Saturday, 3rd February: A fairly dismal day, cold and grey, with persistent heavy drizzle, though not much of a breeze....
Whilst researching for a forthcoming talk, I came across a couple of old photos taken at the Bill during early spring 1983. The first shows the old horse field which was always attractive to migrants, including shrikes, but is now occupied by bungalows (though their long gardens fortunately remain). The second shows part of the Bill House garden, with a small roundabout and swings and no tamarisk hedges; it is pleasing to say that at least this particular area has vastly improved since! (OM)
Selsey Bill: (0730-0830hrs) (JA)
Great Northern Diver - 4os
Red-throated Diver - 2W, 2os
diver sp - 1E
Slavonian Grebe - 1os
Shag - 1os
Red-breasted Merganser - 10os
Sandwich Tern - 5os
Ferry Pool: There were c300 Lapwing on the pool this morning, along with two Shelduck, eight Teal and two Redshank. (AH)
Long Pool: The Spotted Redshank was at the far end of Ferry Channel, along with a few Grey Plovers, Redshank and Teal, whilst a Water Rail flew out from the path along the Long Pool, a Common Snipe went over and a Reed Bunting was singing along the hedges. (AH/IP)
Church Norton: A Great Northern Diver, two Slavonian Grebes and a Great Crested Grebe were offshore, whilst in the harbour the Whimbrel was still present, along with a couple of Bar-tailed Godwits, seven Avocets, at least 500 Dunlin, c100 Grey Plover and c300 Brent Geese, and two Great Spotted Woodpeckers were drumming near the Mound. (AH)
Friday, 2nd February: Another chilly morning, with a brisk north-westerly breeze, though brightening up slowly......
Whilst researching for a forthcoming talk, I came across a couple of old photos taken at the Bill during early spring 1983. The first shows the old horse field which was always attractive to migrants, including shrikes, but is now occupied by bungalows (though their long gardens fortunately remain). The second shows part of the Bill House garden, with a small roundabout and swings and no tamarisk hedges; it is pleasing to say that at least this particular area has vastly improved since! (OM)
The old horse field at the Bill in spring 1983, and below, a rather sterile-looking Bill House garden as it was then. (OM)
Selsey Bill: (0730-0830hrs) (JA)
Great Northern Diver - 4os
Red-throated Diver - 2W, 2os
diver sp - 1E
Slavonian Grebe - 1os
Shag - 1os
Red-breasted Merganser - 10os
Sandwich Tern - 5os
Ferry Pool: There were c300 Lapwing on the pool this morning, along with two Shelduck, eight Teal and two Redshank. (AH)
Lapwing on the Ferry (AH)
Long Pool: The Spotted Redshank was at the far end of Ferry Channel, along with a few Grey Plovers, Redshank and Teal, whilst a Water Rail flew out from the path along the Long Pool, a Common Snipe went over and a Reed Bunting was singing along the hedges. (AH/IP)
Spotted Redshank (above) & Teal in Ferry Channel (AH)
Church Norton: A Great Northern Diver, two Slavonian Grebes and a Great Crested Grebe were offshore, whilst in the harbour the Whimbrel was still present, along with a couple of Bar-tailed Godwits, seven Avocets, at least 500 Dunlin, c100 Grey Plover and c300 Brent Geese, and two Great Spotted Woodpeckers were drumming near the Mound. (AH)
Bar-tailed Godwit and Dunlin (above), Avocet & Grey Plover at Church Norton (AH)
Friday, 2nd February: Another chilly morning, with a brisk north-westerly breeze, though brightening up slowly......
Ferry Pool: There were just two Shelducks on the pool and c30 Teal on the creek. (AH)
Honer Reservoir: The Long-tailed Duck was still on the reservoir this morning, along with a lone Tufted Duck and a few Coots. (AH/JDW)
Pagham Lagoon/Spit: The three Goldeneye were on the Lagoon, along with six Pochard, 22 Tufted Ducks, four Little Grebes and two Mediterranean Gulls.
The Eider was out in the harbour from the spit, plus a few Little and Great Crested Grebes, the two Peregrines were on their island and a Rock Pipit and a handful of Skylarks were on the spit itself. (AH)
North Wall: There were four Ruff and a Kingfisher in White's Creek, whilst along the east side of the harbour there were c250 Black-tailed Godwits, five Bar-tailed Godwits, c200 Knot, c50 Pintail, c100 Golden Plover and huge numbers of the commoner species, including at least 200 Brent Geese and Lapwing.
By contrast the Breech Pool held just a few Tufted Ducks, Mallard and Teal and the fields were empty save 50 or so Curlews. (AH)
White's Creek was teeming with birds early on - good numbers of Wigeon, Teal, Lapwing, Black Tailed Godwits, Redshank, Dunlin and a single Ruff. Later everything was put to flight when a Peregrine appeared. In the field north of Bremere Bridge were 2700 Brent Geese along with 600 Wigeon and 90 Curlew.
