19th - 21st November 2022

Monday, 21st November: A return to high winds and heavy rain, with a near gale-force southerly pushing though successive bands of rain...........

Selsey Bill: Three Slavonian Grebes were about - one west and two offshore, whilst ten Kittiwakes went east and five Common Scoters were on the sea, quite close in. Full log below. (AH/SR/IP)

(0730-0900hrs) (S, F6-7)

Red-throated Diver - 1W

Slavonian Grebe - 1W, 2os

Gannet - 9E 4W

Brent Goose - 1E

Common Scoter - 1E, 5os

Red-breasted Merganser - 2E

Kestrel - 1

Oystercatcher - 1

Turnstone - 8

Mediterranean Gull - 4os

Common Gull - 2W

Kittiwake - 10E

auk sp - 5E

Kittiwakes (above), Common Scoters, Gannet & Mediterranean Gull at the Bill (AH)

As the wind picked up and shifted south-west, a total of 17 Little Gulls were lingering close offshore before they dispersed, with three others going east further out. Full log below. (SH/SR)
(1300-1500hrs) (SE, F6, veering SW, F7-8)
Great northern Diver - 1os
Gannet - 1E, 2W,
Red-breasted Merganser - 4W, 2os
Oystercatcher - 3E
Turnstone - 2
Little Gull - 3E, 17os (Of which 6 drifted off east and 11 west)
Mediterranean Gull - 2os
Kittiwake - 45E, 4W
Sandwich Tern - 1W

Ferry Pool: Three first-winter Little Gulls went over together, heading west, this morning, whilst c40 Black-tailed Godwits, a dozen Redshanks and c300 Lapwings were on the field and 19 Avocets,  c100 Wigeon and Shovelers, c200 Teal and 12 Shelducks were around the pool. (AH)

Little Gulls (above), Avocets and Shovelers & Lapwings, Black-tailed Godwits and igeon at the Ferry (AH)

Marsh Farm, Sidlesham: There were 70 Cattle Egrets, with two Little Egret and a Grey Heron among them, in the fields this afternoon. (TG-P)

Church Norton: There were three Red-breasted Mergansers in the harbour on the full tide this morning, along with two Little Grebes and six Great Crested Grebes, with c100 Teal and c50 Wigeon spread about, but just a handful of Brent Geese were seen.

The only waders seen were a few Knot, Grey Plovers, Dunlin, Redshanks and Curlews, moving about as the tide dislodged them from their roosting sites. (AH)

Red-breasted Mergansers (above),Knot & Teal at Church Norton (AH)

Sunday, 20th November: A cold, but mostly bright, morning in a very fresh north-westerly breeze...........

Selsey Bill: There was a good mix this morning, including a drake Eider, six Avocets, 44 Brent Geese and 21 Red-breasted Merganser west and two Slavonian Grebes and five Great Northern Divers on the sea. Full log below. (JA/SH/BI/IP/SR/MO-W/AH)

(0710-1000hrs) (NW, F6)

Great Northern Diver - 5os

Red-throated Diver - 1E, 2W

diver sp - 2E

Slavonian Grebe - 2os

Great Crested Grebe - 2E, 4W

Gannet - 3E, 9W

Little Egret - 1W

Brent Goose - 1E, 44W

Shelduck - 1E, 7W

Wigeon - 9W

Teal - 4W

Tufted Duck - 1W

Eider - 1W 

Common Scoter -  2E, 12W, 8os

Red-breasted Merganser - 1E, 21W, 2os

Sparrowhawk - 1

Kestrel - 1

Oystercatcher - 2

Avocet - 6W

Sanderling - 5W

Mediterranean Gull - 6os

Kittiwake - 12W

Razorbill - 1E, 6W

auk sp - 2E, 20W

Skylark - 1W

Pied Wagtail - 1W

Starling - 1N

Eider (above), Avocets, Great Northern Diver & Mediterranean Gull at the Bill (AH)

Ferry Pool: The pool was full of ducks this morning, including at least 250 Teal, c100 Wigeon and Shovelers and 16 Shelducks, whilst a flock of 16 Avocets and a handful of Redshanks and Lapwings were the only waders about.

A Kingfisher flew along Red Barn Ditch, with a couple of Chiffchaffs among a mixed tit flock, a Cetti's Warbler. and a couple of Reed Buntings and Chaffinches were it for small birds around the Tramway, whilst over the harbour there were flocks of 23 Snipe, c50 Black-tailed Godwits, and 300 Lapwings at one point. (AH)

Snipe (above), Chiffchaff, Avocets & Wigeon around the Ferry (AH)

Park Farm, Selsey: A flock of 150+ Curlews was noticeable, and a reminder of the importance of this site for feeding birds, though otherwise three were just a few Meadow Pipits, a dozen Pied Wagtails and a Great Spotted Woodpecker about. (IP)

Long Pool and West side: A Marsh Harrier was out hunting, whilst a Kingfisher, a Reed Bunting and a Cetti's Warbler were along the path this afternoon.

