Thursday, 9th January: A mostly grey and drizzly morning, though fairly mild in the moderate south-westerly..........
Selsey Bill: It was fairly slow this morning, though a Guillemot was on the sea and a few Razorbills, Kittiwakes and Gannets went west. Full log below. (AH/MO-W/SR/PC)
(0815-1000hrs) (SW, F5)
Great Northern Diver - 2W
Red-throated Diver - 1E, 2W, 1os
diver sp - 1os
Great Crested Grebe - 6W
Gannet - 2E, 21W
Pintail - 2W
Red-breasted Merganser - 2E, 8W, 4os
Mediterranean Gull - 2os
Kittiwake - 8W
Sandwich Tern - 1os
Guillemot - 1os
Razorbill - 1E, 14W
auk sp - 8E, 4W
Ferry Pool: This morning there were six Shelducks, c40 Shoveler and c120 Teal on the pool, with c50 Wigeon on the field. (AH)
Also, 31 Avocets were off the Tramway and a Marsh Harrier was in the harbour. (BFF/DM)
A further 18 Curlew were in Honer 3 field and 2 Marsh Harriers were searching the fields beyond the Breech Pool. My visit ended with a small group of Mediterranean Gulls flying over and a Wren flitting about in the hedgerows approaching the lane. (IH)
A generally quiet week along the Wall this week. A Rock Pipit was along the Wall most days and a flock of 12 plus Long-tailed Tits are regulars, whilst Great Tits and Wrens have begun to sing. The Breech Pool is overflowing and only holds Teal and Mallard with occasional Tufted Ducks and digesting Cormorants. Brent Geese have continued to forage east and south of Marsh Farm, today the count was well over 3000. (JDW)
Church Norton: A Marsh Harrier was over the Severals this morning, whilst a Chiffchaff, one or two Goldcrests and a Great Spotted Woodpecker were around the car-park.
At least five Gannets were feeding offshore, but the only other birds about were a few Common and Mediterranean Gulls, whilst in the harbour the regular Whimbrel was in its usual area, a few Redshank, Curlew and Grey Plovers were roosting and at least 40 Wigeon and Teal were on the water. (AH et al)
Wednesday, 8th January: The opposite of yesterday morning - starting brightly and slowly clouding over, though the breeze was fairly light and from the south-west.......(0815-1000hrs) (SW, F5)
Great Northern Diver - 2W
Red-throated Diver - 1E, 2W, 1os
diver sp - 1os
Great Crested Grebe - 6W
Gannet - 2E, 21W
Pintail - 2W
Red-breasted Merganser - 2E, 8W, 4os
Mediterranean Gull - 2os
Kittiwake - 8W
Sandwich Tern - 1os
Guillemot - 1os
Razorbill - 1E, 14W
auk sp - 8E, 4W
Great Northern Diver (above), Kittiwake & Gannets at the Bill (AH)
Ferry Pool: This morning there were six Shelducks, c40 Shoveler and c120 Teal on the pool, with c50 Wigeon on the field. (AH)
Also, 31 Avocets were off the Tramway and a Marsh Harrier was in the harbour. (BFF/DM)
Shovelers at the Ferry (AH)
North Wall: This morning started with a Kestrel and Song Thrush at the horse paddocks, a calling Cetti's Warbler and about 1,500 Brent Geese south of Marsh Farm until they were disturbed by dog walkers and moved to the field between Marsh and Honer Farms, where there were also 45 Curlew. A further 18 Curlew were in Honer 3 field and 2 Marsh Harriers were searching the fields beyond the Breech Pool. My visit ended with a small group of Mediterranean Gulls flying over and a Wren flitting about in the hedgerows approaching the lane. (IH)
A generally quiet week along the Wall this week. A Rock Pipit was along the Wall most days and a flock of 12 plus Long-tailed Tits are regulars, whilst Great Tits and Wrens have begun to sing. The Breech Pool is overflowing and only holds Teal and Mallard with occasional Tufted Ducks and digesting Cormorants. Brent Geese have continued to forage east and south of Marsh Farm, today the count was well over 3000. (JDW)
Church Norton: A Marsh Harrier was over the Severals this morning, whilst a Chiffchaff, one or two Goldcrests and a Great Spotted Woodpecker were around the car-park.
