16th - 18th February 2017

Saturday, 18th February: Another very pleasant, warm, hazy and fairly still day....feeling almost spring-like at times.

Selsey Bill: Quiet again, though a flock of eight Slavonian Grebes flying east was noteworthy. Full log below. (JA/AH)
(0715-0830hrs)

Great Northern Diver - 1E, 2os

Red-throated Diver - 2E

Slavonian Grebe - 8E
Great Crested Grebe - 1os

Fulmar - 5W

Gannet - 2E, 3W

Red-breasted Merganser - 10E, 5W, 2os

Mediterranean Gull - 1E, 1W, 1os

Razorbill - 4E, 1os

Slavonian Grebes past the Bill (AH)

Coastguard Station: Not much to report - just a Razorbill, four Common Scoter and seven Red-breasted Mergansers offshore and five Brent Geese flew past east. (AH/JA)

Razorbill (above) & Brent Geese off the Coastguard Station (AH)

Park Farm, Selsey: The Dartford Warbler was unexpectedly back on show, after three weeks of no news, and there were also six Stonechats, six Skylarks, 40+ Meadow Pipits and a Buzzard in the area. (S&SaH)

Ferry Pool: Four Egyptian Geese flew over into the harbour early this morning, but otherwise it was more standard fare, including a Green Sandpiper, a Black-tailed Godwit, eight Curlews, four Lapwing and 25 Teal on the pool, and eight Shoveler and c250 Wigeon on the field. (AH)

Egyptian Geese (above), Green Sandpiper, Shoveler & Wigeon at the Ferry (AH)

Long Pool: A Water Rail walking along the path was a surprise, and among other birds noted were a singing Reed Bunting, a brief snippet of Cetti's Warbler and a couple of Skylarks and Linnets over.
Along Ferry Channel there was a Spotted Redshank among plenty of Redshank and Curlew, and at the far end there was a huge flock of c400 Golden Plover and c1500 Lapwing. (AH)

Water Rail (above), Spotted Redshank, Reed Bunting & Golden Plovers and Lapwing around Long Pool (AH)

 

Church Norton: This afternoon there were four Slavonian Grebes and a Razorbill offshore, a Cetti's Warbler, a Buzzard and 12 Tufted Ducks around the Severals, and large numbers of Dunlin, Knot, Grey Plover, Lapwing and Golden Plover in and over the harbour. (S&SaH)

 

Friday, 17th February: A hazy day, with some sunshine and a light westerly breeze.....

Just a short update....readers may recall my pledge to raise some funds for RSPB projects and a threat to blag some of you for loose change. I'm pleased to say I paid in the first £25 today at the Pagham Harbour Visitor centre to sport their local projects, so many thanks indeed to all those that contributed. If you are not aware the new toilet block and car park project begins this spring, followed by Discovery Area improvements later in the year and then a new two-tier Ferry Hide.....not forgetting that the future Ferry Pool repairs may well be a costly job. All contributions gratefully received! (OM)

Thanks to all who contributed to this first donation and I hope there will be more! (OM)

Selsey Bill: Another morning of limited movement, but a winter high-count of nine Great Northern Divers offshore. Full log below. (JA/SM/OM/AH)

(0715-0945hrs)

Great Northern Diver - 9os

Red-throated Diver - 23E,17W, 4os 
diver sp - 7E

Slavonian Grebe - 5os

Fulmar - 4W

Gannet - 26E, 35W, 30os
Brent Goose - 6E
Common Scoter - 35E

Red-breasted Merganser - 1E, 3W,15os

Mediterranean Gull - 2W, 1os

Razorbill - 61E, 47W, c80os

auk sp - 98E, c55W

Skylark - 1W

Red-throated Diver (above), Great Northern Divers & Razorbills of the Bill (AH)

Selsey, Coastguard Station: No sign of the Black Redstart, but 2 Great Northern Divers, c50 Common Scoter and four Red-breasted Mergansers were offshore, plus a few Brent Geese east. (OM)

Chichester Marina: The Bittern showed again in the reeds by the hide this morning. (PC) In a look early afternoon there was no sign of the Bittern but a Marsh Harrier flew over and there were a couple of Snipe dozing by the cut reeds. (BI)

Fishbourne Creek: There was  no sign of any pipits this morning, but we saw 28 Yellowhammers, 32 Goldfinches and there were at least 500 Common Gulls  in the harbour. (CRJ/MJ)

Ferry Pool: There were two Green Sandpipers at the back this morning, and there were also 22 Curlews, a Black-tailed Godwit, 25 Lapwing, eight Teal and c200 Wigeon on the pool this morning. (AH)

Green Sandpipers (above), Green Sandpiper, Lapwing and Curlews on the Ferry (AH)

Church Norton: There were three Eider, three Great Crested Grebes, four Red-breasted Mergansers and c20 Razorbills offshore this morning, but not much beyond a fair few Wigeon, Teal and Brent Geese, plus the usual waders in the harbour and around 20 Skylarks on the spit. (AH)

Distant! Eiders (above), Skylarks, Ringed Plover & Wigeon and Teal at Church Norton (AH)

Ivy Lake: This afternoon the Long-tailed Duck was showing well near the chalets and the Scaup was in with 50 or so Pochard at the back, and there were also 20+ Gadwall,Shoveler and Tufted Duck about. (AH)

Long-tailed Duck (above) & Scaup with Pochard and Gadwall on Ivy Lake (AH)

Thursday, 16th February: The opposite of yesterday, with a cool and grey start giving way to some warm sunshine as the day progressed.....

Selsey Bill: Not much moving this morning, but there were quite a few divers on the sea and a few Gannets and auks back offshore, though everything was a long way out on the low tide. Full log below. (AH)
(0800-0900hrs)

Great Northern Diver - 6os

Red-throated Diver - 9E,5W, 12os (inc 8 together)

Slavonian Grebe - 1os

Great Crested Grebe - 2os

Gannet - 75os

Red-breasted Merganser - 1E, 1os

Curlew - 1E

Mediterranean Gull - 2W, 1os

Guillemot - 1os

Razorbill - 24E, c20os

auk sp - c40E, c30W, c60os

Meadow Pipit - 2E

Red-throated Diver (above) & Mediterranean Gull at the Bill (AH)

Selsey, Coastguard Station: The Black Redstart re-appeared around the houses this morning, and offshore there were at least 15 Red-breasted Mergansers, and around 20 Common Scoter were well offshore to the west, and four Curlews were in the field. (AH)

Black Redstart (above) & Red-breasted Merganser around the Coastguard station (AH)

East Head: The two Snow Buntings were showing well this morning. (PC/BC)

Ferry Pool: This morning there were just one Black-tailed Godwit, c40 Lapwing and six teal on the pool, and c150 Wigeon on the field. (AH)

Chichester Marina: No sign of the Bittern this morning, though a male Marsh Harrier was hunting over the reeds, putting up a dozen Snipe, and a Cetti's Warbler was calling nearby. (PC/BC)

Later on, in the harbour, there were eight Goldeneye and 12 Little Grebes on the water, and c500 Brent Geese along the near edge. (AH)

Goldeneye (above) & Brent Geese at Chichester Marina (AH)

 

Itchenor Pond: This afternoon there were two Tree-creepers investigating an old Woodpecker hole, a Great Spotted Woodpecker, a Firecrest, five Goldcrests and a Chiffchaff. (SR)

Church Norton: fairly quiet today, but there were a Slavonian Grebe and a Red-throated Diver offshore, twenty Tufted Ducks on the second Several, and a Bar-tailed Godwit and two Black-tailed Godwits among the waders in the harbour. (IP/EL)