27th-28th February 2014

Friday, 28th February: Another bright and breezy day with the promise of more rain. Highlight was a brief (and long overdue this winter!) Iceland Gull on the Lagoon. 

Ferry Pool: A male Ruff was present first thing this morning, along with the usual 70+ Shoveler, 60+ Shelduck and 100+ Lapwing. (AH)

Ruff on the Ferry (AH)

Pagham Lagoon: The putative Siberian Chiffchaff was present again this morning, though CRJ was not fully convinced by its credentials. It needs a bit of tape-luring if anyone has the technology.(AH)
A first-winter Iceland Gull was briefly on the Lagoon - found this morning just before 10 am, it settled on the water for about 15 minutes but something spooked all the gulls and it flew of with them to the west. (Bart Ives)

Iceland Gull on Pagham Lagoon (Bart Ives)

 

 

Church Norton: In the harbour the 2 Whooper Swans were off the North Wall (well spotted CRJ!), and the 5 Avocets were off the Long Pool, whilst the Peregrine was back on his island and 4 tred-breasted Mergansers were on the water..
There were no birds at all offshore, whilst along the spit a few Skylarks were singing and a pair of Red-Legged Partridge looked somewhat out of place.
A big mixed group of Knot, Dunlin and Grey Plover were constantly trying to find a bit of dry land around the old harbour mouth on the big high tide, and one of the Knot fell off the metalwork and in the water and was unable to take off. Fortunately it managed to flap and swim its way back to the shore just as the gulls started to take note. (AH)

 

 

 

Thursday, 27th February: A bright breezy start to the day, before deteriorating into heavy showers. The Whooper Swans were back on the 'South Mundham Floods' and there was a pale and interesting Chiffchaff on the Lagoon.....

Pagham Spit/Lagoon: A strikingly very pale and grey-toned (but silent!) Chiffchaff was in the gorse along the Lagoon this morning, along with half a dozen Linnets. On appearance it would seem to be a potential candidate for a Siberian Chiffchaff, though its reluctance to break its vow of silence doesn't help in confirming it. The combination of pale/greyish upperpart and underpart tones, no yellow on face, but greenish yellow tones to remiges visible on closed wing, dark legs etc all look very supportive, but it would certainly help to hear it calling.

On the Lagoon itself were 3 duck Goldeneye and a drake Merganser as well as at least 50 Tufted Ducks and 4 Mediterranean Gulls.

Little to report from the spit save a few more Linnets around the small lagoon, and there were still plenty of Brent Geese in the harbour. (AH)

Chiffchaff along Pagham Lagoon (AH) 

South Mundham Floods: The two Whooper Swans were back in residence this morning, on the big flooded field to the west of the one viewable from the road. Also on the floods were 4 Pintail, 9 Shelduck and 80 Teal, but no waders of any species. Along the rife and hedgerows were 2 Stonechats, 4 Yellowhammers, 2 Reed Buntings, 6 Linnets, 4 Skylarks, 10 Meadow Pipits, a calling Cetti's Warbler and 2 Grey Herons. (AH)

 

Whooper Swans (above) and Grey Heron on South Mundham Floods (AH)  

24th - 26th February 2014

Wednesday, 26th February: Basically a fine sunny and dry day with a fresh WSW wind and a couple of brief showers around noon; not the most inspiring of conditions for a sea-watch and so it was no surprise to find nothing moving. I was joined for most of my 2-hr stay by a couple who regularly visit Dungeness (Liz and Paul Hunter); what a shame the Bill failed to deliver anything to impress the visitors!  (OM)

Selsey Bill (0830-1030hrs): Sunny, wind WSW4.  (Obs: OM, E&PH)
R/b Merganser - 9E, 12 os
Eider - 4E
Med Gull - 3 os eventually drifted away E

Medmerry: I paid a visit to the east side for the first time in a while to view the breach area, having first convinced the security guard at the Bunn's Leisure barrier that I had legitimate reason to be there. The area is just beginning to show the first signs of change, with  a slight 'saltmarshy feel' given a little imagination. but of course there's a long way to go. A couple of hundred Brent Geese were present and feeding, c.15 Ringed Plovers were zooming about, some in display, a small flock of Lapwing were loafing on the mud with 6 Shelduck, and 2 Med Gulls flew over calling, but otherwise there was little to report (OM).

