10th - 12th February 2022

Saturday, 12th February: A mild morning of sunshine and white cloud, though with a fresh and blustery south-westerly breeze........

Selsey Bill: There at least 32 Sandwich Terns offshore this morning, whilst five Eider went east and 16 Red-throated Divers, 476 Kittiwakes and 305 Gannets went west. Full log below. (JA/BI/IP/P&LH/AH/SR)

(0710-0910hrs) (SW, F6)

Red-throated Diver - 4E, 16W, 1os

Great Northern Diver - 1os

diver sp - 7E, 2W

Great Crested Grebe - 1os

Gannet - 4E, 305W

Mute Swan - 2N

Eider - 5E

Common Scoter - 5W

Red-breasted Merganser - 12E, 1W

Oystercatcher - 1W

Turnstone - 8

Mediterranean Gull - 1W, 3os

Common Gull - 3W

Kittiwake - 476W

Sandwich Tern - 32os

Razorbill - 40W

auk sp - 3E, 109W

(1210-1310hrs) (SH/P&LH)

Red-throated Diver - 1W

Gannet - 5E, 11W

Common Scoter - 3W

Turnstone - 2

Kittiwake - 2W

Sandwich Tern - 28os

Red-throated Diver (above), Kittiwake, Common Scoter, Sandwich Terns, Gannet & Mediterranean Gull at the Bill (AH)

Ferry Pool: There were five Avocets on the pool this morning, along with c80 Shovelers and c60 Teal, whilst at least 200 Wigeon were on the fields, along with a handful of Curlews.

Also, the two Water Rails were showing well in Red Barn Ditch. (AH/P&LH)

Later, the Merlin was again seen around the feeders at the Visitor Centre. (RP)

Water Rails (above) & Shoveler at the Ferry (AH)

Fishbourne Creek: A pair of Goldeneye and a Spotted Redshank were present this morning. (AHu)

Church Norton: There wasn't much to report this morning, though a Marsh Harrier was hunting over the harbour and the Whimbrel was about again, along with at least 500 Dunlin and 100 Grey Plovers, but no Knot.

The huge flock of Golden Plovers and Lapwings came up a couple of times from the far side of the harbour and a single Pintail was seen among the Wigeon and Teal present, whilst c60 Brent Geese and a Common Gull were near the harbour mouth.

The only birds offshore were a handful of distant Gannets and Kittiwakes. (AH/P&LH)

Marsh Harrier (above), Common Gull, Golden Plovers & Lapwings at Church Norton (AH)

Marsh Farm, Sidlesham: I was joined by a visiting birder in what turned out to be quite a lengthy search for the six Glossy Ibis. After a couple of brief flyovers we finally found them in a damp field barely visible in the long grass, alongside a few Mallards.

Nearby a Marsh Harrier flew over, and there was also a Buzzard and a Kestrel about. Also, five Egyptian Geese, c50 Wigeon, eight Teal, 22 Curlew, and 40+ Cattle Egrets were in the fields along with two flocks of Long-tailed Tits. (SR)

Also, at nearby Bramber Farm, there were c40 Fieldfares and en Redwings in a stubble field at the south end of Fisher Lane. (BI)

Glossy Ibises (above), Egyptian Goose & Long-tailed Tit at Marsh Farm, Sidlesham (SR)

Medmerry: Easton Lane to the Stilt Pool - This afternoon there were four Yellowhammers, three Stonechats, ten Redwings and c40 Fieldfares round the banks and fields, along with c50 Pied Wagtails and a Grey Wagtail.

There were also 16 Black-tailed Godwits on the stilt Pool and c200 Golden Plovers and c1000 Brent Geese out on the reserve. (S&SaH)

Friday, 11th February: A very bright and sunny morning after overnight frost, with the breeze light and from the north-west.....

Selsey Bill: At least 20 Sandwich Terns were feeding offshore, but it was generally slow this morning. Full log below. (AH/RP/SR/CRJ)

(0730-0900hrs) (NW, F3)

Red-throated Diver - 5W

Great Crested Grebe - 2E, 1os

Gannet - 13W

Red-breasted Merganser - 9E, 3W

Turnstone - 5

Kittiwake - 12W

Sandwich Tern - 20os

auk sp - 2W

Turnstone (above), Sandwich Tern & Gannet at the Bill (AH)

Ferry Pool: The pool just held c200 Wigeon and c50 Shovelers and Teal, whilst 25 Black-tailed Godwits and six Curlews were on the field, the Kingfisher was in the channel opposite and a Reed Bunting was singing from adjacent bushes. (AH)

Reed Bunting (above), Kingfisher, Black-tailed Godwits & Wigeon at the Ferry (AH)

Later, a dozen or so Goldfinch were on the Tramway and the Kingfisher in the channel caught at least six fish between 1015 and 1130hrs. (GHi)

Goldfinch at the Ferry (GHi)

Church Norton: There were just three Slavonian Grebes, a Great Crested Grebe and five Red-breasted Mergansers offshore this morning, whilst the harbour just held lots of Dunlin and Grey Plovers, along with a few Wigeon and Teal.

