Birding the Selsey Peninsula: 16th

Thursday, 18th February: Yet another morning of persistent drizzly rain, blown through on a fresh southerly breeze, though the afternoon was pleasantly warm and sunny......

Selsey Bill: There was a little more activity this morning, including a Great Northern Diver and seven Red-throated Divers east, four Kittiwakes east and five Sandwich Terns and a few Razorbills offshore.

Also, an Egyptian Goose flew west early this afternoon. Full log below.

(0740-0910hrs) (SSE, F6)
Great Northern Diver – 1E
Red-throated Diver – 7E
Gannet – 3E, 12W
Brent Goose – 2E
Common Scoter – 1E, 1W
Red-breasted Merganser – 1E, 2W, 8os
Mediterranean Gull – 3os
Common Gull – 1E
Kittiwake – 4E
Sandwich Tern – 5os
Razorbill – 1E, 4W, 4os
auk sp – 6W

Great Northern Diver (above), Red-throated Divers, Sandwich Tern & Gannet at the Bill (AH)

Ferry Pool: There were just six Shelducks on the pool this morning, with 50 or so Wigeon, Teal and Shovelers, plus three Gadwall scattered about the flooded bits of the fields, whilst the Kingfisher was again in the channel opposite.

Kingfisher (above), Gadwall & Shovelers at the Ferry (AH)

Church Norton: Four Avocets, three Black-tailed Godwits, a Bar-tailed Godwit and the Whimbrel were in the harbour this morning, along with c300 Knot, c500 Dunlin and c100 Grey Plovers, whilst at least six Snipe were in the creek by the horse field,

Wildfowl included a Pintail, a few Wigeon and Teal and c200 Brent Geese, but there really wasn't much else to report..

Also, sadly, the hide has had to be boarded up to stop it being used as a teenage drinking den - hopefully it can be opened up again before the Swallows return!

Avocets and Knot (above), Snipe, Black-tailed Godwit & the boarded-up hide at Church Norton (AH)

Late this afternoon a Barn Owl (and possibly two) was hunting along the side of the harbour, whilst two Marsh Harriers and a Kestrel were out and about, too.

Also, a Woodcock was flushed from the path and ten Golden Plovers and at least 1000 Lapwings and Brent Geese were out in the harbour..

Runcton. In the area today there were three Common Buzzards, a Song Thrush, a Firecrest, a male Reed Bunting and a lovely bank of Snowdrops.

Song Thrush (above) & Snowdrops in Runcton (CRJ)

Sidlesham: There were two more signs of incipient spring this afternoon in different gardens - a Common Lizard and a Peacock butterfly.

Common Lizard (AF) (above) & Peacock (AH) in Sidlesham

Wednesday, 17th February: Another pretty dire morning, with persistent drizzly rain and a fresh southerly breeze......

Selsey Bill: There were no divers at all this morning for the first time in quite a while, and it was generally very slow, with four distant Eiders east and six Sandwich Terns offshore the only highlights. Full log below.

(0740-0840hrs) (SSW, F6)
Great Crested Grebe – 2W
Gannet – 7W
Brent Goose – 1W
Eider – 4E
Red-breasted Merganser – 5E, 3W
Common Gull – 2E
Sandwich Tern – 6os
Razorbill – 3W

Sandwich Tern at the Bill (AH)

Ferry Pool: The pool was again fairly empty of birds, with just four Shelducks and a dozen or so Shoveler and Teal on the water, with just a few more of both, plus c50 Wigeon on the field.

Later on, the Kingfisher was back in the channel opposite.

Shoveler at the Ferry (AH)

Church Norton: Good numbers of waders were present at low tide this morning, including a mixed flock of Knot and Dunlin of approximately 300 birds and there were also c75 Grey Plovers, c50 Black-tailed Godwits, a single Avocet, Great Crested Grebe, two Little Grebes, seven Mediterranean Gulls, c100 Teal and Wigeon and c200 Brent Geese present.

North Wall: A damp and windy walk along the Wall this morning was worth it for two Bar-tailed Godwits and a Spotted Redshank close to the sluice gates and the fine sight in the flooded fields of some 300 Black-tailed Godwits, at least 20 Shelduck, about ten Curlew as well as plenty of Wigeon, Teal and Shoveler. There were also two Greenfinches at the Salt House, a Marsh Harrier battling the wind and a fly-over Snipe.

Later, there were also c300 Brent Geese, c300 Wigeon, c50 Shovelers and Teal, four Gadwall and a pair of Pintail on the flooded fields, as well as 20 Dunlin and 40 Curlews, whilst a Marsh Harrier was over the reeds.

After teeming with birds on Monday the fields west of Church Barton reservoir were very quiet Tuesday and today, with just small numbers of Wigeon, Shelduck, Curlew and Dunlin.

Wigeon and Black-tailed Godwits (above) & Dunlin from the North Wall (AH)

East side: There were a lot of birds all the way along White's Creek and the main channel, including four Bar-tailed Godwits, two Avocets, 50 Golden Plovers, 100 Lapwings, 200 Black-tailed Godwits, c40 Pintail, c100 Wigeon and at least 500 Brent Geese.

Bar-tailed Godwit (above), Avocets, Golden Plovers and Lapwings, Black-tailed Godwits & Pintail along the East side (AH)

Tuesday, 16th February: A fairly dismal morning of persistent drizzle under leaden skies and a blustery, south-westerly breeze...

Selsey Bill: Just three Red-throated Divers went east, eight Common Scoters were on the sea and a couple of Sandwich Terns and a few Gannets and Red-breasted Mergansers were moving about offshore this morning. Full log below.

(0740-0855hrs) (SSW, F5)
Red-throated Diver – 3E
Great Crested Grebe – 1W
Gannet – 8os
Common Scoter – 8os
Red-breasted Merganser – 2E, 5W, 4os
Curlew – 1W
Mediterranean Gull – 3os
Common Gull – 12W, 6os
Sandwich Tern – 2os
auk sp – 35W

Red-breasted Mergansers (above) & Mediterranean Gull at the Bill (AH)

Ferry Pool: The pool was devoid of birds again, with all the 50+ Teal and Shovelers, 100+ Wigeon and 200+ Lapwings spread around the flooded fields.

Shoveler at the Ferry (AH)

Church Norton: There were a lot of waders in the harbour this morning, including the Whimbrel, three Bar-tailed Godwits, at least 300 Knot, double that of Dunlin and 50+ Grey Plovers.

There wasn't too much else about, though, beyond a couple of hundred Brent Geese, c40 Shelducks and a few Wigeon and Teal, plus two Great Crested Grebes.