Birding the Selsey Peninsula: 7th

Sunday, 9th January: A much nicer morning, after a frosty start, with the westerly breeze easing back a bit and plenty of sun.....

Selsey Bill: There were over 20 Eider about this morning, along with eight Slavonian Grebes, the Red-necked Grebe and five Great Northern Divers, whilst 118 Brent Geese went west. (SH/PB/BI/AH/IP/SR)

(0730-0930hrs) (W, F5)

Great Northern Diver - 5os

Red-throated Diver - 6E, 7W, 2os

diver sp - 5E

Slavonian Grebe - 8os

Red-necked Grebe - 1E

Great Crested Grebe - 1os

Gannet - 5E, 8W

Brent Goose - 2E, 118W

Pintail - 7W

Eider - 9E, 12os

Common Scoter - 2E, 1W

Red-breasted Merganser - 6E, 3W, 4os

Turnstone - 8

Mediterranean Gull - 1W, 3os

Kittiwake - 6E, 11W

Sandwich Tern - 1os

Guillemot - 1os

Razorbill - 2os

auk sp - 1E, 11W

Red-throated Diver (above), Eider, Mediterranean Gull & Brent Geese at the Bill (AH)

Ferry Pool: There were possibly up to 1000 Lapwings, along with 20 Black-tailed Godwits and c100 Wigeon, around the fields, but the very full pool just held c50 Shovelers and Teal.

Also, a Marsh Harrier went over west, just south of the pool. (AH)

Lapwings at the Ferry (AH)

Marsh Farm, Sidlesham: Just two Cattle Egrets were seen - near Chalder Farm - and a Chiffchaff by the house along Church Lane, but otherwise it was very quiet, with just a couple of Kestrels, a dozen Stock Doves and the regular flock of Chaffinches and House Sparrows by the dairy seen. (AH)

Cattle Egrets (above) & Chiffchaff around Marsh Farm, Sidlesham (AH)

Honer Reservoir: It was very quiet here, too, with just six Tufted Ducks and c75 Coots on the reservoir, a couple of Green Woodpeckers and a few Goldfinches in the hedges and c25 Curlews on the flooded fields, with c300 Brent Geese in the fields further along Honer Lane. Unfortunately, almost all the fields in the vicinity have been ploughed and left as bare earth, leaving little habitat for birds at present. (AH)

Green Woodpecker (above) & Brent Geese at Honer Reservoir (AH)

Ivy Lake: The Siberian Chiffchaff was still present today, halfway along the path between the lakes. (AB)

East Head: The Black-throated Diver was viewable from towards Black Point this morning. (BI)

Medmerry: Porthole Farm - The Swallow was again over the settling tanks at the sewage works. (AB)

Medmerry: Easton Lane to the Stilt Pool - Two Grey Partridges were in fields near the car-park this morning, along with 20 or so Fieldfares, whilst the banks held three Dartford Warblers, a Reed Bunting, five Yellowhammers, a Cetti;s Warbler, seven Stonechats, c40 skylarks and c100 Linnets.

There were also a Green Woodpecker, a drumming Great Spotted Woodpecker and four Egyptian Geese about, whilst 15 Ringed Plovers were the only waders on the Stilt Pool. (S&SaH/PB/BI)

Grey Partridge (above) & Egyptian Geese at Medmerry (SH)

A productive hour at the end of the day produced a few Dartford Warblers shuffling about in the gorse, a Spoonbill asleep in the middle of the Stilt Pool and finally, just after 4pm, a Barn Owl appeared and started hunting. (GM)

Barn Owl (above), Dartford Warbler & Spoonbill at Medmerry (GM)

Park Farm, Selsey: A Stonechat was in the fields, along with eight Pied Wagtails, whilst a Raven and a Buzzard went over. (IP/RWh/AWh)

Church Norton: Two, and possibly three Dartford Warblers were around the bushes by the first several this morning, whilst offshore there were eight Eider and two Red-breasted Mergansers, with a Razorbill and two Red-throated Divers seen heading west.

Two Goldeneye and six more Red-breasted Mergansers were in the harbour, along with at least eight Avocets and plenty of the regular waders, whilst a Black-tailed Godwit was among a large flock of Curlews at Greenlease Farm, with a flock of c750 Golden Plovers seen distantly flying up. Also, a Chiffchaff and a Cetti's Warbler were noted, pus a Kestrel. (IP/RWh/AWh).

North Wall: A Kingfisher and two Grey Wagtails were around the sluice gates and a Rock Pipit was along the wall this morning, whilst a Marsh Harrier was active over the reeds throughout. The very full Breech Pool had a few Mallards and Teal on it, together with ten Canada and two Greylag Geese, whilst the fields held the usual Curlews and Black-tailed Godwits.

In the harbour there were c500 Golden Plover and a similar number of Lapwing together with a large number of very mobile Brent Geese. (LP)

This afternoon a Barn Owl was hunting along the rife at Halsey's Farm, with a Marsh Harrier at Owl Point and the pair over the Breech Pool.

