Sunday, 24th February: Another warm and sunny morning with a light south-easterly breeze.......
Selsey Bill: The Hooded Crow finally put in an appearance at the Bill, seen briefly on the exposed shingle spit just before 8am, before heading off again. Otherwise, nine Slavonian Grebes went east, as did a few Red-throated Divers, whilst at least four Great Northern Divers were offshore. Also, sadly, a dead Porpoise was on the beach. Full log below. (SH/IP/BI/MO-W/AH/CRJ/RJS)
(0645-0930hrs)
Great Northern Diver - 4os
Red-throated Diver - 6E, 4os
Slavonian Grebe - 9E
Great Crested Grebe - 1os
Fulmar - 1E
Brent Goose - 17E, 7W
Red-breasted Merganser - 10E, 3os
Peregrine - 1os
Grey Plover - 1E
Curlew - 1E
Mediterranean Gull - 13E
Sandwich Tern - 1E, 11os
Meadow Pipit - 1N
Hooded Crow - 1 on shingle bar, then N
Ferry Pool: There were plenty of ducks again this morning, including 40 or so Shoveler and Teal and 150 Wigeon, plus four Shelducks, but nothing else. (AH)
North Wall: The Short-eared Owl was out hunting this morning. Also seen were an obliging Green Woodpecker and a couple of Roe deer. (IH/CB)
Late this afternoon there were two Marsh Harriers out hunting. (IH)
Hunston: At least a dozen Cattle Egrets were again present near the substation today. (CRJ/BI)
Pagham Spit/Lagoon: The Hooded Crow was on the shingle out near the harbour mouth this morning, whilst around the Lagoon there were Mediterranean and Black-headed Gulls, Great Crested and Little Grebes, Wigeon, Tufted Ducks and a couple of argumentative Mute Swans, whilst in the bushes there were a couple of Stonechats and a few Linnets and Greenfinches. (GWh)
(0645-0930hrs)
Great Northern Diver - 4os
Red-throated Diver - 6E, 4os
Slavonian Grebe - 9E
Great Crested Grebe - 1os
Fulmar - 1E
Brent Goose - 17E, 7W
Red-breasted Merganser - 10E, 3os
Peregrine - 1os
Grey Plover - 1E
Curlew - 1E
Mediterranean Gull - 13E
Sandwich Tern - 1E, 11os
Meadow Pipit - 1N
Hooded Crow - 1 on shingle bar, then N
Dead Porpoise at the Bill, above, (SH) - the tape was attached by the Coastguards, not the cause of death!
& distant record shot of the Hooded Crow on the shingle bar at the Bill, below (BI)
Park Farm, Selsey: Three Grey Partridges were on the fields, along with a couple of Red-legged Partridges and a dozen Skylarks. (S&SaH)& distant record shot of the Hooded Crow on the shingle bar at the Bill, below (BI)
Ferry Pool: There were plenty of ducks again this morning, including 40 or so Shoveler and Teal and 150 Wigeon, plus four Shelducks, but nothing else. (AH)
Shovelers (above) & Wigeon on the Ferry (AH)
North Wall: The Short-eared Owl was out hunting this morning. Also seen were an obliging Green Woodpecker and a couple of Roe deer. (IH/CB)
Late this afternoon there were two Marsh Harriers out hunting. (IH)
Short-eared Owl, Green Woodpecker and Roe Deer at the North Wall (CB)
Hunston: At least a dozen Cattle Egrets were again present near the substation today. (CRJ/BI)
Pagham Spit/Lagoon: The Hooded Crow was on the shingle out near the harbour mouth this morning, whilst around the Lagoon there were Mediterranean and Black-headed Gulls, Great Crested and Little Grebes, Wigeon, Tufted Ducks and a couple of argumentative Mute Swans, whilst in the bushes there were a couple of Stonechats and a few Linnets and Greenfinches. (GWh)
Hooded Crow on Pagham Spit (GWh)
Church Norton: Later on, the Hooded Crow was showing well off the end of the spit, but there was nothing offshore save a couple of Red-breasted Mergansers, though later five Sandwich Terns flew west along the beach.
