10th - 12th February 2016

Friday, 12th February: Back to winter today - with a sharp easterly, heavy cloud and the odd shower....and feeling cold and damp all day.

Selsey Bill (0840-0930hrs):  (Obs: JA) A slow morning to say the least!
Great Northern Diver - 3os
Fulmar - 1W
Red-breasted Merganser - 3os
 

Ferry Pool: Two Green Sandpipers were on the pool first thing. (TR) Later on there were half a dozen Black-tailed Godwits, 20 Redshank and at least 1000 Lapwing, plus 200 or more Wigeon on the field and a few Shoveler and Teal on the pool. (AH)

Black-tailed Godwits (above) & Wigeon and Lapwing on the Ferry (AH)

Medmerry: Breach to Chainbridge - The Black Redstart was around the sea-defence rocks again this morning, though surprisingly mobile, and a Rock Pipit and a pair of Stonechats were also in the Breach area.

On the pools there were two Knot, c120 Grey Plover, six Ringed Plover, c150 Dunlin and c60 Curlew, along with a Red-breasted Merganser, c40 Teal, c80 Wigeon and a few Common gulls among the Black-headeds.

There were at least 40 Skylarks along the banks, though not much else about, whilst on Chainbridge field there were just 50 Brent Geese and 20 Curlew. (AH)

Black Redstart (above), Knot and Grey Plover, Curlews & Common Gull at Medmerry (AH)

 

 

 

 

Thursday, 11th February: A cold  and frosty start with sunshine, scattered cloud and a light NW breeze; a welcome respite from the succession of gales and rain this winter has so far produced.....

Chichester Marina: A fantastic Great Northern Diver was right by the lock-gates this morning, barely 30m out as it busily thinned out the local crab population. Also about were a Kingfisher, half a dozen Red-breasted Mergansers, four Goldeneye and up to ten Little and Great Crested Grebes, plus plenty of Brent Geese and commoner waders. (AH)

Great Northern Diver (above) & Red-breasted Merganser at Chichester Marina (AH)

Medmerry: Easton Lane to the Stilt Pool - The Dartford Warbler was showing around the viewpoint again this morning, and a Black Redstart was 100 yards to the north of Marsh Farm buildings. Also about were a Green Sandpiper on the Stilt Pool and a Greenshank on the creeks opposite. (PLS)

East Head/Snowhill Creek: Very quiet around the dunes - just the usual Skylarks and Meadow Pipits, and offshore, with just a distant Great Northern Diver and a handful of Red-breasted Mergansers and Great Crested Grebes on the water.

A Greenshank and 45 Knot were in the harbour opposite Snowhill Creek, whilst on the pools there was a Kingfisher, a couple of Rock Pipits and half a dozen Black-tailed Godwits, and in the fields there were a pair of Stonechats and at least 1000 Brent Geese. (AH)

Greenshank and Redshank (above), Kingfisher & Knot at Snowhill Creek & Skylark on East Head (AH)

Ferry Pool: A couple of Snipe and a dozen Shoveler were by the roadside and there were at least 250 Golden Plover, 1500 Lapwing, 400 Brent Geese and 200 Wigeon were on the field and pool. (AH)

Snipe (above), Golden Plover & Brent Geese at the Ferry (AH)

Runcton: The usual dog walk around the village this afternoon produced three Song Thrushes, three Chiffchaffs and best of all a superb Kingfisher over the rife. (CRJ)

Wednesday, 10th February: Calmer today with some welcome sunshine and scattered cloud, though with a brisk WNW wind making it feel cooler than of late....

Some of you may recall I was doing a recycling collection (old phones, cameras etc) which although operated by a commercial company also raised funds for the RSPB. I did promise you a result and here it is....I quote " I am pleased to be able to tell you that the items donated to your recent recycling collection have now been sorted and checked and we have raised a cheque for the RSPB in the amount of £16.37. Under the RSPB’s new policy this cheque will be sent direct to their offices. I trust you are pleased with the outcome and that you found the collection simple to operate."

In truth it was quite hard work and I am very grateful to all those that I nagged into making donations; it's not exactly a huge sum and overall it's probably not cost effective given the effort involved, so I might think about another wheeze in the future. However, every little helps and it is a good cause, so thanks again to all who helped. (OM) 

Ferry Pool: Less interesting than yesterday, though still at least 1000 Lapwings on the pool and field, along with two Black-tailed Godwits, a dozen Golden Plover and 30 Redshank. There were also four Shoveler and 30 Teal on the pool and at least 200 Wigeon and 50 Brent Geese on the field. (AH)

Shoveler on the Ferry (AH)

North Wall: A Spotted Redshank was in White's Creek, a few Wigeon and Teal were on the Breech Pool and a few Curlew and Brent Geese were on the fields, with several hundred of the latter flying over from the harbour.

In the Slipe field there were still 40+ Yellowhammers, 100+ Reed Buntings and 200+ Linnets, plus four or five Song Thrushes and a Green Woodpecker. (AH/PC)

Spotted Redshank in White's Creek (above), Yellowhammer & Green Woodpecker in the Slipe Field (AH)

Pagham Lagoon/Spit: There were four Goldeneye (one drake), a female Red-breasted Merganser, a female Pochard and 40 Tufted Ducks on the Lagoon, and around the Lagoon/spit/harbour mouth area there were at least 40 Mediterranean and Common Gulls among large numbers of Herring and Black-headed Gulls. (AH)

Goldeneye (above) & Mediterranean Gull on Pagham Lagoon & the breach on the spit (AH)

Chichester Harbour: A Great Northern Diver fishing in Birdham Pool Marina viewed from causeway..... seen close to causeway but no further.... (per BI, via Sussex Birding/D. Stevenson).

Somerley: (Hundredsteddle Lane toward Bracklesham):  4 Redwings, 2 Green Woodpeckers, 3 Buzzards, 7 Stock Doves, 4 Jays, 12 Pied Wagtails and 2 Song Thrush. (SR).  (I confess I'd no idea where this was Sarah so had to look it up! OM)

Chichester GPs: A walk around the Ivy Lake complex this afternoon produced the following - two Jays, a Chiffchaff and 9 Pochard on Copse Lake plus 27 on New Lake. (CRJ)