Tuesday, 3rd March: Another sunny morning, and warmer, too, in the light northerly breeze.....
Selsey Bill: It remains very quiet, with nothing but the slightest hint of visible migration going on, though a Guillemot and four Great Northern Divers were on the sea and a pod of at least six Bottle-nosed Dolphins went east. Full log below. (IP/AH/P&LH et al)
(0705-0850hrs) (NNE, F1)
Great Northern Diver - 4os
Red-throated Diver - 1E, 3W
Gannet - 1W
Shag - 1E
Mallard - 2
Common Scoter - 4E
Red-breasted Merganser - 4E
Turnstone - 6
Mediterranean Gull - 1W
Sandwich Tern - 5os
Guillemot - 1os
Meadow Pipit - 3N
Pied Wagtail - 1N
Chiffchaff - 1
Rook - 1N
Goldfinch - 6N
Bottle-nosed Dolphin - 6E
(1245-1345hrs) (P&LH)
Great Northern Diver - 4os
Red-throated Diver - 2E
Great Crested Grebe - 3W, 1os
Red-breasted Merganser - 3E
Great Black-backed Gull - 1os
Sandwich Tern - 2E, 1W
Pied Wagtail - 1N
Great Northern Diver (above), Red-throated Diver & Sandwich Tern at the Bill (AH)
Ferry Pool: Two Lapwings and a Redshank were the only waders on the pool this morning, whilst wildfowl comprised c60 Shovelers and Teal, c100 Wigeon, a pair of Gadwall, ten Shelducks and two Canada Geese. (AH)
Lapwing and Gadwall on the Ferry (AH)
North Wall: Two Grey Wagtails were on the roof of Little Welbourne and two Goldcrests were down the lane , along with a Chiffchaff and a Great Spotted Woodpecker, whilst a Pied Wagtail, two Collared Doves, two Jays and a Green Woodpecker were in the paddocks and the Marsh Harriers were active all morning, with at least three birds seen.
A Rock Pipit was along the wall, and there were a few Reed Buntings, Greenfinches and Goldfinches in the hedgerows. Nine Tufted Ducks, two Great Crested Grebes, and a Mute swan were on the Breech Pool, and in the flooded fields there were, 60 Brent Geese, eight Canada Geese, the three White-fronted Geese, two Egyptian Geese, 42 Shovelers, eight Gadwall, two Pintail, four Shelduck, 12 Wigeon and 16 Teal.
At Owl Copse, 32 Cattle Egrets flew into the trees and eight Grey Herons were also about, whilst at Halsey’s Farm, three Meadow Pipits were in the fields and 72 Teal were along the rife.
Out in the harbour, 68 Black-tailed Godwits were present early on, and later at high tide, a pair of Red-breasted Mergansers were close to the wall. (LP/TRH)
This afternoon there were two Sand Martins over the Breech Pool. (NR)
This evening a remarkable 115 Cattle Egrets were seen flying in to Owl Copse from the Marsh Farm area, whilst there were also c300 Brent Geese, three Cetti's Warblers and a Reed Bunting about. (S&SaH)
Red-breasted Mergansers (above), Cattle Egret, Gadwall, Great Crested Grebe, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Goldcrest & Rock Pipit at the North Wall (LP)
Church Norton: Three Greenshanks were in the harbour at high tide this morning, with other waders including 83 Turnstones, 35 Knot, three Ringed Plovers, c100 Grey Plovers and c200 Dunlin, with three sandwich Terns roosting on the metalwork and c100 Brent Geese and 25 Teal also present.
There were also a Goldcrest, four Skylarks, three Linnets and three Meadow Pipits about. (P&LH)
This afternoon, as the tide receded, there were two Bar-tailed Godwits in the harbour along with at least 200 Knot, a few of which were colour tagged. There were also around 130 Grey Plover, 100 Dunlin, and a dozen Ringed Plovers, some of which were displaying. (AW)
There was also a Muntjac Deer in the Mound area. (EB)
Bar-tailed Godwit (above), Knot & Ringed Plover at Church Norton (AW)
East Head: Two Scandinavian Rock Pipits were on the salt-marsh along the east side this morning, with four Sanderlings, ten Snipe and ten Golden Plovers also about, whilst the Black-throated Diver was out on the water, along with two Great Northern Divers and a Peregrine flew north with what looked like a Coot as prey. (SM/NR/KF et al)
West Itchenor: What was presumably the same Black-throated Diver was out in the main channel, visible from Chalkdock, with a Great Northern Diver, two Red-throated Divers, four Red-breasted Mergansers and half a dozen Great Crested Grebes.
