Wednesday, 6th November: A very pleasant morning, almost still and, after a chill start, largely unbroken warm sunshine until it clouded over later on....
Selsey Bill: It was unsurprisingly quiet, though a few Brent Geese and a Sandwich Tern went west offshore, whilst a Stonechat was on the Oval Field and a Black Redstart and a couple of Chiffchaffs were along the front. Full log below.
(0715-0945hrs) (wind NE-SSE 2-3/4) (C&ME/AH/IP)
Great Northern Diver - 1W, 1os
Red-throated Diver - 1E
Great Crested Grebe - 1E, 1W
Shag - 2E
Brent Goose - 62W
Common Scoter - 23E, 5W
Red-breasted Merganser - 2E, 4W
Mediterranean Gull - 2W, 2os
Sandwich Tern - 1W
Great Spotted Woodpecker - 1
Meadow Pipit - 3W
Pied Wagtail - 2
Black Redstart - 1
Stonechat - 1
Chiffchaff - 2
Magpie - 18W (together)
Black Redstart (above), Stonechat, Sandwich Tern & Mediterranean Gull at the Bill (AH)
Ferry Pool: A Kingfisher went over the road into the channel opposite, but beside 100 or so Lapwings there were just lots of wildfowl present, including around 50 Shoveler, 30 Shelducks, 75 Teal and 50 Wigeon. (AH)
Shelducks on the Ferry (AH)
Later, a Redwing was along the Medmerry Trail. (AW)
Redwing along the Medmerry Trail (AW)
North Wall: A Goldcrest was in the trees approaching North Wall this morning and a Kingfisher was at the Sluice Gates, whilst there were 330 Brent Geese and 450 Lapwing in the harbour and good numbers of Wigeon, Teal and Black-tailed Godwits in both the harbour and the still-flooded fields.
The fields also contained two Spotted Redshank and at least 10 Shoveler although many of the occupants of the fields were put up by a Marsh Harrier. Also, a Stonechat was in the hedgerows and a Rock Pipit was along the Wall. (IH/JDW)
Later, a Ruff was among the Curlews on Honer 1 field. (JDW)
Later, a Ruff was among the Curlews on Honer 1 field. (JDW)
This afternoon a female Marsh Harrier was over the Breech pool, putting up two Spotted Redshanks that flew over White's creek. (AB)
Chi GPs: Drayton House Pits - A Great White Egret was roosting in the trees on the south pit, before flying off towards north pit - possibly last winter's bird returning and viewable from the same location as previously.
Four Firecrests were in the hedges along the north pit and also logged (between both pits) were a Kingfisher, 10 Chiffchaffs, several Goldcrests, six Cetti's Warblers, 15 Redwings, a few Shoveler and c.60 Pochard. (OM)
Firecrests, Kingfisher and Great White Egret at Drayton House gravel pits (OM)
Chichester Marina Reed-bed: Bearded Tits were heard (but not seen) in the reed-bed by the hide this morning. (PH)
Church Norton: A Snow Bunting was flushed from the end of the spit late this morning and was seen again later at around 1515hrs (IL/TG-P et al).
Snow Bunting at Church Norton (K Lightfoot)
Earlier on there were just a few Meadow Pipits, Skylarks and Linnets present, with nothing too unusual in the harbour, though there were four Red-breasted Mergansers and 200+ Wigeon and Brent Geese, plus at least 50 Grey Plovers and 200 Dunlin present.
Also, a Sparrowhawk went over and there were three Peregrines chasing each other around over the harbour mouth, including two from the harbour (neither of which appeared to be the very small male of recent winters). (AH/IP)
Meadow Pipit (above), Sparrowhawk and Carrion Crow, Red-breasted Merganser, Grey Plover & Brent Geese at Church Norton (AH)
Pagham Lagoon: Two redhead Goosanders were on the lagoon early afternoon, before flying into the east side of the harbour, and also present were a Kingfisher and the usual collection of Little Grebes. (AB)
Goosanders at Pagham Lagoon (AB)
Eider from the east side of the harbour. (AW)
Itchenor: A Black Redstart was outside Northshore boatyard and the cafe area early afternoon. (PH)
Medmerry (West): Highlights today included two Jack Snipe, a cream-cap Marsh Harrier and a single Fieldfare. (HB)
Medmerry (East): Two Black Redstarts were still present around the go-kart track of Bunn's leisure. (AB)
Black Restarts at Medmerry (AB)
Tuesday, 5th November: A very welcome dry, variable but cool morning, with periods of sunshine, some heavy cloud and a light-moderate NNE breeze....
Selsey Bill: A generally quiet day, with a near-flat sea and a northerly breeze, though as ever there were a few highlights. Two Great Northern Divers were offshore, two (presumably wintering?) Sandwich Terns went east and a few small flocks of Brent went west, whilst seven Black Redstarts were still present between the Bill-tip and seafront. Full log below.....
