14th - 16th December 2021

Thursday, 16th December: It remains mild and overcast, with an almost complete still this morning......

Selsey Bill: There was little moving beyond a few Red-throated Divers in both directions, whilst eight Great Northern Divers were on the sea. Full log below. (AH/SR/MO-W)

(0745-0915hrs) (SSE, F1)

Great Northern Diver - 8os

Red-throated Diver - 8E, 18W

diver sp - 1W

Great Crested Grebe - 3E

Common Scoter - 4W

Red-breasted Merganser - 6E, 3os

Turnstone - 3

Mediterranean Gull - 2os

Sandwich Tern - 1W

Guillemot - 1os

Razorbill - 1E, 1W, 1os

Pied Wagtail - 1

Ferry Pool: There were at least 75 Black-tailed Godwits on the pool this morning, along with 30 Avocets, six Snipe, c50 Shoveler and c120 Teal, whilst c150 Wigeon and c30 Lapwings were on the field. (AH)

North Wall: The Spoonbill was asleep in the channel at the end of the Breech Pool and a Water Rail showed briefly, whilst a Rock Pipit was along the wall. Eight Avocets and a few Golden Plovers were among the regular waders in the harbour, but the Barnacle Geese were only viewable distantly on the other side of the harbour

At midday a Short-eared Owl was seen over the fields on both sides of Church Lane before heading towards the stables, where it was still present a little later. (LP/PC/TH)

Church Norton: Up to 200 Barnacle Geese were in the main channel all morning, along with at least 400 Brent Geese and c30 Pintail, plus eight Avocets and lots of Knot, Grey Plovers and Dunlin.

The four Goosanders, eight Red-breasted Mergansers and a Red-throated Diver were around the harbour mouth, whilst the flat conditions offshore produced three Velvet Scoters, the Long-tailed Duck, five Eider, a Red-necked Grebe, ten Slavonian Grebes, four Great Crested Grebes, a Razorbill and six Red-throated Divers on the sea, with another four of the latter heading west. 

Also, a Dartford Warbler was along the spit, along with eight Meadow Pipits and two Skylarks.(BFF/DM/AH/CRJ/RJS/MG et al)

Red-necked Grebe (above), Velvet Scoters, Red-throated Diver, Slavonian Grebe, Eiders, Barnacle Geese, Dartford Warbler, Meadow Pipit & Knot and Dunlin at Church Norton (AH)

Wednesday, 15th December: Another mild but very grey morning in a fairly light south-westerly breeze.....

Selsey Bill: There was a steady westward passage of Red-throated Divers and Razorbills this morning, whilst a Slavonian Grebe and three Eider were offshore. Full log below. (AH/MO-W/CRJ/SR)

(0750-1020hrs) (SW, F3-4)

Great Northern Diver - 2W, 1os

Red-throated Diver - 57W

diver sp - 2E

Slavonian Grebe - 1os

Great Crested Grebe - 1os

Gannet - 2W

Bren Goose - 3E

Wigeon - 10W

Eider - 3os

Common Scoter - 4W

Red-breasted Merganser - 3W

Dunlin - 30E

Turnstone - 30

Mediterranean Gull - 1W

Kittiwake - 36W

Guillemot - 3W, 1os

Razorbill - 1E, 87W, 1os

auk sp - 1E, 26W

Red-throated Divers (above), Kittiwake, Guillemot, Guillemot and Razorbills & Wigeon at the Bill (AH)

Ferry Pool: There were 28 Avocets roosting on the pool again, along with c50 Black-tailed Godwits, ten Snipe, c50 Shovelers and c100 Teal, whilst a Spotted Redshank and half a dozen Redshank were in the channel opposite. (AH/AB)

Spotted Redshank (above) & Avocets and Black-tailed Godwits at the Ferry (AH)

North Wall: There were still 300+ Barnacle Geese present this morning, before they all departed west. (JDW/AW et al)

Barnacle Geese at the North Wall (AW)

Medmerry: Porthole Farm - The two Swallows that have been seen here recently were feeding over the settling tanks again this morning, but a couple of Chiffchaffs, a Kestrel and a Green Woodpecker were the only other birds of note. (AB)

Church Norton: The four Goosanders were in the harbour mouth again today, whilst offshore there were two Eiders and a Guillemot, with another of the latter and two Red-throated Divers going west.