There were up to 1000 Brent Geese scattered widely on the high tide, but three Snipe and a few Redshanks and Curlews were the only waders on the near side, though a big roost of the latter and several flocks of Dunlin could be seen further over.
There wasn't much else to report, though, with a fly-by Kingfisher, two Rock Pipits flying out of the salt-marsh, a dozen Meadow Pipits on the grass and three Chiffchaffs in the hedges about the sum. (AH)
Black-throated Diver (above), Great Northern Diver, Red-breasted Merganser, Brent Geese, Curlews, Chiffchaff & Meadow Pipit at West Itchenor (AH)
Monday, 2nd March: A bright and sunny morning, though quite cool in the brisk southerly breeze.....
Selsey Bill: It was quite interesting this morning, with an early first Manx Shearwater of the year traversing the horizon heading west, and six Pintail, two Gadwall, 46 Shovelers and 54 Brent Geese going east. Full log below. (PB/PA/IP/AH)
(0700-0915hrs) (SSW, F5)
Red-throated Diver - 1E, 2W, 1os
diver sp - 1E
Great Crested Grebe - 1os
Manx Shearwater - 1W
Shag - 5E
Brent Goose - 54E
Gadwall - 2E
Pintail - 6E
Shoveler - 46E
Common Scoter - 1E, 10W
Red-breasted Merganser - 5E
Mediterranean Gull - 3W
Common - 1W
Great Black-backed Gull - 5os
Sandwich Tern - 2E
Razorbill - 1E
Meadow Pipit - 1E
Pied Wagtail - 2E
Jackdaw - 8E
Rook - 2E
Sadly, a dead Puffin was found on the beach this afternoon. (per AW)
Shovelers and Pintail (above), Red-breasted Merganser & Sandwich Tern at the Bill (AH)
Ferry Pool: The Green Sandpiper was back, tucked in on the roadside pool this morning, though there were no other waders about, save four Lapwings, whilst wildfowl comprised 18 Shelducks, four Gadwall, c80 Shovelers, c60 Teal and c150 Wigeon, and c20 Mediterranean Gulls were among the large numbers of Black-headed Gulls present. (AH)
Green Sandpiper (above), Lapwing & Gadwall at the Ferry (AH)
North Wall: Five Marsh Harriers - a male and four females - ere displaying over the reeds this morning, and a Red Kite was also about, whilst a Sandwich Tern, 13 Avocets and plenty of Grey Plovers, Teal, Wigeon and Pintail were in the harbour.
A Pale-bellied Brent Goose was among the Brent Geese in Honer 3 field, with 42 Cattle Egrets, a Kingfisher, six Gadwall and seven Tufted Ducks about, too, whilst a singing Chiffchaff and a Rock Pipit were along the wall and two Grey Wagtails, four Pied Wagtails, a Redwing, two Meadow Pipits, two Reed Buntings, and a Great Spotted Woodpecker were around the paddocks. (BFF/SL/PA/LP et al)
Marsh Harrier (above), Grey Wagtail, Redwing, Pale-bellied Brent Goose & Cattle Egrets at the North Wall (LP)
Pagham Spit: The drake Long-tailed Duck resurfaced offshore this morning after a prolonged absence, and half a dozen Red-breasted Mergansers were in the vicinity, too. (PA)
Church Norton: It was quiet again here, with most of the waders on the other side of the harbour, though c100 Dunlin, c30 Grey Plovers and c20 Knot were on the ironwork, whilst on the water there were c50 Brent Geese, c20 Wigeon and a dozen Teal. (AH)
Wigeon (above) & Knot, Grey Plovers and Dunlin (AH)
A Firecrest and at least four Goldcrests were in the churchyard late this afternoon, whilst a flock of 54 Shovelers among the Wigeon in the main channel was unusual for the harbour. (AH/PA)
Firecrest (above) & Goldcrest at Church Norton (AH)
Medmerry: Easton Lane to the Stilt Pool - Four Dartford Warblers, a Goldcrest, six calling Cetti's Warblers, three Yellowhammers, two Reed Buntings, two Green Woodpeckers and good numbers of Meadow Pipits and Skylarks were along the banks this morning, whilst a Green Sandpiper flew out from one of the path-side pools, seven Avocets and four Snipe were on the Stilt Pool, c25 Brent Geese were on the reserve and a Buzzard went over. (PB/SaH)
Sidlesham: The first Swallow of the year went over Cow Lane late this afternoon. (PA)
Hunston: The Glossy Ibis was present again today in the flooded field near the roundabout. (PA)
Glossy Ibis at Hunston (PA)
Sunday, 1st March: A return to west and windy conditions this morning, with persistent drizzly rain, though easing off later, pushed through by a very brisk southerly breeze.....
