7th - 9th March 2021

Tuesday, 9th March: Another bright and sunny morning after a light frost, though with the moderate breeze swinging round to the west......

Selsey Bill: Six Red-throated Divers went east and two west this morning, whilst a Great Northern Diver was on the sea, but beyond a couple of Sandwich Terns offshore and 11 Meadow Pipits and a Pied Wagtail in, it remained quiet. Full log below.  (MO-W/IP/AH/SR/AW)

(0705-0905hrs) (WNW, F2-3)
Great Northern Diver – 1os
Red-throated Diver – 6E, 2W
Gannet – 1E
Common Scoter – 3E
Red-breasted Merganser – 4E, 4W, 4os
Turnstone – 2
Common Gull – 1E
Sandwich Tern – 1E, 1W
Razorbill – 1E
Meadow Pipit – 11N
Pied Wagtail – 1N
Rook – 1N

Sandwich Tern at the Bill (AH)

Late this afternoon, over 1000 Brent Geese went east at the Bill in several very large flocks, many high up. (AW)

Brent Geese at the Bill (AW)

Ferry Pool: The two Avocets were again present, but there were no Snipe this morning, with  - besides an handful of Lapwings and Black-tailed Godwits - wildfowl predominating, including c70 Shoveler, c40 Teal and Wigeon and 24 Shelducks. (AH)

At dusk this evening a Short-eared Owl flew across the road just north of the Ferry. (S&SaH)

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

Long Pool: There were a Spotted Redshank at either end of Ferry Channel this morning, with the far end also holding c75 Avocets, a dozen Black-tailed Godwits, a few Pintail, c40 Shovelers and large numbers of Wigeon and Teal.

At least three Cetti's Warblers and half a dozen Reed Buntings and Long-tailed Tits were the only birds along the pool. (AH)

Spotted Redshanks (above), Wigeon, Reed Bunting & Long-tailed Tit around the Long Pool (AH)

Church Norton: There were three Red Kites seen thermalling over Priory Wood this morning together with two Buzzards and a Sparrowhawk.

The harbour was fairly quiet, though two Bar-tailed Godwits, a dozen Black-tailed Godwits and three Red-breasted Mergansers were near Tern Island, and there was just a single Great Crested Grebe offshore.

Also, a Snipe was near the horse field, two Cetti's Warblers were in the Severals and a few Long-tailed Tits were in Bluebell Wood. (IP)

Late this afternoon a huge flock of Brent Geese - perhaps 350-400 in number - flew over very high in long meandering skeins, heading east, presumably migrating birds from somewhere to the west of us.

Otherwise, there were c100 Knot, single Bar-tailed and a Black-tailed Godwits, c40 Turnstones and a dozen Mediterranean Gulls among 300 Black-headed Gulls. (AH)

Brent Geese (above) & Knot at Church Norton (AH)

Park Farm, Selsey: A Grey Wagtail near the buildings and a Sparrowhawk were the only birds of note this morning. (IP)

Fishbourne Creek: A single drake Goldeneye was off Dell Quay this morning, whilst at least six Greenshank and ten Knot were among the waders present. (PH)

Chichester Marina: Two Siskins flew over at 8am this morning. (PH)

Runcton: Two Chiffchaffs were along the path to North Mundham this morning, and a Grey Heron was overhead. (CRJ)

Grey Heron over Runcton (CRJ)

North Wall: There were at least 1,300 Brent Geese, plus the Barnacle Goose, in the field at Owl Point this morning, before they relocated to Honer 3 field and were joined by another 500 birds. There were also about 20 Curlew there, with two Meadow Pipits and a Skylark singing overhead, whilst in Owl Copse there were seven egrets, at least three of which were Cattle Egrets, and three Grey Herons.

In the hedgerows there were two Chiffchaffs, a Long-tailed Tit and a smart male Reed Bunting, but the fields north of the Wall are wet rather than flooded and held little other than a few Shelduck, Wigeon and Teal and Whites Creek was similarly quiet, with mainly Redshank, Wigeon, Teal, a modest number of Black-tailed Godwits and a pair of Great Crested Grebes. (IH/GHi)

Brent Geese (above) & Grey Heron at the North Wall (GHi)

Medmerry: Windmill to the Breach - It was very quiet here this morning, with the exception of three pairs of Stonechats and large numbers of Skylarks and Meadow Pipits, with some of the latter displaying and others looking like they had just arrived.