Out in the harbour on the falling tide there were lots of birds, including c300 Brent Geese, 20 Avocets, c400 Golden Plovers, c300 Lapwing, c200 Dunlin, c100 Knot and c50 Grey Plovers. (S&SaH)

Church Norton: A Merlin put on a display, chasing a passerine over the islands and Pagham Spit before being lost to view, with it, or another briefly over the west side, whilst a Marsh Harrier was out over the harbour, with another distantly over the North Wall, and a further sighting towards the Ferry.

Around 50 Pintail and 35 Shovelers were among the many Wigeon along the main channel, with a couple of Little Grebes also present, whilst up to 2000 Brent Geese were commuting between the harbour and the fields behind the church.

An Avocet was along the central channel, 30 Ringed plovers were near the harbour mouth and 15 Knot were among the many Dunlin and Grey Plovers, whilst a Kingfisher was near the hide, with possibly another towards the spit, and a Red-throated Diver and two Red-breasted Mergansers went west offshore.  

Small birds were thin on the ground, though a Swallow went over the hide early on, and a Chiffchaff, two Goldcrests and five Long-tailed Tits were between the Severals. (AH/IP/P&JW)

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

Medmerry: Easton Lane to the Stilt Pool - The Long-tailed Duck and a Greenshank were again on the Stilt Pool late this morning, whilst the Arctic Tern was again present, seen heading in from the sea and over the breach.

Also, a female Marsh Harrier was again over the reserve, as was a Buzzard and four Kestrels, with 200 Brent Geese on the ground, but a Dartford Warbler and a Stonechat was about it along the blustery banks. (IC/S&SaH)

Marsh Farm, Sidlesham: Most of the activity was at Chalder Farm this morning, including a Black Redstart, a Grey Wagtail, three Pied Wagtails, a Green Woodpecker and a Great Spotted Woodpecker. 

Also, in the hedgerow towards Fisher there were four noisy Fieldfares feasting on berries and the meadows held 19 Shelducks, three Curlews and a Stock Dove, with two Buzzards, two Jays, a flock of Long-tailed Tits, another Green Woodpecker and 62 Cattle Egrets spread over a large area. (SR)

Pagham Spit: The Snow Bunting was again at the harbour end of the spit, whilst a Dartford Warbler was again along the path and a Slavonian Grebe was around the harbour mouth. (LP/AB/ C Griffiths et al)

Snow Bunting video: HERE

Snow Bunting at Pagham Spit (LP)

North Wall: It was quiet along the wall at high tide, with just a few Wigeon and Teal on the water and a handful of Redshank with a couple of Curlews and Grey Plovers on the mud, while further back was a mixture of Golden Plover, Lapwing and Black-tailed Godwits.

Three Marsh Harriers were behind the Breech Pool and a few Reed Buntings, Long-tailed Tits, a pair of Stonechats and a Pied Wagtail were along the hedgerows, and in the flooded fields further back, there were c500 Lapwing and a few Curlews. (LP)

Redshank (above) & Pied Wagtail at the North Wall (LP)

Drayton Pits: The four Great White Egrets were again on the partially drained north Pit, along with at least half a dozen Little Egrets and Grey Herons. 

There were also an Egyptian Goose, two Gadwall, 27 Pochard, 56 Tufted Ducks and 125 Shovelers present. (BI/AH)

Great White Egret (above) & Great White Egret and Little Egret at Drayton Pits (AH)

Saturday, 19th November: It was quite grey and chill early on, in a fairly light northerly breeze, though warming with the sun as the wind shifted west.......

Selsey Bill: A Goldeneye went west this morning, and a Slavonian Grebe and up to eight Great Northern Divers were around, too, including five of the latter together on the sea at one point.

