4th - 6th March 2022

Sunday, 6th March: The slow start to spring continued, with another cold and overcast morning in a brisk north-easterly, though a bit of blue sky appeared by early afternoon....

Selsey Bill: There was still nothing on the move, though four Eider dropped on the sea, where there were also seven Great Northern Divers and two Slavonian Grebes, and a few more Gannets and Sandwich Terns were about than of late. Full log below. (SH/JA/PB/BI/IP/SR/AH/P&LH)

(0620-0900hrs) (NE, F4-5)

Great Northern Diver - 7os

Red-throated Diver - 4E, 1W, 2os

diver sp - 5E, 2W

Slavonian Grebe - 2os

Great Crested Grebe - 2os

Gannet - 12E, 26W

Brent Goose - 5E, 7W

Eider - 4os

Common Scoter - 2E, 3W

Red-breasted Merganser - 10E, 5os

Mediterranean Gull - 3os

Common Gull - 1E, 1os

Lesser Black-backed Gull - 1os

Kittiwake - 1E, 2W

Sandwich Tern - 16os

auk sp - 7E, 37W

Starling - 40N

(1130-1230hrs) (P&LH)

Red-throated Diver - 1W

Gannet - 8E

Red-breasted Merganser - 12os

Turnstone - 12

Kittiwake - 1W

Sandwich Tern - 1W

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

Ferry Pool: There were just ducks on the pool this morning - a pair of Gadwall, four Tufted Duck, a drake Pintail, four Shelducks, a pair of Mallard, a dozen Wigeon, c30- Teal and c100 Shovelers, whilst the Kingfisher was again in the channel opposite and the Water Rail was in Red Barn Ditch. (AH/P&LH)

Gadwall (above) & Kingfisher at the Ferry (AH)

Park Farm, Selsey: A Grey Wagtail was on the reservoir this morning and two Red-legged Partridges were in the paddocks. (IP)

Church Norton: A flock of seven Red-throated Divers and a single Gannet went east offshore this morning, but a single drake Pintail was the only bird of note in a quiet harbour, with just low numbers of the regular species present.

Also, two Cetti's Warblers were calling in the second Several. (IP)

Marsh Farm, Sidlesham: There were three Glossy Ibises and 30+ Cattle Egrets around the farm this morning. (RJS)

Chi GPs - Drayton Pits: A cream-capped Marsh Harrier was briefly seen hunting either side of the railway line this morning, whilst duck numbers have dropped considerably now, with just 20 each of Pochard and Tufted, a dozen Teal and two Shoveler of note. A single Egyptian Goose, 12 Greylags, 20 Canada Geese and three pairs of Great Crested Grebe were also present, whilst up to 12 Cormorants was a much higher number than usual. 

At least 30 Fieldfares were present in the trees and open areas, before moving to adjacent farmland, with the best of the rest being two Buzzards, a single Bullfinch, two Chiffchaffs and four singing Cetti's Warblers. (OM)

Medmerry: Easton Lane to the Stilt Pool - Around 60 Redwings went north over the car-park this morning, whilst c30 Skylarks and c100 Linnets were along the banks and c150 Golden Plovers were out on the reserve.

There were also nine Avocets, nine Ringed Plovers, seven Dunlin and four Black-tailed Godwits on the Stilt Pool. (S&SaH)

North Wall and East side: There was nothing at all along the wall, save a few Teal on the Breech Pool, but White's Creek and the main eastern channel were busy, dominated by c1800 Brent Geese, with a single Pale-bellied Brent Goose among them, whilst there were at least 60 Pintail present, with similar numbers of Wigeon and Teal.

At least ten Bar-tailed Godwits were among the waders present, along with c300 Knot and Dunlin, c30 Ringed Plovers and c80 Grey Plovers and lots of Redshank, whilst there were also c20 Common Gulls and ten Mediterranean Gulls about. (AH)

Pale-belied Brent Goose (above), Brent Geese, Pintails, Common Gull, Ringed Plovers & Knot at the North Wall (AH)

This evening just three Glossy Ibises came in to roost in Owl Copse, along with a dozen or so Cattle Egrets, whilst the Short-eared Owl didn't appear till just before dusk.

