10th - 13th January 2017

Friday, 13th January: A very cold, bright day, with a gale-force north-westerly making conditions difficult....

Church Norton: There were up to eight Slavonian Grebes on the sea this morning, and two Sandwich Terns were among the dozen or so Common and Mediterranean Gulls fairly close offshore, whilst further out there were half a dozen Kittiwakes among 40+ Gannets and at least 50 Razorbills were moving about and dropping in on the sea.
In the harbour the Whimbrel was still showing, as was a Bar-tailed Godwit, plenty of Dunlin, Knot and Grey Plover, and there were four Grey Herons in the marsh by the horse field. (AH et al)
This afternoon there were two Ravens over the spit. (SA)

Razorbill coming in to land, Sandwich Terns, Gannet, Whimbrel, Grey Herons & Grey Plover, Knot and Dunlin at Church Norton (AH)

Ferry Pool: Just four Teal on the pool, though there were five Shoveler, 40 Teal and 200+ Lapwing and Pintail in the field. (AH)

Shoveler, Teal and Wigeon on Ferry Field (AH)

Ivy Lake: A quick look at lunchtime produced both the Scaup and the Long-tailed Duck, though both distant, plus at least 40 Pochard, 20 Shoveler and 20 Great Crested Grebes, and 16 Gadwall on the smaller pits. (AH)

Scaup and Pochard (above) & Gadwall around Ivy Lake (AH)

Thursday, 12th January: Mild this morning but with the possibility of wintry showers and maybe even snow later in the day...

Ferry Pool: The Green Sandpiper was present here this morning in the company of two Lapwings, four Teal and c.200 Wigeon. (AH)

Green Sandpiper (above) & Teal on the Ferry (AH)

Long Pool/Ferry Channel: Plenty of wildfowl this morning with good numbers of both Teal and Wigeon along with a Bar-tailed Godwit, 18 Black-tailed Godwits, a Spotted Redshank and, at the end of the channel, 12 Avocets. (AH)

Bar-tailed Godwit and Redshanks (above) & Avocets in Ferry Channel (AH)

Chi GPs - Ivy Lake: The Long-tailed Duck was still near the chalets this morning. (H.Ramm)

Church Norton: The three Slavonian Grebes were still in the harbour at mid-day and there were another eight offshore. Also in the harbour was a Razorbill whilst the Whimbrel was  as usual around the little spit and bench. (H.Ramm)

Wednesday, 11th January: Another fairly mild, but blustery morning, though clouding up later on....

Selsey Bill: There were more Kittiwakes and less Gannets than yesterday, and three Eider dropped in close offshore. Full log below. (AH/PD/PC)
(0800-1015hrs)

Great Northern Diver - 2W, 3os

Red-throated Diver - 2E, 7W

Great Crested Grebe - 1E, 1W

Gannet - 65E, 250W, 100os
Eider - 3os

Red-breasted Merganser - 14E, 4W

Kittiwake - 80E, 250W
Common Gull - 2W

Razorbill - 60E, 200W, 20os

auk sp - 50E, 100W

(1015-1200hrs) (B&MC/PC)

Red-throated Diver - 3E, 8W.
Great Crested Grebe - 3E, 1W
Slavonian Grebe - 2E, 3W, 3os
Gannet 11E, 117W, 100os
Velvet Scoter - 2W
Common Scoter - 4E, 7W
Red-breasted Merganser - 2E, 3W
Kittiwake - 24W
Mediterranean Gull 1W, 1os (both adults)
Razorbill - 11E, 377W

Eiders (above), Razorbills, Kittiwakes & Gannets at the Bill (AH)

Coastguard Station: There were three Great Northern Divers offshore this afternoon. (B&MC)

Church Norton: The most unusual sighting was of three Slavonian Grebes inside the harbour, feeding near the mouth, along with two female Goldeneye and seven Little Grebes. There were also up to eight Red-breasted Mergansers and 40 Pintail in the harbour, the big female Peregrine eating her lunch on the island, the Whimbrel in its usual place and a few Meadow Pipits and Skylarks along the spit.
Offshore there were a further 14 Slavonian Grebes, six Great Crested Grebes, four Red-breasted Mergansers and three Red-throated Divers, with two more of the latter heading east, along with a few Razorbills and Gannets moving about further offshore. (AH)

Slavonian Grebes (above), Goldeneye, Red-throated Diver, Peregrine, Meadow Pipit & Whimbrel at Church Norton (AH)

Tuesday, 10th January: A fairly bright and breezy day, with the wind a chilly north-westerly....

Selsey Bill: There were several hundred Gannets feeding offshore this morning, but not too much else moving. (AH)

(0830-0945hrs)

Great Northern Diver - 2W

Red-throated Diver - 5W

Great Crested Grebe - 1os

Gannet - c400 os, with birds arriving and departing constantly

Red-breasted Merganser - 5W

Kittiwake - 55W

Guillemot - 4W, 1os

Razorbill - 15E, 70W, 5os

auk sp - 30E, 250W

Red-throated Diver (above), Razorbills & Gannets off the Bill (AH)

Coastguard Station: There were still 60+ Common Scoters quite a long way offshore, but oddly, given the numbers further east, not a Gannet in sight. (AH)

East Beach: A flock of 64 Curlew flew over the estate, heading west this morning. (SR)

Chalder Farm: A Green Sandpiper seems to have taken up residence in this area for the winter. (S Allday)

Medmerry Breach: No sign of the Black Redstart this morning, though there were several Stonechats in the area. (TR)

Church Norton: There were exactly 20 Slavonian Grebes and six Great Crested Grebes on the sea, plus a Red-breasted Merganser (and five west), and around 40 Razorbills were on the sea and moving about. Also twelve Red-throated Divers went west (including a flock of eleven together) and there were at least 200 Gannets spread across the horizon.

A Common Gull and a Mediterranean Gull were along the beach, and in the harbour there were two Goldeneye, eight Red-breasted Mergansers, the Whimbrel and plenty of the common waders and wildfowl. (AH/TR)

Slavonian Grebes (above), Red-throated Divers, Gannets, Whimbrel & Mediterranean Gull at Church Norton (AH)

Fishbourne Creek: The two Water Pipits were along the foreshore, making their way toward Dell Quay as the tide receded.  There was also 3+ Rock Pipits, 2 Reed Buntings and a good variety of waders and wildfowl including c75 Wigeon, c150 Brent Geese, 3 Greenshank, 9 Black-tailed Godwit, 14 Ringed Plover, 5 Grey Plover and 17 Turnstones.
(SR)
Also about were a Firecrest in the bushes near the church plus 40 Yellowhammers around the horse paddock and the harbour edge, and five Goldeneyes were out in the channel as well as masses of Wigeon. (BFF/DM)