Birding the Selsey Peninsula: 4th

Wednesday, 6th November: Another grey, gloomy and wet morning with a strong westerly; unsurprisingly not a lot to offer bird-wise, or at least nothing unusual, although the Red-backed Shrike was apparently still present early afternoon for the sixth day (per RBA).

Pagham Hbr: Not much to report today....Pagham Lagoon: Very little out of the ordinary - 6 Wigeon, about 30 Little Grebes and a few Tufted Ducks in amongst the Coots!
Pagham Beach: 30-40 Mediterranean Gulls and a couple of Common Gulls along the strandline and nothing on the sea. North Wall: Had a quick look for the shrike, but no joy in the blustery conditions. A Water Rail was on the Breech Pool along with about 20 Black-tailed Godwits, and along the wall, a Yellowhammer was amongst about a dozen Reed Buntings, also a Rock Pipit present along with a flyby Kingfisher and a Peregrine (AH).

Med Gull, Pagham beach (A. House)

A further report from JW at midday: Almost high tide. 2 Rock Pipits along the North Wall. Breech Pool quiet in the face of a strong S wind, apart from an obliging Water Rail. The field due north of the stables, although recently ploughed, is now partially flooded. Birds have been quick to take advantage, this morning there were 210 Golden Plover, 160 Lapwing and 1 Common Snipe. 112 Brent Geese behind the village hall. Jim

Selsey Bill (1000-1200hrs): Needing to get out I did a 2hr. watch but with little success. (SR)

WSW F7/8 High tide, visibility limited to 1.5 miles. Dry and overcast.

Gannet - 1W

Great Crested Grebe - 1W, 2os

Brent Goose - 51W

Common Scoter - 3 os, drifted W

Wigeon - 1W

Turnstone - 49 ob

Med. Gull - 5W, 2os

Goldfinch - 22W

Pheasant - 1 gardens

Chris Janman reports "After the recent BBC Television statements about Medmerry now being “open”, I took a trip around the area looking for access points; the potential future car parks at Easton and Earnley are still firmly padlocked, and in any case no direct footpaths are laid towards the Reserve. One can gain limited access through West Sands Caravan Park at Selsey West beach, that’s if you are prepared to slog through un-levelled shingle, wade through a foot of clay or hop from granite boulder to granite boulder. They may have finished work on the main sea encroachment , but there still remains much work to be done before the public can gain safe and firm access to the perimeter.

Just south of Earnley Concourse 800 Brent were feeding on grassland. Not even a Chiffchaff in the sheltered spots at Church Norton, about 100 Grey Plover and a few Bar-tailed Godwits were present. At Selsey Bill, 1240-1315, lots of Black-headed Gulls, 3 Common Gulls and 32 Mediterranean Gulls, 60 Turnstone on the beach." (CRJ).

(Note: I think the 'official opening' was for dignitaries and not the likes of us; as I understand it things are running a bit late and official public access won't now be until the end of this month...and I would expect even that date to slip a bit - OM).

Tuesday, 5th November: A grey and damp start which is forecast to brighten later. An early report this morning by Sam Hill at 0657hrs (presumably on his way to work) of the female Marsh Harrier in a field at Ferry Corner. Otherwise a very slow news day on the Peninsula; looks like most of the locals had the day off and it was left to Sarah Russell to provide the only full report...

Pagham Hbr: Sidlesham: Just a short walk along the tramway this afternoon and with an increasingly high tide the birds were disappearing fast, but I did notice 3 Avocet quite close in, 57 Brent Geese, 18 Shelduck, c175 Wigeon, 24 Redshank, 17 Curlew, 22 Black-tailed Godwits, 60 Lapwings and 2 Great Crested Grebes. Ferry Pool: A good number of birds present but they were mainly Teal (70) and Wigeon (140), plus 36 Shoveler, 111 Lapwings, 3 Shelduck, 4 Dunlin, 5 Black-tailed Godwits and 1 Redshank (SR).

Monday, 4th November: The S/SW severe gale and heavy rain overnight gave way to a bright clear and somewhat cooler morning with a stiff NW force 5-6. The latter direction is never usually productive for sea-watching at the Bill, but after a quick visit to Pagham North Wall I figured it must surely be worth a look in case some storm-blown phalarope was lingering close inshore for shelter. Dream on! All that was offer was a gathering of 40 Med Gulls amongst the throng of other gulls riding the surf and no sea passage at all in over two hours. It was however a very high tide, with waves crashing over the usual sea-watching spot, making it impossible to be 'on the wall' and creating a blizzard of beach flies at times. At Pagham Hbr the Red-backed Shrike was still present and still showing well at Halsey's farm, whilst a Marsh Harrier was in the area.

Pagham Hbr: North Wall: In White's Creek plenty of Wigeon, a Spotted Redshank, 2 Bar-tailed and c.120 Black-tailed Godwits and 150 Golden Plover, whilst the Breech Pool held another 20+ Black-tailed Godwits and a Water Rail, plus 2 Cetti's Warblers (G&R Hughes/OM). Later a Marsh Harrier was present, also a Peregrine and 2 late Swallows (G&RH). The Red-backed Shrike was still present at Halsey's for it's fourth day; also a pair of Stonechats and a couple of Reed Buntings in the area.

The below pic's show a selection of species at the North Wall today: from the top - Peregrine, Marsh Harrier (both G. Hughes), gathering of Black-tailed Godwits (plus 2 Bar-tailed !!) with Wigeon in White's Creek (OM), then Wigeon, Black-tailed Godwit, Redshank and Grey Plover (all four by Dorian Mason). Good job I told you which is my pic amongst this exalted line-up!