10th - 12th November 2021

Friday, 12th November: Though it remains mild for the time of year, it was a pretty dismal morning, with a fresh and blustery south-westerly, pushing through successive belts of drizzly rain before brightening up later.........

Selsey Bill: There were a few auks, mainly Razorbills, going west this morning, along with a few Gannets and Kittiwakes, but it was generally slow-going. Full log below. (BI/SR/AH/IP)

(0700-083hrs) (WSW, F6)

Red-throated Diver - 2E

Gannet - 4E, 17W

Common Scoter - 6W

Red-breasted Merganser - 6W

Dunlin - 15E

Turnstone - 3W

Mediterranean Gull - 1E, 3W

Common Gull - 1E

Kittiwake - 2E, 5W

Guillemot - 2W

Razorbill - 2E, 71W

auk sp - 5E, 28W

Pied Wagtail - 1E, 3 present

Razorbills (above), Common Scoters & Common Seal at the Bill (AH)

Ferry Pool: There were just five Snipe at the front and c30 Lapwings on the little island this morning, with otherwise still c75 Shovelers, c50 Teal and five Shelducks present. (AH)

Snipe (above) & Shovelers on the Ferry (AH)

Church Norton: There wasn't much to report this morning, with a Jay and two Reed Buntings the only passerines seen and the highlights of a quiet harbour being 20 Grey plovers, c40 Knot, c100 Dunlin, a few Wigeon and Teal and 200+ Brent Geese that were over on  the far side. (AH)

A double stroll around the churchyard and bushes this afternoon produced a small number of Great, Blue and Long-tailed Tits, and a calling Chiffchaff, whilst in the harbour there were c100 Dunlin and a couple of Knot. (CRJ)

Grey Plover (above) & Teal at Church Norton (AH)

Chichester GPs: There was little to report this morning across all the lakes apart from c.16 Pochard on Ivy lake and four doubtless feral Greylag Geese on Copse Lake. The eastern lakes, Runcton, Vinnetrow, Peckham & Leythorne, held a few Gadwalls and Shoveler, and there were c.15 Cormorants on New Lake, but Deep, Nunnery, Triangle and East & West were virtually birdless bar the regular Coots. All that could be found along the paths was a Chiffchaff and a calling Cetti's Warbler. (BI)

Thursday, 11th November: A mild and overcast morning, in very rare (for the Peninsula, at least!) flat calm conditions..........

Selsey Bill: Unsurprisingly, there was little on the move, though three Great Northern Divers were on the sea and a flock of 17 Ringed Plovers flew east. Full log below.(IP/AH/SR)

(0725-0825hrs) (flat calm, F0)

Great Northern Diver - 3os

Gannet - 2E, 2W

Common Scoter - 1E

Red-breasted Merganser - 2os

Ringed Plover - 17E

Turnstone - 1

auk sp - 10W

Meadow Pipit - 1W

Pied Wagtail - 3

Ringed Plovers at the Bill (AH)

Ferry Pool: Snipe numbers had risen to at least 15 this morning, and Shoveler numbers were up to 75, but otherwise it was business as usual, including c50 Lapwings, eight Shelducks, c40 Wigeon and c100 Teal. (AH)

Snipe and Lapwing (above) & Teal at the Ferry (AH)

Church Norton: A Dartford Warbler and a Stonechat were at the start of the spit, whilst a lone Siskin went over, but otherwise it was quiet. (DIS)

Pagham Lagoon: A female Goldeneye was on the lagoon this morning - the first of the autumn here. (PB)

Images of the changing face of the Spit and the new harbour mouth (PB)

Dell Quay and Fishbourne Creek: A Black Redstart was around the farm buildings along Salterns Way, between Dell Quay and the Marina today, interestingly the same location where one (and possibly two) over-wintered last year. (GT)

This afternoon the upper reaches of the creek held four Greenshanks, two Spotted Redshanks, six Ringed Plovers and 12 Black-tailed Godwit in amongst the commoner waders. A Kingfisher was in the reeds by the River Lavant, and four Stonechats were in the bushes by the sea wall, whilst a Rock Pipit was on the sea wall.

At Dell Quay there were many hundreds of Common and Black-headed Gulls off the Boat Yard and about 100 Brent Geese were below the sailing club, whilst three Great Crested Grebes and nine Red-breasted Mergansers were visible towards the Marina. (RW)

Medmerry: Coastguard Station - Three Black Redstarts were around the houses near the Coastguard Station this morning. (BFF)

Medmerry: Porthole Farm to Ham Farm - A Grey Wagtail and a few Pied Wagtails and Chaffinches were on the stubble fields at Porthole Farm, with a couple of pairs of Stonechats and a handful of Yellowhammers and Skylarks about, too.

