Friday, 6th December: A complete change for the worse this morning - cold and gloomy, with persistent drizzly showers pushed on by a fresh westerly breeze.....
Selsey Bill: There was very little moving this morning, beyond the odd Red-breasted Merganser and Gannet. Full log later. (BI/IP/SR/AH)
(0740-0930 hrs, wind SW F5)
Great Crested Grebe - 5W
Gannet - 1E
Common Scoter - 1W
Red-breasted Merganser - 4E, 1W
Mediterranean Gull - 1W
Turnstone - 1W
Grey Seal - 1os
Ferry Pool: There were four Avocets on the pool this morning, along with four Shelducks, c30 Shovelers and c80 Teal, with at least 100 Wigeon and 200 Lapwings on the fields. (AH)
Avocet (above) & Shovelers and Teal on the Ferry (AH)
Fishbourne Creek: The Long-tailed Duck and a Black-necked Grebe were at Dell Quay this morning, the latter showing better than of late. (BI)
Chichester Marina hide. From 3.30-4.30 no sign of a Bittern, just a Grey Heron, a Cormorant and two Coots, with c50 Pheasant going to roost in the trees and a small number of Starlings roosting in the reedbed.
The only interesting bird was a Marsh Harrier that came in high from the east and then turned south. (CRJ)
Church Norton: There were plenty of Dunlin, Grey Plovers and Redshank in the harbour, but little else beyond just a couple of Knot, a handful of Curlews and a few Wigeon and Teal, whilst two Linnets and four Skylarks flew over. (AH)
Grey Plover (above) & Dunlin at Church Norton (AH)
Thursday, 5th December: Another pleasant and still morning, after a sharp frost, with more sunshine, though clouding up later as the wind shifted west....
If you ever wondered what sea-watching is all about here are the answers provided by a certain OM, AH & BFF et al of this parish! Many thanks to Mick Jenner for the video below!
Selsey Bill: A Sandwich Tern east and a Slavonian Grebe offshore were the highlights of a quiet morning. Full log below...
(0810-0945hrs) (W, F1) (IP/MO-W)
Great Northern Diver - 1os
Slavonian Grebe - 1os
Shag - 2E
Red-breasted Merganser - 2E
Sandwich Tern - 1E
Razorbill - 1W
Chiffchaff - 1
(0810-0945hrs) (W, F1) (IP/MO-W)
Great Northern Diver - 1os
Slavonian Grebe - 1os
Shag - 2E
Red-breasted Merganser - 2E
Sandwich Tern - 1E
Razorbill - 1W
Chiffchaff - 1
Ferry Pool: There were c50 Lapwings on the ice this morning, but not much else beyond a handful of Shoveler and Teal, with more of the latter in the channel opposite.
The Tramway way was quiet beyond a handful of Goldcrests and a party of Long-tailed Tits. (AH)
Lapwing (above), Teal, Goldcrest & Lomg-tailed Tit around the Ferry (AH)
North Wall: There was little to report this morning other than approaching 1,000 Brent Geese apparently in the same field as the previous two days, 61 Curlew feeding in Honer 3 field and a flock of 40 Golden Plover and a Kingfisher at the sluice gates. (IH)
Medmerry: A winter survey of the area, including the fields to the east and all the farmland, revealed a total count of 107 Snipe and six Jack Snipe today. (HB et al)
Medmerry: A winter survey of the area, including the fields to the east and all the farmland, revealed a total count of 107 Snipe and six Jack Snipe today. (HB et al)
Chi Marina pool/reedbed: The hide was full of observers at times this morning, but sadly the stars of the show - alias the Bittern and the Bearded Tits - failed to appear. There was little to see other than a few Teal, a Kestrel, a Buzzard, a Sparrowhawk and 10 Long-tailed Tits, plus the regular Black Swan with four Mute congeners, which, perhaps feeling rather upstaged, actually came to see us, parking themselves right opposite the Hide! (OM/PC/DSa et al)
Later, the Bittern was seen to fly into the reedbed at 15.48hrs (HB)
Later, the Bittern was seen to fly into the reedbed at 15.48hrs (HB)
Black and Mute Swans right opposite the Hide at Chi Marina pool (OM)
Church Norton: At lunchtime there were six Sanderlings along the shore at Church Norton, while out at sea there was a Great Northern Diver and at least eight Slavonian Grebes. There were also two Avocets in the harbour along with the usual waders and the two Peregrines were sat on their island.(AW)
Wednesday, 4th December: The spell of cold but very sunny weather continues, with just a touch more of the light easterly breeze than yesterday.....
(0800-0930hrs) (E, F3)
Great Northern Diver - 1os
Red-Throated Diver - 5E, 6W
Great Crested Grebe - 1E, 1W
Gannet - 1E, 3W, 1os
Shag - 7E
Brent Goose - 4E
Red-Breasted Merganser - 3E, 1W
auk sp - 3E
Common Gull - 1W
Chiffchaff - 1
Red-throated Diver at the Bill (AH)
Ferry Pool: The shooting taking place nearby put all the birds up from the pool and vicinity, including 200 Teal, 100 Wigeon, 30 Shovelers and 300 Lapwing, with not a bird left behind. (AH)
Wigeon at the Ferry (AH)
Chichester Marina Reed-beds: The Bittern flew around briefly at midday, whilst the Bearded Tits were seen early on, but not later. (PB/MP/DP/MRo et al)
Bittern at Chi Marina pool reed-bed (MRo) and (below) a view of the pool and reed-bed from the Hide; note the much-improved views since the recent cutting and management of the reeds in the foreground. (OM)
Fishbourne Creek: The Long-tailed Duck continued to show well at Dell Quay, whilst seven Goldeneye and similar of Red-breasted Mergansers were further down the channel towards the Marina.
In the main channel at low tide there were three Spotted Redshanks and seven Greenshank, along with a Black Swan, a Kingfisher, at least 500 Black-tailed Godwits before most of them decamped south, and many hundreds of Wigeon and Brent Geese, plus the commoner waders.
The Water Pipit was reported again, whilst several Rock Pipits were about, along with the Stonechat and two Yellowhammers. (AH/IP et al)
Long-tailed Duck (above), Long-tailed Duck and Little Egret, Spotted Redshank, Greenshank, Kingfisher, Black-tailed Godwits, Rock Pipit & Yellowhammer at Fishbourne Creek (AH)
North Wall: A Marsh Harrier, a Kingfisher and a Rock Pipit were all present again this morning and 51 Curlew were feeding in Honer 3 field. A Grey Plover was seen opposite Owl Copse and a flock of Golden Plover was evident further out.
About 1,000 Brent Geese were in the field between Marsh and Honer Farms although they later returned to the harbour. A Goldcrest flitted about in the hedgerow while we watched the geese before we moved on to confirm that at least 100 Fieldfare were still occupying trees along Honer Lane. (IH/TH)
About 1,000 Brent Geese were in the field between Marsh and Honer Farms although they later returned to the harbour. A Goldcrest flitted about in the hedgerow while we watched the geese before we moved on to confirm that at least 100 Fieldfare were still occupying trees along Honer Lane. (IH/TH)
Runcton: A maximum of four Reed Buntings visiting the seed feeders this morning. (CRJ)
Reed Buntings in a Runcton garden (CRJ)
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