Images of Medmerry today: (upper) The footpath along the cliffs has now eroded in places right back to the fence line, (centre) looking west towards the breach, with the shingle embankment now gone, and (lower) view from Bunn's embankment showing a flock of Brent Geese and the first signs of a changing habitat (OM).


East Head: The Snow Bunting was still at the northern end this morning. Not much on the water - 1 Great Northern Diver, 4 Red-breasted Mergansers and 5 Great Crested Grebes, and in the dunes a Stonechat and plenty of Skylarks and Meadow Pipits. In Snowhill Creek there were 4 Snipe, a Kingfisher, 100+ Teal and a few Redshank, Dunlin and Grey Plover. (AH)

 Snow Bunting, Skylark & Stonechat at East Head (AH)

 

 

Pagham Hbr: A recently-deceased summer-plumaged adult Glaucous Gull was recovered from Tern island this afternoon (our second this winter), whilst a Peregrine with a fresh kill was in the harbour near the west side Thrift Shelf (Trevor-Gibson-Poole).



Tuesday, 25th February: Cloudy and wet for much of the morning, becoming brighter with sunny periods later. Once again there was little to show for a couple of hours sea-watching at the Bill, but with spring now just around the corner it will hopefully not be too long before some movement starts to occur.

Selsey Bill: (0815-1015hrs): Overcast with sporadic heavy rain, Wind S/SSW 4-5. 
(Obs: AH, JD, GJ, DS & DF)
Fulmar - 1W
Gannet - 2W
Red-breasted Merganser  - 2W & 6 os
Common Gull - 6 os
Sandwich Tern - 1W
Razorbill - 1 os

Sandwich Tern off the Bill (AH)

Medmerry Bank: A walk from Easton Lane to Ham Lane produced 1 Stonechat, 15 Yellowhammers, 4 Skylarks and 5 Stock Doves along with a flock of 20 Fieldfares in a small paddock near Oakhurst Farm.(AH)

Sarah Russell did that same walk to Ham Lane this morning...'it links up with the path I've been taking from Golf Links Lane which is handy.  All I can add is a Reed Bunting, Kestrel and a Buzzard.  I then retraced my steps and walked along the banks to the sea at Bracklesham: 1 Pied Wagtail, 5 Skylarks, 1 Stonechat, 1 Stock Dove, 1 Little Egret, 11 Tufted Ducks, 29 Shelducks, 69 Teal, 2 Canada Geese, 1 Buzzard, 1 Kestrel.' (SR).

 

 

Yellowhammer along Medmerry Bank (AH)

Pagham Hbr: Ferry Pool/Fields:  c75 Wigeon, c60 Teal,  84 Shoveler, 33 Shelducks, 14 Gadwall, 1 Little Grebe; fields - 5 Mute Swans, 18 Curlew, 1 Buzzard, 1 calling Cetti's Warbler (SR).

Bernie Forbes and Dave Smith didn't have a very good day..."Our big mistake this morning was going to East Head; it was howling a strong southerly and for the first hour heavy rain! Few birds noted in the rough seas with only 3 Slavonian Grebe and 2 Sandwich Terns being the highlights. At Dell Quay 380 Black-tailed Godwits, 2 Greenshank and 5 Goldeneye. We then left the Peninsula to try inland!" (BFF/DIS). Better luck next time guys.

 

Monday, 24th February: A dry, sunny and bright morning, with a fresh S/SSW wind, becoming cloudier by afternoon. Yesterday's action at the Bill gave cause for optimism with just a hint of early passage, but it was a false dawn as there was no sign of activity today, save for a single flock of Brent Geese heading east as if they meant it...

