4th - 6th March 2019

Wednesday, 6th March: A very grey, if mild, morning with a fresh and very blustery southerly breeze, increasing as the morning went on.....

Selsey Bill: The whole morning was watched today, but it was fairly quiet overall despite the strong southerly, with no hint of any hoped-for early Manxies! Even so, a few Brent Geese moved east early on, and ten Red-throated Divers plus a few small Common Scoter flocks also followed later. Full log below...... 

(0620-1300hrs):  (GH/AH/OM)

Great Northern Diver - 2os

Red-throated Diver - 10E

diver sp - 1W

Fulmar - 7W

Gannet - 14E, 7W

Brent Goose - 195E

Common Scoter - 31E, 40os

Red-breasted Merganser - 26E, 6os
auk sp - 8W

Common Gull - 4W

Sandwich Tern - 3os

Meadow Pipit - 1p

Gannet (AH) and s/plum Red-throated Diver at the Bill (OM)

Ferry Pool: The two Avocets were on the pool again, along with four Gadwall, four Shelducks, c40 Shoveler and c50 Teal, with around 50 Lapwing and 250 Wigeon split between the pool and the field. (AH)

Shovelers (above) & Wigeon on the Ferry (AH)

Church Norton and West side: Two Sandwich Terns were in the harbour again, along with a Peregrine,  the Whimbrel, two Bar-tailed Godwits, c20 Ringed Plovers, c40 Shelducks, a few Wigeon and Teal and c100 Brent Geese.
A dozen or so Linnets and a couple of Meadow Pipits and Skylarks went over the west side, but most of the action in the harbour was off the end of Ferry Channel, where there were c75 Avocets, eight Bar-tailed Godwits, c50 Black-tailed Godwits, 25 Pintail and plenty of Dunlin, Grey Plovers, Redshank, Curlews, Teal and Wigeon. (AH)
Later, 500 Brent Geese were in the harbour and a Green Woodpecker was in the horse field. (P&JW)

Whimbrel (above), Sandwich Terns and Bar-tailed Godwit & Teal at Church Norton, Pintail, Avocets & Avocets, Bar-tailed Godwits, Dunlin and Grey Plover in Ferry Channel (AH)

Tuesday, 5th March: A fairly pleasant morning of light cloud and a bit of sunshine, with a moderate westerly breeze.....

Selsey Bill: The highlight of a fairly quiet morning was a Long-tailed Duck heading west with a Common Scoter just before 9am. Otherwise there was little on the move, though three Great Northern Divers and c30 Common Scoter were offshore. Full log below....
(0715-1115hrs)  (C&ME/AH/IP/DF/DS/MO-W/RP) 

Red-throated Diver - 3E, 2W

Great Northern Diver - 3os

Great Crested Grebe - 2E

Gannet - 5W

Brent Goose - 2E, 10W

Red-breasted Merganser - 11E, 4W, 2os

Common Scoter - 1W, 30 os

Long-tailed Duck - 1W

Razorbill - 1E

auk sp - 2E

Mediterranean Gull - 1E, 3W, 3os

Common Gull - 15W

Pied Wagtail - 1N

Ferry Pool: There were quite a few waders around the pool at high tide this morning, including two Avocets, a Black-tailed Godwit, a dozen Dunlin and c50 Redshank, with similar of Lapwing on the field.

Among the wildfowl were eight Shelducks, c50 Teal, c40 Shovelers and c250 Wigeon. (AH)

Avocets (above), Black-tailed Godwit, Dunlin and Redshanks & Redshanks, Lapwing, Teal and Shovelers on the Ferry (AH)

Church Norton: Two Sandwich Terns flew into the harbour, where there were a few Common and Mediterranean Gulls among the growing numbers of Black-headed Gulls. 
At least 300 Brent Geese were widely spread, but wildfowl and wader numbers were low, though including a Pintail and a pair of Red-breasted Mergansers, plus a few Ringed Plovers, whilst both Peregrines were around their island, two Chiffchaffs were by the Mound and a few Skylarks were along the spit. (AH/IP)

Sandwich Tern (above), Mediterranean Gulls, Common Gull, Pintail & Skylark at Church Norton (AH)