Earlier, two Water Rails showed well on the Breech Pool and at least 1000 Brent Geese flew over to the adjacent farmland. (AH/SH/LP/SP/PC et al)

Glossy Ibis (above) & Glossy Ibis and Cattle Egret at the North Wall (AH)

Saturday, 5th March: Another fairly cold and grey morning, in a brisk and blustery northerly........

Just a few more of the scarcer archive pic's to close the 1990's.......

(above) Autumn 1996 and the end of the 'golden years' as the bulldozers arrive to clear the mini-wilderness that was then the Pontins holiday camp site, whilst (below) sadly, by spring 1997 development was well underway.

May 1998 and the 'Shoreham boys' Dick Eyre-Walker (left) and Martin Casemore (centre) are busy scanning, whilst Mervyn Jones perfects his no-hands sandwich eating technique!

(above) Spring 1999 gathering of the locals, with a youthful Andy House seated left, chatting to Richard Prior, whilst Andy's dog Zippy has already got his nose into someone's tuck bag!

(left) 7th November 1998 and Mike Wearing is on the bench (with the late Bob Knight in the background). You always knew if Mike was there as you heard him first (!) another great character of the time.

Selsey Bill: There was a bit of variety this morning, including three Sanderlings on the beach, whilst a Slavonian Grebe and six Great Northern Divers were offshore. Full log below. (JA/BI/IP/SR/AH)

(0705-0905hrs) (N, F4-5)

Great Northern Diver - 3os

Red-throated Diver - 1E

diver sp - 3E, 1W

Slavonian Grebe - 1os

Great Crested Grebe - 1E

Gannet - 1E, 14W

Shelduck - 1os

Common Scoter - 13E

Red-breasted Merganser - 4E, 1W, 9os

Oystercatcher - 6

Sanderling - 3

Dunlin - 1W

Curlew - 1E

Turnstone - 31

Black-headed Gull - 30E

Mediterranean Gull - 3os

Common Gull - 1W

Sandwich Tern - 1os

auk sp - 2E

Redwing - 1N

Starling - 27N

Red-breasted Merganser at the Bill (AH)

Ferry Pool: There were just c60 Shovelers, c30 Teal, four Shelducks and two Tufted Ducks on the pool, whilst c50 Wigeon were on the field and the Kingfisher was again in the channel opposite.

Also, c300 Golden Plovers and c30 Lapwings flew up from the harbour off the Tramway. (AH)

Kingfisher (above), Lapwings & Golden Plovers at the Ferry (AH)

This evening a Spotted Redshank in the channel was desperately trying to consume a fish that was far too large for it, repeatedly trying to unsuccessfully swallow it before having to regurgitate it.

Also, the Kingfisher was still there and at least 200 Wigeon were on the field. (AH)

Spotted Redshank at the Ferry (AH)

North Wall and East side: It was quiet along the wall with just a Stonechat, two Greenfinches, eight Goldfinches and a pair of Grey Wagtails seen, whilst the Breech Pool held four Tufted Ducks and a Great Crested Grebe, and two Buzzards were high up behind the pool.

In White's Creek there were two Spotted Redshanks, a Great Crested Grebe and a few Pintail, along with the usual Teal and Wigeon. Further along the East Side on a rising tide there were a few Common Gulls and a large mixed group of waders containing Black-tailed and Bar-tailed Godwits, Grey, Golden and Ringed Plover, Dunlin, Knot, Turnstone, Redshank and Oystercatchers, though, for the first time this year, no Lapwing were seen in the harbour.

Also, the flock of c200 Linnet were still in the Slipe field. (LP)

This evening the Short-eared Owl was out behind the Breech Pool again, and the four Glossy Ibises and 40+ Cattle Egrets came in to roost in Owl Copse. (LP)

Bar-tailed Godwit, Knot and Grey Plovers (above) & Golden Plover, Knot and Grey Plovers at the North Wall (LP)

Church Norton: A Dartford Warbler in the gorse on the beach was the highlight of a quiet morning, with a Sparrowhawk over Priory Wood, a Pied Wagtail and a Green Woodpecker the only other landbirds of any note.

