25th - 28th February 2017

Tuesday, 28th February: A bright and fresh morning with a brisk westerly and plenty of sunshine....

Selsey Bill: There were a few bits moving this morning, including six Eider east, four Sandwich Terns and three Velvet Scoter west, and five Slavonian Grebes on the sea. Full log below.....
0740-1040hrs: (SR/AH/DF/JD/DS/OM)
Great Northern Diver - 1W
Slavonian Grebe - 5 os
Great Crested Grebe - 2E, 6W, 5 os
Fulmar - 1W
Eider - 6E
Common Scoter - 5W
Velvet Scoter - 3W
Red-breasted Merganser - 3E, 9W, 11 os
Sanderling - 1 ob
Turnstone - 10 ob
Razorbill - 1W
auk sp - 1E
Sandwich Tern - 4W
Mediterranean Gull - 3 os
Common Gull - 8W

Eiders (above), Velvet Scoters, Common Scoters & 'sinensis'-type Cormorant past the Bill (AH)

  

 

(above)....so there we were, quietly sea-watching, when without warning this turned up! Fortunately, it seems it will only be around for a few days to repair a beach groyne and some marker posts! (below) Looking west from the Bill, with a crystal clear view of the Isle of Wight and the (white) Culver Cliff showing well, the much-reduced Nab Tower just visible far left and in the centre a massive container ship looking like a floating block of flats! When conditions are as clear as this, especially with a brisk westerly, sea passage is rarely anything other than mediocre....! (OM) 

Ferry Pool: A Water Rail was briefly out at the front again this morning, but the only other birds on the pool were a Black-tailed Godwit, two Shelduck and ten Teal. In the field, though, there were c200 Lapwing, 25 Curlew, c200 Wigeon, c40 Teal and 24 Shoveler. (AH)

Water Rail (above), Lapwings & Shoveler and Teal at the Ferry (AH)

Church Norton: A quick look didn't produce much beyond the Whimbrel, a few Grey Plovers, Redshank, Wigeon and Teal, plus c50 Brent Geese. (AH)

Whimbrel (above) & Wigeon at Church Norton (AH)

Ivy Lake: The Long-tailed Duck and the Scaup were both showing well today, along with with c30 Tufted Ducks, 40 Pochard, c20 Shoveler and c10 Great Crested Grebes. (AH)

Long-tailed Duck (above), Scaup, Scaup and Tufted Duck & Long-tailed Duck, Scaup, Pochard and Tufted Duck on Ivy Lake (AH)

Monday, 27th February: A pretty horrible morning with a strong and cold southerly wind and fairly persistent heavy rain....

Selsey Bill: Very quiet this morning! (AH)
(0805-0850) 

Red-throated Diver - 1W
Great Northern Diver - 1E, 1os

Great Crested Grebe - 1W

Fulmar - 2W

Turnstone - 2W
Sparrowhawk - 1p

Fulmar (above), Great Northern Diver & Great Crested Grebe past the Bill (AH)

Ferry Pool: There were two Green Sandpipers at the back this morning and two Water Rails at the front, popping in and out from the hedge to feed on something in the mud. Also about were two Black-tailed Godwits, four Shelduck and 20 Teal, with c100 Lapwing on the field and c200 Wigeon on the arable field. (AH)

Green Sandpiper (above), & Water Rails at the Ferry (AH)

Long Pool: There were still at least 76 Avocets at the far end, among lots of Grey Plover, Redshank and Dunlin, plus a few Black-tailed Godwits, whilst 55 Pintail and eight Shoveler flew over, and there were c80 Shelduck on the water, but there were just a couple of Little Grebes and Tufted Ducks on the pool. (AH)

Avocets (above), Pintail & Grey Plovers from the Long Pool (AH)

Ivy Lake: The Long-tailed Duck was back this morning keeping company with the Pochard flock and the Scaup at the chalet end. Also on the water were also 20 Shovelers, 15 Tufted Ducks, 20 Canada Geese, a Common Gull, a Great Black-backed Gull with a few Herring Gulls, and a pair of weed dancing Great Crested Grebes. Along the path was the mixed Tit flock and a Great Spotted Woodpecker was in the tall trees opposite the stables. (BI)

Long-tailed Duck (above) & Scaup on Ivy Lake (BI)

Runcton: Around the fields this afternoon; a Moorhen alarm call led me to investigate and flush a Common Buzzard at close quarters. In the sheep field where there were 5 Song Thrushes on Friday, today held 10 Blackbird, 3 Song Thrush and 2 Redwing. Back near home on Crest Corner were 2 Firecrest and a single Goldcrest. (CRJ)

Sunday, 26th February: Slightly brighter than forecast, after a drizzly start, but still with a brisk westerly breeze....