 

Selsey Bill: (0815-1045hrs): Sunny, bright, Wind S/SSW 4-5.  (Obs: AH/OM)

Slavonian Grebe - 1 os

Great Crested Grebe - 1E, 1 os

Brent Goose - 80E

R/b Merganser - 7 os

Common Scoter - 2E, 1W

Oystercatcher - 3E

Med Gull - 1E

Rock Pipit - 1 ob

Pagham Hbr: Church Norton: A walk along the west side produced 5 Avocets, 3 Red-breasted Mergansers and a Great Crested Grebe in the main channel, 300 Knot and 100 Grey Plover on the mudflats, and a Kestrel, 2 Linnets and 6 Red-legged Partridges on the landward side. (AH)

 

Kestrel making light of the strong wind along the west side (AH)

North Wall: Almost felt and looked like Spring. Primroses are out, Peacock butterfly on the wing, Buzzards and Stock Doves displaying and Cetti's Warblers calling. 210 Wigeon along White's Creek. Brent Geese were leaving the Harbour and dropping in on Church Barton reservoir for a morning bath; estimated 1600 birds in all, 1100 in the flooded field north of the stables and 500 in front of Honer Farm.. Otherwise the fields were quiet, a total of 128 Curlew and 29 Coot floating around on Honer field. The aforementioned buzzards were in the vicinity of Halsey's Farm and the doves were at Honer Farm. (JW).

Sidlesham: Our garden on the west side of the village seems to be a boundary between two Buzzard territories and this morning there was much activity and noise between all four birds. (AH)

Buzzard over Sidlesham (AH)

21st - 23rd February 2014

Sunday, 23rd February: Overcast with a fresh SSW wind. A little more was happening off the Bill this morning, including three species of diver and a Bonxie.

Selsey Bill  0650 to 1015hrs:  Cloudy, cool SSW 4-5: (Obs: SH/PB/IP/AH/CRJ et al)
Red-throated Diver - 1W, 1 os

Black-throated Diver - 1W

Great Northern Diver - 1W, 2 os

Fulmar - 1E, 7W

Gannet - 6E, 15W

Brent Goose - 1E

Common Scoter - 2 os

R/b Merganser - 7E, 5W, 10 os
Razorbill - 1E, 4W, 1 os

Auk sp - 3E, 7W
Kittiwake  - 1E, 21W, 2 os 

Med Gull - 3W
Great Skua - 1W
Sandwich Tern - 1 os

 

 

 

 

 

Resting Kittiwake, and dead and alive Razorbills at the Bill (S. Hill)

Pagham Hbr: A very blustery morning. At the North Wall the 2 Whooper Swans were present at first in the fields at Honer farm. In the flooded field north of Welbourne stables were 1100 Brent Geese, 15 Shelduck and 12 Curlew. During the last two weeks there has never been less than a 1000 Lapwing at this location, but today there were only 21 and these were the only ones recorded this morning. The 2 Whooper Swans  later moved to the same area as the Brent Geese. Otherwise it was generally quiet, though a bright Yellowhammer on the North Wall was a surprise. Pagham Lagoon was equally quiet - a handful of Med Gulls, 26 Tufted Duck, 128 Black-headed Gulls and singles of Goldeneye and Red-breasted Merganser (JW).

 

 

 

 Whooper Swans, Pagham North Fields (J. Weston)

 

 

 

Saturday, 22nd February: Another dry and sunny morning to lift the spirits. It was also the day the decision was made to amend and shorten the title of this blog. It's not that the Bill is considered any less important, but it's to more accurately reflect the way things have evolved and the nature of the news now provided, i.e. the whole of the Peninsula. We hope all, or at least most of you, will approve.

 

Selsey Bill: 06.50-09.00hrs: Bright. dry. Wind SW F4 (Obs: SH, IP & PM)
Great Northern Diver  -  o/s
Red-throated Diver - 3 W
Diver sp - 1 E
Slavonian Grebe - 1 W & 2 o/s
Great Crested Grebe - 1 o/s
Fulmar  - 1 W
Common Scoter  - 3 E & 3 o/s
Red-breasted Merganser - 8 o/s
Turnstone - 7 W
Curlew  - 1 W
Mediterranean Gull - 1 E
Kittiwake - 4 o/s
Sandwich Tern - 2 E
Razorbill - 1 o/s
auk sp - 1 E, 1 o/s

Ferry Pool: Much as yesterday - though now 86 Shovelers present, plus 6 Tufted Ducks and still at least 500 Brent Geese. (AH)
 

Brent Goose (above) & Shovelers on the Ferry (AH)

