Wednesday 7 November 2018

7th - 10th November 2018

Saturday, 10th November: After a fairly wild and windy night, a pleasantly bright and breezy morning, with plenty of warm sun and a fresh south-westerly.... 

Selsey Bill: The Black Redstart was still at the southern end of Hillfield Road this morning. (per Birdguides)
(0715-0900hrs) (JA/PB/BI)
Red-throated Diver - 1W
Slavonian Grebe - 1W, 2os
Great Crested Grebe - 2E, 1os
Gannet - 3W
Red-breasted Merganser - 8W
Sanderling - 70W
Wood Pigeon - 70W
Skylark - 2S
Meadow Pipit - 14S
Brambling - 1W
Goldfinch - 20p

(1445-1545hrs)
Great Crested Grebe - 1os
Manx Shearwater - 1W
Mediterranean Gull - 1E
Kittiwake - 12W

Park Farm: There were a male and female Black Redstarts around the farm buildings this afternoon, with a Green Sandpiper and 10+ Goldcrests nearby. (S&SaH)

Black Redstart at Park Farm, Selsey (SH)


Sidlesham: A Swift species flew across the B2145 near the garage this morning. (per Birdguides)

Ferry Pool: A Green Sandpiper was on the pool again this morning, along with c200+ Lapwings, four Shelduck two Black-tailed Godwits, c100 Wigeon, c60 Teal and c40 Shoveler.
A Grey and a Pied Wagtail were around the Discovery Area pond, whilst a Fieldfare flew over and at least a dozen Goldcrests were in the hedges early on and four Black-tailed Godwits and 20 Redshank were in the channel opposite, with a pair of Stonechats viewable at the far end. (AH)



Grey Wagtail (above), Black-tailed Godwits, Goldcrest and Green Sandpiper around the Ferry (AH)




Long Pool: There were a Stonechat and a Reed Bunting of note along the pool, with 24 Avocets and a Spotted Redshank at the end of Ferry Channel. (PB)

Northcommon Farm: There were plenty of Goldcrests in the hedges again this morning. (SH)

North Selsey: There were 14 Goldcrests in our garden at first light this morning, and 30+ more were along the hedges in Manor Lane later on.. (SH)

Church Norton: There were a Firecrest and probably up to 20 Goldcrests around the churchyard area this morning, plus a few Long-tailed Tits, whilst a Mistle Thrush flew over.
Out in the harbour there was a Greenshank early on, the Whimbrel was in its usual haunt and at least 20 Knot were among the many Grey Plover and Dunlin. A group of six Red-breasted Mergansers were in the main channel along with at least that many Great Crested Grebes, whilst three Little Grebes and a reasonable number of Wigeon and Teal were towards the spit, though there weren't many Brent Geese about.
Half a dozen Mediterranean and Common Gulls were offshore, with a few Turnstone and Redshank on the beach, and two Rock Pipits were around the concrete blocks. (AW/AH)
Later on, a Dartford Warbler was in the gorse along the beach. (S&SaH)

Firecrest (above), Goldcrest, Greenshank, Mediterranean Gull, Common Gull (AW), Red-breasted Mergansers, Whimbrel and Curlew, Dunlin, Knot and Grey Plovers & Teal (AH) at Church Norton









Fishbourne Creek: There were at least six Rock Pipits present this morning on the saltmarsh and five Reed Buntings in the nearby bushes. The water was remarkably quiet with just c.50 Mute Swans and a handful of Wigeon present. (BI)




Friday, 9th November: The spell of strong southerly winds continues, with a blustery, squally morning, brightening up later - before the storm force winds set to arrive this afternoon/evening......

