Monday, 6th December: After an almost still and grey start, a progressively deteriorating morning's weather, with the winds picking up to a strong south-westerly, bringing rain by midday......
Selsey Bill: Three Eider went west and there was little flurry of Red-throated Divers going west early on, including a flock of seven, with a pretty steady stream of Kittiwakes and Gannets doing likewise. Full log below. (AH/SR/IP)
(0750-0850hrs) (SE, F2-3, veering SW, F4-5)
Great Northern Diver - 2os
Red-throated Diver - 1E, 19W, 2os
Gannet - 2E, 81W
Eider - 3W
Red-breasted Merganser - 3W, 2os
Turnstone - 9
Mediterranean Gull - 4W
Common Gull - 3W
Kittiwake - 184W
Sandwich Tern - 2os
Guillemot - 1E
Razorbill - 2W
auk sp - 4E, 13W
Meadow Pipit - 2W
Red-throated Diver (above) & Kittiwake at the Bill (AH)
Ferry Pool: There were just eight Avocets on the pool this morning, along with six Snipe, ten Black-tailed Godwits, c75 Lapwing, c40 Teal and c60 Shovelers, whilst the Kingfisher was again in the channel opposite. (AH)
Avocet (above) & Lapwings at the Ferry (AH)
Late this afternoon, the Spotted Redshank was in the channel again and 30 Avocets were on the pool. (AH)
Spotted Redshank in Ferry Channel (AH)
Sidlesham: A Barn Owl flew over the road at the western end of Mapsons Lane early this evening. (AH)
Church Norton: There were two Slavonian Grebes offshore this morning, along with three Great Crested Grebes, three Razorbill and two Gannets, whilst a group of five Red-breasted Mergansers were in the harbour.
There was a lot of Brent Goose activity, too, with flocks coming and going throughout, but otherwise it was just the usual mix of Wigeon and Teal, plus a dozen Pintail, with lots of Dunlin, Knot and Grey Plovers moving with the rising tide. (AH)
Later on, the four Goosanders and a Razorbill were in the harbour. (M Dale)
Slavonian Grebe (above), Gannet, Red-breasted Mergansers, Brent Geese & Dunlin at Church Norton (AH)
Sunday, 5th December: Another cold and blustery morning, mostly overcast and with the strong north-westerly persisting......
Selsey Bill: There were quite a few Kittiwakes and Gannets, plus lots of auks going mainly west and quite distant in the offshore breeze, whilst three sandwich Terns went east. Also, rather oddly, a total of nine Gannets settled on the Mile Basket itself - something no-one could recall seeing before. Full log later. (SH/JA/BI/AH/CRJ/SR/IP/GSh)
(0730-0930hrs) (NNW, F7)
Great Northern Diver - 4os
Red-throated Diver - 4E, 11W
diver sp - 2W
Gannet - 5E, 41W
Brent Goose - 1W
Common Scoter - 2E
Red-breasted Merganser - 3W, 6os
Sanderling - 1
Turnstone - 10
Mediterranean Gull - 2W, 1os
Common Gull - 3W
Kittiwake - 7E, 217W
Sandwich Tern - 3E
Guillemot - 1E, 8W
Razorbill - 7E, 32W, 8os
auk sp - 8E, 403W
(1330-1445hrs) (SH)
Great Northern Diver - 2os
Red-throated Diver - 3E, 3W, 1os
Great Crested Grebe - 1E
Gannet - 13E, 10W, 50os
Common Scoter - 2E
Red-breasted Merganser - 2os
Sanderling - 1
Turnstone - 14
Kittiwake - 4W
Sandwich Tern - 3E
Guillemot - 1E, 1os
Razorbill - 2E, 1W, 4os
auk sp - 12E, 3W
Red-throated Diver (above), Razorbills, Kittiwake, Sandwich Tern & Sanderling at the Bill (AH)
Ferry Pool: There were 32 Avocets on the pool at high tide, though feeding rather than roosting, with otherwise, c20 Black-tailed Godwits, c50 Lapwing, ten Wigeon, c50 Shovelers and c100Teal. (AH)
Late this afternoon, the Spoonbill was in Ferry Channel, along with a Spotted Redshank and the Kingfisher. (AH)
Avocet at the Ferry (AH)
Park Farm, Selsey: Four Song Thrushes were in the horse paddock and two Buzzards went over the fields and there was also a Great Spotted Woodpecker about. (IP)
Church Norton: A Razorbill was in the harbour, with three more on the sea and another six went west, nine Red-breasted Mergansers were also on the sea plus two Great Crested Grebes and two Red-throated Divers, with another nine of the latter and 14 Gannets heading west.
In the harbour there were four each of both Goosander and Red-breasted Merganser; all of the common waders were present in reasonable numbers, along with the thirteen Bar-tailed Godwits roosting on Tern Island and a Common Snipe in the very southern corner of the harbour, with the four Little Grebes also again present.
Also, a Chiffchaff was in the first Several and two Tufted Duck were on the Second Several. (IP/S&SaH)
Fishbourne Creek: Early this afternoon in the area around the Lavant outfall there were two Goldeneye ( one male), five Pintail and two Rock Pipits.
