Birding the Selsey Peninsula: 25th

Friday, 26th February: A dry but chilly day with the risk of an early shower or two, but generally fairly bright with sunshine then cloud and a decidedly cool, brisk S/SE wind.....

May I just take a few lines here to say thanks to all who attended the Chichester RSPB group last evening where I gave my talk on Birding the Selsey Peninsula. The room was packed, the meeting was run very smoothly and efficiently and it was nice meeting you all - the group is obviously thriving and in capable hands. It was also great to be supported by some old friends and Selsey regulars and as the speaker I can honestly say I enjoyed the evening too. I was especially pleased to receive your feedback and kind comments on the blog and on behalf of AH and myself I can say it makes all the effort worthwhile and we hope to go forward from strength to strength.....now all we need is a few nice spring birds to tell you about! (OM)

Selsey Bill (0800-0900hrs): Cloudy, SSW3 (Obs: JA/SR)
Red-throated Diver - 18E, 1W, 1os
Great Northern Diver - 3os
diver sp - 1E, 1W
Great Crested Grebe - 1E
Fulmar - 2W
Gannet - 1E
Eider - 1os
Common Scoter - 7E
Red-breasted Merganser - 2E, 1W, 7os
Dunlin - 102W

(1145-1230hrs): (BI)
Great Northern Diver - 5os
Red-throated Diver - 4E
Red-breasted Merganser - 2E, 4os
Sandwich Tern - 1E

Medmerry: West side - A flock of Chaffinches was by the car park and two Stonechats by the sluice, with a Kestrel and Green Woodpecker by the poplars, whilst on the stilt pools were the Common Sandpiper, eight Avocets and wildfowl including Shovelers, Wigeon, Mallard, Tufted Ducks, Teal and Shelducks. In the reserve the Spoonbill was present though distant and there were half a dozen Brent Geese still. Good numbers of Skylarks and Meadow Pipits all over but only a few Yellowhammers seen. (BI)

Avocets, Kestrel and Skylark at Medmerry (west side) (BI)

East Side - The Black Redstart was still by the rubble piles and a few Brent Geese and a Curlew were on the pools. (BI)

Record shot of the often-elusive Black Redstart on the sea-defence rocks at Medmerry (east side) (BI)

Ferry Pool: A Green Sandpiper and a few Redshank were on the pool early on. (TR)
Later on they were working on plugging the hole in the bank and consequently no birds were on the pool, though 100 or so Wigeon were on the field. (AH)

Brimfast/Bramber/Chalder/Marsh Farm area - A walk around the farmland to the north of the harbour wasn't particularly productive, with plenty of common birds but not much out of the ordinary. Highlights included a couple of Yellowhammers and Skylarks, plus 30 or so Mediterranean and Common Gulls with Black-headed Gulls in fields at Brimfast, a dozen Reed Buntings, Meadow Pipits and Pied Wagtails on a muck heap near Chalder Farm and c200 Wigeon, 20 Curlew and a couple of Shoveler on a flooded field east of Marsh Farm. (AH)

Mediterranean and Black-headed Gulls (above) & Common Gull at Brimfast, & Reed Bunting & Long-tailed Tit at Chalder Farm (AH)

Chi GP's - Ivy Lake complex: About a dozen Pochard and Shoveler were with 20+ Tufted Ducks on New Lake, whilst at least 40 Cormorants were in residence in their colony. On Ivy Lake and adjoining lakes there were almost no ducks, though there were about half a dozen Greylags, 30+ Canada Geese and eight Great Crested Grebes, plus a couple of Chiffchaffs in the hedges. (AH)

Great Crested Grebe (above), Greylag Geese & Cormorants at Chichester GPs (AH)

Thursday, 25th February: Finally a bit of a colder and more wintry spell as we edge towards the beginning of spring! Heavy overnight frost giving way to a bright, dry and fairly sunny day with some cloud and a light but chilly NW breeze....

Ferry Pool: The Green Sandpiper was again present as were 200 Golden Plover, 1500 Lapwing, a pair of Gadwall, ten Shoveler, 200 Wigeon, 40 Teal and 20 Redshank, until they were all disturbed by a couple of gentleman come to look at the hole at the back! (AH)

Green Sandpiper and Teal (above), Redshanks, Golden Plovers and Lapwings and people inspecting the hole at the Ferry (AH)

Medmerry: The two Barn Owls were out again this afternoon along the west side of the reserve. (T. Roe)

Barn Owls at Medmerry (T. Roe)

Church Norton: Quiet on the full tide - the two Peregrines were about, a Goldeneye , a Red-breasted Merganser and a Great Crested Grebe were in the harbour, and four of the latter were the only birds offshore, whilst the local Buzzards and Carrion Crows were battling it out over the Priory. Later the regular Whimbrel put in an appearance in the usual area (AH/BFF/DM)