Tuesday, 27th November: A change in the weather today, with a very misty, murky start giving way to persistent heavy rain and a shift southwards in wind direction.....
Great Northern Diver - 1os
Slavonian Grebe - 4W
Gannet - 3E
Common Scoter - 30os
Velvet Scoter - 5os
Red-breasted Merganser - 2W
Kittiwake - 4E
auk sp - 50+E
Ferry Pool: A Jack Snipe was showing well late this morning along the north bank of the pool. Also, the dozen Gadwall were again present, along with similar numbers of Shoveler, about 50 Teal and up to 200 Wigeon. (KJ/KF/AH et al)
Medmerry: Toe End and Breach - The Hooded Crow was feeding on the mud near the breach this morning and there were also still two female-type Black Redstarts among the caravans, with five Corn Buntings, a Reed Bunting and numerous Meadow Pipits, Linnets and Goldfinches in the vicinity and a Red-breasted Merganser on the pools. (PB)
North Wall: Two Firecrests were along the track from Church Lane this morning, but there was nothing really in the Breech Pool, as the water level is very high again, though a Marsh Harrier went over and two Reed Buntings and a Jay were present. Also, a flock of 36 Collared Doves together was an unusual sight.
In White's Creek there were 30 or so Golden Plovers among the many Lapwing, a few Pintail and lots of Wigeon and Teal, with single Bar-tailed and Black-tailed Godwits the only waders of note.(PB)
East Head: Around the head and dunes there were a pair of Stonechats, six Reed Buntings, c50 Meadow Pipits and Skylarks and a flock of at least 300 Linnets, but there were few waders about beyond a couple of Sanderling, and Curlews, with nothing offshore but a few Brent Geese on the water.
At Snowhill Creek a Greenshank was on the pools, along with 30 Black-tailed Godwits, a few Redshank, 250 Lapwings and 100+ Wigeon and Teal, whilst a Kingfisher flew through and a Sparrowhawk dropped in on the fences. (AH)
Monday, 26th November: Another cool, but mostly sunny, morning with a fresh northerly breeze.....
Special mention: We don’t usually use the blog for
personal celebrations such as birthdays and the like, but just occasionally
there are worthy exceptions. A little bird told us that our dear friend Beryl James reached her 90th
birthday on 21st November, so we are delighted to offer her our
warmest congratulations. Beryl is the Peninsula’s longest-serving observer, having
clocked up at least 55 years of
watching – and although her visits are much less frequent now, she is still
active and was last seen at the Bill as recently as 18th November,
when she just missed the Grey Phalarope. If it’s any consolation – you weren’t
the only one Beryl! Although a few health problems have caused her to slow down
a bit these days, she was until very recently a real stalwart at the Pagham
Harbour visitor centre, having put in many years there too.
We are sure that everyone who knows Beryl holds her in great
affection and esteem, so would like to join us, the editors of this little blog, in saying
a big thank you for all she has done in the past and in wishing her a very
happy (if slightly belated) birthday. We hope to see her at the Bill again
soon. (Eds)
Our dear friend and longest-serving observer Beryl James at the Bill (OM)
Selsey Bill: There was a bit of activity this morning, including five Velvet Scoters among 30 Common Scoters moving about offshore, four Slavonian Grebes west and 50+ auks east. Full log below.......
(0830-0945hrs) (KJ/KF et al)Great Northern Diver - 1os
Slavonian Grebe - 4W
Gannet - 3E
Common Scoter - 30os
Velvet Scoter - 5os
Red-breasted Merganser - 2W
Kittiwake - 4E
auk sp - 50+E
Ferry Pool: A Jack Snipe was showing well late this morning along the north bank of the pool. Also, the dozen Gadwall were again present, along with similar numbers of Shoveler, about 50 Teal and up to 200 Wigeon. (KJ/KF/AH et al)
Jack Snipe (above) & Wigeon on the Ferry (AH)
Medmerry: Toe End and Breach - The Hooded Crow was feeding on the mud near the breach this morning and there were also still two female-type Black Redstarts among the caravans, with five Corn Buntings, a Reed Bunting and numerous Meadow Pipits, Linnets and Goldfinches in the vicinity and a Red-breasted Merganser on the pools. (PB)
North Wall: Two Firecrests were along the track from Church Lane this morning, but there was nothing really in the Breech Pool, as the water level is very high again, though a Marsh Harrier went over and two Reed Buntings and a Jay were present. Also, a flock of 36 Collared Doves together was an unusual sight.