At least five Gannets were feeding offshore, but the only other birds about were a few Common and Mediterranean Gulls, whilst in the harbour the regular Whimbrel was in its usual area, a few Redshank, Curlew and Grey Plovers were roosting and at least 40 Wigeon and Teal were on the water. (AH et al)
Marsh Harrier (above), Gannet, Whimbrel and Gannet & Goldcrest at Church Norton (AH)
Selsey Bill: It picked up a bit, after a slow start, with a few Razorbills going west and dropping in on the sea, whilst a few Gannets and Kittiwakes also went west. Full log below...
(0800-1115hrs): (Wind SW 3-4) (AH/MO-W/OM)
Red-throated Diver - 2E, 1os
Great Northern Diver - 1W, 1os
Slavonian Grebe - 2E
Great Crested Grebe - 2W, 3os
Gannet - 40W
Brent Goose - 8W
Red-breasted Merganser - 2E, 6W, 6os
Razorbill - 96W
auk sp - 8E, 35W
Sandwich Tern - 1E, 1W
Kittiwake - 12W
Common Gull - 2W
Mediterranean Gull - 3E, 2W
Ferry Pool: As usual, there were just duck this morning, with two Gadwall, six Shelducks, c30 Shoveler, c100 Teal and c150 Wigeon present. (AH)
North Wall: A Kestrel was at the horse paddocks this morning and two Marsh Harriers were active in the fields behind the Breech Pool.
About 90 Brent Geese were in the field at the end of the Wall but they later left to join the flock between Marsh and Honer Farms which built to about 1,000 individuals, accompanied by 100 Curlew at 9.30 a.m.
Several Great Tits were singing in the Owl Copse area, a Cetti's Warbler called and finally, as I reached my car in Church Lane, a Goldcrest appeared. (IH)
Also, a covey of five Grey Partridges were in the field just before Pagham SF from Summer Lane. (PC)
Church Norton: A Marsh Harrier was over the far end of the harbour, then it, or another flew over from the west side towards the Severals, whilst a Peregrine was on its island.
The regular Whimbrel, ten Bar-tailed Godwits and c50 Knot were among the large numbers of Dunlin and Grey Plovers present, along with a few Wigeon and Teal. (AH)
Chi GPs: New Lake held c.80 Shoveler but little else, though a Treecreeper was in the trees at the entrance.
Runcton & Vinnetrow Lakes were rather quiet but held a combined total of c. 30 Pochard and perhaps 40 Tufted Ducks, whilst along the pathside vegetation were two Great Spotted Woodpeckers, four Greenfinches, two Goldcrests and a dozen Long-tailed Tits. (OM)
(0800-1115hrs): (Wind SW 3-4) (AH/MO-W/OM)
Red-throated Diver - 2E, 1os
Great Northern Diver - 1W, 1os
Slavonian Grebe - 2E
Great Crested Grebe - 2W, 3os
Gannet - 40W
Brent Goose - 8W
Red-breasted Merganser - 2E, 6W, 6os
Razorbill - 96W
auk sp - 8E, 35W
Sandwich Tern - 1E, 1W
Kittiwake - 12W
Common Gull - 2W
Mediterranean Gull - 3E, 2W
Razorbills (above), Sandwich Tern, Red-breasted Mergansers & Cormorant at the Bill (AH)
Ferry Pool: As usual, there were just duck this morning, with two Gadwall, six Shelducks, c30 Shoveler, c100 Teal and c150 Wigeon present. (AH)
North Wall: A Kestrel was at the horse paddocks this morning and two Marsh Harriers were active in the fields behind the Breech Pool.
About 90 Brent Geese were in the field at the end of the Wall but they later left to join the flock between Marsh and Honer Farms which built to about 1,000 individuals, accompanied by 100 Curlew at 9.30 a.m.
