25th - 27th November 2017

Monday, 27th November: A thoroughly miserable day, with persistent drizzle and the odd heavy shower driven on by a strong westerly wind......

Selsey Bill: The only things moving in 40 minutes from 7.35am were four Gannets west and the odd Cormorant and Herring Gull. (AH)

Selsey Coastguard Station: There was a flock of c75 Common Scoter offshore this morning. (SR)

Medmerry: Toe End - There was no sign of the Glossy Ibis all day today, though there were a Spoonbill and a Greenshank on the pools by the breach. (SH/TG-P)

Ferry Pool: There were at least four Snipe around the concealed pool, with c100 Teal, c150 Wigeon and c400 Lapwing, plus a Redshank and four Shelduck on the main pool. (AH)

Snipe on the Ferry (AH)

Church Norton: The Velvet Scoter was once again in the main channel, and there were eight Red-breasted Mergansers in the harbour up towards the end of the spit. Out on the mud there were around 110 Knot - a big increase compared to recent counts, along with 500+ Dunlin and Brent Geese, plus at least 20 Shelduck.

A Firecrest and a handful of Goldcrests were around the sheltered hedges by the hide but, unsurprisingly, there was little else showing. (AH)

Firecrest (above), Velvet Scoter, Knot, Red-breasted Mergansers & Wigeon at Church Norton (AH)

This afternoon a male Marsh Harrier was hunting over the Severals at 2.30pm. (AW)

Marsh Harrier at Church Norton (AW)

Sunday, 26th November: A repeat of yesterday's weather, with a very cold but sunny day, and a strong north-westerly breeze....

Selsey Bill: Another fairly quiet morning. Full log below, (SH/PB/IP/AH/SR)

(0715-0900hrs)

Great Northern Diver - 1E, 2os

Red-throated Diver - 3E, 4W

Gannet - 2E, 32W

Common Scoter - 1W, 1os

Red-breasted Merganser - 6E, 3W

Mediteranean Gull - 3W

Guillemot - 1W

auk sp - 3E, 1W

Mediterranean Gull (above) & Red-breasted Mergansers at the Bill (AH)

Ferry Pool: There were just 30 Teal and a Shelduck on the pool, with c200 Lapwing and c100 Wigeon on the field. (AH)

Wigeon and Lapwings on Ferry Field (AH)

Park Farm, Selsey: Several Stonechats were on the fields, along with 20+ Curlews and a few Oystercatchers, plus a Pied Wagtail and a couple of Meadow Pipits, with a Buzzard and a Common Gull over. (AH/IP/S&SaH/PB)

Curlew (above), Stonechat, Meadow Pipit & Pied Wagtail at Park Farm, Selsey (AH)

Church Norton: The Velvet Scoter was still in the main channel in the harbour, with a pair of Goldeneye and half a dozen Red-breasted Mergansers on the far side, whilst offshore there was at least one Slavonian Grebe and the three Eiders.

There were a dozen Avocets and a couple of Black-tailed Godwits among plenty of the commoner waders in the harbour, a Mediterranean Gull and three Mistle Thrushes at Greenlease Farm, and a Song Thrush and a couple of Jays along the Severals. (AH/IP/S&SaH/PB)

Mediterranean Gull (above) & Wigeon at Church Norton (AH)

West Wittering: A quiet but sunny morning over here, with good numbers of Brent Geese and common waders in the harbour between West Wittering and Itchenor. (GM)

Kestrel (above) & Brent Geese at West Wittering (GM)

Saturday, 25th November: A decidedly frosty, chilly morning in the brisk north-westerly breeze, becoming fine and dry with plenty of winter sun.....

Medmerry: Toe End - The Glossy Ibis was present early on before flying off, and there was also a Spoonbill on the pools by the breach. (SH/IP)

 Glossy Ibis at Medmerry Toe End (SH)

Ferry Pool: A dozen Shoveler were on the pool this morning, along with a couple of Redshank, a Shelduck, c50 Teal and c200 Lapwing, with c100 Wigeon on the field. (AH/IP)

Later on there was a Stonechat and a Red-legged Partridge in the field and a Buzzard over, whilst a Water Rail flew into the reeds then disappeared at Red Barn Ditch, seven Long-tailed Tits were in the bushes nearby and a Kestrel hovered above. (SR)

Shovelers and Teal (above) & Lapwing at the Ferry (AH)

Long Pool: A Spotted Redshank was in Ferry Channel early on and a dozen Avocets were at the far end, three Snipe and a couple of Meadow Pipits went over and seven Fieldfare were in trees along the west side before flying off. (AH/IP)

Fieldfares (above), Spotted Redshank & Avocets and Shelduck from Long Pool (AH)

Church Norton: The Velvet Scoter was in the main channel again, along with eight or nine Little and Great Crested Grebes and there were still at least 500 Brent Geese scattered about the harbour. A few Knot were among the many Dunlin and Grey Plovers, a Peregrine was near its island and offshore there were five Slavonian Grebes and a few Great Crested Grebes. The bushes were quiet, though a Bullfinch was near the Mound and a few Goldcrests were scattered about. (AH/AW)

Later on, as the tide rose, a Spoonbill was in the harbour, as was a Marsh Harrier, and the Whimbrel was back in its usual area. (AB)

Bullfinch (AW) (above), Velvet Scoter, Grey Plover & Brent Geese (AH) at Church Norton

Chichester GPs - Drayton Pits: A surprise highlight this morning in the form of a Hawfinch - though given the national influx perhaps not such a surprise - albeit the first of the influx on our patch! Initially calling/singing from treetops but remaining hidden, the bird suddenly flew, passing right in front of me before heading off high to the NE.
That apart it was standard fare on both pits, with totals of 40 Gadwall, 45 Pochard, 22 Shoveler, 24 Teal, 2 Buzzards, 2 Kestrels, 4 Snipe, 3 Cetti's Warblers and 7 Chiffchaffs. (OM)

Itchenor Pond: Six Goldfinches, a Goldcrest, a Long-tailed Tit and a few Great & Blue Tits were present this morning. (BI)

East Head: A walk around the head & dunes produced a Stonechat, five Meadow Pipits and two small groups of Skylarks but it was generally quite quiet here. There were also c.1000 Brent Geese in the fields as well as 20 Lapwings. (BI)