Christmas Day, Friday, 25th December: A beautifully crisp and bright morning, with a fresh-north-westerly breeze keeping it chilly despite the sunshine....
Happy Christmas to all our contributors and readers - we hope you all have a good and safe one, and thank you for all your support during the year. (Eds)
Selsey Bill: The Christmas sea-watchers were rewarded with a very interesting selection this morning, including two Puffins, eight White-fronted Geese, five Eider, four Velvet Scoters, 54 Red-throated divers and a Black Swan. Full log below. (SH/SR/IP/RAI)
(0740-1000hrs) (NNW, F3-4)
Great Northern Diver - 1E
Red-throated Diver - 1E, 53W
diver sp - 1E
Slavonian Grebe - 1os
Great Crested Grebe - 1os
Gannet - 1E, 25W
Black Swan - 1os
Brent Goose - 28W
White-fronted Goose - 1E, 7W
Shelduck - 1W
Eider - 4E, 1W
Common Scoter - 3E, 45W
Velvet Scoter - 4W
Red-breasted Merganser - 1E, 10-W, 5os
Mediterranean Gull - 1W
Common Gull - 1W
Razorbill - 9E, 137W
Puffin - 2W (0835hrs)
auk sp - 76E, 970W
Black Swan (above) & happy sea-watchers (IP, SH & RAI and assistant!) at the Bill (SR)
Ferry Pool: At least a dozen Snipe were tucked into the roadside reeds, whilst the field held at least 200 Lapwings, with good numbers of wildfowl also present, including four Gadwall, seven Shelducks, c80 Shovelers, c150 Wigeon and c100 Teal.
Also, the Kingfisher was showing well in the channel opposite. (AH)
Kingfisher (above), Snipe, Wigeon & Lapwings at the Ferry (AH)
Marsh Farm, Sidlesham: The Richard's Pipit was again in its favourite field, with two Chiffchaffs in the hedges and 11 Cattle Egrets on the fields. (A&YF)
Park Farm, Selsey: A Grey Wagtail, two Pied Wagtails, a Skylark, ten Meadow Pipits and at least 400 Brent Geese were around the fields today. (S&SaH/IP)
Church Norton: The Whimbrel was present again this morning, as were large numbers of Knot, Dunlin and Grey Plovers, plus at least 500 Brent Geese and a few Wigeon, Teal and Pintail, but nothing out of the ordinary.
A pair of Stonechats on the beach were the only passerines of note and there was nothing offshore at all. (AH)
Later, the White-fronted Goose was back on Peregrine Island, with a Pergerine, whilst a pair of Shoveler and two drake Pintails were near the harbour mouth.
Among the many waders seen were 500 Golden Plovers at the far end of the harbour, whilst eight Mediterranean Gulls were offshore, ten Snipe were neat the horse field and a Sparrowhawk was seen taking a Wren near the Severals, where there were also a pair of Goldcrests. (S&SaH/IP)
Stonechat (above), Pintail, Brent Geese & Brent Geese, Grey Plovers and Dunlin at Church Norton (AH)
Chichester Marina: The Barnacle Goose was with the large Brent Goose flock, seen from the Salterns foot/cycle way this afternoon and there was a flock of 16 Yellowhammers there, but no White-fronted Geese were about.
A Kingfisher and a Grey Wagtail flew across Chichester Marina and out in the channel there was good selection of the usual wildfowl and waders. (SR)
Barnacle Goose at Chichester Marina (SR)
Medmerry: Porthole Farm to Ham Farm - There were a few bits about this afternoon, including a Woodcock that dropped into a ditch and flew out again, c100 Fieldfares, c150 Brent Geese, two pair of Stonechats and a selection of buntings along the Medmerry Trail, including two or three Corn Buntings, at least five Reed Buntings and a dozen Yellowhammers, all sitting out together in the hedges. (AH)
Corn Bunting (above), Corn Bunting, Yellowhammer and Reed Bunting, Fieldfare, Stonechat & Brent Geese at Medmerry (AH)
Medmerry: Windmill to the Breach - There were two Black Redstarts present today, whilst an immature male Eider was offshore. (AW)
Black Redstarts (above) & Eider at Medmerry (AW)
Christmas Eve, Thursday, 24th December: A complete change in the weather overnight, with the breeze brisk and from the north, leaving a cold and very bright morning....
