Wednesday, 16th March: A very gloomy morning of heavy cloud and mist, with drizzly rain later on, in a moderate easterly breeze........
We're coming towards the end of the scarcer archive photo's and the next few days will see us reach the year 2008, when the albums suddenly stop. So why is this? Quite simply, changes in digital photography, together with the sharing of social media and other technical improvements had by now superseded the older technologies and I realised it was time to move on.
There is though one other reason that I should perhaps now declare. Photography has never really been my thing (no shock to those that know me!) and at the outset I realised I didn't have the necessary ability, patience and decent equipment to be any sort of bird-photographer, yet I wanted to somehow document things through the years. As a result I chose to record images of some of the people and places involved, realising that changes would be very apparent as time passed, and so it has proved to be. And now I'm considerably older I realise the value of that decision, with the coming of the blog and an archive for future researchers.
So, readers will understand why there are rather few actual bird photo's in the archive, but unusually today's selection features four (ok, only one of mine) plus a couple of other oddities..... (OM)
(left) Corncrake, in care Brent Lodge, autumn 2001 (photo: B. Fenter, courtesy Brent Lodge)
This bird was taken into care having apparently been found in the Sidlesham - Pagham Harbour area.
Unfortunately its release was not notified to any birders at the time and it was a good while after that this news eventually became public.
A rare bird indeed on the Peninsula and surely a great fund-raising opportunity missed for the Brent Lodge charity.
(below, right) juvenile Red-necked Phalarope at Sidlesham Ferry Pool,
31st August 2002 (photo: John Andrews)
A fine image of this enchanting species; this bird attracted many admirers during its stay and often performed well at close range.
(left) Bonaparte's Gull at Pagham Lagoon, 25th March 2002. (photo: OM)
Yes, one of my early attempts!
(below, right) Female Bluethroat, Church Norton, 5th April 2004 (Photo: Dave Sadler) (sorry Dave, I seem to have cropped the original!)
A much-appreciated but often elusive bird in the field.
(above) Medmerry 2000: A reminder of what it was like before the new RSPB Medmerry and breach were even thought of. This view looking west from what is now 'Toe End' shows the extensive unimproved grassland from the site we used to call Selsey West Fields. Note the distinct lack of people....I suppose it's better now?
(below) How many people have never noticed this plaque when visiting Church Norton? It is situated in the fields near the roadside on the north-east side of Rectory Lane....though it fails to mention the American Golden Plover which also took off from the fields many years later!!
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Selsey Bill: Another quiet morning, though a Red-necked Grebe and an Eider went east, along with 11 Common Scoters and two Red-throated Divers, and four Great Northern Divers were on the sea. Full log below. (SR/AH/AW)
(0700-0830hrs) (E, F4)
Great Northern Diver - 4os
Red-throated Diver - 2E
Great Crested Grebe - 1E
Red-necked Grebe - 1E
Gannet - 1E
Common Scoter - 11E
Eider - 1E
Red-breasted Merganser - 1W, 2os
Turnstone - 1
Meadow Pipit - 1N
Later on, two Wheatears were along the beach. (AW)
Red-necked Grebe (above) & Eider and Common Scoters at the Bill (AW)
Ferry Pool: It was just ducks on the pool this morning, including pairs of Gadwall and Tufted Duck, along with four Shelducks, c20 Teal, c40 Wigeon and c60 Shovelers. (AH)
Gadwall (above) & Shovelers on the Ferry (AH)
Out in the harbour at high tide there was a Red-breasted Merganser and a pair of Great Crested Grebes together with a few Teal, Wigeon and Pintail, whilst on the mud were c100 Grey Plovers and Dunlin. (LP)
Chichester Canal: Along the canal itself were a pair of Coots with four recently hatched chicks, the first I've come across so far this year, a pair of Mute Swans are sitting on their nest, a calling Cetti's Warbler and seven Long-tailed Tits.
The flooded field held three Ringed Plovers, 11 Black-tailed Godwits, 30 Wigeon, four Shelduck, eight Gadwall and 22 Mute Swans, with three singing Chiffchaffs, a Green Woodpecker and three Skylarks nearby. (SR)
Wheatear at the North Wall (LP)
Medmerry: Windmill to the Breach - A Wheatear was briefly on the beach between the windmill and the sea-defence rocks, but a couple of Meadow Pipits were the only other birds there.
At the western tip of Toe End, though, there was a mobile flock of a dozen Corn Buntings, initially on the rocks before moving around the seeded areas between the caravans, whilst a Rock Pipit and a Meadow Pipit were also in the vicinity.