At least 2000 Brent Geese were in the harbour, along with plenty of waders, including one or two Bar-tailed Godwits and a dozen Ringed Plovers, though there were only low numbers of wildfowl. Small birds were thin on the ground, though a pair of Stonechats were in the horse field and at least 20 Skylarks were along the spit. (AH/IP/S&SaH)
Selsey: East Beach - A Sandwich Tern was sat on a marker offshore, whilst another two went east. (AW)
Hooded Crow (above), Sandwich Tern, Brent Goose & Grey Plover at Church Norton (AH)
Sandwich Tern at East Beach (AW)
Medmerry: Easton Lane to the Stilt Pool - There were 12 Avocets and three Ringed Plovers, including a first-winter bird, on the Stilt Pool, along with a few Gadwall and Shovelers, 13 Canada Geese and a few Mediterranean Gulls. Along the banks there were good numbers of Skylarks, Meadow Pipits, Reed Buntings, Yellowhammers and a pair of Stonechats. (AW)
Later on, a Barn Owl was out hunting, whilst a Greenshank, a Snipe and a Fieldfare were near the poplars. (S&SaH)
Ringed Plovers (above), Avocets, Reed Bunting & Stonechat at Medmerry (AH)
Selsey Bill: There was nothing at all moving offshore this morning, though a Great Northern Diver was on the sea and a Whimbrel and two Curlews were on the exposed shingle at low tide. (BI/IP/MO-W et al)
There was a little more this afternoon, including a flock of 18 Pintail east. (SH)
(1430-1530hrs)
Red-throated Diver - 1E
Pintail - 18E
Red-breasted Merganser - 2W, 2os
Common Gull - 2E
Mediterranean Gull - 1E
Kittiwake - 2E
Sandwich Tern - 2E
Park Farm, Selsey: A Raven went over west and a Grey Wagtail was on the fields. (S&SaH)
Medmerry: Another early Swallow was present, near the Windmill and play-park at the start of the caravan park this morning. (KJ/GWh et al)
The Tramway circuit was very quiet, with a Great Spotted Woodpecker in the Discovery Area the only bird of note. (AH)
Long Pool: Three Reed Buntings were at he start of the Long Pool, whilst ten Tufted Ducks and two Little Grebes were along it.
A dozen Black-tailed Godwits were along Ferry Channel, but there wasn't much else about save a few Redshanks, Teal and Wigeon, plus a couple of Meadow Pipits. (AH)
Hunston: The 17 Cattle Egrets were again present near the substation today. (BI)
Church Norton: The Hooded Crow was seen on the Pagham side from the end of Church Norton spit this morning (PJ et al)
Highlights this morning were a Firecrest near to the Clock House at Greenlease Farm and a Raven seen over Priory Wood.
Also, two Meadow Pipits were on the old horse-field and a pair of singing Reed Buntings were along the first Several, whilst a singing Cetti's Warbler and two Little Grebes were around the second Several. (AW)
Later, a Sandwich Tern was in the harbour, as were a few Common Gulls, the two Peregrines, at least 500 Brent Geese, half a dozen Pintail and a few Shelduck, Wigeon and Teal, whilst a flock of nine Red-breasted Mergansers went west offshore.
There were plenty of Knot, Dunlin and Grey Plovers present, along with around 20 Avocets, the Whimbrel, six Bar-tailed Godwits and 20+ Ringed Plovers, whilst among small birds seen were a Stonechat and a Reed Bunting along the Severals and 20+ Skylarks along the spit. (AH/IP et al)
Honer Reservoir to Summer Lane: This afternoon there were nine Gadwall, two Mallard and a Little Grebe on Honer Reservoir, while around Summer Lane water treatment works there were at least a dozen Chiffchaffs. (AW)
Medmerry: West side - There were very many Skylarks around today, singing all along the banks and overhead from Ham to the Stilt Pools. There were also good numbers of Meadow Pipits and Yellowhammers about and there were a few singing Corn Buntings, particularly at Ham. Raptors included a close Peregrine at Marsh Barn, two Kestrels and four Buzzards whilst the Stilt Pool held, along with the usual wildfowl, eight Ringed Plovers. (BI)
Late this afternoon, aa quick look from Easton Lane produced a dozen Fieldfares in the poplars, along with 50 Linnets (with more of the latter elsewhere), all of which were dislodged when a Peregrine dropped in! Otherwise there were 20+ Gadwall, 50+ Teal and a few Wigeon and Redshanks on the tidal area, biut not too much else. (AH)
Friday, 22nd February: It was very foggy early on, only slowly lifting during the morning to give a gloomy and overcast, though almost still, day...There was a little more this afternoon, including a flock of 18 Pintail east. (SH)
(1430-1530hrs)
Red-throated Diver - 1E
Pintail - 18E
Red-breasted Merganser - 2W, 2os
Common Gull - 2E
Mediterranean Gull - 1E
Kittiwake - 2E
Sandwich Tern - 2E
Park Farm, Selsey: A Raven went over west and a Grey Wagtail was on the fields. (S&SaH)
Medmerry: Another early Swallow was present, near the Windmill and play-park at the start of the caravan park this morning. (KJ/GWh et al)
Swallow at Medmerry (GWh, above, BI, below)
Ferry Pool: More or less the same birds as yesterday were present, including c20 Lapwings, two Gadwall, four Shelducks, c40 Shoveler, c60 Teal and c200 Wigeon.