Selsey Bill: Three Slavonian Grebes were about this morning, with a bit of activity offshore, including a few Red-throated Divers, Kittiwakes and Razorbills. Full log below. (SH/BI/IP/AH)
(0740-1000hrs) (NNW, F6)
Red-throated Diver - 12E, 11W, 1os
Slavonian Grebe - 2E, 1os
Fulmar - 1E
Gannet - 7E, 11W, 20os
Brent Goose - 3E, 10W
Teal - 3E
Common Scoter - 6E, 2W
Red-breasted Merganser - 12E, 1W, 4os
Common Gull - 3E, 1W
Kittiwake - 67E, 37W
Guillemot - 1E, 1os
Razorbill - 9E, 30W, 16os
auk - 76E, 103W
Red-throated Diver (above) & Razorbill at the Bill (AH)
The highlight this afternoon was a White-fronted Goose going west, with more Kittiwakes about, too. (SH)
(1425-1525hrs) (SH)
Red-throated Diver - 5W
Slavonian Grebe - 2E
Gannet - 18E, 6W
White-fronted Goose - 1W
Red-breasted Merganser - 3W, 4os
Mediterranean Gull - 1W
Common Gull - 5W
Kittiwake - 70W
Sandwich Tern - 2W, 3os
Razorbill - 2W
auk sp - 2E, 20W
Ferry Pool: Just a handful of Snipe were at the front and a few Black-tailed Godwits were on the field, but the pool was packed with wildfowl, including four Gadwall, six Shelducks, c80 Shoveler, c100 Teal and c150 Wigeon. (AH)
Black-tailed Godwits (above), Gadwall & Shovelers, Wigeon and Teal at the Ferry (AH)
Park Farm, Selsey: A Grey Wagtail and a Pied Wagtail were about the fields, along with 30 Brent Geese. (SH)
Church Norton: The White-fronted Goose was on Peregrine Island again this morning, with it, or another, later seen going west along the beach, but a Red-breasted Merganser in the harbour was the only other bird of note on a quiet morning. (SH)
Chichester Marina: The White-fronted Geese were in the same fields as yesterday, accompanied by 60+ Curlews and 20 Oystercatchers, but the Brent Goose appeared to have moved elsewhere this morning.
Salterns Copse held two or three Goldcrests, a small flock of Long-tailed Tits and a Great Spotted Woodpecker, whilst nearby, the ploughed fields at Westlands held eight Redwing, a Song Thrush, a Mistle Thrush and four Pied Wagtails. (GT)
Later, some of the Brent Geese appeared together with the lone Barnacle Geese - although the Pale-bellied Brent was not located - but were subject to frequent disturbance by people and dogs, the flock becoming flighty and maintaining distance. (MJ)
East Wittering: A flock of 24 White-fronted Geese flew east along the coast, (seen from Sandy Point on Hayling Island) and appeared to come inland and land just beyond East Wittering. (BL)
Pagham SF: The Siberian Chiffchaff was present again this morning, whilst a Marsh Harrier was over the nearby reed-beds. (BI)
North Wall: A Glossy Ibis, briefly seen at the sluice gates before flying west, was the highlight this morning although the massed birds in Whites Creek were a fine sight in the sunshine. Lapwing, Black-tailed Godwits, Dunlin, Redshank, Wigeon and Teal were all present in good numbers with also about 40 Shelduck, a dozen Pintail and perhaps 200 Golden Plover flying above the Lapwing.
A Marsh Harrier hunted over the reed beds and a pair of Yellowhammers were present near Owl Copse ,while a Stonechat occupied a fence line at Owl Point. (IH/SP/TH/PC)
Marsh Farm, Sidlesham: The Richard's Pipit was once again in its favoured field by the derelict barn this morning, whilst in the hedges and fields along Church Farm Lane there were three pairs of Stonechats, at least half a dozen Yellowhammers and Linnets, a couple of Goldcrests and a scattering of Meadow Pipits and Skylarks.
