23rd - 25th December 2018

Christmas Day, Tuesday, 25th December: A fairly sunny, if chilly morning, with a moderate south-easterly breeze.........

We would like to wish everyone a very Happy Christmas and, hopefully, a bird-filled New Year! (Eds)

Selsey Bill: There was less on the move than yesterday, but still a fair selection, including eight Sandwich Terns and a Fulmar. Full log below. (SH/IP)
(0740-0900hrs)
Great Northern Diver - 3os
Red-throated Diver - 1E, 7W
Slavonian Grebe - 1E
Great Crested Grebe - 4W
Fulmar - 1W
Gannet - 10E, 4W
Brent Goose - 2E, 1W
Eider - 1os
Common Scoter - 29W
Red-breasted Merganser - 4E, 10os
Kittieake - 1E
Sandwich Tern - 4E, 4os
Razorbill - 1W
auk sp - 5W
Rock Pipit - 1p
Pied Wagtail - 1E

Ferry Pool: There was a Green Sandpiper on the concealed pool and at least 500 Lapwings on the field, with c30 Shoveler and c80 Teal on the pool and c150 Wigeon on the creek in the field. (AH)

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

Park Farm, Selsey: The waterlogged field towards the sea held a Lesser Black-backed Gull with at least fifty Curlews (at least thirty in the condemned field), the second row of poplars held a pair of Mistle Thrush and a Jay and the fields towards the final row of Poplars had the Skylark flock of twenty birds reported yesterday, along with double figures of Meadow Pipits and at least twenty Pied Wagtails, plus a Grey Wagtail and a Sparrowhawk. A Chiffchaff and a Goldcrest was in the lane approaching Manor Lane. (IP/S&SaH)

Chiffchaff at Park Farm, Selsey (SH)

  

Runcton: At midday the eight Egyptian Geese and ten Mute Swans were near the reservoir at Runcton Farm. (CRJ)

Church Norton: There were at least three Goldeneyes and a couple of Red-breasted Mergansers on the far side of the harbour, with another of the latter in the harbour mouth, along with several Great Crested Grebes, whilst the female Peregrine was devouring its breakfast on their island.
There were large numbers of waders spread around the harbour, including eight Avocets at the far end and at least 200 Knot on the mud, and there were also plenty of Brent Geese, Wigeon and Teal about, along with at least a dozen Mediterranean Gulls.
The two Stonechats were in the horse field, a few Goldcrests and Long-tailed Tits were near the Mound, a Great Spotted Woodpecker was in the car-park and 20+ Skylarks and a few Meadow Pipits were along the spit. (AH)

Peregrine (above), Stonechat, Red-breasted Merganser, Skylark, Brent Geese, Great Spotted Woodpecker & Mediterranean Gull and Great Crested Grebe at Church Norton (AH)

Later on a flock of eight Gannets flew east, with a few more flying west, along with a total of 12 Red-throated Divers also heading west, and another of the latter and a dozen Common Scoters heading east.
The horse field had a pair of Stonechats, the flock of at least 400 Golden Plover appeared again over Priory Wood. The harbour held plenty of the usual suspects, including the summer-plumaged Bar-tailed Godwit plus five Avocets, at least 100 Pintail, three Goldeneye (2 drakes), two female Red-breasted Mergansers and another Lesser Black-backed Gull was among its’ larger cousins. (IP/S&SaH)

Bar-tailed Godwit at Church Norton (SH)

East Head: Very busy today as expected but there were still a few birds around. Four Red-breasted Mergansers flew along the strand-line and there were 22 Sanderling feeding here as well whilst offshore were a Red-throated Diver, four Great Crested Grebes and a few more Mergansers. Sixteen Golden Plover and a small group of Dunlin flew over heading for Snowhill Creek and there were a dozen Lapwings roosting on the edge of the saltmarsh. In the dunes were six Skylarks, a few Meadow Pipits, a Stonechat and a Reed Bunting and a flock of Linnets was down the east side. Back at the beach, three Sandwich Terns went west and 24 Brent Geese flew in from Hayling Island. (BI/DB)