Around 1800 Brent Geese flew out of the harbour, where there were large numbers of waders (see above), and two Goldcrests were among c20 Long-tailed Tits. (S&SaH)

Marsh Harrier (above) & Grey Wagtail at the North Wall (LP)

Saturday, 8th January: A thoroughly miserable morning, with a near gale-force south-westerly pushing through belts of persistent drizzly rain.....

Selsey Bill: There was a steady stream of Brent Geese and a few Gannets going west, whilst five Eider and three Slavonian Grebes were offshore. Full log later. (SH/JA/BI/SR/AH)

(0745-0930hrs) (SW, F6)

Great Northern Diver - 3os

Red-throated Diver - 1E, 1os

diver sp - 1E

Slavonian Grebe - 3os

Great Crested Grebe - 2os

Fulmar - 1W

Gannet - 1E, 37W

Brent Goose - 78W

Eider - 1E, 5os

Common Scoter - 1os

Red-breasted Merganser - 6E

Common Gull - 1W

Kittiwake - 2W

Sandwich Tern - 1E, 1W

Guillemot - 1os

Razorbill - 1E, 3W

auk sp - 1E, 4W

Brent Geese at the Bill (AH)

(1445-1545hrs) (SH/AW)

Great Northern Diver - 2os

Slavonian Grebe - 1W

Great Crested Grebe - 1os

Gannet - 2E, 24W

Shag - 1W

Eider - 6os

Turnstone - 2

Mediterranean Gull - 3W

Kittiwake - 1W

Great Northern Diver (above) & Shag at the Bill (AW)

Ferry Pool: At least 500 Lapwings and 20 Black-tailed Godwits were around the fields, with another 20 of the latter, c35 Avocets, four Gadwall and c50 Teal and Shovelers on the pool and a handful of Snipe in the reeds.

Also, the Water Rail was showing well in Red Barn Ditch and a Sparrowhawk went over the Tramway. (AH)

Water Rail (above), Avocets, Gadwall & Black-tailed Godwits and Lapwings at the Ferry (AH)

Marsh Farm, Sidlesham: A dozen or so Cattle Egrets were in fields north of the farm this morning. (BI)

Park Farm, Selsey: A Stonechat, a Green Woodpecker and a Kestrel were the only birds of note today. (S&SaH)

Church Norton: The Whimbrel was out on the mud this morning, along with 100+ Knot, 50+ Grey Plovers and 400+ Dunlin, with c40 Shelducks and c500 Brent Geese also present, whilst a single Sandwich Tern was offshore, but there really wasn't much else to report. (AH/S&SaH)

Whimbrel (above), Dunlin & Brent Geese at Church Norton (AH)

Birdham Pool: There were around 50 Little Grebes, ten Teal and 30 Tufted Ducks on the pool, with a flock of Long-tailed Tits in the bushes. (SR)

Little Grebe at Birdham Pool (SR)

Friday, 7th January: A blustery morning of heavy cloud, with the odd squally shower and occasional glimpse of the sun, though a little milder in the fresh westerly.....

Selsey Bill: There wasn't too much on the move this morning, though a Slavonian Grebe and two Shags went east, 26 Brent Geese went west and five Sandwich Terns were offshore. Full log below. (PB/PM/SR/P&LH/RP/AH)

(0745-1000hrs) (WSW, F5-6)

Great Northern Diver - 1W, 1os

Red-throated Diver -8E, 1W

diver sp - 1E

Slavonian Grebe - 1E

Great Crested Grebe - 1W

Gannet - 3E, 8W

Shag - 2E

Brent Goose - 26W

Common Scoter - 4E, 5W

Eider - 3os

Red-breasted Merganser - 5E, 2W, 2os

Mediterranean Gull - 3os

Kittiwake - 3E, 2W

Sandwich Tern - 5os

Guillemot - 2W, 1os

Razorbill - 2W, 1os

auk sp - 2E

Guillemot (above), Razorbills, Sandwich Terns, Mediterranean Gull and dramatic weather at the Bill (AH)

Ferry Pool: It was just the usual mix of Shoveler and Teal on the pool, with half a dozen Snipe in the reeds and 100+ Wigeon and Lapwings on the field. (AH)

Later, the Kingfisher was in the channel opposite and the Water Rail was in Red Barn Ditch. (PB/PM)

This afternoon the Spoonbill was back on the pool, along with c35 Avocets. (AT/RP/AH)

Medmerry: Porthole Farm - The Swallow was still present at the sewage farm this morning and 40 Golden Plovers went over. (SR/PM/PB)

North Wall: A quick look late morning in White's creek produced 500+ Golden Plovers, 1000+ Lapwings, 100+ Black-tailed Godwits and lots of Wigeon and Teal, whilst at least 1500 Brent Geese flew in from the fields to the north. (AH)