There were a few waders on the tidal areas, including a Greenshank, a Bar-tailed Godwit, half a dozen Ringed and Grey Plovers and c50 Dunlin, along with a dozen Brent Geese and a few Wigeon and Teal, whilst around 50 Curlews were on the grass field beyond the windmill, a Snipe was flushed from nearby and four Red-breasted Mergansers were offshore. (AH)

Stonechats (above), Meadow Pipits, Skylark, Greenshank & Bar-tailed Godwit at Medmerry (AH)

Monday, 8th March: After another frosty start, a cool, but pleasant, morning of hazy sunshine and just the lightest of north-westerly breezes.......

Selsey Bill: There were three Great Northern Divers and a Red-throated Diver on the sea this morning, along with a close Razorbill, whilst five Brent Geese east was about the only hint of migration. Full log below. (AH/AW/SR/IP/MO-W)

(0720-0905hrs) (NW, F1-2) 
Great Northern Diver – 3os
Red-throated Diver – 1E, 1os
Great Crested Grebe – 1E
Gannet – 2E, 4W
Mute Swan – 2W
Brent Goose – 5E
Common Scoter – 2E, 3W, 1os
Red-breasted Merganser – 12E, 4W, 4os
Mediterranean Gull – 1E
Razorbill – 1os

A late afternoon watch added two Red-throated Divers and a couple of diver sp east, a single Gannet and a flock of 200 Brent Geese, all heading east. Full log below. (SH)

(1600-1730hrs) 
Red-throated Diver – 2E
diver sp – 2E
Gannet – 1E
Brent Goose – 200E (in one flock), 1W
Common Seal – 1os

Razorbill (above), Mute Swans (AW), Great Northern Diver & Red-breasted Mergansers (AH) at the Bill

Ferry Pool: There were at least a dozen Snipe tucked into the reeds this morning, two Avocets on the pool and 50 Lapwings were still on the fields, whilst wildfowl included 16 Shelducks, c60 Shovelers, c25 Teal and c200 Wigeon.

Also, a Spotted Redshank and a handful of Black-tailed Godwits were in the channel opposite. (AH)

Spotted Redshank (above), Black-tailed Godwit, Snipe & Avocets and Shovelers on the Ferry (AH)

Church Norton: Three Slavonian Grebes were on the sea this morning, whilst a single Knot was the only wader of note in the harbour. *AW)

Knot at Church Norton (AW)

Marsh Farm, Sidlesham: A minimum of 33 Cattle Egrets were between Marsh and Bramber Farms this morning, along with 50+ Curlews, whilst a Raven went over and a pair of Buzzards settled together on a dead tree.

At least 30 Reed Buntings and 50 Chaffinches were near Chalder Farm, where a Grey Wagtail flew over, whilst a flock of 40 Linnets were along Church Farm Lane, as were a few Skylarks, but not much else. (AH)

Cattle Egrets (above), Raven, Reed Bunting, Linnets, Buzzards & Curlews at Marsh Farm, Sidlesham (AH)

Chi Marina: A Water Rail called several times from the reedbeds, where a Cetti’s Warbler gave a brief burst of song, but there was little else there. The mudflats held plenty of the commoner waders, including 50+ Black-tailed Godwits, whilst in the channel were c.60 Shelduck, plus six Great Crested Grebes, though little else. (OM)

A brief visit to the nearby Birdham Pool produced nothing of note; several Little and a pair of Great Crested Grebes, 16 Mallard and a pair of Teal being about it. (OM)

North Wall: There were plenty of birds around – though nothing unexpected – and first up were two Spotted Redshanks in White’s Creek. There wasn’t much around the Breech Pool bar several Reed Buntings and a Cetti’s Warbler, though later a female marsh Harrier went over, but the harbour was packed with masses of Brent Geese moving around, clearly sensing it is almost time to depart, plus several hundred Wigeon and 20+ Pintail. Amongst the good numbers of Dunlin and other waders were perhaps 200 Knot, whilst at least two Bar-tailed Godwits were present and a roosting flock of c.45 Avocets could be seen at some distance on the other side of the harbour. (IH)

The fields west of Church Barton are rapidly drying out and bird numbers have dropped; this morning 23 Black-tailed Godwits, three Redshank and 11 Shelduck were present, whilst in Honer 3 field were 700 Brent Geese and the lone Barnacle Goose. A Sparrowhawk was at Halsey's Copse and a pair of Greenfinches were nest building there.

