27th - 28th February 2021

Sunday, 28th February: A mostly and sunny morning, though a bank of misty low cloud passed through mid-morning, and a bit cooler in the freshening north-easterly breeze......

Selsey Bill: The first (three) Gannets for a week, heading east, was just about the only thing of note this morning. Full log below.

(0725-0810hrs) (NE, F3-4)
Great Crested Grebe – 1os
Gannet – 3E
Mallard – 4W
Red-breasted Merganser – 2os, 1W
Oystercatcher – 1W
Common Gull – 1E

Ferry Pool: There were a lots of birds on the pool again this morning, with waders comprising three Avocets, eight Snipe, a Redshank, 50 Black-tailed Godwits and c100 Lapwings, whilst wildfowl comprised of nine Brent Geese, two Tufted Ducks, five Gadwall, four Mallards, c50 Teal, c75 Shovelers and c180 Wigeon.

Avocets (above) & Shovelers at the Ferry (AH)

Park Farm, Selsey: Presumably the same Barnacle Goose that was in the harbour earlier was later with the Brent Geese on the fields, whilst a Red Kite also went over.

Earlier there were a;so a Grey Wagtail, two Green Woodpeckers,, a par of Kestrels and a Sparrowhawk in the vicinity, too.

Church Norton: Two Red Kites drifted south together over Greenlease Farm this morning.and there were two Peregrines on the usual island early on, viewed from Pagham Spit.

Also, there were a female Red-breasted Merganser, two Bar-tailed Godwits and 16 Avocets in the harbour.

Medmerry: Breach area - Two Greenshanks were in the tidal area this morning, along with four Red-breasted Mergansers and 59 Brent Geese.

Medmerry: Ham Farm and Porthole Farm - Three Stonechats and at least ten Yellowhammers were around Ham, along with a Buzzard and lots of singing Skylarks, whilst there were 81 Pied Wagtails at the sewage works by Porthole Farm.

North Wall: Two Marsh Harriers were over the reeds again this morning, but the fields were very quiet, with just a dozen scattered Curlews present, as were the bushes in the fresh breeze.

Marsh Harrier at the North Wall (AH)

East side: Highlights were a Merlin which flew along the length of the harbour and the Barnacle Goose, in among at least 1500 Brent Geese.

Otherwise, there were at least 60 Pintail and 200+ Wigeon and Teal, whilst waders included c300 Golden Plovers and Knot, c150 Black-tailed Godwits, a Bar-tailed Godwit, c50 Turnstones and big numbers of the regular species.

Merlin (above), Barnacle Goose and Brent Geese, Knot and Grey Plovers & Pintail along the East side (AH)

Pagham Lagoon: A pair of Gadwall, a dozen Tufted Ducks and a handful of Little and Great Crested Grebes was it this morning.

Gadwall (above), Great Crested Grebe & Little Grebe on Pagham Lagoon (AH)

Saturday, 27th February: Another lovely warm and sunny morning, after a frosty start, with just a light breeze, starting north-west and veering to north-east....

Selsey Bill: It was very quiet again, with two Great Northern Divers offshore and two Red-throated Divers and a Fulmar west, plus a Sanderling at the end of Hillfield Road being the best. Full log below.

(0720-0820hrs) (NW, F3)
Great Northern Diver – 2os
Red-throated Diver – 2W
diver sp – 1E
Great Crested Grebe – 1os
Fulmar – 1W
Red-breasted Merganser – 3W, 5os
Sanderling - 1
Pied Wagtail – 1N

Sanderling at the Bill (AW)

Ferry Pool: At least ten Snipe were at the front, two Avocets were on the pool and a handful of Lapwings and Black-tailed Godwits were on the field, whilst among the numerous wildfowl present were 20 Shelducks, five Gadwall, c50 Teal and Shoveler and 100+ Wigeon.

Long Pool: A Spotted Redshank was with a few Redshank, Teal and Wigeon at the far end of ferry Channel, whilst a couple of calling Water Rails, a pair of Little Grebes, a Cetti's Warbler and half a dozen Reed Buntings were along the pool. (AH)

Park Farm, Selsey: A Grey Heron was in the balancing pool in Manor Lane this morning, whilst a Sparrowhawk flew high over and both Grey and Pied Wagtail were present, along with a Green Woodpecker and a male Stonechat, but there were only 12 Brent Geese were in the fields.

Birdham: A pair of Yellowhammers were in a garden this morning.

East Head: There were 45 Avocets back at Snowhill Creek this morning, whilst other totals during the WeBS count included .1950 Brent Geese, 250 Dunlin, 60 Grey Plovers, two Turnstones, five Oystercatchers, ten Sanderling, six Shelducks, 50 Teal, 15 Wigeon, 110 Redshanks, six Greenshanks, 20 Curlew, a Bar-tailed Godwit, 22 Black-tailed Godwits, five Lapwings and 50 Golden Plovers.

Church Norton: A Coal Tit, a singing Chiffchaff and a Great Spotted Woodpecker were in the trees on the way to the beach this morning, with two male Reed Bunting on the bushes at the beach.

Also, the Barnacle Goose and a Pale-bellied Brent Goose, plus c45 Avocets were in the harbour, viewable from the spit end, whilst offshore there were two Slavonian Grebes, two Great Crested Grebes and five Red-breasted Mergansers, plus two Red-throated Divers which flew west.

Among other birds in the harbour were the two Peregrines, two Black-tailed Godwits, ten Pintail, many Brent Geese and at least 30 Mediterranean Gulls, whilst a Snipe was near the horse field, a Goldcrest and a few Long-tailed Tits were between the Severals and two Buzzards and 200+ Golden Plovers were seen over the Severals.

North Wall: A male and a female Marsh Harrier were over the Breech Pool this morning, whilst a Raven and two Buzzards went over the fields, whilst there were plenty of Reed Buntings and Cetti's Warblers along the wall.

Also, a female Brambling flew into Owl Copse with two Greenfinches, and five Cattle Egrets were back in the copse, too.

Marsh Farm, Sidlesham: A total of 24 Cattle Egrets were counted between Marsh Farm and Bramber Farm this morning, all put up at one point by a Red Kite.

Along Church Farm Lane there were c30 Linnets and a handful of Yellowhammers, Meadow Pipits and Skylarks, whilst up to ten Reed Buntings and a Sparrowhawk were near Chalder Farm and a Coal Tit and a pair of Mistle Thrushes were in the churchyard.

Red Kite (above), Cattle Egrets, Sparrowhawk, Mistle Thrush, Linnets & Skylark around Marsh Farm, Sidlesham (AH)

Medmerry: Easton Lane to the Stilt Pool - The highlight was before reaching Easton Lane, with a ring-tail Hen Harrier over the school on the junction of Ham Road.

The Barn Owl was out again along the banks, too, with two Buzzards, two Green Woodpeckers, two Stonechats and seven Yellowhammers also seen, whilst there were five Avocets and a Greenshank on the Stilt Pool.