7th - 9th November 2021

Tuesday, 9th November: A mild, if mostly grey morning, with the odd drizzly squall passing through on the light south-westerly breeze......

Selsey Bill: It was again quiet, though three Great Northern Divers were around, plus a Red-throated Diver. Full log below. (SR/AH/IP/KT)

(0705-0835hrs) (WSW, F2)

Great Northern Diver - 2E, 1os

Red-throated Diver - 1W

Gannet - 18W

Mute Swan - 2W, then E

Common Scoter - 7E, 5W

Red-breasted Merganser - 3W

Turnstone - 1

Mediterranean Gull - 1W

auk sp - 1W

Pied Wagtail - 5W

Song Thrush - 1

Linnet - 3W

Siskin - 3W

Chaffinch - 1

Great Northern Diver (above) & Mute Swans at the Bill (AH)

Ferry Pool: There were six Snipe at the front, with c50 Lapwings among a mix of wildfowl including six Shelducks, c25 Wigeon and c50 Teal and Shovelers. (AH)

Lapwings, Shovelers and Teal on the Ferry (AH)

North Selsey: At least one Redwing was heard going overhead before dawn this morning. (SH)

Church Norton: The three Goosanders were again in the harbour today. (per Whatsapp)

West Wittering: Two of the Glossy Ibises were still present in Redlands Lane this morning (BFF/KJ), but were not there later (SR).

Glossy Ibises at West Wittering (BFF)

East Head: The two Velvet Scoters were still off Ella Nore this morning, whilst there were also a Razorbill, 22 Red-breasted Mergansers and four Sandwich Terns in the harbour, plus a Peregrine roosting on Stakes Island.

Also, a Jack Snipe and three Snipe were in Snowhill Creek and ten Linnets and 45 Greenfinches were in the dunes, along with a couple of Stonechats and a few Skylarks and Meadow Pipits. (BFF/DM/SM/KJ et al)

There were also a few Bar-tailed Godwits and Rock Pipits about, whilst the huge roost of Oystercatchers, Ringed Plovers and Dunlin was again off Ella nore. (RBe)

Fishbourne Creek: Two Spotted Redshanks and five Greenshanks were out in the creek this morning, whilst six Rock Pipits were along the harbour edge and two Firecrests were in the garden of Apuldram Manor.  (BFF/DM/SM)

Medmerry: Easton Lane to the Stilt Pool - The clear highlight of the morning was the ringtail Hen Harrier, present for its third day and out hunting over the reserve.

Otherwise, it was quiet, with no sign of the Spoonbill, and just a single Dartford Warbler along the banks, together with two pairs of Stonechats, c30 Linnets and just a couple of Yellowhammers and Meadow Pipits.

A single Dunlin, two Snipe, four Black-tailed Godwits and c30 Lapwings were the only waders on the Stilt Pool, along with lots of Teal and Wigeon, plus a few Gadwall. (AH/KJ)

Later on, there were 37 Ringed Plovers at the Stilt Pool during the high tide period, whilst on our way back to the car park we saw a huge flock of waders high in the sky, probably caused by a Peregrine attack, comprising of 200+ Golden Plover and 450+ Lapwing. (CBC/MAC)

Hen Harrier (above), Stonechat, Yellowhammer, Meadow Pipit, Linnet & Lapwing at Medmerry (AH)

Monday, 8th November: After an overnight frost, a lovely, mostly sunny morning in just a light north-westerly breeze......

Selsey Bill: It was very quiet offshore, with just nine Red-breasted Mergansers and five Brent Geese east, though a Grey Plover, two Ringed Plovers and five Sanderling were on the shingle bar and a Mistle Thrush dropped in briefly. (SR/IP/AH)

(0710-0825hrs) (NW, F2-3)

Brent Goose - 5W

Shelduck - 2W

Red-breasted Merganser - 9W

Sparrowhawk - 1

Ringed Plover - 2os

Grey Plover - 1os

Sanderling - 5os

Wood Pigeon - 99E

Meadow Pipit - 2W

Pied Wagtail - 3

Mistle Thrush - 1

Chiffchaff - 1

Rook - 1

Magpie - 13

Goldfinch - 11

Mistle Thrush at the Bill (AH)

There was a bit more moving offshore this afternoon, including four Velvet Scoters and 15 Common Scoters west, and three Goosanders that went first west with two Red-breasted Mergansers, then back east with just one Red-breasted Merganser. (AW)

(12.30-1500hrs) 

Red-throated Diver - 1E, 3W

Goldeneye - 1E

Velvet Scoter - 4W

Common Scoter - 15W

Goosander - 3W, then E

Red-breasted Merganser - 1E, 2W

Pied Wagtail - 5

Velvet Scoters (above), Common Scoters & Goosanders and Red-breasted Merganser, Red-throated Diver & Pied Wagtail at the Bill (AW)

Ferry Pool: There were five Snipe at the front and c150 roosting Lapwings on the pool, along with a dozen Shelducks, five Gadwall, c30 Wigeon and 50+ Teal and Shovelers, whilst a Buzzard went over. (AH)

Later, ten Avocets were roosting on the pool. (LGRE)

Snipe (above), Gadwall & Buzzard at the Ferry (AH)

Church Norton: There was a Firecrest in the churchyard this morning and two Chiffchaffs were around the moat of the Mound, whilst the Whimbrel was in the harbour. (CRJ/LGRE)

Marsh Farm, Sidlesham: There were 75 Cattle Egrets among the cows towards Bramber Farm this afternoon. (LGRE)

West Wittering: The three Glossy Ibises were still in the field along the east side of Redlands Lane this morning, but had departed by midday. (GM/IP/AH/PJ et al)

Later, two of them were back in the same area, opposite the Wicks Farm caravan site. (per LGRE)

Glossy Ibises at West Wittering (AH)

East Head: This morning there was no sign of the Snow Buntings again today, though the two Velvet Scoters were still offshore from Ella Nore.

