7th - 9th February 2019

Saturday, 9th February: A very bright and breezy morning, though fairly mild in the blustery westerly....

Selsey Bill: There wasn't anything out of the ordinary, but still a fair selection of species this morning. Full log below. (JA/PB/AH/IP)
(0720-0935hrs)
Red-throated Diver - 8E, 4W
Fulmar - 2W
Gannet - 24E, 225W
Brent Goose - 23W
Common Scoter - 51os
Red-breasted Merganser - 2E, 9W, 7os
Mediterranean Gull - 1W, 5os
Common Gull - 7E
Kittiwake - 5E, 2W
Razorbill - 3E, 45W
Guillemot - 8W
auk sp - 21E, 75W

Razorbills (above), Gannet & Common Scoters at the Bill (AH)

1300-1400hrs: (SH)
Red-throated Diver - 6W, 1os
Great Crested Grebe - 1os
Gannet - 3W
Red-breasted Merganser - 2W, 1os
Dunlin - 25E
Guillemot - 2W
Razorbill - 2E, 11W
auk sp - 2E, 9W
Kittiwake - 6W
Mediterranean Gull - 5os
1540-1630hrs: (SH)
Brent Goose - 13W
Gannet - 17W
Red-breasted Merganser - 2os
Common Scoter - 50os
Razorbill - 2E
auk sp - 1E, 1W
Kittiwake - 2W
Mediterranean Gull - 30 os

Hunston: Reedbridge Farm - Ten Cattle Egrets were with four Little Egrets on road-side fields just north of the village this morning, before they all flew off south-east. A local resident reported that up to 15 birds have been present in the vicinity for at least the last two weeks. (IL/PB/AH)

Cattle Egrets at Hunston (per IL)

Ferry Pool: Around 200 Golden Plovers flew over from the harbour and retreated again, but there were just a handful of Lapwings on the fields, along with c300 Wigeon in the creek. On the pool itself there were 16 Shelducks and 30 or so Shovelers and Teal. (AH)

Golden Plovers over the Ferry (AH)

Chi GPs - Drayton Pits: The Great White Egret was in its usual haunt on the south pit, viewable from the gate, (though it eventually flew towards the north pit), whilst a pair of Bullfinches were again on the north pit, plus 86 Pochard. (OM)

Church Norton: There was a bit of activity offshore this morning, including ten Red-throated Divers that went west in quick succession and half a dozen or so Razorbills, Common Scoters and Gannets, along with c150 Cormorants, with at least 40 Common Gulls and a few Mediterranean Gulls along the foreshore and in the harbour.
Out on the mud on the low tide there were at least 100 Knot, plus a Bar-tailed Godwit, among the Dunlin and Grey Plovers, whilst at least 500 Brent Geese and 1500 Lapwings were flying about over the North Wall. (AH/IP/PB)
Later, a Short-eared Owl was reported on the west side by a visiting group (per IL)

Mediterranean Gull (above), Common Gull, Cormorants & Knot, Dunlin and Grey Plovers at Church Norton (AH)

Also, the Severals work has now been completed, improving the reedbed for wildlife; thanks to all for your co-operation. Please do not be tempted to venture out in the cut area as this will be used for feeding wildlife, so we do not wish them to be disturbed and there are areas of deep water. Already using these areas were 2 Snipe this morning. (IL, Warden)
(Excellent; this will clearly improve the viewing opportunities for us all. Eds)

 Two views of the recent reed cutting work at the Severals (IL)

Late morning there were large numbers of Razorbills and Guillemots moving west along with Red-throated Divers and a Great Northern Diver. Also out at sea were a few Gannets and a Fulmar. Two Ravens dropped into the harbour briefly before flying towards Priory Wood. (AW)

 Guillemot, Guillemots and Razorbills and Ravens at Church Norton (AW)

Friday, 8th February: A grey, though mostly dry, morning with a gale-force south-westerly blowing....

