7th - 10th January 2019

Thursday, 10th January: A cold and fairly grey morning, after another overnight frost, with a fairly light northerly breeze....

Ferry Pool: At least 300 Wigeon were on the pool, but otherwise there were just a couple of dozen each of Teal, Shoveler and Lapwing. (AH)

Wigeon at the Ferry (AH)

Fishbourne Creek: There were two Jack Snipe and four Common Snipe along their regular patch this morning at low tide, whilst out in the main channel there were four Spotted Redshanks, all together at one point, and six widely spread Greenshank. 
Otherwise, there were large numbers of Wigeon and Brent Geese, a few Gadwall, Teal and Pintail , a single Red-breasted Merganser and at least 50 Black-tailed Godwits along with lots of the commoner waders.
A handful of Rock Pipits and 20+ Blackbirds were along the edge of the harbour, but there were very few other small birds about. (AH)

Greenshank (above), Spotted Redshank and Greenshank, Black-tailed Godwit, Red-breasted Merganser & Wigeon at Fishbourne Creek (AH)

Itchenor Pond: Two Tree-creepers were showing well this morning, and there were also a few Goldcrests and plenty of Blue Tits about, plus a couple of Jays and Song Thrushes, with a couple of Redwings nearby. (AH)

Tree-creepers (above) & Redwing at Itchenor Pond (AH)

Wednesday, 9th January: After a sharp overnight frost, a cold but very sunny morning, with a brisk north-westerly breeze.....

Selsey Bill: It was very quiet this morning, with just two distant Gannets and half a dozen Red-breasted Mergansers offshore in 30 minutes from 8am. (AH)

Red-breasted Merganser at the Bill (AH)

Ferry Pool: At least 500 Lapwings and 300 Wigeon were around the pool and field, along with 20 or so Shoveler and 50 Teal. (AH)

Lapwings at the Ferry (AH)

Chichester GPs: Westhampnett North pit - A Common Sandpiper was present this morning. (GH)

Itchenor Pond: A Coal Tit was present this morning. (IP)

Medmerry: Porthole Farm to Ham Farm - There were a couple of Chiffchaffs and Long-tailed Tits, plus a calling Cetti's Warbler, in the hedge by the sewage farm, plus a few Skylarks and Meadow Pipits in the fields, whilst around the cover crops and the solar panel fields between the farms there were 30+ Yellowhammers, a couple of Reed Buntings, a Sparrowhawk and two Buzzards.
Along the banks and the adjacent stubble field at Ham there were at least three Corn Buntings, a few more Yellowhammers, a Stonechat and at least 500 Linnets, plus a few Skylarks and 50 or so Goldfinches and Meadow Pipits, with a Mistle Thrush at the farm and several widely spread Song Thrushes.
Also, up to 100 Golden Plovers and 50 Stock Doves were on/over the arable fields, a snipe flew out of the rough grass and there were a few Ringed Plovers, Dunlin and Grey Plovers on the tidal area. (AH/IP)

Corn Bunting (above), Yellowhammer, Reed Bunting, Golden Plovers, Buzzard & Stock Doves at Medmerry (AH)

Ivy Lake: A quick look at lunchtime produced at least three Chiffchaffs among a big mixed tit flock, but there were few birds on the water beyond a couple of Greylag Geese and 50 Canada Geese, plus a handful of Pochard and Tufted Ducks. 
New Lake held at least 80 Shoveler, but again nothing else but a handful of Pochard and Tufted Ducks. (AH)

Chiffchaff (above), Greylag Geese & Shoveler around Ivy Lake complex (AH)

Tuesday, 8th January: A much brighter morning, but decidedly chilly in the fresh northerly breeze.....

