Friday, 15th November: A cold and gloomy morning, with the wind from the north - light early on, but freshening - and a few spells of drizzly rain....
Selsey Bill: It was a surprisingly interesting morning after a slow start, with the highlight being two Woodcock seen to fly in off the sea, the first of which was barely 30 yards from the observers and flew up between the trees in Grafton Road!
A flock of nine Black-tailed Godwits (rare here, too), a Chiffchaff, a Song Thrush and ten Blackbirds were also seen to come in off the sea, whilst offshore three drake Eider, four Pintail and a mix of other wildfowl were moving about. Full log below....
(0715-1015hrs) (NNE, F2 rising to F4) (C&ME/BI/IP/IH/AH/SR)
Red-throated Diver - 1E, 1W, 1os
Great Northern Diver - 3W, 1os
Great Crested Grebe - 2E, 7W, 1os
Gannet - 3W
Shag - 2E, 1W
Brent Goose - 3E, 107W
Shelduck - 5W
Pintail - 4W
Shoveler - 10E
Wigeon - 40E, 60W
Teal - 2W
Eider - 3W (all drakes)
Common Scoter - 32W, 11os
Red-breasted Merganser - 2E, 10W, 5os
Turnstone - 5
Black-tailed Godwit -11E
Woodcock - 2N (0830hrs & 0900hrs)
Mediterranean Gull - 1E, 2W, 1os
Auk sp. - 2W
Razorbill - 5W
Meadow Pipit - 1E
Pied Wagtail - 1W
Song Thrush - 1W
Blackbird – 10N, 14 (Broadreeds)
Redwing - 1 (Broadreeds)
Chiffchaff – 1
Goldcrest – 1
Long-tailed Tit -12
Linnet – 1N
Great Northern Diver (above), Eider, Black-tailed Godwits, Wigeon & Chiffchaff at the Bill (AH)
Ferry Pool: An Avocet was on the pool this morning, along with 15 Shelducks and 40 Shovelers. (AH)
Avocet on the Ferry (AH)
North Wall: I was greeted by a Kingfisher at the sluice gates late this morning, followed by a Marsh Harrier in the field behind the Breech Pool.
In the region of 1,000 Brent Geese were pushed by rising water from the harbour to, presumably, the field north of Honer cottages and 50 Curlew were feeding In the flooded Honer field 2. Good numbers of Black-tailed Godwit, Wigeon and Teal were also present as usual. (IH)
Church Norton: A female Marsh Harrier drifted down the west side, putting up 30 Meadow Pipits, plus a handful of Snipe and Reed Buntings, and there were also one or two Goldcrests along the path.
Out in the harbour about 20 Avocets were off the end of Ferry Channel and there were five Red-breasted Mergansers and a dozen Pintail among large numbers of Wigeon and Teal, plus the usual waders, whilst several groups of Brent Geese flew in from the east and dropped in. (AH)
Marsh Harrier (above), Pintail, Brent Geese, Curlew & Grey Plover at Church Norton (AH)
Marsh Farm, Sidlesham: There were six Cattle Egrets to the west of the farm today and plenty of Chaffinches around the hedges. Nearby, the churchyard held c.10 Blackbirds, four Goldcrests and a mixed Tit flock. (BI)
Thursday, 14th November: After yet more heavy overnight rain, an almost still morning of lingering fog, dense at times and not clearing until midday....
Ferry Pool: There were ten Shelducks, c50 Shoveler, c20 Teal and c100 Lapwing present this morning. (AH)
Shelduck on the Ferry (AH)
Medmerry: Toe End - The Snow Bunting was still present this morning at the end of the caravans. (BFF/DM)
Long Pool: The hedges were devoid of birds, after a male Sparrowhawk shot through, whilst in Ferry Channel there were two Spotted Redshanks, a lone roosting Avocet and 50+ Teal and Wigeon. (AH)
Snow Bunting at Toe End today (DM)
Long Pool: The hedges were devoid of birds, after a male Sparrowhawk shot through, whilst in Ferry Channel there were two Spotted Redshanks, a lone roosting Avocet and 50+ Teal and Wigeon. (AH)
Spotted Redshanks (above), Avocet & Wigeon from Long Pool (AH)
North Wall: There was little to see early on in very restricted visibility, though a dozen Reed Buntings were along the hedges, at least three Cetti's Warblers were calling and a Sparrowhawk sped through.
At least 200 Brent Geese went over into the fields, where there sounded like many more were present, whilst White's Creek held two Great Crested Grebes, c40 Lapwing, a few Grey Plovers, Redshanks and Curlews and at least 20 Wigeon. (AH/PC)
The lifting mist late this morning slowly revealed 9 Shelduck, 5 Shoveler, 40 Curlew and a Spotted Redshank in the re-flooded Honer 1 field. There were also 2 Shelduck on the Breech Pool together with a few Wigeon and, of course, Mallard.
