7th - 9th December 2021

Thursday, 9th December: Another cold and bright morning, with the brisk westerly abating slightly as the day progressed .........

Selsey Bill: A new record winter count of 32 Sandwich Terns was set this morning, with most of them feeding along the ''Mile Basket Line'. Where they came from, though, is uncertain, as such numbers have not been reported locally this winter or from Chichester Harbour.

Also of note, eight Eiders were offshore together, along with a couple of Slavonian Grebes, but little was obviously on the move his morning. Full log below. (AH/SR/IP)

(0800-0915hrs) (W, F6, easing to F4)

Great Northern Diver - 2W, 3os

Red-throated Diver - 1E, 1W

Slavonian Grebe - 2os

Great Crested Grebe - 4W, 2os

Gannet - 2W

Eider - 8os

Common Scoter - 3E

Red-breasted Merganser - 4E, 2W, 10os

Turnstone - 3

Mediterranean Gull - 4os

Common Gull - 2W

Kittiwake - 7W

Sandwich Tern - 32os

Razorbill - 2W, 3os

auk sp - 1E, 22W

Further to my question regarding Sandwich Terns, above, HR has informed me that 28 were in Chichester Harbour from Hayling Island and another 12 in Langstone Harbour yesterday.

Sandwich Tern (above), Razorbill & Great Northern Diver at the Bill (AH)

Ferry Pool: A total of 17 Avocets were on the pool this morning, along with c20 Black-tailed Godwits, ten Redshank, four Shelducks, c50 Wigeon and Shoveler and c100 Teal, whilst at least ten Snipe were in the roadside reeds. (AH)

Late this afternoon, the Kingfisher was in Red Barn Ditch. (EB)

Avocets, Black-tailed Godwits, Shovelers and Teal on the Ferry (AH)

Church Norton: The three Eider were again halfway along the main channel this morning, along with a dozen Great Crested Grebes, whilst at least 300 Knot, 800 Dunlin and 50 Grey Plovers were on the mud and the wintering Whimbrel was tucked in near the hide.

A Red-throated Diver was offshore, along with two Razorbills and two Great Crested Grebes, whilst a Kittiwake went west. (AH)

Eider (above), Red-throated Diver, Whimbrel, Grey Plover & Knot and Dunlin at Church Norton (AH)

Chalder and Marsh Farm: Around 20 Cattle Egrets were with the sheep and a Buzzard, two Kestrels, three Yellowhammers, a Green Woodpecker, two Great Spotted Woodpeckers, two flocks of Long-tailed Tits, a Goldcrest, two Stonechats and a fly-over calling Snipe were about. (SR)

Sidlesham: A Merlin went low over the garden early this morning. (AH)

Chi GPs: Drayton House pits - A surreal and birdless experience this morning at the North pit, where literally the only duck present was a single drake Teal! Furthermore, apart from a pair of Mute Swans, there was not even a single Coot or Moorhen or grebe species visible - just an eerie absence of everything - so whether this was due to previous disturbance or a clear-out after the recent storm I have no idea. It's certainly never happened before in all my previous visits.

Passerines were a little better, with a single Bullfinch, two Chiffchaffs and three Cetti's Warblers of note, whilst three calling Water Rails and two Buzzards were also present.

The South pit was much better for wildfowl - though nothing above ordinary - with 8 Shoveler, 12 Teal, 24 Pochard, a dozen or so Tufted Ducks, four Gadwall, 46 Canada Geese (including one white-headed Barnacle-type hybrid) and an Egyptian Goose, plus two Little Egrets, several Little and two Great Crested Grebes. (OM)

Wednesday, 8th December: A more typical morning for the time of year, fairly cold, breezy and a mix of sunshine and cloud in a blustery westerly.........

Editorial: We at the blog do not put out news or propaganda relating to political groups or business concerns, but occasionally we may respond to bodies which share our general concerns for the environment and wildlife. The following two items (one being from the RSPB) clearly fit the bill in this regard:-    

"The RSPB would like to make local birders aware of forthcoming changes to our Pagham Harbour reserve...