The tidal areas were almost devoid of waders, beyond a few Ringed Plovers, Curlews and Oystercatcher, with, otherwise, just three Brent Geese, four Red-breasted Mergansers, six Pintail and c40 Wigeon and Shelducks, and a Lesser Black-backed Gull among c100 Herring Gulls. (AH)
Wheatear (above), Corn Buntings, Rock Pipit, Meadow Pipit, Ringed Plover & Lesser Black-backed Gull at Medmerry (AH)
Chichester Canal: Along the canal itself were a pair of Coots with four recently hatched chicks, the first I've come across so far this year, a pair of Mute Swans are sitting on their nest, a calling Cetti's Warbler and seven Long-tailed Tits.
The flooded field held three Ringed Plovers, 11 Black-tailed Godwits, 30 Wigeon, four Shelduck, eight Gadwall and 22 Mute Swans, with three singing Chiffchaffs, a Green Woodpecker and three Skylarks nearby. (SR)
Coot with chicks along Chichester Canal (SR)
Tuesday, 15th March: A fairly pleasant morning in a moderate easterly breeze, with a mix of white cloud and hazy sun........
Selsey Bill: A Spoonbill going east early on and a comparatively close Black-throated Diver were the highlights of another fairly slow morning, though there were also a few other bits and pieces indicating passage, including Common Scoters, Red-throated Divers and seven Sandwich Terns. Full log below (PM/JF/IP/SR/KT/AM/AH/OM/KJ et al)
(0600-1300hrs) (S, F2, backing ESE, F3-4)
Red-throated Diver - 13E
Black-throated Diver - 1E (1115hrs)
Great Northern Diver - 1W, 2os
Great Crested Grebe - 4E, 1os
Fulmar - 1E
Gannet - 1W
Shag - 1W
Spoonbill - 1E
Brent Goose - 3E
Shelduck - 1E
Eider - 1W
Common Scoter - 31E
Red-breasted Merganser - 16E, 5W, 4os
Turnstone - 6
Sanderling - 3
Kittiwake - 1E
Common Gull - 3E
Mediterranean Gull - 2E
Sandwich Tern - 7E
Pied/alba Wagtail - 3N
Meadow Pipit - 2N
Spoonbill (above), Sandwich Tern, Common Scoters, Fulmar & Shag at the Bill (AH)
Ferry Pool: Two Black-tailed Godwits on the banks were the only waders present, with, otherwise, c75 Shoveler, c30 Teal, a pair of Gadwall, a pair of Tufted Ducks and five Shelduck present. (AH/OM)
Also, the Spotted Redshank was again in the channel opposite (KT) and the Water Rail was in Red Barn Ditch (AM)
Gadwall (above) & Black-tailed Godwit and Shovelers at the Ferry (AH)
North Wall: A Red Kite was behind the Breech Pool this morning before drifting off west accompanied by three Buzzards, reappearing two hours later down the East Side and then heading off north, and there were also three Marsh Harriers and a Sparrowhawk over the reeds.
A Water Rail and a Common Snipe were in the Breech Pool along with a pair of Little Grebes and a few Teal, a Cetti’s Warbler was noisily and visibly patrolling behind the sluice, while around the horse paddock there was a Song Thrush, a Green Woodpecker and a Great Spotted Woodpecker, but it was quiet along the wall, with just a small flock of Goldfinches and a singing Chiffchaff.
At high tide the harbour was quiet with just a few Wigeon, Teal, and Pintail along with 60 Brent Geese, whist out on the mud there were ten Black-tailed Godwits and c80 Grey Plover and Dunlin. (LP/CT)
A Water Rail and a Common Snipe were in the Breech Pool along with a pair of Little Grebes and a few Teal, a Cetti’s Warbler was noisily and visibly patrolling behind the sluice, while around the horse paddock there was a Song Thrush, a Green Woodpecker and a Great Spotted Woodpecker, but it was quiet along the wall, with just a small flock of Goldfinches and a singing Chiffchaff.
At high tide the harbour was quiet with just a few Wigeon, Teal, and Pintail along with 60 Brent Geese, whist out on the mud there were ten Black-tailed Godwits and c80 Grey Plover and Dunlin. (LP/CT)
This evening the Short-eared Owl, a Marsh Harrier and a Buzzard were over the Breech Pool area, with three Water Rails on the pool, a Chiffchaff along the wall, whilst at Owl Copse just one Glossy Ibis came in, along with 53 Cattle Egrets, nine Little Egrets and four Grey Herons, and at Halsey's farm a Tawny Owl was calling. (S&SaH/RHa)
Red Kite (above) & Water Rail at the North Wall (LP)
Church Norton: There were hundreds of Mediterranean and Black-headed Gulls settling in on Tern Island this morning, though there wasn't much else to report, with very few waders on view on the high tide, and wildfowl comprising c40 Shelducks and similar of Wigeon and Teal in the harbour and a lone Brent Goose over the Severals.