There wasn't much else around the dunes bar a Stonechat and a few Greenfinches, Meadow Pipits and Linnets, with just a Sandwich Tern and four Great Crested Grebes being the only other birds on the water, though a Raven went over east and there were at least 800 Brent Geese and 200 Dunlin on the tidal mud.

Two Greenshank and c60 Golden Plover were among the many Lapwings, Redshank and Black-tailed Godwits on Snowhill Creek, whilst there was a huge flock of c500 Oystercatchers, with at least a dozen Bar-tailed Godwits among them, roosting at Ella Nore. (AH/CRJ)

Velvet Scoters (above), Sandwich Tern, Greenshank & Brent Geese at East head (AH)

Medmerry: Coastguards Station - A Black Redstart was around the slipway this morning. (AW)

Black Redstart at Medmerry (AW)

Medmerry: Easton Lane to the Stilt Pool - What was presumably yesterday's ringtail Hen Harrier was out over the reserve opposite Marsh Barn at dusk this evening, whilst the Spoonbill was again on the Stilt Pool. (AH/GT/MT)

Spoonbill at Medmerry (MT)

Sunday, 7th November: Dry, with cloud and some hazy brightness at times and a moderate north-westerly breeze, though not too chilly......

Selsey Bill: A flock of four Woodlarks flying west were the clear highlight, whilst 22 Siskins and a Lesser Redpoll did likewise and offshore there were three Great Northern Divers. Full log below.  (SH/BI/JA/PB/SR/AH/IP)

(0645-0900hrs) (W, F6)

Red-throated Diver - 1E, 1W

Great Northern Diver - 3 os

Great Crested Grebe - 1W

Gannet - 5E, 56W

Brent Goose - 2E, 7W

Eider - 1E

Common Scoter - 1E, 1W

Red-breasted Merganser - 5W

Sparrowhawk - 1

Turnstone - 1

Mediterranean Gull - 13W

Common Gull - 4W

Kittiwake - 4W

Razorbill - 2W

auk sp - 10E, 3W

Stock Dove - 2W

Woodlark - 4W

Meadow Pipit - 2W

Pied Wagtail - 2

Song Thrush - 1

Goldfinch - 30

Siskin - 22W

Lesser Redpoll - 1W

Later, a ringtail Hen Harrier flew west, seen from Hillfield Road, full log below:

(1115-1230hrs) WNW, F5 (BI)

Great Northern Diver - 1os

Gannet - 3E, 17W

Brent Goose - 11W

Red-breasted Merganser - 1E

Hen Harrier - 1W (1215hrs)

Mediterranean Gull - 1W

auk sp. - 1E

Siskin - 26W

Red-breasted Mergansers at the Bill (AH)

Ferry Pool: The Kingfisher and a Spotted Redshank were in the channel opposite, early this morning, but the pool just held a dozen Shelducks and c50 Teal and Shovelers. (AH)

Kingfisher (above) & Shelducks and Shovelers around the Ferry (AH)

Selsey, Park Farm: A Grey Wagtail and six Pied Wagtails were around the farm, along with a Green Woodpecker this morning. (IP)

Church Norton: The four Goosanders were in the harbour again near the new shingle island, whilst a Peregrine was sat on the shingle itself. A Red-breasted Merganser was also in the harbour, with another two offshore, where an Arctic Skua was chasing a Black-headed Gull, a juvenile Gannet flew west and four Razorbills were on the sea.

A Water Rail was at the Severals, with three Stonechats and a Cetti's Warbler also there and a single Siskin flew over eastwards, with another six over the churchyard. 

The Whimbrel, three Knot and 50 Grey Plovers were among the many Dunlin as the tide rushed in, when eight Avocets could also be seen distantly towards the North Wall. (S&SaH/IP/AH et al)

Whimbrel (above), Grey Plovers & Dunlin at Church Norton (AH)

Medmerry: East side - The ringtail Hen Harrier (seen earlier at Selsey) was re-located hunting the East side at 1230hrs. (NBd)

Medmerry: West side - This morning, at 1122hrs, three Glossy Ibises were around the Stilt Pool area briefly, before flying east further into the reserve, where they may have landed, before flying back west shortly after. (MPr/NBd)

Also, the Spoonbill was still on the marsh opposite the Stilt Pool (MPr/PJ) and a Merlin was hunting Starlings in the same general area. (E&PHu)

This afternoon the Hen Harrier was over the west side of the reserve, whilst the Spoonbill and Merlin were still present, too and a Common Sandpiper was on the reserve opposite the Stilt Pool.

There were also a Dartford Warbler, a Cetti's Warbler, nine Stonechats, two buzzards and four Kestrels about. (S&SaH)

Glossy Ibises (above) & Spoonbill at Medmerry (NBd)

East Head: This morning there was no sign of the Snow Buntings, but the two Velvet Scoters were distantly viewable from Ellanore Lane, whilst a Firecrest was in pines by the car park. (ESt)

This afternoon the two Snow Buntings (at least) were again reported at the north end of the dunes (per BirdGuides)

Saltern's Copse: A Nuthatch was present here mid-morning. (BI)

West Wittering: The three Glossy Ibises, seen earlier at Medmerry, eventually settled into a paddock on the east side of Redlands Lane, to the north of the village. (P&BJ/S Dale)

Glossy Ibises at West Wittering (S Dale)