Selsey BillThe Black Redstart was on the roof-tops at the southern end of Hillfield Road again this morning (AH/MJ) and another was still present in Barnes Close (on the Broadreeds estate) (JA). Also, an arrival of at least 20 Goldcrests was apparent (probably an underestimate), with some birds in various gardens with no observer access. Offshore, a flurry of Kittiwakes going west raised expectations for a while, but ultimately very little was moving. Full log below.......
0730-1000hrs:  (JA/OM/BI)
Great Crested Grebe - 3W
Gannet - 4E, 19W
Common Scoter - 2E
Red-breasted Merganser - 3W
Razorbill - 2E, 1W
auk sp - 2W
Kittiwake - 112W
Mediterranean Gull - 1W, 3os
Common Gull - 1E
Black Redstart - 2 area
Goldfinch - 40 p
Linnet - 10 p
Goldcrest - 20+ gardens

Northcommon Farm: A Firecrest was among at least 30 Goldcrests in the sheltered hedges around the White Horse caravan site this morning. (SH)

Selsey East beach: An obvious influx of Goldcrests with at least 25 in the area, mostly around the pond......though nothing else of note. (OM)

North Selsey/Park Farm: There were at least 50 Goldcrests along the hedges in Manor Lane towards the farm this evening. (SH)

Ferry Pool: A Green Sandpiper was on the concealed pool first thing this morning, with 150 Lapwing, 40+ Shoveler, six Shelducks, 80+ Wigeon and 50+ Teal on the main pool. (AH)


Green Sandpiper (above) & Shovelers at the Ferry (AH)


Church Norton: There was a  surprise this morning in the form of an adult Arctic Tern  in the harbour, which was then seen again feeding with the gulls offshore.
Otherwise, in the harbour were the two Greenshanks (briefly), the Whimbrel, c100 Brent Geese at least 50 Wigeon, 50 Grey Plovers and 500 Dunlin, before the tide got too high.
Also, there were at least 20 Goldcrests and similar of Long-tailed Tits in the bushes around the path to the harbour and a few Skylarks and Meadow Pipits on/over the beach. (AH)




Arctic Tern (above), Grey Plover, Whimbrel & Dunlin at Church Norton (AH)





Medmerry: Easton Lane to the Stilt Pool - A Dartford Warbler was showing in the gorse near Marsh Farm, and there were several Stonechats nearby. (BI)
Also, at least 30 Goldcrests were in hedges around the Medmerry Park holiday village. (BO'D)

East side: A Merlin was at the southern end of the Slipe Field to the left of Church Lane this afternoon. (JDW)

Halsey's Farm: There was a big mixed flock working its way along the hedges in Rookery Lane this morning, including at least 30 Goldcrests and 30 Long-tailed Tits, plus a few Blue and Great Tits. (AH)


Goldcrest (above) & Long-tailed Tit at Halsey's Farm (AH)


Fishbourne creek - Dell QuayThe highlight of a blustery walk on the rising tide was 3 Spotted Redshanks with a Greenshank in the upper channel. The only Brent Geese were 4 below Dell Quay, and on the fuller tide 4 Great Crested Grebes were in the upper channel. A Peregrine went over at height and a Sparrowhawk went down the channel just above the water. A couple of Reed Bunting and a Yellowhammer were in the bushes, and a Cetti's Warbler sang briefly from by the River Lavant. (RW)


Thursday, 8th November: Another day of strong southerly winds, though with  the unbroken sunshine making it very warm in sheltered spots......

Selsey Bill: A Black Redstart was by the toilet block in Hillfield Road again this morning (OM), but it was very quiet offshore, with just a Red-throated Diver, and a very few Gannets moving about. Full log below....... 
0730-0900hrs: (OM/AH)
Red-throated Diver - 1W
Great Crested Grebe - 3W
Gannet - 10W
Shag - 1W
Red-breasted Merganser - 2E, 1W
Razorbill - 1W
Mediterranean Gulll - 4 os
Common Gull - 1W
Kittiwake - 2W
Black Redstart - 1 near toilet block
Goldfinch - 20 area
Linnet - 10E


Mediterranean Gull (above) & Common Gull at the Bill (AH)


Selsey, East beach: A Water Rail was flushed from the edge of the pond this morning, whilst a Grey Wagtail went over and a couple of Goldcrests were in the bushes. Two Meadow Pipits and a Pied Wagtail were in the area around the cycle track. (OM)

