4th - 6th January 2022

Thursday, 6th January: After a sharp frost, a cold and mostly grey morning, with the wind freshening from almost still to a brisk south-westerly, bringing some drizzly rain with it......

Selsey Bill: A total of 41 Red-throated Divers went west, including a flock of 17, whilst a Slavonian Grebe and nine Eider were on the sea together and a Fulmar went east. Full log below. (CRJ/RP/AH/MO-W/SR)

(0800-0930hrs) (SW, F1 rising to F4)

Great Northern Diver - 2os

Red-throated Diver - 2E, 41W, 3os

Slavonian Grebe - 1os

Great Crested Grebe - 2W

Fulmar - 1E

Gannet - 1E

Shelduck - 6W

Common Scoter - 2W

Eider - 9os

Red-breasted Merganser - 7E

Oystercatcher - 1W

Turnstone - 6

Mediterranean Gull - 3os

Sandwich Tern - 5os

Guillemot - 2os

auk sp - 6W

Red-throated Divers (above), Guillemot & Sandwich Tern at the Bill (AH)

Ferry Pool: Around 80 Shovelers, 100 Teal and 150 Wigeon were on the unfrozen parts of the pool, with at least eight Snipe in the reeds and 20 Black-tailed Godwits and 500 Lapwings were on the fields, whilst the Kingfisher was again in the channel opposite. (AH)

Kingfisher (above), Snipe& Shovelers, Teal and Wigeon at the Ferry (AH)

Also, a Spoonbill was in harbour opposite Red Barn Ditch at 10.15 this morning. (IL)

Late this afternoon it was on the pool, along with c40 Avocets. (IL/AH)

Spoonbill (above) from the Tramway (IL)

Church Norton: On a rapidly rising tide in the rain there were large flocks of Grey Plover, Dunlin and Knot flying around, whilst a single Red-breasted Merganser, four Avocets, six Little Grebes, a pair of Pintail, half a dozen Brent Geese and c75 Teal and Wigeon were in the harbour. A visitor had earlier seen a Peregrine, 30 Avocets and a dozen Pintail.
Nearby, there was a Green Woodpecker and one Great Spotted Woodpecker along with a vocal Chiffchaff. (SR)

Later, the Long-tailed Duck was again offshore. (BI)

Red-breasted Merganser at Church Norton (SR)

East Head: At Ella Nore today there were 30 Shelducks, 300 Dunlin, 50 Redshank, 20 Grey Plovers and a single Knot. Most interestingly though, were the 15 Black-tailed Godwits, one of which was in almost complete breeding plumage. (GM)

Chi GPs: Drayton pits - A very cold morning with the highlights being a Woodcock, 25 Redwings, two Cetti's Warblers and a Bullfinch at the North pit. Wildfowl numbers had increased considerably with 80+ Pochard and 40+ Shoveler present (though access problems prevented a fuller count). (OM)

Medmerry: Porthole Farm - The Swallow was again over the settling tanks, with 100 Pied Wagtails and a couple of Meadow Pipits about, too, whilst the cover crop near Wilson's Farm held at least 50 Yellowhammers and Reed Buntings along with many Chaffinches, Greenfinches and Goldfinches, with at least 200 Lapwings and 100 Stock Doves in the fields, too. (AH)

Swallow (above), Reed Bunting & Yellowhammer at Medmerry (AH)

Medmerry: Easton Lane to the Stilt Pool - There was a Short-eared Owl hunting the banks early this morning. (AW)

Short-eared Owl at Medmerry (AW)

Wednesday, 5th January: A cold and bright morning, in a very brisk westerly breeze...

Selsey Bill: It was the quietest morning for a long time, though two brief sightings of a Swallow over the houses was a clear highlight, and there were also three Sandwich Terns and a Red-throated Diver offshore. Full log below. (SR/AH/RP/MO-W)

(0800-0915hrs) (WNW, F5-6)

Red-throated Diver - 1os

Gannet - 2W

Brent Goose - 20W, 1os

Turnstone - 10W

Mediterranean Gull - 2E, 1W

Sandwich Tern - 3os

Swallow - 1

Sandwich Tern (above) & Brent Geese at the Bill (AH)

Ferry Pool: At least 800 Lapwings were on the field, along with 20+ Black-tailed Godwits and 100 Wigeon, whilst two Snipe were in the reeds and c100 Shoveler and Teal were on the pool, until disturbed by the shooters in the adjacent fields. (AH)

Lapwings (above) & Wigeon at the Ferry (AH)

Church Norton: The Long-tailed Duck was offshore today. (P Wells per SOS)

Sidlesham churchyard: The Firecrest was again skulking in the evergreens near the south gate, but there was nothing else beyond a Great Spotted Woodpecker and two Blackbirds. (AH)

Fishbourne Creek: A Jack Snipe was present early this morning. (BI)

Long Pool: A Spotted Redshank was in the channel, along with a few Redshanks, Teal and Curlews, with more of the latter in the fields opposite, whilst a pair of Stonechats and two or three Reed Buntings, Meadow Pipits and Skylarks were along the hedges and banks.

The harbour was full of birds, including 40 Avocets, c300 Golden Plovers, 500 Lapwing, 50+ Shoveler and Pintail and innumerable Wigeon and Teal. (AH)

Spotted Redshank (above), Curlew, Golden Plovers, Stonechat, Shovelers & Wigeon around the Long Pool (AH)

Tuesday, 4th January: An increasingly cold morning of some sun and heavy, blustery showers in a freshening westerly breeze...

Selsey Bill: It was fairly quiet this morning, but a few divers were about and a Guillemot and two Razorbills were feeding close inshore. Full log below. (SR/KT/AH/IP)

(0800-0930hrs) (WSW, F5)

Great Northern Diver - 1E, 1os

Red-throated Diver - 1E, 4W

Great Crested Grebe - 1W, 1os

Gannet - 1E, 26W

Brent Goose - 2E

Shelduck - 8W

Red-breasted Merganser - 1E, 7W, 6os

Turnstone - 2

Mediterranean Gull - 2os

Sandwich Tern - 1W

Guillemot - 1os

Razorbill - 2os

auk sp - 2W

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

Ferry Pool: About 500 Lapwings, 200 Wigeon and six Black-tailed Godwits were around the fields, but just 50 or so Shovelers and Teal were on the pool. (AH)

Black-tailed Godwits (above) & Lapwings at the Ferry (AH)

North Wall: A Barn Owl was at Halsey's Farm this afternoon, along with the Spoonbill and 700 Black-tailed Godwits. (AT)

Church Norton: Five Slavonian Grebes, two Red-throated Divers and six Red-breasted Mergansers were offshore, whilst two Avocets, a dozen Pintail and lots of Knot, Dunlin and Grey Plovers were in the harbour, 40 or so Teals were displaying busily in the creek by the horse field, a Stonechat was on the beach and two Green Woodpeckers were by the Mound. (AH/AW et al)

Avocet (above), Red-breasted Merganser, Dunlin & Teal at Church Norton (AH)