The Brent Geese at Honer were evidently disturbed because a flock of in excess of 1,000 circled the area for a few minutes before realighting in presumably the same field north of Honer cottages they previously occupied. Two Song Thrushes, a Sparrowhawk, a few Reed Buntings and about 50 Black-tailed Godwits completed this morning's tally. (IH)
At least 200 Brent Geese went over into the fields, where there sounded like many more were present, whilst White's Creek held two Great Crested Grebes, c40 Lapwing, a few Grey Plovers, Redshanks and Curlews and at least 20 Wigeon. (AH/PC)
The lifting mist late this morning slowly revealed 9 Shelduck, 5 Shoveler, 40 Curlew and a Spotted Redshank in the re-flooded Honer 1 field. There were also 2 Shelduck on the Breech Pool together with a few Wigeon and, of course, Mallard.
The Brent Geese at Honer were evidently disturbed because a flock of in excess of 1,000 circled the area for a few minutes before realighting in presumably the same field north of Honer cottages they previously occupied. Two Song Thrushes, a Sparrowhawk, a few Reed Buntings and about 50 Black-tailed Godwits completed this morning's tally. (IH)
Reed Bunting (above), Brent Geese & Great Crested Grebe and Wigeon along North Wall (AH)
Wednesday, 13th November: A fine, bright and sunny morning, with just a light northerly breeze....
Selsey Bill: It was very quiet this morning, though a couple of Red-throated Divers and three Great Northern Divers went west. Full log below. (C&ME/AH)
(0700-0930hrs) (N F2)
Great Northern Diver - 3W
Red-throated Diver - 1E, 2W
Great Crested Grebe - 1W
Shag - 2E
Common Scoter - 1os
Red-breasted Merganser - 4W
Common Gull - 1os
Mediterranean Gull - 2W
Meadow Pipit - 3W
Pied Wagtail - 1W
A walk along from East Beach to the Bill this afternoon turned up a Black Redstart, six Pied Wagtails and nine Turnstones, plus a flock of 16 Brent Geese heading west. (SR)
(0700-0930hrs) (N F2)
Great Northern Diver - 3W
Red-throated Diver - 1E, 2W
Great Crested Grebe - 1W
Shag - 2E
Common Scoter - 1os
Red-breasted Merganser - 4W
Common Gull - 1os
Mediterranean Gull - 2W
Meadow Pipit - 3W
Pied Wagtail - 1W
A walk along from East Beach to the Bill this afternoon turned up a Black Redstart, six Pied Wagtails and nine Turnstones, plus a flock of 16 Brent Geese heading west. (SR)
Ferry Pool: There were 100+ Lapwings on the pool, along with c50 Shovelers, c30 Teal and six Shelducks. (AH)
Shoveler and Lapwings on the Ferry (AH)
Church Norton: There wasn't too much unusual about, though there were plenty of Dunlin, Ringed and Grey Plovers present, along with three Avocets, the regular Whimbrel, half a dozen Pintail and 100+ Wigeon, whilst a Peregrine went over and 20 Skylarks were along the spit. (AH/A&YF)
Peregrine (above), Avocets, Grey Plover, Ringed Plovers & Wigeon at Church Norton (AH)
North Wall: Not too much to report this morning, though there were nine Long-tailed Tits flying through, 41 Curlew in Honer 3 field, two Great Crested Grebes in Whites Creek and 1,200 Brent Geese in the field behind Honer cottages at 9am. (IH)
There were also two Buzzards, 350 Black-tailed Godwits and 200 Lapwing present. (PB)
Chichester Marina Reed-beds: Whilst doing some management and improvement work on the reed-beds a Bittern was inadvertently flushed from the main pool. (per PH)
Medmerry: Toe End - The Snow Bunting was still at the end of the caravans this morning, with a Black Redstart, a Reed Bunting, two Stonechats and c40 Meadow Pipits nearby.
A Peregrine was on the derelict building on the reserve, whilst the tidal areas held 12 Great Crested Grebes, 20 Grey Plovers and c40 Dunlin. (PB/PC)
Marsh Farm, Sidlesham: There were at least 12 Cattle Egrets around the sheep and cattle this morning, whilst a Grey Wagtail, a dozen Pied Wagtails and 20+ Meadow Pipits were around the buildings.
There were also two Buzzards, 350 Black-tailed Godwits and 200 Lapwing present. (PB)
Chichester Marina Reed-beds: Whilst doing some management and improvement work on the reed-beds a Bittern was inadvertently flushed from the main pool. (per PH)
Medmerry: Toe End - The Snow Bunting was still at the end of the caravans this morning, with a Black Redstart, a Reed Bunting, two Stonechats and c40 Meadow Pipits nearby.
A Peregrine was on the derelict building on the reserve, whilst the tidal areas held 12 Great Crested Grebes, 20 Grey Plovers and c40 Dunlin. (PB/PC)
Marsh Farm, Sidlesham: There were at least 12 Cattle Egrets around the sheep and cattle this morning, whilst a Grey Wagtail, a dozen Pied Wagtails and 20+ Meadow Pipits were around the buildings.
Also, a Mistle Thrush, at least four Song Thrushes and a handful of Goldcrests were in the nearby churchyard. (AH)
Cattle Egrets (above), Grey Wagtail, Meadow Pipit & Mistle Thrush around Marsh Farm, Sidlesham (AH)
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