Selsey Bill: It was very quiet this morning, with a flock of 23 Brent Geese east the only thing of note. Full log below. (SH/IP)
(0645-0830hrs) (SSW, 6-7)
Gannet - 1E, 3W
Brent Goose - 23E, 8W
Red-breasted Merganser - 2W
Turnstone - 3W
Great Black-backed Gull - 1E, 7W
Kittiwake - 1W
Meadow Pipit - 1N
(1230-1330hrs) (SH)
Great Northern Diver - 1os
Slavonian Grebe - 1os
Gannet - 2W
Brent Goose - 1E
Turnstone - 3
Great Black-backed Gull - 2W
Kittiwake - 1W
Sandwich Tern - 1W
Between 3-4pm, at least 20 Sandwich Terns were seen offshore, with a couple of small groups of four and five heading east. Also of note was a Common Gull seen stamping the ground, as Herring Gulls often do. (AW)
Sandwich Terns (above) & Common Gull at the Bill (AW)
Ferry Pool: There were six Avocets and a Redshank on the pool this morning, but many fewer wildfowl than of late, with just c50 Shovelers and c25 Wigeon and Teal present. (AH)
Avocets (above) & Shovelers at the Ferry (AH)
Selsey: A Coal Tit was in my garden, to the north of the village, this morning. (AW)
Coal Tit in a Selsey garden (AW)
Church Norton: It was very quiet in the harbour on the high tide, with just an handful of Wigeon and Teal, a lone Brent Goose, a Little Grebe and one or two Oystercatchers and Curlews seen, whilst a Chiffchaff was the only thing in the hedges. (AH/SH)
Wigeon (above) & Little Grebe at Church Norton (AH)
North Wall: It was quiet along the wall in the blustery conditions, although 30 Black-tailed Godwits were along White’s Creek and a Spotted Redshank was by the Halsey’s Outfall.
Fourteen Grey Herons were in and around Owl Copse, and in the flooded fields there were six Shovelers, a Little Egret, 46 Curlews and 86 Brent Geese, whilst two Tufted Ducks were on the Breech Pool and three Marsh Harriers were over the reeds. (LP)
Later, three female Marsh Harriers were seen, along with a Buzzard and a Kestrel, with a couple of Reed Buntings along the wall and two Pintail, 18 Shovelers, c50 Black-tailed Godwits and c300 Brent Geese in the fields. (S&SaH)
Spotted Redshank (above) & Grey Herons at the North Wall (LP)
Pagham Lagoon: The female Pochard was still on the Lagoon, but otherwise there were just nine Tufted Ducks, a Great Crested Grebe and a Little Grebe. (LP)
Pochard on Pagham Lagoon (LP)
Pagham Spit: A dozen Skylarks, six Linnets and a Meadow Pipit were along the Spit, and on the offshore banks two Sandwich Terns were roosting with a mixed group of gulls, and there were a few waders about, with Grey Plovers, Knot, Dunlin, Turnstones, Ringed Plover and Oystercatchers around the islands, whilst on the water there were 80 Brent Geese, 12 Wigeon and two Red-breasted Mergansers. (LP)
Sandwich Terns (above), Red-breasted Merganser, Linnet & Ringed Plover at Pagham Spit (LP)
West Itchenor: The Black-throated Diver was still offshore from Itchenor this morning, along with two Great Northern Divers and plenty of displaying Red-breasted Mergansers. (BI)
Sidlesham: Three Redwings were in the hedges along Cow Lane this afternoon and c40 Mediterranean Gulls went over. (AH)
Chichester GPs: Ivy Lake complex - A quick look around the various pits late this morning produced no hirundines and not much else beyond an Egyptian Goose, half a dozen Greylag Geese, c40 Canada Geese, a pair of Shovelers, 16 Pochard, 25 Tufted Ducks and four Great Crested Grebes. (AH)
Pochards (above), Shovelers, Egyptian Goose & Greylag Geese at Chichester GPs (AH)