At least 40 Cattle Egrets were spread around the fields adjacent to the buildings, though there was no sign of the Glossy Ibis, whilst a Raven, a Snipe and three Buzzards went over and at least 200 Common Gulls were present. (AH)
Richard's Pipit (above), Cattle Egrets, Raven, Yellowhammer, Linnet, Stonechat & Goldcrest around Marsh Farm, Sidlesham (AH)
Ivy Lake complex: This afternoon there were c20 Pochards, c40 Tufted Ducks and c100 Gadwall around the lakes, along with a single drake Teal, four Shovelers, a couple of Little and Great Crested Grebes and at least 300 Coots.
Also, a Kingfisher flew through, whilst a motley selection of geese included eight dubious-looking Barnacle types, among a dozen Greylag and 20 Canada Geese. The only birds on new lake were a lone Tufted Duck and seven Shovelers. (AH)
Gadwall (above), Barnacle Geese, Greylag Goose & Barnacle, Canada and Greylag Geese at Ivy Lake (AH)
Wednesday, 23rd December: After a murky, drizzly start, a fairly mild, bright and breezy morning in a moderate southerly....
Selsey Bill: After a slow start, there were a few Razorbills, Kittiwakes and Red-throated Divers moving about and a Shag dropped in offshore. Full log below. (AH/SR/IP)
(0800-0945hrs) (SSE, F3-4)
Great Northern Diver - 1E, 1os
Red-throated Diver - 2E, 8W
Great Crested Grebe - 1W, 1os
Fulmar - 1W
Gannet - 7E, 3W, 30os
Shag - 1os
Brent Goose - 6W
Red-breasted Merganser - 9E, 4os
Mediterranean Gull - 3E
Common Gull - 2E, 2W
Kittiwake - 14W
Sandwich Tern - 3E, 1os
Razorbill - 17E, 101W
Guillemot - 4W
auk sp 10E, 102W
Shag (above) & Razorbill at the Bill (AH)
Ferry Pool: At least 12 Snipe were in the roadside reeds, but otherwise the pool just held a pair of Mute Swans, five Shelducks, two Gadwall and c40 Teal and Shovelers, with c50 Black-tailed Godwits and Wigeon on the field. (AH)
Snipe on the Ferry (AH)
North Wall: There was little along the Wall early this morning apart from four Tufted Ducks in the Breech Pool, two calling Cetti's Warblers in the reeds and six Teal with three Redshank in the flooded fields. (IH)
East Side: A pair of Red-breasted Mergansers were in Whites Creek this morning and there was ceaseless Brent Geese activity with groups generally flying in from the south and out to the north-east, with about 400 occupying the harbour at any one time.
The usual ducks and waders were also well represented with about 500 Lapwing, several hundred Dunlin, scattered Black-tailed Godwits, Curlew and Redshank, two Grey Plovers as well Wigeon, Teal and Pintail. (IH)
Chichester Marina: The Barnacle Goose and Pale-bellied Brent Goose were both among 2000+ Brent Geese, as were the White-fronted Geese (with counts between 43 and 47, though difficult to be exact!) in the big arable fields between the Marina and Dell Quay, along with 50+ Curlews and Oystercatchers.
A Black Redstart was in the paddocks by the farm buildings nearby, whilst a couple of Redwings, a Mistle Thrush and a Song Thrush were in a maize stubble field by the main road, along with two Buzzards and 50+ Chaffinches and Goldfinches. (AH/BI/AB/OM et al)
Barnacle Goose and Brent Geese (above), Pale-bellied Brent Goose and Brent Geese, White-fronted Geese, Black Redstart, Redwing & Buzzard around Chichester Marina (AH)
More images of the Pale-bellied Brent Goose (AB)
Church Norton: A quick look late this afternoon produced the White-fronted Goose on Peregrine Island, the Common Scoter and four Pintail in the main channel, a dozen Mediterranean Gulls, and a Bar-tailed Godwit and 200+ Knot among the many waders present. (AH)
White-fronted Goose (above), Bar-tailed Godwit & Mediterranean and Black-headed Gulls at Church Norton (AH)
No comments:
Post a Comment