 

Sidlesham SF & Porthole Farm: Pretty quiet here - 1 Reed Bunting, 1 Grey Wagtail, 20 Pied Wagtails, 2 Stock Doves & 3 Buzzards was about it. (AH)

 

Medmerry Bank from Earnley:

40+ Skylark
40+ Yellowhammer
6 Reed Bunting
1 Stonechat
5 Buzzard
1 Kestrel
1 Green Sandpiper

(SH & IP)

 

Church Norton: The only bird of note on the high tide was a Spotted Redshank by the concrete spit, obviously not invited into the Redshank flock - see pic! Not much else - just a couple of Red-breasted Mergansers and Little Grebes in the harbour. (AH)

 

Spotted Redshank and a flock of Common Redshank in the harbour (AH)

 

East Head: Not much for us - too sunny, tide too low and too many dogs and their minders - but 2 Great Northern Divers, a Spotted Redshank and a Sandwich Tern. (Alan Kitson & Miou Helps per SOS) 

 

 

 

 

Friday, 21st February: A fairly cool, crisp and sunny morning. Cloudier later with a couple of odd showers.
Chichester Gravel Pits: A look round the pits this morning, but not much to report with wildfowl numbers being very low - spoilt for choice, I suppose!
Drayton Pits: 40 Shoveler, 30 Pochard, 80+ Tufted Ducks, 6 Great Crested Grebes and a Common Buzzard  was about it.
Ivy Lake Complex: 30+ Pochard, 50 Tufted Duck, 10 Gadwall, 16 Greylag Geese and 30 Canada Geese, 4 Great Crested Grebes and a very half-hearted Cetti's Warbler were the highlights.(AH)
 

Pochard (above) and Gadwall on Ivy Lake (AH)

 

Ferry Pool: Approximate counts this morning included 75 Shoveler, 40 Shelduck, 600 Brent Geese, 80 Wigeon, 30 Teal, 40 Lapwing, 25 Curlew and 8 Mediterranean Gulls amongst the Black-headed Gulls. (AH)

 

Part of the Shoveler flock on the Ferry (AH)

Church Norton: A late afternoon walk produced little of note - the best bird was an adult Little Gull feeding along the strandline, and there were a few Mediterranean Gulls amongst hundreds of Black-headed Gulls in the harbour on the high tide. (AH)
 

Little Gull from Church Norton Beach (AH)

East Head: A windy day but good birding. We had a brief view of the Snow Bunting in flight plus another brief view of a Kingfisher. In the harbour we picked up three Slavonian Grebes, four pairs of Red-breasted Mergansers and a Great Northern Diver. There were a lot of waders flying around, mostly Dunlin but we did see 27 Golden Plover, 25+ Grey Plovers and six Ringed Plovers along with a handful of Knot.
On Snowhill marsh we found three Spotted Redshank and two Snipe and at Ella Nore there were three roosting Greenshanks. (D & J Killick per SOS)

18th - 20th February 2014

Thursday, 20th February: Normal weather service resumed today - cold, wet windy and poor visibility!

Please note: It is quite possible my email has recently been hacked; I'm not sure of the scale of this and have taken steps to prevent further problems, but for security please no not open any unexpected emails or attachments purporting to be from OM for the time being.

Selsey Bill: 08.40-09.20hrs: strong SSW, very poor visibility (AH)
Absolutely nothing moving offshore; on the sea 1 Common Scoter, 6 Red-breasted Mergansers and 1 Razorbill.

Church Norton: Not much better here, best being about 300 Black-tailed Godwits in two flocks, 2 Bar-tailed Godwits, 100+ Knot & Dunlin, a Mediterranean Gull and a few Common Gulls in the harbour, and 2 Jays in the churchyard.(AH)
 

Black-tailed Godwits in the harbour (AH)

Wednesday, 19th February: A pleasant morning starting with light cloud and a calm sea, although the wind increased considerably to a WSW 4 with thicker cloud as the day progressed.