You will recall the previous mentions on this blog concerning Brent Geese and the impending unsympathetic development at Pagham. As you are aware Brents were using the fields in Pagham Road during December and January and their numbers were collected daily and recorded. Since January 21st however, they have left the Pagham Road site and their whereabouts is currently not being recorded. It is important that this is done in order to press for realistic mitigation resources from developers. Will you please advise your many contributors that if they are to submit records relating to Brent Geese, will they please be site specific, include numbers and record any incidents of disturbance. Thanks. (JDW)

(Observers can also submit Brent records to us at the Blog, in the usual way, for onward submission. Eds)

Selsey Bill: A Black Redstart dropped in very briefly and disappeared again, whilst offshore two Bonxies and four Fulmars went went, along with 59 Brent Geese, 32 Mediterranean Gulls and moderate numbers of Gannets, auks and Kittiwakes. Full log below. (AH/JA/IP)

(0800-1000hrs)

Red-throated Diver - 1W

diver sp - 1E

Fulmar - 4W

Gannet - 51W, 85os

Brent Goose - 59W

Common Scoter - 24W, 10os

Red-breasted Merganser - 6E, 1W

Turnstone - 1W

Great Skua - 2W

Lesser Black-backed Gull - 1W

Mediterranean Gull - 32W

Kittiwake - 22W 20os

Razorbill - 12E, 102W

Guillemot - 9W

Black Redstart - 1p

Bonxie (above), Fulmar, Gannet, Razorbills, Mediterranean Gull & Brent Geese at the Bill (AH)

The first Little Gull of the year was offshore this afternoon. Full log below. (SH)
(1515-1615hrs)
Red-throated Diver - 1W
Great Northern Diver - 1os
Gannet - 2E, 12W
Common Scoter - 41E
Red-breasted Merganser - 11W
Knot - 3W
Little Gull - 1os
Mediterranean Gull - 2E
Razorbill - 1WGuillemot - 2W
auk sp - 1E, 2W

Ferry Pool: There were just 20 Teal around the pool, with c500 Lapwings and c300 Wigeon on the field this morning. (AH)

Wigeon on the Ferry (AH)

Church Norton: There wasn't much of note in a wind-swept harbour this morning, with few waders about and just a few Shelduck, Teal and Wigeon braving the conditions, whilst a few Mediterranean Gulls and Turnstones were along the beach. (AH)
Late this afternoon there were 12 displaying Red-breasted Mergansers in the harbour. (AH)

Curlew (above), Teal & Wigeon at Church Norton (AH)

Thursday, 7th February: After overnight rain, it was a bright, but cold morning, with a stiff westerly breeze......

Selsey Bill: There were 30+ Red-throated Divers east this morning and c400 Razorbills west, with at least 200 Gannets feeding well offshore. Full log below. (AH/RB/BFF/DM/AR)

(0740-0955hrs)

Red-throated Diver - 34E, 4W, 4os

Fulmar - 1W

Gannet - 200os

Cormorant - 100os

Brent Goose - 13W

Common Scoter - 4E, 48W

Red-breasted Merganser - 4E, 6W, 6os

Mediterranean Gull - 6os

Kittiwake - 30W, 20os

Razorbill - 100E, 400W, 100os

auk sp - 600W

Fulmar (above), Razorbills, Common Scoters & Red-throated Divers at the Bill (AH)

Ferry Pool: There were up to 400 Golden Plovers on the field this morning with a similar number of Lapwings, with 200 Wigeon in the creek in the field and seven Shelducks and 24 Shoveler on the pool. (AH/BFF/DM/AR)

Golden Plovers (above) & Golden Plovers and Lapwing at the Ferry (AH)

Church Norton: It was quiet this morning, with a Peregrine on its island and a Bar-tailed Godwit and 265 Knot among the commoner waders being the only birds of note. (BFF/DM/AR)
Of interest, a Herring Gull with ring R1JT was seen at Church Norton on 1st February and details were passed to North Thames Gull Group..... it transpires that this is the first sighting in nearly 5 years! (AW)

Herring Gull - ringed R1JT - at Church Norton, 1st February (AW)

Fishbourne Creek: There were six Greenshank, two female Goldeneyes, two Red-breasted Mergansers and ca.10 Pintail seen from Dell Quay this morning. (RB per SOS)

Runcton: Not a lot down the lane this morning - two Fieldfares and a bright male Stonechat being the best, though otherwise it was just 20 Canada Geese on the reservoir, and a flock of 60 Starlings on the fields. (CRJ)

Long Pool: There was a Little Grebe and a Tufted Duck on the Long Pool, whilst there were 38 Avocets at the far end of Ferry Channel, along with half a dozen Pintail, c100 Teal and c100 Redshank. (AH)

Little Grebe on the Long Pool (above), Pintails and Avocets, Avocets & Redshank and Teal in Ferry Channel (AH)