Chi GPs – Drayton House pits: A fairly casual visit to the North and South pits, where it was obvious that wildfowl numbers had dropped somewhat as the winter recedes, although still reasonable, with totals of 90 Pochard, 75 Tufted and 30 Shoveler. A flock of 45 Greylags flew over and dropped in, whilst several Great Crested and Little Grebes were actively pairing up. Two Water Rails showed briefly but quite well and a pair of Buzzards was also obvious, whilst 3 Chiffchaffs and a Cetti’s Warbler gave occasional bursts of song, (but no sign of the recent Great White Egret). (OM)

 Pochards and Common Buzzard at Drayton House GPs (OM)

North Wall area: It was chilly along the Wall this morning; there was a Spotted Redshank in White's Creek plus the usual Teal and Wigeon, whilst Lapwing numbers were considerably down and there were very few Brent Geese in the harbour. Recent rains have filled the Breech Pool up and the only birds to be seen were Teal, Tufted Ducks and a single Cormorant! In the various Honer fields there were 7 Brent Geese, 78 Curlew and 12 Black-tailed Godwits, and Grey Herons were again very busy in Owl Copse. (JDW)

Monday, 4th March: Generally cloudy through the morning, but remaining dry with the odd brief glimpse of sunshine and a brisk, cool westerly wind. Duller by afternoon with the odd shower threatening.....

Selsey Bill: Nothing much of note, though 15 Great Crested Grebes and a Slavonian Grebe passed through westwards. Full log below. (IP/OM/RP et al)
0745-1100hrs:
Slavonian Grebe - 1W
Great Crested Grebe - 1E, 15W
Fulmar - 1W
Gannet - 18E, 8W
Brent Goose - 3E, 16W
Tufted Duck - 1E
Common Scoter - 22 os
Red-breasted Merganser - 2E, 8W, 6os
Grey Plover - 25W
Mediterranean Gull - 1os
Common Gull - 3W
Sandwich Tern - 2E, 2W
auk sp - 5E

Church Norton: This morning there was an interesting Chiffchaff that initially got me going and appeared to be an early Willow Warbler, working its way up the west side from the hide. I had some doubts however, so took some photos and fortunately the matter was soon resolved. There were also 10 Red-breasted Mergansers around the harbour mouth. Gulls appear to be colonising tern island already. (AW)
The harbour was very full on the high tide, the female Peregrine was on her island and the sum total of waders (excluding Curlew, Redshank and Oystercatchers which were plentiful), were a flock of 20 Black-tailed Godwits, a similar flock of 20 Grey Plover, three Bar-tailed Godwits on Tern Island and two Ringed Plovers at the same location. No sign of Goosanders in the harbour, though there were over 250 Brent Geese there along with at least ten Pintail, a single Little Grebe and a few Great Crested Grebes. Offshore there were a pair of Great Crested Grebes and also a pair of Red-breasted Mergansers flew in from the West. On the passerine front there were two Goldcrests between the Severals, plus a pair of Long-tailed Tits in Bluebell Wood (where there was also a Red Admiral on the wing). (IP) The Firecrest was along the path from the car park at mid-day. (BI)

Chiffchaff on the west side; initially provoking thoughts of Willow Warbler (above) until its true identity was established (below). (AW)

Red-breasted Mergansers with Brent Geese, and (below) Tern island with gulls showing interest (AW)

Park farm area, Selsey: Over 200 Brent Geese were feeding on the fields east of Park Farm, also 20 Curlew there and at least six Skylarks displaying over the fields, plus a Common Buzzard flying over the area. (IP) This evening there were a pair of Grey Wagtails near the reservoir and 100+ Mediterranean Gulls flew east over the north of Selsey. (SH)

Visitor Centre area: The Kestrel has returned to the nesting box near the centre (IL/RP)

Kestrel at the box near the Visitor centre (IL)

Pagham beach & Lagoon: Offshore at Pagham this morning were 3 Slavonian Grebes and a Gannet, whilst in the harbour a Peregrine was on its island with Wigeon, Pintail and around 50 Brent Geese close by, but it was otherwise quiet. A common seal swimming into the harbour gave good views. At the harbour end of the Lagoon, a Cetti’s Warbler called briefly. (PB)
The Hooded Crow was also reported from the Spit area by a visiting birder. (Eds)

Hunston: Fifteen Cattle Egrets were again in the field near the sub-station. (per SOS)