1st - 3rd December 2019

Tuesday, 3rd December: A mostly sunny and almost still morning, with a frost early on, but warming up later........

Selsey Bill: There were just a few of the regular species about this morning. Full log below. (IP/SR/AH)
(0800-0900hrs) (N, F1)
Great Northern Diver - 1E, 3os
Red-throated Diver - 4E
Slavonian Grebe - 1os
Great Crested Grebe - 5os
Gannet - 3W
Shag - 4E
Brent Goose - 1W
Common scoter - 4E
Red-breasted Merganser - 6E, 2W, 10os
Mediterranean Gull - 2os
Pied Wagtail - 1
Chiffchaff - 1

Shags (above), Common Scoters & Chiffchaff at Selsey Bill (AH)

Ferry Pool: There were just 30 Teal, 20 Shoveler and four Shelducks on the pool, along with a Redshank and c150 Lapwings. (AH)
Later, a Bullfinch was calling outside the Visitor Centre. (AT)

Chichester Marina: The two Bearded Tits were showing well again this morning in the reed-beds. (GT) 
They were still present later on, when the Bittern showed at the back of the reed-beds and there was also two Water Rail and a Water Vole present. 
In the channel from the Marina there were six Goldeneyes, 17 Little Grebes and a handful of Red-breasted Mergansers, along with three Sanderling among the commoner waders.
(TB/NR/BFF/DM)

Water Rails at Chichester Marina reed-beds (DM)

Fishbourne Creek: The Long-tailed Duck was just south of Dell Quay again this morning, whilst the Black-necked Grebe was towards the Marina. Also, the Water Pipit was by the  Lavant outfall and a Kingfisher was nearby.
Also seen, at Apuldram were a Firecrest, a Coal Tit and six Yellowhammers, along with Green and Great Spotted Woodpeckers, whilst along the Creek there were five Rock Pipits, a Cetti's Warbler, a Stonechat, five Greenshank, six Gadwall, 200 Black-tailed Godwits, c1500 Brent Geese and masses of Wigeon and Teal.  (KJ/SR/TB/NR/BFF/DM et al)

Kingfisher (above), Water Pipit (SR) & Long-tailed Duck (DM) at Fishbourne Creek (SR)

Chichester: Four Whooper Swans flew over the Whyke area of the south of the city, heading south-west at 8.45am. (AT)

North Wall: Highlight this morning was two Peregrines chasing for well over a minute - and apparently working as a team - a prey item which was probably a Redshank. The hunt failed and, as they rested way out on the mud, a Marsh Harrier was hunting over the reed beds. 
From the sluice gates, two Grey Wagtails, a Rock Pipit, a Stonechat and the Kingfisher could be seen, and further along the wall there was a Yellowhammer, a Song Thrush and  a calling Water Rail.  In the field at the end of the wall 250 Wigeon were feeding together with a few Curlew, and approaching 1,000 Brent Geese occupied a field between Marsh and Honer Farms. (IH)

Church Norton: A Firecrest was by the church gate this morning, whilst offshore there were two Slavonian Grebes, with possibly another three very distant ones further out. (KJ)

Sidlesham: Two Ravens flew east over our house to the west of the village  this morning. (AH)

Marsh Farm, Sidlesham: It was very quiet here, with just two Redwings of note among half a dozen Song Thrushes and numerous Blackbirds, though there were a few commoner species, including several Pied Wagtails, a few Chaffinches and lots of Starlings and House Sparrows. 
There were also up to 50 Common Gulls among c300 Black-headed Gulls on the fields, and a Brown Hare was also about. (AH)

Redwings (above), Pied Wagtail, Common and Black-headed Gulls & Brown Hare at Marsh Farm, Sidlesham (AH)

Medmerry: Ham Farm area - There were plenty of birds on the fields to the seaward side of the banks this morning, including a couple of Corn Buntings, a Stonechat, c40 Reed Buntings and similar of Meadow Pipits and Skylarks.
A Greenshank was heard, but not seen, out on the reserve, whilst the tidal areas held c20 Grey Plovers and Redshanks and c80 Dunlin. (AH)

Reed Bunting (above), Stonechat, Meadow Pipit & Skylark at Ham Farm (AH)

Monday, 2nd December: Another very bright but cold morning, after a sharp frost, with just a light northerly breeze...

Selsey Bill: A very quiet morning! Full log below. 