East Head: Great minds thinking alike - OM and I turned up for another potentially futile search for the Snow Bunting, but today in nice early spring weather we were in luck - and there he was, tucked in on the shingle at the northern tip, untroubled by the many dogs and walkers! Also seen out in the harbour were 3 Great Northern Divers, 3 Long-tailed Ducks and around 15 Slavonian Grebes, along with about half a dozen Great Crested Grebes and at least 20 Red-breasted Mergansers, and there were at least 700 Brent Geese on the grass.(AH) Snowhill Marsh held nothing out of the ordinary; plenty of Teal and just singles of Greenshank and Spotted Redshank being about the best (OM).
 

Snow Bunting on East Head (AH)

 

 

Pagham Hbr: North wall: A pair of Great Crested Grebes have arrived on the Breech Pool hopefully 3rd year lucky. There was a lot of activity at Owl Copse where Grey Herons are busy nest renovating, there were 10 Herons circling the Copse at one point. The highlight however was a Marsh Harrier coming across the Harbour and zooming off in a north westerly direction. On the Lagoon was a Little Gull which later flew off onto the Harbour. Other birds included 26 mewing Med Gulls, many coming into breeding plumage, 9 Goldeneye, 2 Red Breasted Mergansers, 16 Tufted Duck, 3 species of Grebe - 1 Slavonian, 1 Great Crested and 22 Little. (JW).

 

 

 

 

 

 

Med Gulls around the Lagoon, Great Crested Grebes on Breech Pool and Grey Herons at Owl Copse (J. Weston)

This morning I rode down to Honer Farm, just a single Buzzard and 6 Roe Deer on the way. On the fields north of the North Wall were 3 Buzzards, 11 Magpies and 30 Curlew. As these flooded fields and the North Wall to Halsey’s Farm are impassable on the bike I returned to South Mundham and rode to Marsh Farm via Fisher. Very few birds about on the fields today but I did see a flock of 30 Fieldfare, 12 Reed Buntings, some in summer plumage and a spanking male Yellowhammer. (CRJ).

 

Selsey Bill (1015-1215hrs): Wind light WSW   (Obs: C & M Eames)

Red-throated Diver - 1E
Great Northern Diver - 2E, 3os
Slavonian Grebe - 1 os
Shelduck - 9W
Common Scoter - 27 os
R/B Merganser - 4E, 10 os
Razorbill - 1 os off E, 1W
Arctic Skua -  1E reported  (Apparently an imm pale-phase bird, but an exceptionally early date for a migrant, so notes may be required. Observers confident of ID).
Kittiwake  - 1 os

 

Fishbourne Creek: An excellent morning's birding here today. There were at least 30 Yellowhammers feeding in the field next to the church and a pair of Great Spotted Woodpeckers in the trees. Out in the Creek we found two Greenshanks and a Spotted Redshank along with well over 60 Redshanks, 50+ Dunlins and 15 Grey Plovers. There was a large number of Wigeon, five Goldeneyes, three Red-breasted Mergansers, three Lesser Black-backed Gulls plus about 80 Black-tailed Godwits. In the fields we found a Grey Wagtail, 8+ Meadow Pipits, a single Rock Pipit, two male Reed Buntings and a single Linnet. Our last birds of the day were a single Green Woodpecker and a pair of Jays. (Dave and Jean Killick, per SOS website).

 

Tuesday, 18th February: I begin today with a short editorial. This blog began life in early March last year, so as we approach the first anniversary it's time for a brief review. Initially the focus was on Selsey Bill, but it soon became apparent that contributors and readers also considered news from the rest of the Peninsula to be of equal importance, so this aspect was quickly adopted. Other changes or improvements (depending on your point of view) have also gradually evolved; the use of different coloured text for different areas of the Peninsula, the inclusion of plenty of photo's (even if record shots), a variety of pages covering different aspects ranging from the archives to a yearly summary, but probably most importantly of all the adoption of Andy House as joint editor. So far the blog has managed to carry at least some news on every day since its inception and this would have been impossible without Andy's valuable assistance; no doubt there will be a time when we are both away and things slip a little, but c'est la vie! Basically, the blog has exceeded my hopes and expectations, and judging by the hit rate of anywhere between 200 to 400 page views daily it seems to have been well received by readers, perhaps because the news is always current. So why do I tell you this? Well, complacency will lead to stagnation, so Andy and I are currently looking at ways in which things might be improved - not change for change's sake and if it ain't broke we won't fix it - but subtle changes to keep it consistent, current and relevant. Such things could include a change in the blog title, the formal adoption of a colour-code for specific sites (e.g. blue for the Bill, green for Pagham Hbr etc), and a change in the blog layout. If you have any ideas please contact Andy or I, but do also make allowance for our older-generation lack of technical expertise, and the vagaries of the Blogger system itself! (OM). That's enough, on with today's news....