The huge flocks of c500 Golden Plovers and c1000 Lapwing came up from the far end of the harbour at one point, along with c40 Avocets and similar of Black-tailed Godwits. (AH)

Slavonian Grebe (above), Wigeon, Grey Plover & Golden Plovers at Church Norton (AH)

North Wall: The six Glossy Ibises left Owl Copse at 0738hrs after being disturbed by a returning Grey Heron, whilst there were 12 Black-tailed Godwits feeding in front of Owl Copse. Also, a Marsh Harrier put up a large flock of Wigeon and Black-tailed Godwits from the fields. (GHi)

Glossy Ibises (above), Black-tailed Godwits & Wigeon at the North Wall (GHi)

Marsh Farm, Sidlesham: This morning there were 11 Cattle Egrets, a Buzzard, a female Marsh Harrier, a Kestrel, a Mistle Thrush, two Song Thrushes and a pair of Stonechat around the farm.

Also, at the start of Church Farm Lane there were a flock of 30 Chaffinches and six Linnets, with 14 Roe Deer and three Brown Hares in the area, too. (CRJ)

Brown Hares (above) & Roe Deer at Marsh Farm, Sidlesham (CRJ)

Later on, there was no sign of any Glossy Ibises or Cattle Egrets in the fields, though a pair of Stonechats and a few Yellowhammers were in the fields west of the farm. 

Later still, a lone Glossy Ibis flew over and two Buzzard were circling overhead. (GHi)

Buzzard at Marsh Farm, Sidlesham (GHi)

West Itchenor: A Nuthatch was being very vocal around the Park Copse/Chalkdock area this morning. (PH)

Medmerry: Easton Lane to Marsh Barn - The Barn Owl was out briefly at dusk this evening. (AH)

Thursday, 10th February: A fairly grey and overcast, if mild, morning in a light north-westerly breeze.....

Selsey Bill: There wasn't much on the move, but the Red-necked Grebe, two Slavonian Grebes and three Great Northern Divers were on the sea. Full log below. (SR/IP/AH)

(0735-0845hrs) (NW, F3)

Great Northern Diver - 1E, 3os

Red-throated Diver - 1E, 5W

Slavonian Grebe - 2os

Red-necked Grebe - 1os

Great Crested Grebe - 1E, 1os

Gannet - 4E, 18W

Common Scoter - 2E

Red-breasted Merganser - 3E, 8W

Turnstone - 6

Kittiwake - 7E, 10os

Sandwich Tern - 15os

Razorbill - 1W

auk sp - 29E, 4W

Slavonian Grebe (above), Red-throated Diver & Gannets at the Bill (AH)

Ferry Pool: Around 30 Black-tailed Godwits were roosting on the pool, and there were also eight Snipe in the reeds, a single Avocet feeding and at least 80 Shoveler, 100 Teal and 150 Wigeon.

Also, a Spotted Redshank and the Kingfisher were in the channel opposite and probably two different Water Rails were in Red Barn Ditch. (AH)

Spotted Redshank (above), Water Rail, Kingfisher & Wigeon at the Ferry (AH)

Selsey: Two Coal Tits were in my garden to the north of the town today. (AW)

Coal Tit in a Selsey garden (AW)

North Wall: A pair of Marsh Harriers were behind the Breech Pool this morning, whilst on Honer Reservoir there were 118 Coot, seven Gadwall, two Shelducks and three Little Grebes (JDW)

This evening the six Glossy Ibises flew in to Owl Copse at just after 1700hrs, and there were also a minimum of 44 Cattle Egrets and nine Little Egrets flying in to roost, as well.

Also, a Marsh Harrier was sat out at the Breech Pool and a Barn Owl was briefly at Halsey's Farm. (LP/TH/AH et al)

Glossy Ibises (above), Glossy Ibises and Cattle Egrets & Cattle and Little Egrets at the North Wall (AH)

Marsh Farm, Sidlesham: The six Glossy Ibises were feeding closer to the farm today, and were in the same small field as four Egyptian Geese, and there were also 25 Cattle Egrets in and around the farm. 

Just south and east of the farm were 2400 Brent Geese, 300+ Wigeon, 70 Curlew and a mixture of some 200 gulls that contained a few Common and Mediterranean Gulls among them.

At one point a Common Buzzard flew low over the field and everything took off, but the Buzzard just flew sedately through the middle and showed no interest in what was going on around. (JDW)

Brent Geese at Marsh Farm, Sidlesham (JDW)

Medmerry: Easton Lane to Marsh Barn - There were c40 Fieldfares and c10 Redwings in the area this evening, along with a couple of calling Cetti's Warblers and c50 Brent Geese. (S&SaH)

Ivy Lake: I Thought I had a glimpse of the Siberian Chiffchaff this morning, but then could only find this Common Chiffchaff, whilst there was also a Sparrowhawk and a few Long-tailed Tits about. (CRJ)

Chiffchaff at Ivy Lake (CRJ)