Also, a Song Thrush was watched flying in off the sea and three Bottle-nosed Dolphins were lingering offshore. Full log below. (SH/SR/AH/IP/ABi)

(0700-0930hrs) (NNW, F3)

Great Northern Diver - 2E, 6os

Red-throated Diver - 1W

Slavonian Grebe - 1os

Great Crested Grebe - 4W, 2os

Gannet - 5E, 6W

Brent Goose - 3E, 22W

Teal - 5W

Goldeneye - 1W

Common Scoter - 10E, 3W, 4os

Red-breasted Merganser - 1E, 3W, 2os

Oystercatcher - 1

Grey Plover - 3W

Dunlin - 6W

Turnstone - 8

Mediterranean Gull - 2os

Razorbill - 1W

auk sp - 1E, 3W

Meadow Pipit - 1N

Song Thrush - 1N

Goldfinch - 50

Bottle-nosed Dolphin - 3os

Slavonian Grebe (above), Great Northern Diver, Red-throated Diver & Razorbill at the Bill (AH)

Ferry Pool: The pool itself held c100 Shovelers, c100 Teal and c50 Wigeon, with c250 Lapwings in the fields, whilst seven Redshank, a Dunlin and two Little Egrets were in the Channel opposite.

Two more Redshanks and a Little Egret were in Red Barn Ditch, too, where a Water Rail was showing really well. (CBo/AH)

Water Rail (above), Dunlin, Redshank & Little Egret around the Ferry (CBo)

Park Farm, Selsey: The fields remain very wet, though a flock of over 20 Pied Wagtails were in the northeast corner, where strangely a Chiffchaff was among them, whilst a Green Woodpecker was flying around the farm and another Chiffchaff was where it should be, in a bramble. (IP)

Church Norton: A drake Goldeneye flew west, close offshore from the second Several this morning, and there were three Sandwich Terns feeding there, too.

The harbour was absolutely full of birds, with three flocks of Avocets totalling at least 35 birds, a flock of 30 Knot, a Kingfisher feeding in the channel near the harbour mouth, two Little Grebes and 30 Pintail, plus the usual other waders and wildfowl. Also, a Marsh Harrier flew from the direction of the Ferry and eventually landed in the saltmarsh in the middle of the harbour and a Kestrel was also present.

A Firecrest was in the churchyard, whilst at least five Goldcrests and a few Long-tailed Tits were between the Severals, whilst a minimum of four Dartford Warblers were around the gorse and the first Several, along with a Reed Bunting and two Cetti's Warblers, whilst a Swallow and two Sparrowhawks went over. (IP/HB)

Pagham Spit: The Snow Bunting was at the western end of the spit again this morning, though still unusually flighty, whilst a Dartford Warbler, a Stonechat and c30 Linnets were also present.

A Mediterranean Gull and a few Common Gulls were in the harbour, along with large numbers of Brent Geese and Wigeon, whilst at least 500 Lapwings and c300 Golden Plovers flew up from the northern end. 

Also, a Common Seal was hauled out on the mud, with another in the water near the harbour mouth. (BI/AH/RHa)

Both the Snow Bunting ewre still present and showing this afternoon. (IP/TB et al)

Snow Bunting (above), Golden Plovers & Lapwings and Common Seal at Pagham Spit (AH)

North Wall: Both the male and female Marsh Harriers were seen this morning, along with a Fieldfare and a few Reed Buntings, but there were just a handful of Mallard on the Breech Pool. The nearest fields behind the wall were empty, but those further in held c1000 Lapwings and several hundred Brent Geese and gulls.

There were plenty of birds in and around White's Creek, including a Kingfisher, a dozen Grey Plovers, c50 Redshank, c200 Lapwings, c400 Black-tailed Godwits, c200 Wigeon and just a few Pintail and Teal. (AH/LP/CT)

This afternoon both Marsh Harriers were again about, along with two Kingfishers,  whilst waders included 15 Snipe (with 13 of them in one flock), c300 Golden Plovers and c400 Lapwings. (S&SaH)

Kingfisher (above), Reed Bunting, Grey Plover & Wigeon at the North Wall (AH)

Medmerry: Easton Lane to the Stilt Pool - A female Marsh Harrier was out over the reserve this morning, but the banks were quite quiet, with just a Reed Bunting, a Song Thrush, four Stonechats and 11 Yellowhammers seen, whilst two Snipe were the only waders on the Stilt Pool. (S&SaH)

This afternoon a Merlin was sat out on the fences and a Marsh Harrier was showing well. (DY)

Merlin at Medmerry (DY)

Medmerry: Porthole Farm to Wilson's Farm - Late this afternoon there were eight Fieldfares in the trees by the cover crop field at Wilson's Farm, with c30 Yellowhammers, c20 Reed Buntings, c60 Linnets and a ew Greenfinches and Chaffinches coming in to roost.

A Snipe, three Skylarks and a pair of Red-legged Partridges in the stubble fields were the only things at Porthole Farm. (AH)

Fieldfares (above), Yellowhammer & Red-legged Partridge at Medmerry (AH)