1st - 3rd March 2021

Wednesday, 3rd March: A murky morning of persistent heavy sea-mist early on to leave a cool and very grey day in a moderate easterly breeze.....

Selsey Bill: A Razorbill feeding close in, and two Sandwich Terns and Common Gull east was the sum total for a morning of very poor visibility. Full log below.

(0725-0825hrs) (ENE, F4) 
Oystercatcher – 2E, 1W
Common Gull – 1E
Sandwich Tern – 2E
Razorbill – 1os

Razorbill (above) & Sandwich Tern at the Bill (AH)

Late this afternoon the Sanderling was still among the Turnstones at the end of Hillfield Road and two Sandwich Terns were seen along the shoreline.

Sanderling (above) & Sandwich Tern at the Bill (AW) 

Ferry Pool: There were still at least ten Snipe in the reeds, but just 20 Black-tailed Godwits and 50 Lapwing and Wigeon on the field, with similar numbers of Shovelers and Teal on the pool, along with 22 Shelducks.

Black-tailed Godwits (above) & Shelducks at the Ferry (AH)

North Wall: A Stonechat was in the horse fields this morning, a Greenfinch and male Reed Bunting at the sluice gates and about 1,000 Brent Geese in Whites Creek. The flooded fields looked much as yesterday, with Wigeon, Teal, Pintail, Shoveler, Shelduck and Coot.

Church Norton: There were still plenty of Brent Geese, including the two Pale-bellied Brent Geese, milling about in the harbour this morning, waiting to leave, with nearly as many Black-headed Gulls, plus a few Mediterranean Gulls, also hanging about waiting to reclaim their island, but there was very little else visible in the murk beyond a few Grey Plovers, Dunlin and Curlews.

A look round Greenlease Farm was all but birdless, beyond a few Curlews in the fields, though a Mistle Thrush, a calling Chiffchaff and two Jays were around the car-park.

Mediterranean Gulls (above), Pale-bellied Brent Goose & Jays at Church Norton (AH)

Late this afternoon, the Barnacle Goose and 1500 Brent Geese were in the field behind the churchyard.

Barnacle Goose at Church Norton (SH)

Tuesday, 2nd March: The morning began with a heavy bank of sea-mist over the peninsula, that slowly burnt off to leave a bright and fairly cool morning in a moderate north-easterly breeze.....

Selsey Bill: It remains very quiet, though 25 Pintail and 23 Brent Geese went east and a Sanderling was on the beach. Full log below.

(0730-0830hrs) (NE, F4) 
Brent Goose – 23E
Pintail – 25E
Red-breasted Merganser – 2E
Sanderling – 1
Mediterranean Gull – 1os
Common Gull – 2os
Sandwich Tern – 2E
Pied Wagtail – 1N

Sanderling (above), Brent Geese & Common Gull at the Bill (AH)

Ferry Pool: It was similar to recent days, with two Avocets, ten Snipe, c50 Black-tailed Godwits and 100+ Lapwings around he pool and field, along with six Gadwall, 16 Shelducks, c60 Teal and Shovelers and c150 Wigeon.

There was also a Buzzard sitting on a digger close to the road in nearby Keynor Lane.

Shoveler (above), Snipe and Teal & Buzzard around the Ferry (AH)

Park Farm, Selsey: The Barnacle Goose flew in with the Brent Goose flock late this morning. Later, a Grey Wagtail was present with two Pied Wagtails, a Kestrel, a Green Woodpecker and a thermalling Buzzard.

Also, a Siskin was seen in Park Lane.

Church Norton: There was little report in the foggy harbour early this morning, though a Cetti's Warbler was calling from the gorse in front of the Severals, on the seaward side of the path. Unusually a Rook was seen flying along the spit, whilst singles of Great Spotted and Green Woodpecker were seen in the churchyard along with a few Goldfinches and Greenfinches.

Later, there were two Avocets, four Black-tailed Godwits, a Knot and a Golden Plover among the waders seen around the harbour, whilst a Snipe was in its usual area and a solitary female Red-breasted Merganser was the only bird offshore.

Great Spotted Woodpecker (above) & Greenfinch at Church Norton (AW)

North Wall: Two pairs of noisy Stock Doves and a Kestrel were at Shipverling Barn, whilst in the fields to the west of the reservoir there were 21 Shelduck, three Redshanks, five Teal, two Mute Swans and a Grey Heron.

On the Breech Pool there were seven pairs of Tufted Ducks, four Gadwall and a pair of Little Grebes, whilst a Marsh Harrier was over the reeds behind the pool and five Roe Deer were amongst the reeds. In the fields behind the there pool there were 140 Wigeon, 25 Teal, ten Shoveler, two Gadwall and three Curlew, with Honer 1 holding 110 Wigeon, ten Shoveler, 40 Teal and 90 Black-headed Gulls

A Cetti's Warbler was calling near Owl Copse, with three more back towards the Breech Pool, whilst two Song thrushes, three Curlew and a Great Spotted Woodpecker were at the horse paddocks, and a singing Reed Bunting, two Long-tailed Tits , a Skylark and a Greenfinch were along the Wall.