East Head: The long-staying but very elusive Snow Bunting was at the northern end again today, as follows: Went over to East Head where I lucked into the male Snow Bunting in the NW corner - very confiding until disturbed by another ignorant dog-walker. A single Slavonian Grebe was fishing with a male R/B Merganser inside the Head itself. A Black Brant was with the Brent flock by the car-park and a very confiding - and vocal - Med Gull was strutting its stuff there too. No sign of the Dartford or any Sandwich Terns unfortunately (Ads Bowley).

Med Gull and Snow Bunting at East Head (Ads Bowley)

 

 

 

South Mundham Floods: No sign of the Whooper Swans today, but 20 Mute Swan, 16 Shelduck, 50+ Meadow Pipits, 2 Reed Buntings and 2 Stonechats present. (AH)

 

Pagham Lagoon: The Slavonian Grebe was still in residence, along with 8 Goldeneye (including 3 drakes), 3 Red-breasted Mergansers, 30+ Little Grebes and 120 Mediterranean Gulls. Also up to a dozen Linnets flitting about and singing along the gorse. (AH)

 

 

Linnet (top), Slavonian Grebe (above) and Goldeneye on Pagham Lagoon (AH)

 

Pagham Harbour: There are still plenty of Brent Geese about, and there were about 20 Pintail amongst the Wigeon and a couple of hundred Golden Plover in with the Lapwings. There were also 8 Lesser Black-backed Gulls in the gull flock - the first I have seen in the harbour this winter. (AH)

 

Lesser Black-backed Gulls in the harbour (AH)

North Wall: The flood waters have gone down considerably; I was able to do a circuit going up Pagham Rife but only with wellies.  Behind the Wall were 180 Curlew and I noted a further 140 along the Rife, my first count of over 300 this winter, also 700 Lapwing and 660 Brent Geese in muddy fields alongside the Rife. I only recorded 12 Black-tailed Godwits, 4 of which were beginning to show summer plumage. Otherwise it was very quiet, there was not a single bird on the Honer Reservoir. The Grey Herons are busy, and noisily, nest building in Owl Copse. A fly past by 3 Common Buzzards caused havoc amongst the Lapwings. (JW).

Went to Church Norton this afternoon where the highlights were an ad Little Gull feeding along the beach and 1 Firecrest at the bottom of the main path. Good numbers of waders present squeezing on to the rapidly sinking land - mostly Grey Plover, Knot and Dunlin but c40 Bar-wits on Tern Island itself. As the tide came in further c2500 Lapwing appeared from seemingly nowhere! Offshore, the only birds other than gulls were c.8 Common Scoter on the roiling sea. No sign of the Peregrine or the Glaucous reported yesterday. Twelve Ringed Plovers were in the field behind the churchyard with c200 Brents also (AB).

 

16th-17th February 2014

Monday, 17th February: Mainly dry and cloudy with a fresh southerly blowing. This was my first visit to the Bill since the big storm on Friday night, and although Sam Hill's update on Saturday morning (15th) had partly prepared me, I was truly shocked at the scale of the damage. Masses of shingle strewn into flooded gardens, fences smashed, walls collapsed, buildings damaged, windows smashed, even a couple of the 'green triangle' markers bent - and worst of all to us, the back wall of the 'gateway' in the Wall removed by the sea - now that will make the steps more uncomfortable during a sea watch. I cannot remember a worse storm at the Bill and don't recall even the famous 'Selsey hurricane' doing this much overall damage to the sea-front (OM).
 

 

Flooded gardens and totally smashed fences (note the 3 Mallard swimming, just visible left). (OM).

 

Collapsed walls, boarded up windows, and even the 'green triangles' couldn't stand it (OM).

