10th - 12th November 2020

Thursday, 12th November: A bright and breezy morning after a stormy night, quite mild in the sun despite the brisk westerly.....

Selsey Bill:  One or two Great Northern and Red-throated Divers were about and a Purple Sandpiper shot through west, but it was generally as quiet as might be expected in the conditions. (AH/IP/MO-W/RP)

(0710-900hrs) (WSW, F5-6)

Great Northern Diver - 2E, 1W

Red-throated Diver - 2W

Great Crested Grebe - 2W

Gannet - 15W

Brent Goose - 8W

Wigeon - 2W

Common Scoter - 4E

Red-breasted Merganser - 2E, 1W

Purple Sandpiper - 1W

Turnstone - 5

Mediterranean Gull - 2W

Common Gull - 1W

Razorbill - 1E, 3W

auk sp - 2W

Pied Wagtail - 1E, 1W

Great Northern Diver (above), Common Scoters, Great Crested Grebe & Mediterranean Gull at the Bill (AH)

Ferry Pool: Two Avocets and three Snipe were on the pool again this morning, along with ten Shelducks and c100 Shovelers, whilst there were around 400 Lapwings on the fields. (AH)

Snipe (above) & Lapwings on the Ferry (AH)

Church Norton: There were still 200+ Brent Geese in the harbour, along with c50 Wigeon and c20 Teal, whilst waders included the Whimbrel in its usual haunts and at least four Snipe, with 25 Knot, ,20 Turnstones, c50 Grey Plovers and c150 Dunlin roosting on the metalwork.

The two Peregrines were again on their island and a Lesser Black-backed Gull was in the harbour, whilst a dozen or so Skylarks, Linnets and Meadow Pipits were along the spit and a few Common and Mediterranean Gulls were offshore.

Visiting birders reported two Swallows going over and a Dartford was in the gorse opposite the Severals, whilst a Mistle Thrush, a Jay and the odd Goldcrest and Long-tailed Tit was the best the bushes could offer. (AH/AW/A&YF/IP)

Peregrine (above), Whimbrel, Skylark, Brent Goose & Turnstones and Grey Plovers at Church Norton (AH)

East Side: Around 600 Brent Geese arrived in were in the harbour this morning, and joined about 300 Wigeon, 300 Golden Plover, 200 Lapwing, 200 Black-tailed Godwits, 50 Shelduck and a single Great Crested Grebe. 

Two Kestrels were visible - one near Owl Copse and one at the stables - and a Grey Wagtail was present at the sluice gates. (IH)

North Wall: Two Goldcrests and a pair of Stonechats were along Church Lane but very little was along the Wall. At Halsey's Copse there was a flock of at least 60 Fieldfares, some of which flew off in the direction of Owl Copse. (JDW)

Fieldfares at Halsey's Farm (JDW)

Marsh Farm, Bramber Farm & Honer Farm, Sidlesham: There were 14 Cattle Egrets amongst the cattle close to Chalder Farm and another 12 north east of Marsh Farm this morning, whilst a Little Owl and four Jays were close to Bramber Farm. 

At Honer reservoir there were two Ravens amongst the corvids, whilst in and around the reservoir were 12 Gadwall, four Shovelers, three Tufted Ducks and around 500 mixed gulls who were probably taking a rest from following local ploughing activities. Also, a pair of Stonechats were along Pagham Rife and seven Roe Deer were in an adjoining field. (JDW)

Cattle Egrets at Marsh Farm, Sidlesham (JDW)

Medmerry: Porthole Farm - Two Green Sandpipers flew out from a muddy puddle near the sewage works this afternoon. (K & L Smith per SOS)

Chi GPs - Drayton pits: Wildfowl totals were well down on what might be expected for the time of year, although Pochard numbers seem to have held up, with a total of 96 birds between the pits. Two Egyptian Geese on the North pit were the only slight surprise, whilst the best of the rest included two calling Water Rails, two Snipe, a pair of Kestrels, two Buzzards, several Cetti's Warblers, a Chiffchaff and half a dozen Goldcrests. (OM/BFF)

Egyptian Geese on Drayton House GPs (OM)

Wednesday, 11th November: A cooler day than of late, with a fresh southerly breeze and heavy cloud after a bright sunrise.....

Selsey Bill: A Slavonian Grebe was offshore again, but it was a generally slow morning. Full log below. (RP/MO-W/AH/IP)

(0710-0910hrs) (S, F4-5)

Slavonian Grebe - 1os

Great Crested Grebe - 1W

Gannet - 1E, 16W

Brent Goose - 4W

Common Scoter - 5E, 9W

Red-breasted Merganser - 2E, 2W

Turnstone - 6

Mediterranean Gull - 4W

Common Gull - 1W

Kittiwake - 1E

Razorbill - 7W

auk sp - 1E, 1W

Great Spotted Woodpecker - 1

Meadow Pipit - 1W

Pied Wagtail - 1W

Linnet - 13W

Mediterranean Gull (above), Red-breasted Merganser, Brent Geese & a dramatic sunrise at the Bill (AH)

An interesting follow-up on the White-tailed Eagle seen over Selsey on 13th October from the Roy Dennis Foundation website. This bird - G461, a young male, was one of this year's releases and went of on its first big exploratory flight on 30th September, flying back over Pagham Harbour and Selsey as it returned home on that day. See map below. (Eds)

Route of the young White-tailed Eagle G461 (Roy Dennis Foundation)

Ferry Pool: Two Avocets and a Snipe were on the pool this morning, along with 11 Shelducks, c80 Lapwings, c60 Teal and c100 Shoveler.

