech Pool, but apart from a couple of Stonechats in the paddock that was it. (LP)
Pagham Spit and Lagoon: Eighteen Linnets, three Meadow Pipits, and two Stonechats were along the spit and a Kingfisher was on the ironwork, whilst in the harbour there were only a few waders about, but a reasonable selection with a Greenshank, a Bar-tailed Godwit, a Turnstone, a Dunlin, three Redshanks, four Grey Plovers, five Oystercatchers and a Curlew. There were small groups of Brent Geese scattered around as well as c100 Wigeon and Teal, and a Common Seal was hauled out on the mud.
On the lagoon it was just the usual, with eight Tufted Ducks, 18 Little Grebes, four Great Crested Grebes and c80 Coots. (LP)
Greenshank (above) & Grey Plover at Pagham Spit (LP)
Medmerry: Easton Lane to the Stilt Pool - A Green Sandpiper was in the ditch opposite Marsh Barn this afternoon, with two Snipe on the Stilt Pool and a Kingfisher, c100 Lapwings and c300 Golden Plovers on the reserve, but the banks were quiet beyond five Stonechats, a Chiffchaff, seven Yellowhammers, ten or so Meadow Pipits and Skylarks and c40 Linnets, plus four Kestrels over. (SH)
Friday, 28th November: A mostly overcast morning, with the odd brighter spell, fairly mild in a moderate south-westerly breeze.....
Selsey Bill: There was just a mix of the regular species, though three Slavonian Grebes were on the sea again and 33 Brent Geese went west. Full log below. (P&LH/IP/AH)
(0730-0915hrs) (SW, F3-4)
Great Northern Diver - 1E, 2os
Red-throated Diver - 2E, 3W, 1os
Slavonian Grebe - 3os
Great Crested Grebe - 1E, 1W, 1os
Gannet - 4W
Shag - 8E, 2os
Brent Goose - 33W
Common Scoter - 16E
Red-breasted Merganser - 4E
Oystercatcher - 1
Turnstone - 1
Mediterranean Gull - 2E, 1W, 1os
Great Black-backed Gull - 1os
Razorbill - 34W, 4os
auk sp - 1E, 23W
Pied Wagtail - 1W
Meadow Pipit - 5W
(1130-1230hrs) (P&LH)
Great Northern Diver - 1W
Red-throated Diver - 2W
Shag - 1E
Brent Goose - 2W
Turnstone - 1
Mediterranean Gull - 1os
Pied Wagtail - 1
(1330-1500hrs) (P&LH)
Great Northern Diver - 1os
Black-necked Grebe - 1os
Great Crested Grebe - 1os
Oystercatcher - 1
Turnstone - 3
Mediterranean Gull - 3W
Pied Wagtail - 1
Red-throated Diver (above) & Great Crested Grebe at the Bill (AH)
Ferry Pool: The Green Sandpiper was on the roadside pool this morning, with 24 Shelducks, c40 Shovelers and c120 Teal on the main pool and c80 Wigeon, a par of Gadwall and c20 Mallards on the flooded parts of the fields, whilst the Grey Wagtail was in the channel opposite. (AH)
Green Sandpiper (above) & Grey Wagtail at the Ferry (AH)
Mill Pond Marsh: There were just a handful of Shovelers and c25 Teal on the flooded field this morning, and half a dozen Blackbirds and a calling Cetti's Warbler n the hedges, whist a Marsh Harrier was hunting over the adjacent area of harbour salt-marsh. (AH)
Marsh Harrier at Mill Pond Marsh (AH)
Church Norton: A large flock of 600+ Golden Plovers flew over high, heading west early on and there were large numbers of Dunlin, Knot and Grey Plovers around the harbour entrance, whilst c300 Brent Geese were in the harbour before dispersing in small groups.
Also, two Goldcrests and a Chiffchaff were among a mixed flock of tits in the trees between the Severals, a Green Woodpecker, two Meadow Pipits and a dozen Linnets were along the spit and a Mistle Thrush was by the churchyard. (AW)
Later, two Pintail, c30 Shelducks, c25 Wigeon, c70 Teal, c30 Grey Plovers, a Ringed Plover, c100 Knot and c150 Dunlin were in the harbour, with two Mistle Thrushes and a Redwing around the churchyard. (P&LH)
Golden Plovers (above), Green Woodpecker & Dunlin at Church Norton (AW)
Sidlesham: A Tawny Owl was calling very loudly right outside our house in Cow Lane just before dawn this morning, with another, a bit further east replying each time. (AH)
Westhampnett Pit: A Bullfinch was here today and there were also two Egyptian Geese present. (BI)
Medmerry: Ham Farm - A Short-eared Owl was hunting over the tidal area this morning, with a Corn Bunting nearby and two more in the fields west of Ham viewpoint, along with a flock of c400 Stock Doves, c150 Skylarks and a few Yellowhammers, whilst a mobile flock of c400 Brent Geese ewre in the fields along the Medmerry Trail. (MWh)
Medmerry: Easton Lane to Wilson's Farm - Up to 40 Yellowhammers, c20 Skylarks, half a dozen Linnets and two or three Chaffinches were on the cover crop fields by Wilson's Farm late this morning, with a Stonechat and a few more Skylarks along the path from the car-park.
Also, a hunting Marsh Harrier appeared to catch something on the reserve, c50 Stock Doves and six Egyptian Geese flew over onto the reserve. (AH/MWh)
Yellowhammers (above), Marsh Harrier & Stock Dove at Medmerry (AH)