A Greylag Goose went over Bluebell Wood, whilst c1000 Brent Geese were at the far end of the harbour and a pair of Pintail were among the low numbers of commoner wildfowl and waders. (IP)

Medmerry: Easton Lane to the Stilt Pool - A Greenshank and a dozen Avocets were on the Stilt Pool this morning, along with 18 Ringed Plovers. (AHu)

East Head: Unusually, a Whimbrel was at Snowhill Creek this morning, along with three Greenshanks and 25 Avocets, whilst 15 Redwings were off off nearby Rookwood Lane. (GM)

Fishbourne Creek: A Spotted Redshank and up to five Greenshanks were along the creek this morning, along with many Black-tailed Godwits and Redshanks.

A Red Kite drifted over mid-morning, upsetting the 700+ Brent Geese present, whilst there were also 25+ Pintail and 50+ Teal among at least 300 Wigeon, and ten Red-breasted Mergansers and 20+ Great Crested Grebes were also about..

Two Sandwich Terns were present early on, and there were at least a dozen Mediterranean Gulls and 50+ Common Gulls among the many Black-headed Gulls at the top of the creek, but passerines were few, though three Rock Pipits were along the harbour's edge and a Mistle Thrush flew over. (AH/AHu)

Red Kite (above), Spotted Redshank, Greenshanks, Black-tailed Godwit & Pintail in Fishbourne Creek (AH)

Friday, 4th March: A cool and overcast morning in a moderate north-westerly breeze....

Selsey Bill: There was again no evidence of migration, though a flock of seven Greylag Geese flew in, heading for Church Norton, and eight Sandwich Terns and five Great Northern Divers were offshore, whilst a Shag dropped in on the beach briefly. Full log below. (SR/IP/AH)

(0715-0900hrs) (NNW, F4)

Great Northern Diver - 5os

Red-throated Diver - 1E, 1os

Slavonian Grebe - 1os

Great Crested Grebe - 1W, 1os

Gannet - 1E, 1os

Shag - 1os, then E

Greylag Goose - 7E

Brent Goose - 6W

Red-breasted Merganser - 1E, 4W, 7os

Oystercatcher - 2E

Turnstone - 34

Mediterranean Gull - 2os

Kittiwake - 2E

Sandwich Tern - 8os

Shag (above), Sandwich Tern & Mediterranean Gull at the Bill (AH)

Ferry Pool: There were c60 Shovelers, of which at least 50 were drakes, on the pool, along with four shelducks, two Tufted Ducks and c30 Teal, whilst the Kingfisher was in the channel opposite and a Water Rail was in Red Barn Dich. (AH/AT)

Water Rail (above) & Shovelers at the Ferry (AH)

North Wall: There was a good flock - of 2-300 - Linnets on the Slipe Field this morning. (AT)

Later on, the Short-eared Owl was out hunting around the Breech Pool whilst the four Glossy Ibises, 39 Cattle Egrets, two Little Egrets and eight Grey Herons came in to roost in Owl Copse (S&SaH).

Church Norton: The harbour was dominated by the cries of recently arrived Mediterranean and Black-headed Gulls, and there was three Red-breasted Mergansers, a Little Grebe, 40 Brent Geese, 18 Pintail, c30 Grey Plover, c25 Ringed Plover also present.

Two Skylarks and a Common Gull were along the spit but nothing of interest could be found on the choppy sea. (SR)

Runcton: A singing Blackcap was in the village this morning. (CRJ)

Medmerry: Porthole Farm to Wilson's Farm - At Porthole Farm, a Grey Wagtail was among c50 Pied Wagtails on the settling tanks this morning, whilst c30 Skylarks and a few Linnets, Stock Doves and Mediterranean Gulls were on the maize stubble fields nearby.

There were still plenty of birds around the cover crop field at Wilson's Farm, including 50+ Yellowhammers and Reed Buntings, 100+ Goldfinches and a few Chaffinches, Greenfinches, Linnets and Skylarks. (AH)

Also, of interest, the last sighing of the Swallow here was 3rd February (per Ken Smith) - one day after the sighting of one at the Bill (Eds)

Yellowhammer (above), Reed Buntings, Grey Wagtail & Skylark at Medmerry (AH)