Also, of note, a pair of Little Owls have been seen recently at a private location to the north of the wall.

Wigeon, Shovelers and Pintail at the North Wall (JDW)

East side: The Barnacle Goose was among the many Brent Geese again this morning.

Medmerry: Easton Lane to Marsh Barn - Late this afternoon, a Dartford Warbler was in the gorse near the first viewpoint and half a dozen Yellowhammers were in the vicinity, too.

Medmerry: Porthole Farm and Ham Farm - There were at least 60 Meadow Pipits and 80 Pied Wagtails in the fields this morning at Porthole farm, with half a dozen Yellowhammers and 50 Linnets also present.

There were at least another 50 Meadow Pipits at Ham Farm, too, along with half a dozen Reed Buntings, a pair of Stonechats, two Green Woodpeckers, a dozen Stock Doves and at least 40 Skylarks, plus a fly-through Sparrowhawk.

Later in the day, three Chiffchaffs were along the hedges at Porthole Farm, too.

Yellowhammer (above), Reed Bunting, Stonechat, Linnets, Meadow Pipit, Skylark & Stock Dove at Medmerry (AH)

Monday, 1st March: Spring started with a cold and bright morning, after a hazy start, with lots of sun but a chilly north-easterly breeze.....

Selsey Bill: Five Eider east was the clear highlight of another quiet morning, with just two Gannets and nine Common Gulls east and a Sanderling on the bar the only other points of interest. Full log below.

(0725-0825hrs) (NE, F4)
Gannet – 2E
Eider – 5E
Oystercatcher – 4W
Sanderling – 1
Turnstone – 10
Mediterranean Gull – 1os
Common Gull – 9E

Common Gull at the Bill (AH)

Ferry Pool: There were a lot of birds present again this morning around the pool and fields, including eight Snipe, 40 Black-tailed Godwits, c150 Lapwings, five Gadwall, 20 Shelducks, c50 Teal and Shoveler and c150 Wigeon

Snipe, Teal and Shoveler (above) & Black-tailed Godwits and Wigeon at the Ferry

Long Pool: A Spotted Redshank, a Grey Plover and a few Redshanks and Teal were in Ferry Channel, whilst a Cetti's Warbler, five Reed Buntings and two pairs of Little Grebes were along the pool.

Spotted Redshank (above), Reed Bunting & Teal around the Long Pool (AH)

Park Fam, Selsey: Over 1000 Brent Geese were on the fields, with two Green Woodpeckers and two Pied Wagtails also seen.

Church Norton: A Tree Sparrow was seen in brambles at the start of the spit, but it moved off east and could not be relocated.

Also, this morning there were 1000+ Brent Geese in the harbour, flying around over the Severals, and out on the sea. Four Skylarks were seen along the spit and a Red Kite went over heading west, whilst a pair of Ringed Plovers were looking broody on the spit.

A flock of 16 Snipe were flushed by something from the creek by the horse field and two Buzzards were over the Priory,,whilst in the harbour there were 20+ Avocets, a Black-tailed Godwit and a few Pintail.

Later, along the west side, there were 15 Avocets, 100 Golden Plovers and 1500 Brent Geese in the harbour and 32 Greenfinches were in the churchyard.

Red Kite (above), Skylark, Ringed Plovers & Brent Geese at Church Norton (AW)

Sidlesham Quay: A Siskin was in Mill Lane this morning, two Red-legged Partridges were nearby and a Marsh Harrier drifted over towards Halsey’s Farm.

Hunston Copse: Two Chiffchaffs were in the copse, but beyond a drumming Great Spotted Woodpecker and a few singing Skylarks in the adjacent fields it was very quiet.

Chiffchaffs at Hunston Copse (AH)

Chichester Canal: A look along the canal path going west from Donnington produced a group of four Bullfinches, a Chiffchaff, plenty of Greenfinches, Goldfinches and Chaffinches, four Long-tailed Tits and a couple of pairs of Little Grebes, with a pair of Buzzards overhead.

Bullfinches (above), Little Grebes & Buzzard along Chichester Canal (AH)

Chalder Farm - Fisher: Signs of spring today with a pair of Long-tailed Tits collecting moss and two Chiffchaffs singing in different areas, with three birds seen overall. Best birds of the walk however, were six Golden Plover in a field at Fisher, a species not seen here previously. 

Other birds seen included Great Spotted Woodpecker, Goldcrest, Buzzard, Meadow Pipit, 16 Linnets, 12 Stock Doves, four Yellowhammers, five Skylarks, three Kestrels, a Sparrowhawk and 23 Cattle Egrets.

Golden Plover at Fisher (SR)