At least 500 Brent Geese were in he harbour, along with large numbers of Knot, Grey Plover and Dunlin, whilst two Firecrests, a Jay and a Mistle Thrush were around the churchyard area. (TG-P/NR/IL/CRJ/AB/AH et al)

Goosanders (above) & Knot, Dunlin and Grey plovers at Church Norton (AH)

Tuesday, 14th December: A fairly mild, but murky and grey morning, in a lighter south-westerly than of late.....

Selsey Bill: There was a bit of activity this morning, including a Black-throated Diver and 60+ Red-throated Divers west and three Slavonian Grebes and six Eider offshore, whilst a flock of 22 Sanderlings dropped in briefly. Full log below. (AH/KT/SR/KJ/KF et al)

(0750-1035hrs) (SW, F3)

Great Northern Diver - 1E, 3W, 1os

Red-throated Diver - 5E, 62W, 1os

Black-throated Diver - 1W

Slavonian Grebe - 3os

Great Crested Grebe - 1E, 1os

Gannet - 12W

Brent Goose - 4W

Common Scoter - 4E

Eider - 6os

Red-breasted Merganser - 5E

Sanderling - 22W

Dunlin - c400E

Turnstone - 23

Mediterranean Gull - 7W

Kittiwake - 50W

Sandwich Tern - 4W

Guillemot - 2os

Razorbill - 12W

auk sp - 2E, 1W

Red-throated Diver (above), Slavonian Grebes, Eiders, Kittiwake, Guillemot & Sanderling at the Bill (AH)

Ferry Pool: There were 28 Avocets, 24 Black-tailed Godwits, six Snipe, four Shelducks, c60 Shovelers and c150 Teal on the pool this morning, whilst the Kingfisher was again in the channel opposite. (AH)

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

North Wall: A total of 170 Barnacle Geese were in the harbour early on (LP), rising to 324 counted later, after they all flew out of the harbour and then back into White's Creek (PB). 

See below for the full story on the Barnacle Geese. (Eds)

Also seen were a Spotted Redshank, a Kingfisher, a Grey Wagtail, a Great Spotted Woodpecker, two calling Cetti's Warblers, 53 Golden Plovers, c500 Lapwings, 20 Pintail, c75 Grey Plovers and c150 Dunlin. (PB/SR)

Barnacle Geese from the North Wall (SR)

Church Norton: After yesterday's flock of 61, there was an unprecedented influx of Barnacle Geese into the harbour this morning, reaching 324 by late morning, with flocks, including an 80 and a 90, seen moving close inshore along the West Sussex coast from a variety of sites, but all seeming to end up in the harbour, with none passing the Bill or recorded further west.

(Of note, c190 Barnacle Geese were seen arriving yesterday, in the Farlington/Langstone Harbour area in Hampshire)

A Firecrest was along the path to the harbour, and there were also 12 Red-throated Divers seen going west offshore, whilst the Long-tailed Duck was with two Eiders on the sea and the four Goosanders, plus a couple of Red-breasted Mergansers and up to 20 Mediterranean Gulls were in the harbour mouth. (AH/DT/KJ/KF et al)

Barnacle Geese (above), Red-breasted Merganser & Goosanders at Church Norton (AH)

Medmerry: Easton Lane to the Stilt Pool - This afternoon there was a flock of 70 Barnacle Geese out on the reserve, whilst a Tawny Owl was north of Marsh Farm. (KJ et al)