Bracklesham village: A Short-eared Owl flew over the village at 2.55pm today. (AB)

Ferry Pool: There were still 40+ Shovelers on the pool this morning, with similar of Teal and Wigeon, along with six Shelducks and 200 Lapwings early on and two Spotted Redshanks, and a dozen Black-tailed Godwits and Redshanks later. (AH)


Lapwings (above), Teal & Spotted Redshanks and Black-tailed Godwits on the Ferry (AH)



Church Norton: Early this morning there was a Fieldfare in the churchyard, as well as the usual Mistle Thrush, a Firecrest and a few Goldcrests, a Greenshank was in the harbour opposite the hide and a small flock of five or six Pied Wagtails dropped onto the fields along Rectory Lane. (AW)


Fieldfare (above), Greenshank & Pied Wagtail at Church Norton (AW)



Later, there were two Greenshanks in the harbour, along with the Whimbrel and plenty of the commoner waders, plus at least 100 Brent Geese on the far side. There were one or two Goldcrests keeping low in the hedges, a couple of Jays were about and a Rock Pipit and a dozen or so Skylarks and Meadow Pipits were along the spit, but that was about it. (AH)


Greenshanks (above), Whimbrel, Grey Plover, Kestrel, Rock Pipit & Skylark at Church Norton (AH)






Chi GPs - Ivy Lake complex: Another visit, not helped by ongoing tree cutting works, but producing similar results to last time. There were 80 Shoveler on New Lake, 20 Great Crested Grebes on Ivy Lake and a gathering of 60 Greylags. Along the hedgerows were 4 Chiffchaffs, 2 Cetti's Warblers and several Goldcrests. (OM)


East Head: This morning there were 12 Great Crested Grebes, 17 Red-breasted Mergansers and 2 Sandwich Terns in the channel, with 450 Golden Plover in the area. (BFF/DM)





Wednesday, 7th November: A very windy morning, with a near gale force southerly persisting throughout, though otherwise fairly mild, with a mix of squalls of drizzle, grey cloud and the odd glimpse of the sun......

Selsey BillThere was a bit of westward movement, particularly early on, including two Red-necked Grebes, a summer-plumaged Great Northern Diver, three Red-throated Divers, 100+ auks (mainly Razorbills), 40 Kittiwakes and 100+ Gannets. Full log below. (GH/AH/PB)
(0720-1135hrs)
Great Northern Diver - 1W
Red-throated Diver - 2E, 3W
diver sp - 2W
Red-necked Grebe 2W (at 8.58 & 10.22am)
Fulmar - 1W
Gannet - 6E, c100W
Shag - 1os
Common Scoter - 8E, 2W
Red-breasted Merganser - 8W
Sanderling - 1W
Turnstone - 40 ob
Curlew - 1W
Mediterranean Gull - 11W
Common Gull - 1os
Kittiwake - 44W
Razorbill - 60W
auk sp - 2E, 85W

Kittiwake (GH) (above), Great Northern Diver, Red-throated Diver, Red-breasted Mergansers, Gannet, Mediterranean Gull, Black-headed Gulls & the stormy weather at the Bill (AH)









Ferry Pool: There were 44 Shovelers on the pool early on, and by late morning - on the big tide - there were also at least six  Spotted Redshank, 28 Avocets, 200+ Redshank, five Dunlin, two Black-tailed Godwits,, eight Shelduck, 80 Teal and 60 Wigeon on there. (AH)



Spotted Redshanks and Redshanks (above), Avocets & Shoveler at the Ferry (AH)




Church Norton: Pretty much unviewable with the big tide and wind, but still the Whimbrel was by the benches, half a dozen Knot, c50 Grey Plover, c100 Dunlin and a few Curlew and Redshank were around the concrete blocks, with a few wildfowl and Skylarks flying about the harbour, but passerines were confined to a couple of Jays and calling Goldcrests. (AH)

Whimbrel (above), Knot, Grey Plovers and Dunlin & the high tide around Tern Island at Church Norton (AH)




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