Red-throated Diver & Sandwich Tern at East Head (BI)

A mirror flat Chichester harbour and an enormous 5.5m tide today. Large number of waders on Ella Nore spit, including 2000+ Dunlin, 500 Ringed Plover, 100 Redshank and a few Curlew, and there were lots of Shelduck as well - 75 spread between Ella Nore and Rookwood. A slightly spring like feel was reinforced by Robin and Blackbird in song which made a very nice Christmas present. (GM)

Waders over East Head (GM)

Monday, 24th December: A shift round to the north-east made it a much cooler morning, though fairly bright and with the breeze reasonably modest..........

Selsey Bill: There was a bit of westward movement this morning, including 14 Eider, 34 Red-throated Divers,  41 Common Scoters and three Velvet Scoters, with two more of the latter settling offshore. Full log below. (JA/SH/PB/BI/CN/AH)
(0740-1000hrs)
Great Northern Diver - 7os
Red-throated Diver - 34W, 3os
diver sp - 1E
Great Crested Grebe - 1E, 1W
Gannet - 21E, 15W
Brent Goose - 6W
Wigeon - 4E, 3W
Eider - 14W
Common Scoter - 3E, 41W, 6os
Velvet Scoter - 3W, 2os
Mediterranean Gull - 3os
Kittiwake - 2E
Sandwich Tern - 5E
Razorbill - 4W, 2os
Guillemot - 1W
auk sp - 3E, 34W

Eider (above), Great Northern Diver & Red-throated Diver at the Bill (AH)

(1320-1430hrs) (SH)

Great Northern Diver - 1os

Red-throated Diver - 1E, 11W

Gannet - 8E, 2W

Common Scoter - 2os

Red-breasted Merganser - 10os

Razorbill - 1W

auk sp - 3W

Hillfield Road: A 1w Yellow-legged Gull was with the gull flock late morning. (BI)

Ferry Pool: There were c120 Redshanks, c50 Lapwing and a Dunlin roosting on the little island, but beyond that there were just 40 Teal and a Shelduck on the pool and another 200 Lapwings in the field. (AH)

Redshank, Dunlin and Lapwings on the Ferry (AH)

Park Farm, Selsey: There were three Ringed Plovers on the fields this morning, along with  three Mistle Thrushes, a Grey Wagtail, 30+ Pied Wagtails, 20+ Skylarks and a Jay. (S&SaH)

Church Norton: A total of 24 Red-throated Divers went west offshore, along with a Great Northern Diver, three Common Scoters, two Red-breasted Mergansers and four Gannets, whilst a lone Slavonian Grebe went east, whilst a Great Northern Diver and half a dozen Red-breasted Mergansers were on the sea.  
Two redhead Goosanders flew in from the west and settled towards the harbour mouth, and there were also three Goldeneyes and a few Pintails about, whilst a Kingfisher flew around near the hide and a Sparrowhawk was sat out on the spit
Among the many Dunlin, Knot and Grey Plovers present there were also a dozen Bar-tailed Godwits and the Whimbrel, whilst up to 300 Golden Plovers again appeared distantly beyond Priory Wood. 
Passerines seen included two Stonechats in the horse field, a Goldcrest near the Mound and a few Skylarks on the spit. (AH/PB/S&SaH/AW)

Great Northern Diver (above), Sparrowhawk (both AW), Goosanders, Common Scoters, Bar-tailed Godwit, Stonechat & mixed waders (AH) at Church Norton

Ivy Lake: This morning there were two Egyptian Geese on East Trout Lake and a Firecrest along the path but in general it was again quiet with only New Lake having any numbers of birds with c.120 Shovelers, 50 Pochard and 40 Mallards present. (BI)

Egyptian Geese at the lakes. (BI)