A Spotted Redshank was in Ferry Channel, along with six Redshanks, c60 Wigeon and c30 Teal, whilst 16 Avocets were distantly viewable in the harbour from the Tramway, among many other waders.(AH)

Spotted Redshank (above) & Avocet around the Ferry (AH)

North Wall: A Marsh Harrier was hunting this morning over the reed beds and also a Raven flew over, while the Breech Pool contained Mallard and a pair of Tufted Ducks. 

Visible from the Wall at around high tide were about 300 Brent Geese, at least 20 Shelduck, 200+ Lapwing, widespread Wigeon, at least six Curlew and a distant flock of flying Dunlin, 300 strong or more. 

On departure, a mixed flock of tits moved through the hedgerows at the stables, including about 12 Long-tailed Tits. (IH/PC)

Marsh Farm, Sidlesham: There were at least 30 Cattle Egrets among the cows at Chalder Farm this afternoon. (SA)

Church Norton: Brent Geese predominated in the harbour, with at last 700 present, along with c50 Wigeon and a few teal, whilst the regular Whimbrel, c30 Grey Plovers and c200 Dunlin were among the wades present.

The hedges were quiet, as were the Severals, though a pair of Stonechats and c20 Meadow Pipits were along the start of the spit and a handful of Reed Buntings were along the path to the beach. (AH) 

Later, a Black Redstart was found on Tern Island (AT), and the Goosander was again around the harbour mouth(AW)

Stonechat (above), Whimbrel & Brent Geese at Church Norton (AH)

Tuesday, 10th November: After a murky start, a pleasant, sunny morning in a light southerly breeze.....

Selsey Bill: A Slavonian Grebe was offshore again, and 65 Brent Geese and 20 Common Scoters went west, whilst a Purple Sandpiper flew out and round before retreating back west. Full log below. (RP/AH/IP/MO-W)

(0700-0900hrs) (SSW, F2-3)

Great Northern Diver - 1E

Red-throated Diver - 2E, 4W

Slavonian Grebe - 1os

Great Crested Grebe - 1E, 1os

Gannet - 3E, 35W

Brent Goose - 65W

Common Scoter - 11E, 20W

Red-breasted Merganser - 2E, 4W

Turnstone - 7

Purple Sandpiper - 1

Sandwich Tern - 1E

Razorbill - 5E, 11W, 1os

auk sp - 5E

Meadow Pipit - 6E

Pied Wagtail - 3E, 2W

Slavonian Grebe (above), Common Scoters & Red-breasted Merganser at the Bill (AH)

Ferry Pool: An Avocet and a Snipe were on the pool this morning, along with c80 Lapwings, c60 Teal and c100 Shovelers. (AH)

Snipe (above) & Teal at the Ferry (AH)

Park Farm, Selsey: The farm had single Kestrel and Sparrowhawk, plus three Pied Wagtails, approximately fifty Curlews, half a dozen Oystercatchers and a pair of Green Woodpeckers this morning. (IP).

Pagham Spit: Two Dartford Warblers and three Stonechats were along the gorse, whilst two Slavonian Grebes were offshore and the two Peregrines and ten Avocets were viewable in the harbour.. (PB/TG)

Church Norton: Dartford Warblers were along the path to the beach and in the gorse opposite the Severals this morning, along with a couple of Stonechats and half a dozen Goldcrests, whilst two Lesser Redpolls went over and dropped into the Priory Wood, about 40 Meadow Pipits were on the beach and half a dozen Reed Buntings were nearby. Also, a Marsh Harrier and a Sparrowhawk went over, a Kingfisher flew out from the creek by the horse field and. a Firecrest was among a handful of Goldcrests in the churchyard.

Two Slavonian Grebes and a few Great Crested Grebes were offshore, along with an immature Kittiwake and four Common Scoters flew west, whilst a big mixed flock of waders came out of the harbour, including a Bar-tailed Godwit and a few Knot among the many Dunlin and Grey Plovers.

In the harbour, two Peregrines were back on their usual island, eight Avocet were present and at least 500 Brent Geese flew out from the arable field behind the churchyard and settled in the harbour. (AB/AH/BFF/DM/IP et al)

Marsh Harrier (above), Meadow Pipit & Brent Geese at Church Norton (AH)

Medmerry: Coastguards to the Breach - There were a total of six Black Redstarts present this morning - three in the windmill area and three together at Toe End and there were also several pairs of Stonechats and c40 Meadow Pipits about. Two Purple Sandpipers were on the rocks and beach adjacent to the windmill, whilst a Merlin, a Kingfisher and two Greenshanks were in the breach area. (BFF/DM)

Purple Sandpipers at Medmerry beach (DM)

Fishbourne Creek: At lunchtime there were two Spotted Redshanks and three Rock Pipits near the Lavant outflow with a Reed Bunting and three Yellowhammers along the hedgerows. Three Greenshank were seen out in the estuary along with a Lesser Black-backed Gull and at least fifty Common Gulls. (AW)

Spotted Redshank, Reed Bunting and Rock Pipit at Fishbourne Creek (AW)