17th - 19th January 2022

Wednesday, 19th January: Another overcast morning, though a little milder in a moderate westerly.......

Selsey Bill: Another quiet morning, though four Eider and a Shag were offshore. Full log below. (SR/AH)

(0800-0900hrs) (WNW, F4)

Red-throated Diver - 6W

Great Crested Grebe - 1os

Shag - 1os

Eider - 4os

Common Scoter - 1W

Red-breasted Merganser - 2W, 11os

Turnstone - 25

Mediterranean Gull - 1os

auk sp - 15E, 30W

Red-throated Diver (above), Mediterranean Gull & Turnstone at the Bill (AH)

This afternoon, a flock of seven Egyptian Geese drifted in from well offshore, before they eventually flew off east. (AW)

Egyptian Geese at the Bill (AW)

Ferry Pool: At least half a dozen Snipe were in the reeds, whilst c50 Shoveler and Teal were on the pool and c300 Lapwing were in the field. (AH)

Snipe (above) & Lapwing at the Ferry (AH)

Medmerry: Porthole Farm - The wintering Swallow, not reported for a week, was present again today, with two Chiffchaffs and a Mediterranean Gull also around. (K&L Smith)

Church Norton: It was very quiet this morning, with just a single Red-throated Diver and Great Crested Grebe distantly offshore, whilst there was nothing unusual in the harbour, though a Peregrine was on its island, at least 100 Knot were among the Dunlin and Grey Plovers and at least 500 Brent Geese were in the main channel. (AH)

Later, a Slavonian Grebe was offshore, too. (D Boon per Twitter)

Slavonian Grebe (D Boon), Grey Plover, Dunlin & Brent Geese (AH) at Church Norton

Tuesday, 18th January: A cool and mostly grey morning, after a bright and frosty start, with the breeze fairly light and either side of easterly.......

Selsey Bill: It was again quiet this morning, though five Eider, including a drake, and a few Red-throated Divers were about. Full log below. (AH/SR)

(0745-0900hrs) (ENE, F3)

Great Northern Diver - 1W

Red-throated Diver - 3E, 1W, 5os

Gannet - 6E, 1W

Shag - 1E

Eider - 4E, 1os then W

Red-breasted Merganser - 5E, 6os

Turnstone - 1E

Mediterranean Gull - 1E

auk sp - 1E, 1W

Eider (above), Gannets & sunrise at the Bill (AH)

Ferry Pool: Half a dozen Snipe were back in the roadside reeds, with c80 Shoveler and 40 Teal on the pool, and c500 Lapwings, c20 Black-tailed Godwits and c100 Wigeon on the field. (AH)

Snipe and Shoveler (above) & Lapwings and Wigeon at the Ferry (AH)

Marsh Farm, Sidlesham: The Glossy Ibis was present again this morning, seen to fly in and drop onto the fields. (HR/DMe)

North Wall: This evening the Glossy Ibis flew back in to roost in Owl Copse at 1630hrs. (PB/RP)

Earlier, a Water Vole was seen, swimming across the Breech Pool.
In addition, there was a nice display by the male Marsh Harrier by the horse paddock, a Buzzard and a Kestrel, four Redshanks, a fly-past of several hundred Brent Geese and a Fox hunting (unsuccessfully) on the fields. (K Price)

Water Vole at the North Wall (K Price)

Church Norton: There were just three Slavonian Grebes offshore this morning, along with two Eider, a Great Northern Diver and three Red-throated Divers.

There were large numbers of Dunlin and Grey Plovers in the harbour, but relatively few Knot, along with c40 Avocets, c30 Pintail and plenty of Wigeon and Teal, whist both Peregrines were about, causing plenty of disturbance. (AH/BFF/DM/HR/DMe)

Slavonian Grebe (above), Red-throated Diver, Peregrines & Grey Plovers at Church Norton (AH)

Medmerry: Easton Lane to the Stilt Pool -A Barn Owl was around the flint barn again this evening, the Grey Partridges were in their field and two Dartford Warblers were heard.
Also, three Egyptian Geese noisily flew over towards the reservoir, being pursued by a pair of cronking Ravens, and a Shoveler likewise disappeared behind the reservoir bank. (SR)

Barn Owl, Egyptian Goose, Raven and Egyptian Geese & Fox at Medmerry (SR)

Monday, 17th January: Another crisp and bright morning in a moderate north-westerly breeze....