 

 

 

....And another damaged triangle (S. Russell)

 

Selsey Bill: 0820-1120hrs: Overcast, wind S 4-5.  (Obs: OM/AH).

AH joined OM at the Bill this morning, but little was moving - 33 Brent Geese heading purposefully east and 9 Red-breasted Mergansers west with 5 offshore - though the main interest was the adult Little Gull and at least 6 Kittiwakes lingering along the strandline with the Black-headed Gull flock. It's not often we get to see Kitti's at such close quarters. Also 4 Common Scoter on the sea, a single auk sp W, and a Rock Pipit  still on the beach (OM/AH). 

 

Little Gull (above) and Kittiwake off Selsey Bill (AH)

 

Andy House in action, repeatedly trying to get a shot of a Kittiwake! (OM).

 

Kittiwakes at the Bill (OM)

 

 

Pagham Harbour: Still quiet at Church Norton this morning - highlight was a line of seven Grey Herons sheltering from the wind in the horse's field. Also there was a flock of 40 Redshank feeding together in the harbour, and a big swirling mass of Black-tailed Godwit, Golden Plover & Lapwing up over the North Wall, though I couldn't find the cause. (AH)

 

An adult Glaucous Gull seen roosting on the top of New Island in Pagham Harbour this afternoon. A Water Rail was squealing deep in Reedy Marsh and ca.33 Snipe were also flushed in one flock from the harbour just beyond the end of the Long Pool. (Trevor Gibson-Poole per SOS)

 

Sunday, 16th February: At last, a very welcome dry, bright and sunny morning with hardly a cloud in the sky and only a light wind. A sunny Sunday after so many storms was just the sort of day for the world and his wife to be out and about, but also a great day to do long-overdue clear-up and garden jobs, so OM went for the latter option in order to cover the working week ahead.

Selsey Bill (07.00 to 09.00hrs):  Sunny, wind light S.  (Obs: JA/SH/IP).
Great Crested Grebe - 1W

Slavonian Grebe - 1W

Brent Goose - 6W

Shelduck- 8W

R/b Merganser - 12 os

Common Scoter - 4 os

Eider - 7E

Pintail - 2W

Auk sp - 1W
Little Gull - 1os

Additional: (Obs: SR)
Mute Swan - 3 SE

Sparrowhawk - 1 gardens

A walk from Selsey-Church Norton this morning produced 57 species for SH/IP, including singles of Peregrine, Buzzard, Sparrowhawk and Kestrel, and 4 Yellowhammers at Park farm, beside a straw heap.

Pagham Hbr: A WeBS count on the North wall/ North Fields produced the following...
Mute Swan 15, Shelduck 28, Teal 87, Tufted 16, Shoveler 26, Wigeon 32 (where have they all gone?), Mallard 6, Lapwing 2100, Curlew 194, Golden Plover 86, Common Snipe 31 (in field north of the horse field at Welbourne), Black-tailed Godwit 160, Brent Geese 260, Coot 45, Moorhen 17, Little Grebe 1, Grey Heron 4 (nest material being taken to Owl Copse). Supporting cast 3 calling Cetti's Warblers and 2 Brown Hares. Nice to be out in sunshine for a change. (JW). 
 

Ferry Pool: A huge flock of Brent Geese on the Ferry at lunchtime, circa 1500 birds, before they all took off to head back onto the arable fields. Also 35 Curlews there. (AH)

Brent Geese departing the Ferry (AH)

Medmerry: Highlights of a walk from Easton Lane, Earnley to the beach at Bracklesham this afternoon were an adult Little Gull, a Green Sandpiper, a Little Owl back at a formerly regular site, 35 Common Scoter heading east offshore, 7 Gadwall, 10 Tufted Duck, 20 Teal and Shelduck, 70 Stock Dove, a Stonechat and a Reed Bunting, 3 or 4 Skylarks and 3 Little Egrets. Also seen were a Fox and up to 20 Roe Deer, and sadly a dead Razorbill on the beach. (AH, S&SaH)
The Hill's also had another Little Owl fly across the road in Easton Lane on the way home.

A rather distant Little Gull at Medmerry (AH

Sidlesham: A Raven flew south over my garden on the west of the village at 3.15pm (AH)