Selsey Bill: Two Velvet Scoters and a few Gannets, Fulmars and Kittiwakes went west, though it was generally quiet. Full log below.....
0655-0930hrs:  (SH/PB/JA/AH)
Red-throated Diver - 1E, 1W
Great Northern Diver - 3os

Great Crested Grebe - 4W, 1os

Fulmar - 8W

Gannet - 2E, 20W

Brent Goose - 38E, 20W
Eider - 1E, 1W   

Velvet Scoter - 2W

Red-breasted Merganser - 6E, 13W, 2 os
Curlew - 2W
Razorbill - 2W, 1 os

auk sp - 3E
Kittiwake - 5W
Mediterranean Gull - 1W
1515 - 1615 (SH)

Red-throated Diver - 1W

Great Northern Diver - 1os

Shag - 1os flew W
Gannet - 6E, 41W 

Red-breasted Merganser - 2os

Sandwich Tern - 2os
Mediterranean Gull - 2os  

Fulmar (above), Gannets & Brent Geese past the Bill (AH)

Ferry Pool: There were two Black-tailed Godwits and c30 Teal on the pool, c300 Lapwing on the field, and 20 Curlew and 250 Wigeon on the arable field, along with a Brown Hare. (AH)

Teal (above), Lapwings & Brown Hare at the Ferry (AH)

Long Pool: There were calling Cettii's Warbler and Water Rail, plus a couple of singing Reed Buntings along the pool, and there were 54 Avocets, c30 Black-tailed Godwits, c70 Shelduck and plenty of Grey Plover and Dunlin at the end of Ferry Channel. (AH)

Avocets (above), Avocets and Shelduck, Reed Bunting & Redshank and Teal from Long Pool (AH)

Church Norton: Not a great deal to report, but there were were lots (uncounted!) of Knot in the harbour, plus 2 Stonechats and a Cetti's Warbler, whilst offshore were just a few Gannets. (SH)

Nearby at Park farm there was a single Stonechat and a Sparrowhawk. (SH)

Fishbourne Creek/Chichester Marina: The first part of the walk we set off along the harbour south towards Salterns Copse finding a few common birds such as Greenfinch , Goldfinch anda few Meadow Pipit plus singing Skylark. On the morning high tide we found 2 Goldeneye and the usual Great crested Grebe and Little Grebe out in the channel. Most of the ducks and waders were roosting out of the wind on the western shore we could make out 3 Greenshank with a large flock of Redshank,7 Grey Heron and 5 Little Egrets. 
At the reed bed at the Marina we heard at least one squealing Water Rail  with a singing Cetti's Warbler all remaining well hidden. In the field behind the copse a large feeding flock of Curlew were not east to see although we had perhaps 60 birds drop in earlier.
After lunch we re-assembled on Dell Quay  finding another 4 roosting  Greenshank. Walking north to Fishbourne Creek plenty of duck were out feeding with a good number of Wigeon and smaller no's of Teal and Pintail. Plenty of gulls were found with Black headed , Common and Herring Gulls being fairly  numerous.In addition a small  flock of Black tailed Godwits flew over the channel.  We did find a few Med Gulls having good scope views .Around the edge of the harbour a Jack Snipe was in its usual place with all the group managing flight views. A Grey Wagtail showed briefly along the shoreline and  a few Yellowhammer were in a thick hedgerow .
Despite a search around the Horse paddock we could not locate the rest of the Yellowhammer flock. In the Appledram car park a Great spotted Woodpecker was heard and we found a Goldcrest. It was perhaps not the best days birding as many of the birds were a little distant,only a single raptor seen a Common Buzzard  with no Rock Pipits in their usual spot. (BFF & the SOS)

Saturday, 25th February: A fairly grey and chilly day, with a strong and blustery south-westerly.....

Selsey Bill:  SW 5 Cloudy
(0700-0839hrs) (JA)
Great Northern Diver - 3os
Red-throated Diver - 3W
diver sp - 1E
Fulmar - 1E, 3W
Gannet - 6E, 49W
Shag - 1os
Common Scoter - 3E, 4W
Red-breasted Merganser - 6E, 8W, 6os
Razorbill - 1E
auk sp - 2E, 15W
Pied Wagtail - 1N

(1510-1615hrs) (SH)
Great Northern Diver - 1os
Slavonian Grebe - 2os
Great Crested Grebe - 1os
Balearic Shearwater - A possible glimpsed twice at 15.20
Gannet - 5E, 46W
Shag - 1W
Red-breasted Merganser - 3os
Sandwich Tern - 3os
Razorbill - 1E

Selsey, East Beach: A walk along Park Copse Lane produced 10+ Gannets, four Common Scoter, two Red-breasted Merganser and a Kittiwake offshore. (S&SaH)

East Head: The two Snow Buntings were still present this morning. (AB/PB)

Fishbourne Creek: Not much to report, though the Whimbrel - which has not been regularly reported this winter - was present, and there were 20+ Yellowhammers by the riding school. (AB/PB)

Whimbrel and Wigeon (above) & Pintail at Fishbourne Creek (AB)

Ivy Lake: The Scaup was still present among the Pochard flock, and a Cetti's Warbler and a Water Rail were calling from the pathside vegetation. (AB/PB)

Church Norton: There were half a dozen Gannets and four Great Crested Grebes offshore, whilst in the harbour there were c70 Knot, the Whimbrel, a Red-breasted Merganser, plenty of Grey Plover and Dunlin, three Black-tailed Godwits, four Pintail, c60 Shelduck, at least 500 Brent Geese, the pair of Peregrines and a few Common and Mediterranean Gulls. (AH)

Red-breasted Merganser (above), Brent Geese, Common Gulls, Knot & grey Plover and Dunlin at Church Norton (AH)

Ferry Pool: There were just the usual couple of Black-tailed Godwits, c80 Lapwing, c30 Teal and c200 Wigeon around the pool this morning, plus a fleeting Grey Wagtail by the pumphouse. (AH)

Long Pool: A Spotted Redshank, briefly, and around 60 Black-tailed Godwits were in Ferry Channel, and at the far end there were 71 Avocets in one big flock. (AH)

Avocets (above) & Black-tailed Godwits in Ferry Channel (AH)