Several Great Tits were singing in the Owl Copse area, a Cetti's Warbler called and finally, as I reached my car in Church Lane, a Goldcrest appeared. (IH)
Also, a covey of five Grey Partridges were in the field just before Pagham SF from Summer Lane. (PC)
Church Norton: A Marsh Harrier was over the far end of the harbour, then it, or another flew over from the west side towards the Severals, whilst a Peregrine was on its island.
The regular Whimbrel, ten Bar-tailed Godwits and c50 Knot were among the large numbers of Dunlin and Grey Plovers present, along with a few Wigeon and Teal. (AH)
Marsh Harrier (above), Whimbrel, Grey Plovers & Bar-tailed Godwits and Oystercatchers at Church Norton (AH)
Chi GPs: New Lake held c.80 Shoveler but little else, though a Treecreeper was in the trees at the entrance.
Runcton & Vinnetrow Lakes were rather quiet but held a combined total of c. 30 Pochard and perhaps 40 Tufted Ducks, whilst along the pathside vegetation were two Great Spotted Woodpeckers, four Greenfinches, two Goldcrests and a dozen Long-tailed Tits. (OM)
Selsey Bill: Much quieter than yesterday, though a Rock Pipit dropped in and a few Razorbills were still on the move. Full log below. (SR/AH/IP)
(0800-0930hrs) (SSW, F4)
Red-throated Diver - 1E, 3W
Slavonian Grebe - 1E, 1os
Great Crested Grebe - 2E
Gannet - 6E, 26W
Red-breasted Merganser - 12E
Sandwich Tern - 4W
Razorbill - 3E, 41W, 8os
auk sp - 26W
Rock Pipit - 1
Rock Pipit (above), Sandwich Tern & Gannet at the Bill (AH)
Later on, from about 11.05 - 1205hrs, (viewing mostly from the more sheltered end of the slipway between the Bill-tip and the Lifeboat station) there were two Great Northern Divers and a Great Crested Grebe on the sea, three Gannets and 71 Kittiwakes west, and a very distant diver sp. east.
The main event, however, was the absolutely incredible number of auks moving west. At around 11.20hrs one group settled on the sea about 200 yards offshore and spent a few minutes diving and preening, which gave me time to make four quick counts of the raft (a minimum of 276, and a maximum of 297 birds counted - all Razorbills) before they took off again, but while I was trying to count them at least four times this number flew west a bit further out.
The birds kept coming and I'd never seen anything quite like this at the Bill; my best "guesstimate" would be that there were between three to four thousand birds moving west, virtually all Razorbills, with only one reasonably close Guillemot definitely identified! (SHo)
Earlier it was just ducks - with c30 Shoveler, c150 Teal and c100 Wigeon, plus eight Shelducks on and around the pool. (AH)
Shovelers, Teal and Wigeon on the Ferry (AH)
Chichester Marina: A Ring-necked Parakeet was seen in the trees along the canal today. (B Yates)
Ring-necked Parakeet at Chichester Marina (B Yates)
Medmerry: Ham Road - About 40 Fieldfares were by the last houses at the north end of the road this morning, put up with c200 Starlings by a male Sparrowhawk, and there were another 20 Fieldfares by the junction with Easton Lane. (AH)
Fieldfares at Medmerry (AH)
Medmerry: Ham Farm - A pair of Peregrines put on a display, chasing each other around by the derelict building this morning - hopefully more interested in pairing up than fighting.
There wasn't much else about, though, beyond a dozen Reed Buntings, c50 Skylarks and c200 Meadow Pipits, whilst the tidal area just held a few Shelducks and Redshanks. (AH)
There wasn't much else about, though, beyond a dozen Reed Buntings, c50 Skylarks and c200 Meadow Pipits, whilst the tidal area just held a few Shelducks and Redshanks. (AH)
Peregrines (above), Skylark, Reed Bunting & Meadow Pipit at Medmerry (AH)
North Wall: A Kestrel was perched on a post at the horse paddocks this morning and 92 Curlew were feeding with Wigeon in the field at the end of the Wall. At least 20 Cattle Egrets could be seen distantly at Marsh Farm and successive small groups of Brent Geese flew somewhere to the north-west of the farm while a further 400 Brent Geese were sat on the water near the Wall. (IH)
No comments:
Post a Comment