Another three pairs of Stonechats were at Ham, along with c40 Linnets and a dozen or so Yellowhammers, Meadow Pipits and Skylarks, whilst a flock of c75 Stock Doves was along the banks and a pair of Gadwall and a pair of Tufted Ducks were on the pond. (AH)

Grey Wagtail (above), Stonechat, Yellowhammer, Meadow Pipit, Skylark, Stock Doves & Gadwall at Medmerry (AH)

Medmerry: Easton Lane to the Stilt Pool - A Peregrine was out in the centre of the reserve, as was a flock of 500+ Golden Plovers and 100+ Lapwings, whilst the hedges and banks held a Fieldfare, a Mistle Thrush, dozen Stonechats, c40 Linnets, five Reed Buntings, two Dartford Warblers and half a dozen Skylarks and Yellowhammers, with Cetti's Warblers heard.

The Stilt Pools held good numbers of wildfowl, but nothing outstanding, with the best being a pair of Gadwall, four Tufted Ducks, three Shovelers and two Little Grebes. A dozen Snipe were around the edges, some actively running and fanning their short tail feathers before taking off, but the only other waders were two Dunlin, a Greenshank overhead and c75 Lapwing.

Also seen were a Grey Heron, a Sparrowhawk, two Kestrels, a Green Woodpecker and a Great Spotted Woodpecker. (SR/CRJ/RJS/MG)

Snipe and Teal (above), Gadwall (SR) & Grey Heron (CRJ) at Medmerry

East Head: There was no sign of any Snow Buntings today, though there was a big flock of Linnets in the dunes. (MR)

Linnets at East Head (MR)

Wednesday, 10th November: After a drizzly start, a grey and humid day, mild in the light south-westerly breeze.....

Selsey Bill: There was little to report in the poor conditions early on, though a dozen Common Scoters and a dozen Siskins went west. Full log below. (SR/AH/IP)

(0710-0810hrs) (WSW, F3)

Gannet - 2W

Common Scoter - 1E, 12W

Turnstone - 1

Razorbill - 1W

auk sp - 10W

Pied Wagtail - 4

Siskin - 12W

Common Scoters (above) & Pied Wagtail at the Bill (AH)

Ferry Pool: At least a dozen Snipe were tucked into the roadside reeds, whilst the pool held c25 Lapwings, six Shelducks and c50 Teal and Shovelers and a Kingfisher was in the channel opposite. (AH)

Kingfisher (above) & Snipe around the Ferry (AH)

Long Pool: Half a dozen Reed Buntings and a pair of Stonechats were along the hedges, along with two or three Song Thrushes and Blackbirds, whilst at least three Snipe were in/over the adjacent fields.

There were also plenty of Wigeon and Teal in Ferry Channel, along with a couple of Grey Plovers and Dunlin and c40 Redshanks. (AH)

Reed Buntings (above), Wigeon & Wigeon and Teal around the Long Pool (AH)

Medmerry: Easton Lane to the Stilt Pool - There was no sign of the hen Harrier this morning, with just two Greenshank briefly on the Stilt Pools and a flock of 12 Egyptian Geese tht flew into the new reservoirs the only birds of note.

The banks were again quiet, with just six Yellowhammers in their favoured bushes, a flock of c20 Long-tailed Tits in the gorse and two Green and two Great Spotted Woodpeckers noted, whilst two Kestrels and a Sparrowhawk went over. (IP)

Marsh & Chalder Farm, Sidlesham: The churchyard held the usual pair of Mistle Thrushes, a Goldcrest and at least two Redwings were feeding in the Holly tree alongside half a dozen Blackbirds. 

Around the milking parlour there were just two Cattle Egrets, a flock of c30 Chaffinches, c20 Pied Wagtails, and a Kestrel, whilst Chalder Farm had a Buzzard, a Great Spotted Woodpecker and a Chiffchaff plus a few more Pied Wagtails, whilst two Shelduck passed overhead. (SR)

Cattle Egret at Marsh Farm, Sidlesham (SR)

Church Norton: The four Goosanders  flew in and settled, near the harbour mouth and at least 500 Brent Geese were around, but it was generally quiet, though the regular Whimbrel and c40 Knot were among the commoner waders.

A Stonechat and a couple of Meadow Pipits along the beach were about the only passerines seen, with the bushes all very quiet. (AH)

Later, on the high tide, a single Goosander and four Red-breasted Mergansers were offshore from the Severals and there were also a Slavonian Grebe and a Great Northern Diver on the sea. (AB)

Goosanders (above), Stonechat, Whimbrel & Knot at Church Norton (AH)