From January 2022 we will be introducing car parking charges for the use of our Pagham Harbour Visitor Centre and Church Norton car parks. As a charity, and following a challenging couple of years with Covid, we must maximise opportunities to raise income wherever possible. This allows us to financially support our charitable purpose of conserving wildlife and its habitats, while maintaining the visitor facilities and providing excellent, inspiring experiences for our visitors. 

The income generated through car parking charges will contribute towards the ongoing cost of running the facilities used by visitors at Pagham Harbour as well as the vital conservation work we carry out here to help wildlife. RSPB members receive free entry as a thank you for regularly supporting our nature conservation work and of course blue badge holders will also get car parking for free. However, if use of the facilities has been made or one has simply enjoyed their visit, a donation would be appreciated.

We’ve looked at other parking charges in the area and other attractions and believe ours to be very competitive. The charges for parking will be:

•            £2 per vehicle for up to 3 hours

•            £3 per vehicle for over 3 hours

•            £12 per coach, minibus or motorhome

Payment is through a downloadable mobile phone app. The instructions on how to download the app will be on signs in the car parks and outside the visitor centre. Once downloaded the app will prompt instructions on how to pay for parking.

For those unable to download the app, there will also be options to pay by text or call a Customer Service line and pay over the phone. Alternatively, visitors can pay by card at the visitor centre through iZettle. Paying by app relieves pressure on staff and volunteers in the visitor centre.

If you have any questions please contact us by email: pagham.harbour@rspb.org.uk

 Yours sincerely,

RSPB Pagham Harbour"

 (Perhaps this is long overdue - Eds)

 SAVE OUR SOUTH COAST ALLIANCE (SOSCA)

SOSCA:    WANTED - EVIDENCE

WE NEED VIDEOS AND PHOTOS OF SEWAGE DISCHARGES

Our harbours, estuaries, and wetlands that unfold across the Chichester Coastal Plain
need our help now. The political situation is such that:

Southern Water will continue to flood these highly protected seas with untreated sewage until such time as they see fit to update their infrastructure.

· This could take decades.

· There is no Government legislation that demands they commence immediately.

· Our respective MPs do not demand their Government to demand they commence immediately.

· Our District Councillors do not demand of their MPs to demand of their Government to commence immediately.

· Our District Councillors continue to grant hundreds of Planning Applications with the full knowledge that the WWT centres are already at overcapacity.

· This will result in our seas, our bio-diversity, our wildlife, our entire eco system being destroyed through pollution.

· This will result in the rise of human and animal infections.

· This situation goes against all that this Government has shouted to the World about the brilliance of their policies to protect Britain’s environment when hosting COP26.

 

WE HAVE TO ACT NOW – HOW YOU CAN HELP NOW

 Using your phone or IPad in the LANDSCAPE shape (ie: not portrait) we need:

 Videos of sewage outflows at the scene of discharge AND its surroundings

·     Videos of any upsurges in homes, gardens, high streets as well.

Make a note of: Sender’s name; date of film; location as exact as possible; and brief description of what you have filmed. Send as Attachments to: contact@sosca.org.uk  

SOSCA has joined together with an Environment Film company who will compile this evidence and create a time ‘story’ of just how appalling the reality of the situation is.

Please forward this on to as many people as possible.  Thank You.

(We make no further comment here other than to say this seems a worthy set of ideals which readers may wish to pursue - Eds)  

Selsey Bill: A few Red-throated Divers were on the move this morning, but mostly it was local birds moving about, including a few Razorbills and the odd Guillemot close inshore, whilst two Slavonian Grebes were on the sea. Full log below. (AH/SR/IP)
(0745-0915hrs) (W, F6-7)