Selsey Bill: It was fairly quiet again, with all the seabirds seemingly congregating further east along the coast at present, though a big flock of Dunlin and a few Grey Plovers went west - presumably out of the harbour. Full log below. (AH/DF/DS et al)
(0800-0930hrs)
Red-throated Diver - 3W, 2E
Gannet - 8E, 6W, c20os
Brent Goose - 11E
Shelduck - 2W
Red-breasted Merganser - 8W, c12os
Grey Plover - 30W
Dunlin - c500W
Mediterranean Gull - 2W
Razorbill - 6E
auk sp - c40E, c30W

Dunlin at the Bill (AH)

Ferry Pool: Much the same as recent days, with c300 Wigeon, c30 Teal and Shoveler and c500 Lapwing present, but not much else. (AH)

Wigeon and Lapwing on the Ferry (AH)

Medmerry: Toe End - There were two Black Redstarts around the caravans this morning, but no sign of the Hooded Crow around the breach. (DS/DF)

Church Norton: A Sanderling on the beach among a few Turnstones was the only bird out of the usual this morning, with the sea very quiet again, holding just one Slavonian Grebe, three or four Great Crested Grebes and Red-breasted Mergansers and a few very distant Gannets.
Half a dozen Red-breasted Mergansers were in the harbour mouth, two Goldeneye and 50+ Pintail on the far side, five Avocets at the far end and the two Peregrines on their island  and 20 or so Skylarks on the spit were the most noteworthy birds in the harbour, though there were plenty of the commoner wildfowl and waders, plus a couple of Mediterranean Gulls. Also, two Mistle Thrushes and two Red-legged Partridges were along Rectory Lane.. (AH/IP)

Sanderling (above), Peregrines, Skylark, Mistle Thrush, Mediterranean Gull & Teal at Church Norton (AH)

Pagham & North Wall: The Brent Geese numbers exceeded 3000 for the first time this winter with 3040 counted behind the village hall. The odd looking white-headed Brent Goose is still around but very difficult to photo as it and its near neighbours are always on the move. A pair of Stonechats was by the horse paddock, whilst by the stables at Welbourne were 6 Song Thrushes and a Redwing. On White's Creek were at least a 1000 Lapwings, 120 Black-tailed Godwits and 20 Redshank. In the field north of Church Lane there was a surprise in seeing a flock of 39 Stock Doves. (JDW)

 Lapwing flock in White's creek and Stock Doves in the field (JDW)

Monday, 7th January: A cool and very grey and gloomy morning, with a freshening north-westerly breeze.....

Selsey Bill: Very little was on the move, but at least five Great Northern Divers were offshore. Full log below. (AH/BI)

(0835-0950hrs)

Great Northern Diver - 1W, 5os

Red-throated Diver - 2E, 3W

Gannet - 4E, 4W

Red-breasted Merganser - 12+os

Kittiwake - 1W

auk sp - 6E

Great Northern Diver past the Bill (AH)

West Wittering: A male Merlin flew across our lane in the north of the village and disappeared over the fields this morning. (GM)

Ferry Pool: At least 500 Lapwings dropped in on the field and pool, and there were also at least 300 Wigeon present, but nothing else bar 20 or so Shovelers and Teal. (AH)

Shovelers (above) & Wigeon and Lapwings at the Ferry (AH)

Chichester Marina area: There was nothing offshore from the Marina save a couple of Little Grebes and Shelducks and just a handful of Redshank and Grey Plovers were along the foreshore on the rising tide, though at least 500 Brent Geese flew in from the south, dropping onto the fields towards Dell Quay.

Birdham Pool and Itchenor Pond were both devoid of anything at all of note! (AH)

Brent Geese at Chichester Marina (AH)

Church Norton: It was rather quiet today with the paucity of small birds continuing with just a Goldcrest along the path being of note. Offshore there were c.6 Slavonian Grebes. a few Great Crested Grebes and a couple of distant Gannets. The harbour contained very few waders and was dominated by hundreds of Wigeon along with a few Teal and Red-breasted Mergansers. (BI/DB)

Church Farm Lane: A quick look this morning failed to find the reported Grey Partridges but there were at least 200 mixed corvids on the old maize field. (BI)