29th - 31st December 2021

Friday, 31st December: Yet another very murky morning, after a rainy start, and unseasonably warm in the brisk south-westerly.......

As the new year beckons, the editors and all at the blog wish everyone a very Happy New Year and a bird-filled and Covid-free 2022.

As has now become traditional, AH has been beavering away behind the scenes in order to produce the annual Review of the Year bang on time and we are pleased to say it can now be seen - just click on the title bar for the 2021 review - a great effort!

On the subject of updates, the amended History of the Blog is now also available - if you read it before, it starts in a similar fashion but also moves on to the last few years....and there is perhaps a bit of a surprise and a request in the last couple of paragraphs!   (OM/Eds)

Selsey Bill: There was a bit of a selection early on, including the Black-throated Diver, the Long-tailed Duck and two Velvet Scoters west and eight Eider east. Full log below. (SH/BI/AH/SR)

(0745-0930hrs) (SW, F6)

Great Northern Diver - 3os

Black-throated Diver - 1W

Red-throated Diver - 2E, 7W, 1os

diver sp - 1E, 1W

Slavonian Grebe - 4os

Great Crested Grebe - 2W

Fulmar - 2W

Gannet - 57W, 50os

Brent Goose - 4W

Eider - 8E

Long-tailed Duck - 1os

Velvet Scoter - 2W, 

Common Scoter - 1W

Red-breasted Merganser - 2E, 6W

Dunlin - 50W

Turnstone - 19

Mediterranean Gull - 1E

Common Gull - 1W

Kittiwake - 20W

Guillemot - 1W

Razorbill - 14W, 1os

auk - 7W

Eider (above), Razorbills, Red-throated Diver & Gannet at the Bill (AH)

Ferry Pool: At least 40 Avocets were roosting at the back, but there was nothing else beyond c40 Shovelers and Teal spread around the pool and similar of Wigeon on the flooded parts of the field. (AH)

Avocets on the Ferry (AH)

Church Norton: There was little to report this morning, with just three Eider, a Red-throated Diver, half a dozen Gannets and three Red-breasted Mergansers offshore, with three more of the latter in the harbour.

Most of the waders were tucked away roosting on the big tide, though the Whimbrel was there to see the year out and there were plenty of Knot, Dunlin and Grey Plovers present, plus a few Wigeon and Teal, whilst the Dartford Warbler was by the first Several. (AH/SH)

Eider (above), Gannet, Whimbrel, Teal & Dunlin, Knot and Grey Plovers at Church Norton (AH)

Medmerry: Porthole Farm to Easton Lane - The Swallow made it to the end of the year around the settling tanks (a first for the peninsula), whilst there were three Pale-bellied Brent Geese - two adults and an immature - among c2000 Dark-bellied Brent Geese in the nearby fields. (SH/AW)

Swallow (above) & Pale-bellied and Dark-bellied Brent Geese at Medmerry (AW)

Thursday, 30th December: Another very gloomy morning, though dry, and very mild again in the moderate south-westerly.......

Selsey Bill: The Red-necked Grebe popped up again with four Slavonian Grebes offshore and a dozen Eider were about, too, whilst a Black-throated Diver went west. Full log below. (SH/JA/BI/IP/SR/MO-W/AH/CRJ)

(0745-1000hrs) (WSW, F6)

Black-throated Diver - 1W

Red-throated Diver - 9E, 5W, 2os

Red-necked Grebe - 1os

Slavonian Grebe - 4os

Great Crested Grebe - 1W, 1os

Gannet - 1E, 34W

Eider - 12os

Common Scoter - 1E

Red-breasted Merganser - 1E, 4W

Turnstone - 1

Kittiwake - 46W

Sandwich Tern - 1W

Guillemot - 1W, 2os

Razorbill - 24W, 6os

auk sp - 23W

Red-throated Diver (above), Razorbill & Kittiwake at the Bill (AH)

Ferry Pool: At least 42 Avocets and 30 Black-tailed Godwits were on the pool, but not much else beyond c30 Shovelers and c40 Teal. (AH)

There were also two Chiffchaffs, a Sparrowhawk and a Kestrel around the discovery Area. (CRJ)