0700-1015hrs: (wind NNE 3-4). (C&ME/OM/SR et al)
Great Northern Diver - 2os
Great Crested Grebe - 1E
Shag - 1E
Gannet - 2E, 5W
Brent Goose - 53W
Common Scoter - 2W, 13 os
Red-breasted Merganser - 3E
Sparrowhawk - 1
Sandwich Tern - 2E
Mediterranean Gull - 4W
Common Gull - 1W
Razorbill - 1W
Wood Pigeon - 45W
Skylark - 2N
Pied Wagtail - 2E
Meadow Pipit - 3N
Mistle Thrush - 1W
Black Redstart - 7
Goldcrest - 2
Ferry Pool: There were 200 Lapwings and 50 Shoveler on the pool this morning, whilst nearby a Spotted Redshank, along with a few Redshank and Curlews, was in the main channel from the Tramway. (AH)
Spotted Redshank (above), Spotted Redshank and Redshank & Curlew from the Tramway (AH)
Long Pool: Around 25 Avocets were present in the channel at the end of the pool, together with 12 Grey Plover, ten Pintail, c100 Wigeon and c50 Redshank, whilst a pair of Stonechats and six Goldcrests were in the hedgerows. (AH)
Avocets (above) & Stonechat from the Long Pool (AH)
Medmerry: Coastguards to Oasis centre - At least four Black Redstarts and two Stonechats were present between the go-kart track and the private caravan area, with 15 Meadow Pipits in the wet fields. (OM)
Black Redstart at the Medmerry go-kart track (OM)
Church Norton: Fourteen Avocets were towards the north end of the harbour, whilst 4 Ravens were present in the main harbour area and 30 Greenfinch were on the Spit. (BFF/DM)
This afternoon there was an Avocet in the harbour along with 250+ Brent Geese and 7 Red-breasted Mergansers. There was also a female Eider on the Pagham side seen from the harbour entrance and four Common Gulls along the beach. (AW)
Eider (above), Avocet & Common Gulls at Church Norton (AW)
Northcommon Farm building site: A flock of at least 15 Pied Wagtails flew in to join our resident pair briefly before flying off east. (SH)
North Wall: Whites Creek contained a Spotted Redshank and good numbers of Wigeon, Teal and Black-tailed Godwit this morning and these latter three species were also well represented in heavily flooded fields north of the Wall. There were also at least 8 Shoveler, some 40 Canada Geese and a few Greylags in the fields. (IH)
Monday, 4th November: A very mixed morning, with drizzle, heavy cloud and a torrential downpour and some bright sunshine at various times, with the breeze anywhere from flat calm to a brisk westerly....
Selsey Bill: There was a bit of a selection this morning moving offshore, albeit in low numbers, but including three Goosanders, whilst there were probably as many as seven Black Redstarts along the front. (C&ME/IP/BI/AM/AH)
(0700-0930hrs)
Great Northern Diver - 2os
Red-throated Diver - 1E
Great Crested Grebe - 1W
Gannet - 1E, 8W, 1os
Shag - 2E, 1W
Brent Goose - 2E, 10W
Eider - 4os
Common Scoter - 2E, 2W
Goosander - 1E, 2W
Red-breasted Merganser - 2W
Sparrowhawk - 1
Dunlin - 110W
Mediterranean Gull - 4W
Sandwich Tern - 1E, 1W
Wood Pigeon - 25E
Meadow Pipit - 5N
Pied Wagtail - 18W
Swallow - 2W
Black Redstart - 7
Goldcrest - 2
Long-tailed Tit - 2
Jackdaw - 60E
Goosander (above) & Black Redstarts at the Bill (AH)
Ferry Pool: There were up to 400 Lapwings on the pool this morning, along with 20 Shelducks and 60 or so Shoveler, plus similar of Wigeon and Teal. (AH)
Shoveler (above) & Lapwings on the Ferry (AH)
North Wall: At the sluice gates this morning, beyond decent numbers of Teal and Wigeon and 12 Pintail, Whites Creek contained about 50 Canada Geese with five Brent Geese amongst them, with probably more of both species just out of sight.
A walk along the wall produced a Stonechat, numerous Reed Buntings and an unusually confiding Cetti's Warbler, and there were 45 Black-tailed Godwits and 20 Curlew feeding in the fields past the Breech Pool. (IH)
Church Norton: There were 12 Red-breasted Mergansers in the harbour (in two tight groups of six) this morning, along with 200+ Wigeon and Brent Geese, whilst the female Peregrine was sat out on her island again.
The Whimbrel and a Bar-tailed Godwit were amongst the commoner waders in the harbour, whilst passerines included a Stonechat and a few Meadow Pipits along the beach and a Mistle Thrush and a few Goldcrests and Long-tailed Tits around Greenlease Farm, with more of the latter two along Rectory Lane. (AH)
Red-breasted Mergansers (above), Whimbrel, Bar-tailed Godwit & Stonechat at Church Norton (AH)
Birdham Pool: The two female Mandarin Ducks were still present on the far side this morning. (BI)
Manadarin Ducks at Birdham Pool (BI)
Pagham Lagoon: There was nothing unusual on the Lagoon, which was dominated by a feral flock of 120 Canada Geese. The flock contained several 'plastic' smaller-type Canadas and a Barnacle-type hybrid, two Greylags and the two regular Bar-headed Geese, whilst also present were 18 Tufted Ducks and the usual smattering of Little Grebes.
A search of the hedgerows, margins and sallow copses in the area produced only a Chiffchaff, three Cetti's Warblers and half a dozen Goldcrests, before my visit was brought to a halt when rain stopped play. (OM)
Canada Goose flock on Pagham Lagoon, including two Bar-headed Geese (below) (OM)
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