(0800-0945hrs) (N, F2)  (IP/AH/MO-W)

Red-throated Diver - 2E

Great Crested Grebe - 1os

Shag - 1E

Red-breasted Merganser - 2E, 2W

Sparrowhawk - 1

Mediterranean Gull - 2os

Red-throated Divers (above), Sparrowhawk, Red-breasted Merganser & Mediterranean Gull at the Bill (AH)

Ferry Pool: There were c30 Teal and c20 Shovelers, plus two Shelducks, on the pool and c100 Lapwing on the field. (AH)

Also, a pair of Bullfinches were near the Visitor Centre. (TG-P)

Teal on the Ferry (AH)

Long Pool: Not a bird was along the pool, whilst in Ferry Channel there were c40 Redshank, c100 Teal and c150 Wigeon, along with the odd Curlew and Grey Plover. (AH)

Wigeon (above) & Teal and Redshank in Ferry Channel (AH)

Fishbourne Creek: A mid-morning visit produced 5 Red-breasted Mergansers (all redheads), the Long-tailed Duck showing close to Dell Quay, a Great Northern Diver and four Goldeneye (all distant), two Spotted Redshanks, up to five Greenshanks and a Kingfisher. (EC)

 Long-tailed Duck and Red-breasted Mergansers at Dell Quay (EC)

Chi Marina reedbed: The Bearded Tits previously reported were heard calling briefly, but not seen, this morning. (EC)

Itchenor Quay: Three Red-breasted Mergansers (two of which were males) were seen this morning. (EC)

Red-breasted Merganser off Itchenor Quay (EC)

North Wall: This morning around 800 Brent Geese (with probable later additions from the harbour) and 80 Curlew occupied the same field east of Marsh farm as yesterday. 
There were perhaps 100 Fieldfare and also two Redwings in Honer Lane together with a Jay, a Kestrel and a troop of Long-tailed Tits. Along the Wall there were at least two Song Thrushes and at least a single Fieldfare. (IH)

Sunday, 1st December: Cloudy at first, becoming a very bright, dry but cold, morning in a fresh north-easterly breeze...

Selsey Bill: A Goosander went east again this morning and there were a few more Red-throated Divers, along with five Eider, on the move, whilst at least 40 Gannets were feeding well offshore. Full log below.... 
0730-0945hrs: (wind NE4) (SH/BI/IP/SR/AH)
Red-throated Diver - 12E, 13W, 5os
Great Northern Diver - 3 os
Diver sp - 4W
Great Crested Grebe - 1W, 1os
Gannet - 9E, 5W, 40 os
Shag - 7E
Brent Goose - 14E, 2W
Eider - 1E, 4W
Common Scoter - 8E, 1W
Red-breasted Merganser - 7E, 1W, 8os
Goosander - 1E
Wigeon - 16E, 9W, 1os
auk sp - 5E
Sandwich Tern - 1W
Mediterranean Gull - 3E
Kittiwake - 5E
Common Gull - 2E
Meadow Pipit - 1N
Pied Wagtail - 1
Common Seal - 1os

Eiders (above) & Red-throated Diver at the Bill (AH)

Ferry Pool: There were just 11 Shovelers and eight Teal on the pool, with c150 Lapwing on the Field. (AH)

Lapwings at the Ferry (AH)

Chichester Marina Reed-bed: The Bittern was showing from the hide at 10.50am this morning. (RJS) 
Later, two Bearded Tits were present in the reeds early afternoon. (J.Winder)

Fishbourne Creek: The Long-tailed Duck was off Dell Quay again this morning. (RJS)
A quick look on the high tide at lunchtime produced the Long-tailed Duck off the jetty and six Goldeneyes (three drakes, a first-year drake and two females) a bit further up the hannel. (AH)

Long-tailed Duck (above) & Goldeneyes at Fishbourne Creek (AH)

Church Norton: The Peregrine was on its island and there were plenty of Dunlin, Grey Plovers and Redshank in the harbour, whilst four drake Shovelers, two Teal and a Snipe were in the creek by the horse field.

A look round Greenlease Farm produced a Blackcap in the orchard, a Chiffchaff along the path, c40 Meadow Pipits and c300 Wood Pigeons in the rape fields and two Mistle Thrushes, a Green Woodpecker and several Jays around the grass fields. (AH/IP)

Blackcap (above), Green Woodpecker, Jay, Shoveler & Grey Plover at Church Norton (AH)

Chi GPs - Drayton House pits: A rather quiet morning here, the best bird being a Woodcock which flew up from a damp copse, but otherwise little to report, with a couple of Little Egrets, two Water Rails, a Bullfinch and three Chiffchaffs being the meagre best of the rest. Also, an inquisitive young Roe Deer made a brief appearance before its mother led it away. (OM)

Roe Deer at Drayton North pit (OM)

North Wall: A longer walk than usual produced a longer sightings list than usual - 40 species. A Kingfisher was as usual at the sluice gates, and along White's Creek there were about 200 Dunlin, a dozen or so Golden Plover, perhaps 200 Lapwings and a Chiffchaff in a tree bordering the creek. A Rock Pipit was found along the wall and approaching 1,000 Brent Geese were at one time In a field east of Marsh Farm together with 160 Curlews. Another Chiffchaff and a Goldcrest were in a hedgerow bordering the field and in Honer Lane a flock of up to 200 Fieldfare and a single Redwing were present while a Raven, Kestrel and Grey Wagtail flew over. (IH/SP)

Runcton: A male Reed Bunting was on the feeder at home today, also a pair of Stonechats off Saltham Lane. (CRJ)

Male Reed Bunting on a garden feeder at Runcton (CRJ)