4th - 6th February 2019

Wednesday, 6th February: It was eventually quite a mild, if murky, morning, after a drizzly and foggy start, with just a light westerly breeze......

Selsey Bill: There wasn't too much doing in often poor visibility, though a couple of Great Northern Divers were on the sea and 200 Gannets were offshore. Full lobe below. (AH/IP)
(0755-0910hrs)
Great Northern Diver - 2os
Red-throated Diver - 6E, 1W, 2os
Gannet - 95W, 200os
Brent Goose - 13E, 4W
Common Scoter - 1E, 4W, 20os
Red-breasted Merganser - 4E, 8W
Common Gull - 2W
Mediterranean Gull - 5os
Kittiwake - 1E
Razorbill - 10E, 20W
auk sp - 50W

Razorbill (above), Common Scoters, Red-breasted Mergansers & Brent Geese at the Bill (AH)

Ferry Pool: As often happens after rain, two Green Sandpipers were back on the concealed pool this morning, though otherwise it was usual fare, including c400 Lapwing and c300 Wigeon on the field, with c30 Shoveler, c50 Teal and seven Shelducks on the pool. (AH)

Shovelers and Teal on the Ferry (AH)

Church Norton: It was predictably quiet here, with nothing offshore but c50 Cormorants, plus a handful of Common and Mediterranean Gulls, with 100+ Turnstones along the beach, and the harbour holding a Peregrine, four Red-breasted Megansers, a few Pintail and the Whimbrel among fairly modest numbers of the regular wildfowl and waders.
There were also a few restless-looking flocks of Brent Geese coming and going from Greenlease Farm,whilst a pair of Mistle Thrushes were in the car-park and a Jay was in Rectory Lane. (AH/IP)

Red-breasted Mergansers (above), Whimbrel, Turnstones & Mistle Thrush at Church Norton (AH)

Tuesday, 5th February: A fairly cold and dank morning, with low and heavy  cloud and occasional drizzle, with a moderate south-south-easterly breeze......

Selsey Bill: There were quite a few Red-throated Divers, Gannets and Razorbills moving both east and west this morning. Full log below. (AH/IP/DF/DS)

(0745-0945hrs)

Great Northern Diver - 1W

Red-throated Diver - 35E, 21W, 4os

Great Crested Grebe - 3os

Gannet - 75E, 240W

Brent Goose - 2W

Common Scoter - 5W, 6os

Red-breasted Merganser - 4E, 10W, 4os

Mediterranean Gull - 6os

Common Gull - 3W

Kittiwake - 4E, 30W

Guillemot - 6W

Razorbill - c500W, c300E, c50os

auk sp - 200E, c200W

Great Northern Diver (above), Red-throated Divers, Razorbills & Gannets at the Bill (AH)

Ferry Pool: Around 40 Golden Plovers came off the field with c600 Lapwings this morning, whilst on the pool there were a dozen Shovelers, four Shelducks and c40 Teal. (AH)

Golden Plovers and Lapwings at the Ferry (AH)

Medmerry: Windmill to the Breach - A flock of around 30 Common Scoter were on the sea, and half a dozen Gannets and a Red-throated Diver went west offshore, whilst a dozen or so Mediterranean and Common Gulls were on the beach and eight Red-breasted Mergansers, c40 Wigeon and c25 Shelduck were on the tidal pools.

A pair of Stonechats, a Meadow Pipit and a few Linnets were on the rough ground near the windmill, whilst another 100+ of the latter, plus a Corn Bunting were on the rough ground at Toe End.

The only waders noted were a few Curlews on the tidal area and a flock of 40 Ringed Plovers that went along the beach, being pursued by a Peregrine! (AH/IP et al)

Corn Bunting (above), Linnet, Stonechat, Common Scoters, Red-breasted Mergansers & Mediterranean Gulls at Medmerry (AH)

Fishbourne Creek: Despite the gloom a decent variety of birds was present this morning, highlights being a Spotted Redshank and three Greenshank at the north end as the tide rose, whilst a Kingfisher, a Water Rail, three Rock Pipits, c300 Brent Geese, two Goldeneye, c 300 Lapwing, c 300 Dunlin, c50 Black-tailed Godwit, c40 Knot, 20 Ringed Plover were also the creek.. In the hedgerows there were a Chiffchaff, eight Meadow Pipits, five Yellowhammers and two Reed Buntings. (PM)

Kingfisher in Fishbourne Creek (PM)

Monday, 4th February: A complete contrast to yesterday, with a near gale force southerly, veering south-westerly, and heavy cloud after rain early on...

Selsey Bill: There was a big westward movement of Gannets early on, with a few Kittiwakes and auks with them. Full log below. (AH/IP)

(0750-1020hrs)

Great Northern Diver - 1W

Red-throated Diver - 6W

Gannet - 1708W

Brent Goose - 44E, 2W

Common Scoter - 22W

Red-breasted Merganser - 2E, 24W

Ringed Plover - 1W

Turnstone - 4W

Mediterranean Gull - 4os

Common Gull - 1W

Kittiwake - 158W

Guillemot - 12W

Razorbill - 200W, 10os

auk sp - 100W

Kittiwakes (above), Guillemot, Common Scoters & Gannets at the Bill (AH)

:

Ferry Pool: There was nothing at all on the pool, though c300 Wigeon were in the creek in the field and c200 Lapwings were on the field, with similar on the adjacent arable field. (AH)

Lapwings at the Ferry (AH)

Sidlesham: A Water Rail unexpectedly popped out of a road-side ditch in our lane on the west of the village this morning, and flew along the road before diving under bushes in a nearby garden. (AH)

Church Norton: A handful of distant Gannets and a couple of Red-throated Divers that briefly got off the sea was all that could be found offshore, though a dozen Mediterranean and Common Gulls were along the foreshore, along with at least 50 Turnstones.
The harbour was very quiet on the high tide, though half a dozen Pintail were about and plenty of roosting waders were tucked away around the edges. (AH/IP)

Mediterranean Gull (above) & Common Gull at Church Norton (AH)