In White's Creek there were 30 or so Golden Plovers among the many Lapwing, a few Pintail and lots of Wigeon and Teal, with single Bar-tailed and Black-tailed Godwits the only waders of note.(PB)
East Head: Around the head and dunes there were a pair of Stonechats, six Reed Buntings, c50 Meadow Pipits and Skylarks and a flock of at least 300 Linnets, but there were few waders about beyond a couple of Sanderling, and Curlews, with nothing offshore but a few Brent Geese on the water.
At Snowhill Creek a Greenshank was on the pools, along with 30 Black-tailed Godwits, a few Redshank, 250 Lapwings and 100+ Wigeon and Teal, whilst a Kingfisher flew through and a Sparrowhawk dropped in on the fences. (AH)
Greenshank (above), Sparrowhawk, Stonechat, Linnets & Skylarks at East Head (AH)
Monday, 26th November: Another cool, but mostly sunny, morning with a fresh northerly breeze.....
Selsey Bill: (0730-0830hrs) Deadly quiet in the offshore breeze, with just three Gannets east and two Common Scoter moving west and 25 Woodpigeons NW overhead. A search around the beach and gardens was equally birdless, a Song Thrush in the Bill House garden being the highlight! (OM/AH)
Selsey, Drift Lane/Crablands: A rather elusive Brambling was a surprise here, repeatedly calling from treetops in a garden opposite the small pumping station, before eventually giving brief views and flying off into the gardens of the thatched cottage in Drift Lane. Two Snipe were present on the flooded meadow nearby, but there was nothing else of note. (OM)
Selsey, East beach: A Chiffchaff and a Goldcrest were at the Pond, but a good search along the beach, promenade and surrounding area failed to produce anything else. (OM)
Ferry Pool: There were 12 Gadwall again on the pool this morning, plus 50 or so Teal and 30 or so Shoveler and Wigeon. Also, a Grey Wagtail went over. (AH)
Long Pool: There was nothing at all along the pool, but a Snipe was along the edge of the harbour and there were huge numbers of wildfowl at the far end of Ferry Channel, including c800 Teal, c300 Wigeon, c20 Pintail and c40 Shelducks. Also, eight Golden Plovers went up with at least 500 Lapwing, when another 1000+ of the latter went up over the far side of the harbour. (AH)
Church Norton: There wasn't too much unusual about this morning, though the Whimbrel was showing, but there were at least 500 Dunlin, 100 Grey Plovers and 30 Knot out on the mud, and around 200 Brent Geese flew out of the harbour and settled on the beach. (AH)
Late morning, a Red-throated Diver was offshore from Norton spit. (AW)
Medmerry: Windmill area - The damp field and area behind the Windmill/go-kart track held 2 Stonechats, 35 Linnets and 10 Meadow Pipits. (OM)
Sunday, 25th November: A fairly bright and breezy morning after a grey start, with a freshening north-easterly keeping it fairly cool.....