Fishbourne Creek: This morning a Kingfisher was on the reeds by the outfall, and two Cetti's Warblers were displaying to each other nearby, with a Grey Wagtail and a squealing Water Rail also in the vicinity.
Also, a male Goldeneye and a pair of Red-breasted Mergansers were on the water. and a Black Swan flew south with two Mute Swans. (HR)

Medmerry, Toe End: No sign of any Black Redstarts or indeed the Hooded Crow this morning but a Corn Bunting was singing from the fenceline and offshore were c.70 Common Scoters and 13 Red-breasted Mergansers. (BI)

Sunday, 23rd December: Another mild, if grey, morning after a wet start, with a moderate southerly breeze..........

Selsey Bill: Five Eider, a Black-throated Diver and a few Red-throated Divers went west and there were two or Slavonian Grebes offshore this morning. Full log below. (JA/SH/AH)
(0800-0930hrs)
Great Northern Diver - 2W, 1os
Black-throated Diver - 1W
Red-throated Diver - 2E, 13W
diver sp - 1W
Slavonian Grebe - 1W, 1os
Great Crested Grebe -1W
Gannet - 3E, 36W
Eider - 5W
Common Scoter - 12W
Red-breasted Merganser - 3E, 9os
Mediterranean Gull - 1os
Kittiwake - 1W
auk sp - 1E
Rock Pipit - 1p

Red-throated Diver (above), Slavonian Grebe & Gannets at the Bill (AH)

Chi GPs - Ivy Lake: The Great White Egret was present again today but in general it was fairly quiet on the water with just a handful of Tufted Ducks and Great Crested Grebe and two Bar-headed Geese with two Greylag Geese. Nunnery Lake held the usual Gadwall but Deep Lake,Trout Lakes & Copse & Triangle Lakes only had a few Coots in residence. New Lake had c.100 each of Pochard & Shoveler as well as a few Mallards and Tufted Ducks. Drayton north pit held c.160 Pochards. (BI/AH)

Great White Egret at Ivy Lake (AH)

Park Farm, Selsey: There were three Chiffchaffs and two Goldcrests in the hedges along the lane and a Grey Wagtail and four Pied Wagtails on the fields. (S&SaH)

Marsh Farm, Sidlesham: There were still 18 Cattle Egrets in the area. (per RBA)

Ferry Pool: An Avocet was on the pool this morning, along with six Shelducks, c30 Shoveler, and c100 Teal, with at least 500 Lapwings spread between the pool and the field. (AH)

Avocet (above) & Shovelers and Lapwings on the Ferry (AH)

Pagham: A Blackcap was in our garden in the village today. (BC)

Blackcap in a Pagham garden (BC)

Church Norton: There were two female Goldeneye and four Red-breasted Mergansers in the harbour this morning, with another half a dozen of the latter offshore, but the only other birds seen offshore were ten Gannets going west, including a group of seven together.
Otherwise, in the harbour there were still at least 800 Dunlin, 200 Knot and 100 or so Grey Plovers and Turnstones around the old harbour mouth, a dozen Bar-tailed Godwits on Tern Island, and good numbers of Wigeon, Teal and Brent Geese present, whilst one of the Peregrines went over.
The only small birds noted were a few Skylarks along the spit and a few Long-tailed Tits around the Mound. (AH)

Later on a Merlin went along the spit and a Raven went along the beach, whilst offshore ten Red-thoated Divers (including a flock of six) and 20+ Gannets went west and the Sandwich Tern was again present.
Also about were six Red-breasted Mergansers, a Peregrine, a Stonechat and two Jays. (S&SaH)

Goldeneye (above), Red-breasted Mergansers, Gannets and mixed waders at Church Norton (AH)

Fishbourne Creek: At high tide today there were at least seven Rock Pipits along the shore from Dell Quay to the Lavant outfall, including one bird with much greyer plumage which probably needs a closer look on a less gloomy day!. Out in the creek were four Goldeneye, ten Pintail and c.500 Wigeon. (BI) 

Rock Pipit at Fishbourne (BI)