Selsey Bill: It was pretty quiet this morning, though a Velvet Scoter went west, as did a few Gannets and Red-throated Divers. Full log below. (SR/IP/MO-W/AH)

(0800-0915hrs) (WNW, F3-4)

Red-throated Diver - 1E, 14W

Slavonian Grebe - 1E

Great Crested Grebe - 1os

Gannet - 1E, 23W, 3os

Shag - 1W

Brent Goose - 2E, 8W

Eider - 1W

Velvet Scoter - 1W

Common Scoter - 3W

Red-breasted Merganser - 1E, 6W

Turnstone - 7

Mediterranean Gull - 1os

Sandwich Tern - 3os

Razorbill - 6W

auk sp - 72W

Red-throated Divers (above) & Mediterranean Gull at the Bill (AH)

Ferry Pool: There was very little on the pool late this morning beyond 35 roosting Avocets, with otherwise just a dozen Teal and Shoveler on the pool and a handful of Lapwings on the field. (AH)

Avocets at the Ferry (AH)

Marsh Farm, Sidlesham: A Glossy Ibis - presumably the one that was in Owl Copse last night - was feeding in the fields at Marsh Farm this morning, and there was also a Marsh Harrier out hunting in the area. (AW)

Glossy Ibis (above) & Marsh Harrier at Marsh Farm, Sidlesham (AW)

Sidlesham churchyard: The Firecrest was again present in the southern part of the churchyard this morning. (IP)

Church Norton: The Yellow-legged Gull was again in the harbour, along with at least 1000 Dunlin and quite a few Knot and Grey Plovers, whilst the Whimbrel was in its usual haunts and a Red-breasted Merganser was near Tern Island.

There was also a bit of activity offshore, if fairly distant, including four Great Northern Divers, three Red-throated Divers, up to ten Slavonian Grebes, three Eider, a pair of Red-breasted Mergansers and three Great Crested Grebes. (AH/CRJ)

Slavonian Grebes (above), Red-throated Diver, Eider, Whimbrel & Grey Plovers and Knot at Church Norton (AH)

North Wall: The male and female Marsh Harriers were about this morning, as was a Kingfisher, whilst 600 Golden Plovers and c1500 Brent Geese were in the harbour and c20 Cattle Egrets could be seen distantly towards Marsh Farm. (PB/OM et al)

Brent Geese at the North Wall (PB)

Later, a gathering of observers was present and waiting as dusk set in and a full moon rose, to be greeted by the arrival of the Glossy Ibis at 1629hrs. It flew around for a short while before settling in tree tops then eventually dropping down out of view. 

A flock of 47 Cattle Egrets also came in to roost, whilst the Barn Owl was again hunting over Halsey's Farm and a Water Rail swam across the rife there. (OM/CG/IP/BI/SR/AH/TH et al)

Glossy Ibis at dusk at Owl copse (above) and full moon rising at the North Wall (OM)

Glossy Ibis and the moon (SR) (above) & Barn Owl (AH) at the North Wall

Medmerry: Easton Lane to Porthole Farm - The two Grey Partridges were again in the field near the car-park, whilst up to five Corn Buntings were among the Yellowhammers and Reed Buntings in the cover cop and hedges by Wilson's Farm, and seven Fieldfares flew over there, but there was no sign of the Swallow at Porthole Farm. (IP/OM)

Grey Partridges at Medmerry (OM)

Medmerry: Easton Lane to the Stilt Pool - A Dartford Warbler was in the gorse near the first viewpoint (opposite the barn) around noon and even gave a brief burst of song (OM).

Later, there were a Short-eared Owl and a Barn Owl out hunting this afternoon, and the same or another Dartford Warbler was about. (JW)