Passerines were few, too, though included a singing Chiffchaff between the Severals, a couple of Linnets and Skylarks along the front and a Mistle Thrush, plus a Green Woodpecker, along Rectory Lane. (AH/CRJ)
Subterranean and Black-headed Gulls (above) & Green Woodpecker at Church Norton (AH)
Birdham: There were a pair of Yellowhammers in the garden this morning. (GT)
A Dartford Warbler was briefly seen near the flint barn and there were plenty of singing Skylarks and Yellowhammers along the banks plus two each of Buzzard and Kestrel. (SR/PM)
Little Ringed Plover at Medmerry (SR)
Monday, 14th March: A murky and mostly overcast morning, with the odd bit of drizzle, in a light south-westerly breeze......
Selsey Bill: It remains very quiet, with just a Goosander among two Red-breasted Mergansers going west and just the odd Red-throated Diver and Common Scoter going east. Full log below (SR/IP/AH/CRJ/OM/P&LH/AW)
(0700-1000hrs): (SW-SSE2)
Red-throated Diver - 3E
Great Northern Diver - 2os
Great Crested Grebe - 1W
Gannet - 3E, 1W
Shag - 1W
Common Scoter - 6E, 1os
Goosander - 1W
Red-breasted Merganser - 4E, 5W, 12os
Mallard - 3E
Shoveler - 9W
Turnstone - 38
Oystercatcher - 1W
Common Gull - 2E
Mediterranean Gull - 1E
Sandwich Tern - 2os
Meadow Pipit - 1N
Goosander and Red-breasted Mergansers (AW) (above), Red-throated Diver & Gannet (AH) at the Bill
North Selsey: A Cattle Egret was seen flying over Costa Coffee on the northern edge of the town this morning! (P&LH)
Ferry Pool: There were c75 Shovelers, c25 Teal, a pair of Gadwall, a pair of Tufted Ducks and six Shelduck on the pool, joined from the field at one point by c150 Wigeon, whilst a Spotted Redshank and four Black-tailed Godwits were in the channel opposite.
Also, a Chiffchaff was singing near the Visitor Centre and another near the hide, whilst a Water Rail was showing well in Red Barn Ditch, as did a Stoat that ran along the banks. (AH/CRJ/OM)
Water Rail (above), Spotted Redshank, Wigeon, Stoat (AH), Shovelers & a misty Ferry Channel (CRJ) around the Ferry
Church Norton: A Black Redstart was on the gorse bushes along the beach this morning, along with several Linnets, whilst at least four Cetti's Warblers were calling from the Severals. (A&YF)
Also, the Whimbrel was still present, along with 13 Avocets, a Black-tailed Godwit, 61 Mediterranean Gulls, 29 Pintail, 54 Shelducks, a Red-breasted Merganser and a Peregrine.(P&LH)
North Wall: The four Glossy Ibises came int to roost in Owl Copse this evening, along with at least 48 Cattle Egrets, whilst a female Marsh Harrier flew north over the wall. (CS),
Medmerry: Coastguards to the Breach - Four Corn Buntings were at the western end of the caravans at Toe end, eating newly sown grass seed this morning.
Otherwise, on the tidal areas there were two Greenshanks, two Black-tailed Godwits, c30 Ringed Plovers, c40 Dunlin, a dozen Grey Plovers and a flock of c75 Golden Plovers, plus c40 Curlews that flew over, though just three Brent Geese remained, along with three Red-breasted Mergansers and a few Wigeon and Teal. (AH/TG-P)
Corn Bunting (above), Golden Plovers, Dunlin, Curlews & Brent Goose at Medmerry (AH)
Medmerry: Easton Lane to the Stilt Pool - The two Little Ringed Plovers were still present this afternoon on the Stilt Pool, along with four Ringed Plovers, eight Avocets and five Black-tailed Godwits, whilst a Greenshank was in the tidal area opposite and Marsh Harrier went over near the poplars. (P&LH)
The Little Ringed Plovers were still present this evening, along with 16 Avocets, and a Stonechat was nearby.(AH)
Little Ringed Plover (above) & Avocet at Medmerry (AH)
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