Avocets and Black-tailed Godwits at the Ferry (AH)

Medmerry: Porthole Farm to Easton Lane - The Swallow was still present this morning, and the Pale-bellied Brent goose was again among c2500 of its Dark-bellied congeners. There were also 40 Fieldfares along the hedges and c.250 Golden Plover came up from the fields along with c.250 Lapwings. There were also still plenty of smaller birds in the cover crop near the paddocks including today a flock of 30 Linnets. (BI)

Pale-bellied Brent Goose & Fieldfares at Porthole Farm (BI)

Church Norton: There were c50 Gannets feeding quite close in his morning and moving off west, but the only birds on the sea were an Eider, three Red-breasted Mergansers, three Great Crested Grebes, a Great Northern Diver and two Red-throated Divers, whilst another of the latter went over east.

A female Goldeneye was near Tern Island, a Peregrine flushed a lot of waders, mostly Knot, from the beach, there were large numbers of the regular waders in the harbour, along with c200 Brent Geese, whilst a Firecrest was in the trees between the Severals. (AH/IP et al)

Eider (above), Red-breasted Mergansers, Gannets & Dunlin and Knot at Church Norton (AH)

North Wall: There were c500 Brent Geese in the harbour first thing, with a constant stream of small groups heading north. The water level in the Breech Pool is now very high and it held just 90 Mallards and a pair of Shovelers, whilst along the wall it was very quiet although there was unusually, a Yellowhammer on the path.

In the field by the rife before Marsh Farm were 52 Cattle Egrets, two Egyptian Geese and the Spoonbill before they were disturbed by a Marsh Harrier, whilst another Marsh Harrier was seen from the stables where there was also a couple of Chiffchaffs. (LP)

Spoonbill (above), Cattle Egrets & Egyptian Geese around he North Wall (LP)

Wednesday, 29th December: A very murky and drizzly morning, though unseasonably mild in the moderate south-westerly....

Selsey Bill: There wasn't too much in the poor conditions, though a Fulmar went west and two Shags went east. Full log below. (SR/IP/BI)

(0800-0900hrs) (SW, F4)

Red-throated Diver - 3E, 1W, 2os

Great Crested Grebe - 1W

Fulmar - 1W

Gannet - 21W

Shag - 2E

Red-breasted Merganser - 9E, 2os

Common Gull - 1W

Guillemot - 1os

(1240-1410hrs) (SH)

Red-throated Diver - 5W

Gannet - 2E, 10W

Red-breasted Merganser - 2W

Turnstone - 14

Kittiwake - 1E

Sandwich Tern - 3os

Guillemot - 1os

Razorbill - 2W

Gannets (above) & a bedraggled BI at the Bill (SR)

Ferry Pool: At least 40 Avocets and 20 Black-tailed Godwits, plus just a few Shoveler and Teal were on the pool early on, whilst a dozen Snipe were in the reeds and the Kingfisher was in the channel opposite. (AH)

Kingfisher (above), Snipe & Avocets and Black-tailed Godwits at the Ferry (AH)

Medmerry: Porthole Farm to Easton Lane - The Swallow was still present this afternoon (AB)

Later, in the weedy field between the Easton Lane and Ham there were c 60 Chaffinches, c60 Reed Buntings, c30 Yellowhammers, c 20 Greenfinches and c10 Goldfinches, with 40 Stock Doves, a Kestrel and 25 Golden Plover in the area, plus 2 Roe Deer.

The Swallow was still present, whilst in the field immediately east of Ham Lane there were c2000 Brent Geese including a first winter Pale-bellied Brent, and a few candidates for adult Pale-bellied and Black Brant, but none pure enough to my eyes. (CRJ)

Swallow at Medmerry (AB)

Fishbourne Creek: Three Goldeneyes, a pair and a lone drake, were in the channel this morning, along with many Brent Geese and Wigeon, whilst four Greenshanks and many Dunlin and Black-tailed Godwits were among the waders present. (AH/KJ/NR/TB et al)

Goldeneyes (above) & Grey Plover and Curlew in Fishbourne Creek (AH)