A Chiffchaff and a pair of Green Woodpeckers were at Honer reservoir and on the reservoir itself were 120 Black-headed Gulls, 42 Coot, five Tufted Duck. There were 14 Mute Swans in a field close to Sefter Farm and on the flooded field west of Pagham Rife were 5 Curlew and a Jack Snipe. (JdW)

This evening, the Short-eared Owl appeared at the North Wall at around 1745hrs. 

Also, a Redwing and a Grey Wagtail were around the paddocks, a Chiffchaff and a couple of Cetti's Warblers were along the wall, at least one cattle Egret was in Owl Copse and a Spotted Redshank was in White's creek, where a Snipe also flew in. (IH)

Spotted Redshank at White's Creek (OM)

 

Sunday, 7th March: Another bright, but fairly chill morning after a sharp frost, though the northerly breeze had eased a little.......

Selsey Bill: The Long-tailed Duck dropped in again offshore, though there was still no evidence of passage. A Great Northern Diver and a Shag offshore, 112 auks west and the Sanderling again off Hillfield Road were the only other birds of note. Full log below.

(0710-0910hrs) (N, F2-3)

Great Northern Diver – 1os
Red-throated Diver – 2E, 1W
diver sp – 10E
Great Crested Grebe – 1os
Gannet – 2E, 2W
Shag – 1os
Brent Goose – 2E
Long-tailed Duck - 1E, then os
Common Scoter – 5E, 7W
Red-breasted Merganser – 11E, 2W, 2os
Oystercatcher – 1E
Sanderling - 1
Mediterranean Gull – 3E
Common Gull – 2E
auk sp – 32E, 112W
Pied Wagtail – 1N

Shag (above), Red-breasted Mergansers (AH) & Sanderling (AW) at the Bill

North Selsey: A Ring-necked Parakeet went over, heading east, early this morning (see Church Norton below).

Ferry Pool: It was a bit quieter this morning, with just 20 Shelduck, c40 Teal and Shoveler and two Gadwall on the pool and c50 Wigeon and Lapwing on the field.

Shovelers on the Ferry (AH)

Long Pool: There were three Spotted Redshanks in ferry channel today, along with at least 40 Avocets and 50 Black-tailed Godwits, whilst two Chiffchaffs were along the hedges.

Park Farm, Selsey: There were just a Sparrowhawk and a Green Woodpecker of note this morning.

Church Norton: The Ring-necked Parakeet that was earlier at Selsey was seen briefly in Priory Wood a little later on, before it flew off north.

There were also four Red-breasted Mergansers in the harbour entrance along with around 50 Brent Geese.

Later, three Avocets, 15 Black-tailed Godwits and 20 Pintail were in the harbour, two Cetti's Warblers, a Goldcrest and a few Long-tailed Tits were around the Severals and three Buzzards and a Kestrel were also present.

Red-breasted Mergansers at Church Norton (AW)

Medmerry: Easton Lane to the Stilt Pool - At least two (and quite possibly three) Dartford Warblers were along the banks, along with at least ten Stonechats and 40+ Meadow Pipits, suggesting a little inward arrival, though there were relatively low numbers of Yellowhammers, Linnets and Skylarks seen.

A Greenshank and c40 Redshanks were on the tidal areas, whilst the Stilt Pool held 16 Dunlin, nine Curlews, a Ringed Plover, five Lapwings and a pair of Mediterranean Gulls were on the Stilt Pool, along with a pair of Pintail and small numbers of Gadwall, Shoveler, Wigeon and Teal.

Dartford Warblers (above), Yellowhammer, Stonechat, Greenshank, Pintail, Teal, Ringed Plover, Mediterranean Gull & Dunlin at Medmerry (AH)

Hunston Copse: There were definitely three, and possibly four, Tree-creepers present this afternoon, though not much else of note.

Itchenor: A surprise Woodcock flushed from Itchenor Pond this morning but there was little else in the area. Further down at Chalkdock there were two Treecreepers and a few Goldcrests in the path-side trees, six Red-legged Partridges in the fields and plenty of Brent Geese at the water's edge.

North Wall: The Short-eared Owl was out over the back of the Breech Pool again late this afternoon, before flying along the side of the harbour, apparently heading for the Slipe Field.

Two Marsh Harriers were present again, too, whilst up to 20 Cattle Egrets went into roost in Owl Copse and a Chiffchaff was along the wall.

Short-eared Owl (above) & Chiffchaff along the North Wall (AH)