More Brent Geese flew in as I moved on and I guess the total was going to be close to 3000. There were 10 Little Egrets in the field north of Marsh Farm, and along Pagham Rife there were 56 Mute Swan plus the usual two Black Swans, whilst a Raven flew over Honer Cottages. (JDW)
Chichester Marina/Birdham Pool/Itchenor Pond: There were three Bullfinches around the hide at the marina this morning but other than that it was fairly quiet with just a distant Buzzard, two Cormorants and three Grey Herons of note. Birdham Pool also remained quiet with only a Kingfisher traversing the pool of interest. Plenty of small birds at Itchenor Pond mid-morning including a mixed flock of Blue Tits, Great Tits, Long-tailed Tits and Goldcrests and there were also at least three Great Spotted Woodpeckers also present in the area. (BI)
Selsey, Broadreeds: There were two Redwings in the estate garden at mid-day. (BI)
Thursday, 1st February: A cold, bright and breezy morning, with a brisk westerly but plenty of sunshine.....Honer Reservoir: The Long-tailed Duck was still on the reservoir this morning, along with a lone Tufted Duck and a few Coots. (AH/JDW)
Long-tailed Duck on Honer Reservoir (AH)
Pagham Lagoon/Spit: The three Goldeneye were on the Lagoon, along with six Pochard, 22 Tufted Ducks, four Little Grebes and two Mediterranean Gulls.
The Eider was out in the harbour from the spit, plus a few Little and Great Crested Grebes, the two Peregrines were on their island and a Rock Pipit and a handful of Skylarks were on the spit itself. (AH)
Eider, Pintail, Wigeon and Dunlin (above) & Peregrine from Pagham Spit & Goldeneye on Pagham Lagoon (AH)
North Wall: There were four Ruff and a Kingfisher in White's Creek, whilst along the east side of the harbour there were c250 Black-tailed Godwits, five Bar-tailed Godwits, c200 Knot, c50 Pintail, c100 Golden Plover and huge numbers of the commoner species, including at least 200 Brent Geese and Lapwing.
By contrast the Breech Pool held just a few Tufted Ducks, Mallard and Teal and the fields were empty save 50 or so Curlews. (AH)
Ruff, Lapwing, Wigeon and Teal (above), Ruff and Lapwing, Kingfisher, Pintails, Knot and Black-tailed Godwits and Brent Geese from North Wall (AH)
White's Creek was teeming with birds early on - good numbers of Wigeon, Teal, Lapwing, Black Tailed Godwits, Redshank, Dunlin and a single Ruff. Later everything was put to flight when a Peregrine appeared. In the field north of Bremere Bridge were 2700 Brent Geese along with 600 Wigeon and 90 Curlew.
More Brent Geese flew in as I moved on and I guess the total was going to be close to 3000. There were 10 Little Egrets in the field north of Marsh Farm, and along Pagham Rife there were 56 Mute Swan plus the usual two Black Swans, whilst a Raven flew over Honer Cottages. (JDW)
Brent Geese (above), Little Egrets & Black Swans from the North Wall. (JDW)
Chichester Marina/Birdham Pool/Itchenor Pond: There were three Bullfinches around the hide at the marina this morning but other than that it was fairly quiet with just a distant Buzzard, two Cormorants and three Grey Herons of note. Birdham Pool also remained quiet with only a Kingfisher traversing the pool of interest. Plenty of small birds at Itchenor Pond mid-morning including a mixed flock of Blue Tits, Great Tits, Long-tailed Tits and Goldcrests and there were also at least three Great Spotted Woodpeckers also present in the area. (BI)
Bullfinch near the hide at Chichester Marina (BI)
Selsey, Broadreeds: There were two Redwings in the estate garden at mid-day. (BI)
Ferry Pool: There were no birds at all around the pool, with just a dozen Shoveler and c50 Teal on the creek, and two Buzzards went over, flushing two Snipe out of the roadside reeds. (AH)
Shovelers and Teal at the Ferry (AH)
Medmerry: Easton Lane to the Stilt Pool - There was nothing out of the ordinary, but there were at least three pairs of Stonechats, c40 Meadow Pipits and Skylarks, plus a couple of Reed Buntings, 20+ Pied Wagtails, half a dozen Song Thrushes and c20 Stock Doves along the banks, and at least 300 Linnets around the back of Marsh Farm where they are being fed.
The Common Sandpiper was on the Stilt Pool, along with c50 Lapwings, six Gadwall, ten Tufted Ducks, c20 Shoveler, c50 Canada Geese and plenty of Wigeon and Teal, and c150 Golden Plover flew low over the beach heading west. (AH)
Common Sandpiper (above), Golden Plovers, Gadwall, Linnets, Stonechat, Meadow Pipit & Song Thrush at Medmerry (AH)
Chichester Marina/Birdham Pool/Itchenor Pond: A look at these sites this morning was very unproductive! There was nothing around the reed-beds at the Marina, just a handful of Goldcrests of note in Salterns Copse and nothing on the water save one or two Little and Great Crested Grebes, though there were plenty of Shelduck, Curlew, Lapwing etc roosting on the far side of the harbour.
Birdham Pool just held a Pochard of note among the regular Tufted Ducks, Mallards and Little Grebes, whilst Itchenor Pond was more or less birdless. (AH)
Curlews and Oystercatchers at Chichester Marina (AH)
Church Norton: Just before noon there were at least 4 Slavonian Grebes offshore, whilst displaying Teal and a white-headed Cormorant hinted at the first signs of spring. (AW)
Slavonian Grebes, displaying Teal and white-headed Cormorant off Church Norton (AW)
No comments:
Post a Comment