The Tramway circuit was very quiet, with a Great Spotted Woodpecker in the Discovery Area the only bird of note. (AH)
Shoveler (above) & Great Spotted Woodpecker around the Ferry (AH)
Long Pool: Three Reed Buntings were at he start of the Long Pool, whilst ten Tufted Ducks and two Little Grebes were along it.
A dozen Black-tailed Godwits were along Ferry Channel, but there wasn't much else about save a few Redshanks, Teal and Wigeon, plus a couple of Meadow Pipits. (AH)
Reed Bunting (above), Black-tailed Godwits & Wigeon along the Long Pool (AH)
Highlights this morning were a Firecrest near to the Clock House at Greenlease Farm and a Raven seen over Priory Wood.
Also, two Meadow Pipits were on the old horse-field and a pair of singing Reed Buntings were along the first Several, whilst a singing Cetti's Warbler and two Little Grebes were around the second Several. (AW)
Firecrest (above), Meadow Pipit & Reed Bunting at Church Norton (AW)
Later, a Sandwich Tern was in the harbour, as were a few Common Gulls, the two Peregrines, at least 500 Brent Geese, half a dozen Pintail and a few Shelduck, Wigeon and Teal, whilst a flock of nine Red-breasted Mergansers went west offshore.
There were plenty of Knot, Dunlin and Grey Plovers present, along with around 20 Avocets, the Whimbrel, six Bar-tailed Godwits and 20+ Ringed Plovers, whilst among small birds seen were a Stonechat and a Reed Bunting along the Severals and 20+ Skylarks along the spit. (AH/IP et al)
Sandwich Tern and Common Gull (above), Whimbrel & Brent Geese at Church Norton (AH)
Chiffchaffs at Summer Lane (AW)
Medmerry: West side - There were very many Skylarks around today, singing all along the banks and overhead from Ham to the Stilt Pools. There were also good numbers of Meadow Pipits and Yellowhammers about and there were a few singing Corn Buntings, particularly at Ham. Raptors included a close Peregrine at Marsh Barn, two Kestrels and four Buzzards whilst the Stilt Pool held, along with the usual wildfowl, eight Ringed Plovers. (BI)
Late this afternoon, aa quick look from Easton Lane produced a dozen Fieldfares in the poplars, along with 50 Linnets (with more of the latter elsewhere), all of which were dislodged when a Peregrine dropped in! Otherwise there were 20+ Gadwall, 50+ Teal and a few Wigeon and Redshanks on the tidal area, biut not too much else. (AH)
Fieldfare (above), Peregrine & Gadwall at Medmerry (AH)
Selsey Bill: It was unwatchable at the Bill early on, with two Mediterranean Gulls along the beach and a Great Crested Grebe close offshore the total for 45 minutes of 'watching'! (BI/IP/AH)
Ferry Pool: Around 20 Lapwings were along the edges this morning, whist six Gadwall, eight Shelducks, 44 Shovelers, c60 Teal and c150 Wigeon were on the pool. (AH)
Lapwings on the Ferry (AH)
Church Norton: A Short-eared Owl was flushed from the end of the spit by a Carrion Crow this morning, appearing to fly out over the harbour, but it was lost in the fog.
Otherwise, an Avocet, four Black-tailed Godwits and c200 Knot were among the waders in the harbour, at least 500 Brent Geese were over towards the North Wall and the white-backed Black-headed Gull was among a group of its congeners, a few Mediterranean Gulls, near Tern Island. Also c20 Skylarks and a couple of Meadow Pipits were along the spit, a Grey Heron was in the creek by the horse field and a couple of Song Thrushes and a few Goldfinches were near the Mound. (AH/IP) The Great Skua was again briefly present in the harbour this afternoon and there also were c.9 Slavonian Grebes and a number of Great Crested Grebes offshore. (A.Dutta)
Otherwise, an Avocet, four Black-tailed Godwits and c200 Knot were among the waders in the harbour, at least 500 Brent Geese were over towards the North Wall and the white-backed Black-headed Gull was among a group of its congeners, a few Mediterranean Gulls, near Tern Island. Also c20 Skylarks and a couple of Meadow Pipits were along the spit, a Grey Heron was in the creek by the horse field and a couple of Song Thrushes and a few Goldfinches were near the Mound. (AH/IP) The Great Skua was again briefly present in the harbour this afternoon and there also were c.9 Slavonian Grebes and a number of Great Crested Grebes offshore. (A.Dutta)
Avocet (above), Grey Plover, Grey Heron & Song Thrush at Church Norton (AH)
Hunston: The 17 Cattle Egrets were still present in the fields near the substation today. (BI)
Northcommon Farm: A Long-eared Owl was seen in the vicinity, after dusk this evening, at a location with no public access. (RSm)
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