The dawn coming up at the Bill (OM)
Selsey, Drift Lane/Crablands: A rather elusive Brambling was a surprise here, repeatedly calling from treetops in a garden opposite the small pumping station, before eventually giving brief views and flying off into the gardens of the thatched cottage in Drift Lane. Two Snipe were present on the flooded meadow nearby, but there was nothing else of note. (OM)
Brambling in a garden opposite Drift Lane - not the best of images I know but all I could manage! (OM)
Ferry Pool: There were 12 Gadwall again on the pool this morning, plus 50 or so Teal and 30 or so Shoveler and Wigeon. Also, a Grey Wagtail went over. (AH)
Gadwall (above) & Shovelers on the Ferry (AH)
Long Pool: There was nothing at all along the pool, but a Snipe was along the edge of the harbour and there were huge numbers of wildfowl at the far end of Ferry Channel, including c800 Teal, c300 Wigeon, c20 Pintail and c40 Shelducks. Also, eight Golden Plovers went up with at least 500 Lapwing, when another 1000+ of the latter went up over the far side of the harbour. (AH)
Golden Plovers (above), Lapwings, Pintail, Wigeon and Teal & \teal and Wigeon along Ferry Channel (AH)
Church Norton: There wasn't too much unusual about this morning, though the Whimbrel was showing, but there were at least 500 Dunlin, 100 Grey Plovers and 30 Knot out on the mud, and around 200 Brent Geese flew out of the harbour and settled on the beach. (AH)
Late morning, a Red-throated Diver was offshore from Norton spit. (AW)
Whimbrel (above), Knot & Brent Geese at Church Norton (AH)
Red-throated Diver off Norton spit (AW)
Medmerry: Windmill area - The damp field and area behind the Windmill/go-kart track held 2 Stonechats, 35 Linnets and 10 Meadow Pipits. (OM)
Stonechat near Medmerry windmill (OM)
East Head: Still not a lot to report today with just the regular Meadow Pipits, Skylarks and Linnets about the dunes along with 3-4 Stonechats. No waders along the beach and little other than two Great Crested Grebes offshore but there were c.250 Brent Geese on the grass stretches. (BI)
Selsey Bill: A reasonable selection of species was seen, including a female Merlin coming in from far out to sea, carrying prey, a few Red-throared Divers and a male Eider. Full log below....
(0720-0930hrs): (JA/PB/SH/AH/DM/DS)
Great Northern Diver - 1os
Red-throated Diver - 10E, 2W, 3os
diver sp - 3W
Great Crested Grebe - 2W, 2os
Gannet - 71E, 14W, 35os
Brent Goose - 7E, 10W
Wigeon - 2W
Common Scoter - 3E, 62os
Eider - 1W
Red-breasted Merganser - 10E, 5W, 12os
Merlin - 1N
Mediterranean Gull 1os
Kittiwake - 1E, 2W
Guillemot - 1os
razornbill - 4E, 3W, 6os
auk sp - 4E
Skylark - 6N
Rock Pipit - 1p
Meadow Pipit - 10N
Red-throated Diver (above), Common Scoters & Red-breasted Mergansers at the Bill (AH)
Medmerry: Breach area - The Hooded Crow was on the east side of the breach this morning. (RHa)
Ferry Pool: There was just a mix of ducks on the pool at high tide, including c30 Shoveler, c80 Teal, c40 Wigeon and four Shelducks. (AH)
Park Farm, Selsey: There were still 40+ Curlews on the uncropped field, a Green Sandpiper flew out from the spoil heap and a Green Woodpecker was in the paddocks. (AH/RM)
Green Sandpiper (above) & Green Woodpecker at Park Farm, Selsey (AH)
Church Norton: Two Red-throated Divers went east offshore, and a few distant Gannets were seen, along with a Common Gull and a few Mediterranean Gulls, whilst about 300 Brent Geese alternated between the sea and the adjacent fields at Greenlease Farm.
There wasn't too much of note in the harbour, though five Pintail were present, along with good numbers of Brent Geese and the commoner wildfowl and waders, including 30+ Ringed Plovers, whilst along the spit there were 30+ Skylarks and a few Linnets, Greenfinches and Meadow Pipits. (AH/RM).
Red-throated Divers (above), Brent Geese, Common Gull, Skylark & Grey Heron, Wigeon and Redshank at Church Norton (AH)
Chi GPs - Drayton Pits: A Woodcock flushed from the edge of a path this morning, and a total of 19 Snipe were located between both pits. Pochard numbers had increased considerably, with 180 logged, plus 40 Gadwall and 60 Tufted Duck, whilst 2 Water Rails were calling and 6 Chiffchaffs were in the hedgerows. (OM) A twilight visit found the Woodcock still present, a Snipe on the larger island, three Grey Herons around the reeds, four Redwings in the area and a small flock of Goldfinches and another of Long-tailed Tits moving through. (BI)
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