Medmerry: Stilt Pool - There was no sign of the Spoonbill this morning, though another birder repored a Slavonian Grebe offshore. (GSh)
North Wall: There were at least 1000 Brent Geese around White's Creek, with some flying off and others coming in, whilst 100+ Wigeon, 200+ Lapwing, a single Avocet, c40 Black-tailed Godwits and c50 Golden plover were in the vicinity, but the Breech Pool just held two Snipe, a pair of Wigeon and a dozen Mallards. (AH)
Brent Geese (above) & Black-tailed Godwits at he North Wall (AH)
Pagham Spit and Lagoon: The four Goosanders were around the harbour mouth this morning, along with a Razorbill and a few Great Crested Grebes, whilst a Rock Pipit was on the spit.
There were also 100+ Wigeon and Teal about, along with huge flocks of Dunlin, Grey Plover and Knot looking for somewhere to settle on the big tide.
The two Goldeneye were on Pagham Lagoon again this morning, along with 20+ Little Grebes and Tufted Ducks. (AH)
Goldeneye on Pagham Lagoon (above), Goosanders, Razorbill, Rock Pipit, Grey Plovers & Dunlin around Pagham Spit (AH)
Saturday, 4th December: After quite heavy overnight rain, a cold, mostly bright and vey breezy morning in a strengthening north-westerly...
Selsey Bill: There was a reasonable selection again this morning, including two Slavonian Grebes on the sea, a Sanderling on the beach and an Eider and a Sandwich Tern west. (SH/AH/BI/SR/CRJ/IP)
(0730-0900hrs) (NNW, F5-6)
Great Northern Diver - 3os
Red-throated Diver - 1E, 2W
Slavonian Grebe - 2os
Great Crested Grebe - 1E, 1os
Gannet - 1E, 27W
Eider - 1W
Red-breasted Merganser - 1E, 2W
Sanderling - 1
Turnstone - 3
Mediterranean Gull - 2W
Common Gull - 3W
Kittiwake - 2E, 14W
Sandwich Tern - 1W
Guillemot - 3W, 4os
Razorbill - 4E, 3W, 2os
auk sp - 8E, 21W
Pied Wagtail - 1W
Chiffchaff - 1
Sandwich Tern (above), Guillemot, Sanderling (AH) & Common Seal (CRJ) at the Bill
(1115-1215hrs) (WNW, F6-7) (AH)
Great Northern Diver - 2W, 2os
Red-throated Diver - 2E, 1W, 3os
Great Crested Grebe - 1os
Gannet - 6W
Sanderling - 1
Turnstone - 34
Mediterranean Gull - 4W, 1os
Kittiwake - 28W
Guillemot - 2W, 2os
Razorbill - 3W, 1os
auk sp - 4E, 6W
Guillemot (above), Red-throated Diver& Sanderling and Turnstones at the Bill (AH)
Ferry Pool: There were 30 Avocets roosting again this morning, along with half a dozen Black-tailed Godwits and c50 Lapwings and the roadside reeds held at least a dozen Snipe, whilst wildfowl comprised of c60 Shovelers, c40 Wigeon and c100 Teal. (AH)
Later on, the Spoonbill dropped in, before heading off west. (IL)
Avocets (above) & Snipe at the Ferry (AH)
East Beach Pond: Four Chiffchaffs were in the willows this morning. (SR)
Park Farm, Selsey: A Redwing was with eight Song Thrushes this morning. (S&SaH)
Redwing and Song Thrush at Park Farm, Selsey (SH)
Fishbourne Creek: A pair of Goldeneye were off Dell Quay this morning. (IH)
Pagham Spit: A Swallow went south over the car-park this morning. (J Fisher)
North Wall: The Spoonbill was in the Breech Pool again this morning. (BI)
Later on, three Marsh Harriers were seen from the wall, whilst two Water Rails and two Snipe were on the Breech Pool.
Also seen in the area were 30 Pintail, 60 Teal, c150 Wigeon, 35 Black-tailed Godwits, 11 Curlews, 30 Dunlin, 20 Grey Plovers, two Shelducks, four Little Grebes and 100 Lapwing(GJ)
Church Norton: A Firecrest was between the Severals this morning and the Dartford Warbler and a pair of Stonechats were on the gorse by the first Several and then in the horse field, whilst a handful of Meadow Pipits were on the beach, a Chiffchaff was at the second Several and a Marsh Harrier was hunting in the vicinity.
A Red-throated Diver, two Razorbills, six Great Crested Grebes and two Red-breasted Mergansers were offshore, with another four of the latter, plus the first sighting in nearly a week of the four Goosanders, a Guillemot and a Common Seal in the harbour, along with four Little Grebes and lots of Wigeon and Teal.
Waders included the Whimbrel, 13 Bar-tailed Godwits, 200+ Knot and lots of Grey Plovers and Dunlin. (AH/IP/RM/S&saH et al).
Dartford Warbler (above), Red-throated Diver, Razorbill, Red-breasted Mergansers, Whimbrel & Knot, Dunlin and Grey Plovers at Church Norton (AH)
Medmerry: Easton Lane to the Stilt Pool - The Spoonbill was back on the Stilt Pool this afternoon, along with a Snipe, whilst the banks just held a Stonechat and 20+ Yellowhammers, plus a Buzzard and four Kestrels over.
Also, out on the reserve there were 200+ Brent Geese and Lapwings and 100+ Golden Plovers. (SH)
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