Great Northern Diver - 3os

Red-throated Diver - 15W, 6E, 1os

diver sp - 1E

Slavonian Grebe - 2os

Great Crested Grebe - 4W, 1os

Gannet - 9W

Red-breasted Merganser - 1E, 2W

Turnstone - 3

Mediterranean Gull - 3E, 1W, 2os

Common Gull - 1W

Kittiwake - 4W

Sandwich Tern - 1os

Guillemot - 2W, 1os

Razorbill - 3E, 6W, 5os

auk sp - 13W

Pied Wagtail - 1E

Guillemots (above), Razorbills & Red-throated Divers at the Bill (AH)

Ferry Pool: At least six Snipe were back in the reeds again this morning, with c20 Avocets on the pool, along with c50 Shoveler and  c100 Teal, whilst the Kingfisher was back in the channel opposite. (AH)

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

This afternoon, the Spoonbill was roosting on the ferry (IL) and the Kingfisher was showing well in the channel opposite (AB).

Kingfisher at the Ferry (AB)

Church Norton: Two Eider were halfway along the main channel in the harbour this morning, along with a Red-breasted Merganser, a dozen Great Crested Grebes and five Lesser Black-backed Gulls, whilst at least 500 Brent Geese flew out from the channel, heading for the North Wall.

There were at least 300 Knot, 800 Dunlin and 50 Grey Plovers out on the mud, along with c50 Shelducks and a few Pintail, Wigeon and Teal, but offshore there were just two Red-throated Divers and a Great Crested Grebe to be seen. (AH)

Also, a Red Kite and a Marsh Harrier were over the west side. (TG-P)

Later on, three Eider were seen in the harbour, with another three on the sea. (MPr)

Eider (above), Lesser Black-backed Gulls & Shelducks and Knot at Church Norton (AH)

Chichester GPs: A look round the pits produced the following today -

Ivy Lake Complex: 2 Black Swan, 85 Greylag Goose, 3 Egyptian Geese, 20 Gadwall, 12 Tufted Duck, Common Buzzard, Sparrowhawk, Kestrel, Green Woodpecker, 300 Coot, 15 Long-tailed Tit, 2 Chiffchaff, 1 Goldcrest.

Runcton Lake: 18 Gadwall, 14 Tufted Duck, 20 Pochard.

Vinnetrow Lake: 45 Pochard. (CRJ)

Runcton: Four Little Egrets and a Cattle Egret were along the footpath by the nursery this morning. (MJ)

Tuesday, 7th December: A morning that got progressively worse, starting cold and grey, but dry, in the freshening south-easterly, before heavy rain set in later, with the arrival of Storm Barra......

Selsey Bill: Two adult Little Gulls east was the highlight, with otherwise a Slavonian Grebe on the sea, two Sandwich Terns west and a steady eastbound passage of Kittiwakes. Full log below. (PB/PM/AH/SR)

(0730-1030hrs) (SSE, F6-7)

Great Northern Diver - 4E, 2os

Red-throated Diver - 9E, 3W, 2os

Slavonian Grebe - 1os

Great Crested Grebe - 1E

Gannet - 116E, 80W

Common Scoter - 2E

Red-breasted Merganser - 16E, 1W

Oystercatcher - 2E

Turnstone - 10

Mediterranean Gull - 2W

Common Gull - 2W

Little Gull - 2E

Kittiwake - 201E, 12W

Sandwich Tern - 2W

Guillemot - 3E, 1W

Razorbill - 17E

auk sp - 59E, 43W

Great Northern Diver (above), Kittiwake, Gannet & Red-breasted Merganser at the Bill (AH)

Ferry Pool: There were 28 Avocets on the pool this morning, along with c30 Black-tailed Godwits, c20 Redshanks, c50 Lapwings, six Shelducks and c50 Shoveler and Teal, with c75 Wigeon on the field. (AH)

Avocets (above) & Avocets, Black-tailed Godwits and Shovelers on the Ferry (AH)

Church Norton: Unsurprisingly little to report with the wind ripping across the harbour, though there were c200 Knot, c50 Grey Plovers and c500 Dunlin out on the mud, with ten Pintail and a few Wigeon and Teal scattered about and several hundred Brent Geese flew up from the North Wall area. (AH)

Pintail (above) & Knot, Dunlin and Grey Plovers at Church Norton (AH)