Birding the Selsey Peninsula: 14th

Friday, 16th December: After a very cold start, a beautiful, crisp and bright morning, with the north-easterly breeze having abated.......

Selsey Bill: Another quiet morning, though a Grey Heron flew out to sea and 18 Red-throated Divers went east. Full log below. (BI/AH/IP)

(0745-0915hrs) (NNE, F4)

Great Northern Diver - 2E, 2os

Red-throated Dive - 18E, 4W, 2os

Great Crested Grebe - 1os

Grey Heron - 1S

Brent Goose - 1E

Shelduck - 4W

Teal - 9W

Common Scoter - 1W

Red-breasted Merganser - 11E, 8W

Sandwich Tern - 2os

auk sp - 79E, 6W

Pied Wagtail - 1

Sandwich Tern (above) & Red-breasted Mergansers and Teal at the Bill (AH)

Ferry Pool: The pool is still frozen, whilst a Kingfisher, a couple of Redshanks, c20 Teal ad c40 Wigeon were in the channel opposite. (AH)

Kingfisher (above) & Wigeon in Ferry Channel (AH)

Park Farm, Selsey: A Green Sandpiper flew over, calling, this morning. (IP)

Drayton Pits: One Great White Egret was on the North Pit this morning. (BI)

West Itchenor: A Jack Snipe was near the horse pond this morning, and c600 Knot were out in the harbour. (HB)

East Head: Three Greenshanks, six Avocets, 40 Black-tailed Godwits, 40 Wigeon and 200 Teal were in Snowhill Creek this morning. (PH)

Medmerry: Easton Lane to Wilson's Farm and the Stilt Pool - The fields and hedges towards Wilson's Farm were full of birds this morning, including c200 Golden Plovers and Lapwings, three Snipe, at least 40 Song Thrushes, c20 Yellowhammers, c50 Reed Buntings, c200 Linnets and Meadow Pipits, c50 Skylarks and a pair of Stonechats, plus a Fox.

By contrast the western banks were quiet, with just a couple of pairs of Stonechats, c25 Skylarks and Meadow Pipits and a couple of Yellowhammers seen, though there was a huge flock, of c3000 Brent Geese spread around the fields west of Marsh Barn.

An oddly summer-plumaged Bar-tailed Godwit was the only bird on a fully frozen Stilt Pool, whilst a Snipe flew over, but the reserve was very quiet, too. (AH)

Golden Plovers (above), Stonechat, Meadow Pipit, Song Thrushes, Bar-tailed Godwit, Brent Geese & Fox at Medmerry (AH)

Church Norton: There were 31 Avocets in the harbour this morning along with plenty of the common waders including many close Dunlin feeding on the edge of the ice. Along the Spit were six Skylarks and two Kingfishers, one on the metalwork and one towards the Pagham side, and a few Linnets flew over.

On the sea were two Shelduck, three Slavonian Grebes and two Great Crested Grebes, the latter in the company of what appeared to be a Red-necked Grebe. (BI)

Late this afternoon there were five Slavonian Grebes, two Common Scoters, four Red-breasted Mergansers and four Great Crested Grebes on the sea, with a female Goldeneye in the harbour. (AH)

Goldeneye and Teal at Church Norton (AH)

Pagham Spit: The Snow Bunting was again at the far end of the spit this afternoon, with two Kingfishers nearby. (TG)

North Wall: The male and female Marsh Harriers were interacting behind the Breech pool this morning, with four Water Rails on the ice around the reeds of the completely frozen pool, whilst another was on the lower path further along, and four more were on the ice at Owl Water, where there was also a Kingfisher fishing along the bank.

Four Yellowhammers, two Greenfinches, six Reed Buntings and a Collared Dove were along the hedges and a Rock Pipit was on the rocks, while 11 Snipe flew out of the harbour.

At Halsey’s Farm 500 Wigeon, 100 Black-tailed Godwits and 60 Curlew where in the fields, two Song Thrushes were in the bushes and 50 Dunlin were on the mud in the harbour, with a few Redshank and Grey Plovers, whilst another Kingfisher was by the sluice and two Little Grebes were in White's Creek with the usual Wigeon and Teal. (LP/GHi/JDW)

Water Rails (above), Marsh Harrier, Yellowhammer, Kingfisher, Song Thrush & Collared Dove at the North Wall (LP)

Thursday, 15th December: The cold spell continues, with another bright, but very cold morning in a moderate north-easterly breeze.......

Selsey Bill: There was some slight evidence of cold weather movements this morning, with five Golden Plovers dropping in on the Oval Field, before heading off west, over 100 Lapwings going east offshore (including a flock of 90) and a few more Red-throated Divers about than of late. Full log below. (SR/IP/AH)

(0800-915hrs) (NNE, F4)

Great Northern Diver - 1os

Red-throated Diver - 15E, 3W

Shelduck - 4E

Teal - 4W

Common Scoter - 8os, then W

Red-breasted Merganser - 8E, 3W

Golden Plover - 5W

Lapwing - 105E

Turnstone - 3

Mediterranean Gull - 3E

Sandwich Tern - 2os

Rock Pipit - 1

Pied Wagtail - 1E

Golden Plovers (above), Lapwings & Red-throated Diver at the Bill (AH)

Ferry Pool: The pool remains frozen solid and birdless, though a Kingfisher, a Snipe, a Dunlin, five Redshanks and c25 Wigeon and Teal were in the channel opposite. (AH)

Kingfisher at the Ferry (AH)

Long Pool: A couple of Reed Buntings and a Song Thrush were the only birds in the hedges, whilst c20 Golden Plovers and c50 Lapwings were on the fields, along with c50 St0ck Doves and 300 Wood Pigeons.

Ferry Channel was full of birds, including four Avocets, a few Dunlin, Grey Plovers, Redshank and Curlews, plus at ;least 300 Teal and 200 Wigeon. (AH)

Avocet (above) & Reed Bunting along the Long Pool (AH)

Pagham Spit: The Snow Bunting was still at the far end of the spit this afternoon, with a Kingfisher nearby, and there were still three female Goldeneyes in the harbour. (LP)

Goldeneyes at Pagham Spit (LP)

North Wall: What were probably the five Barnacle Geese and three 'Cackling'-type Geese were out on the saltmarsh this morning, and the usual Wigeon and Teal were along White’s Creek, with a few Redshank, Curlew, Grey Plovers, Lapwing, Dunlin and a Ringed Plover.

A Stonechat was along the rocks and four Yellowhammers and two Greenfinches were in the bushes, whilst both male and female Marsh Harriers were behind the Breech Pool, where there was just a pair of Teal on the ice.

At Owl Water, a Kingfisher was fishing along the thawed margins and three Water Rails were briefly out on the ice, while at Halsey’s Farm 500 Wigeon and a few Teal were in the fields, two Song Thrushes were in the bushes and another Kingfisher was also around. (LP/TG)

Water Rails (above), Kingfisher, Stonechat, Teal and Ringed Plovers at the North Wall (LP)

Church Norton: At about 1245hrs a flock of eight geese were distantly visible on the saltmarsh at the North Wall before they flew into the channel and were lost to view....there were clearly some Barnacle Geese in the flock but it was not possible to be certain if they all were from my viewpoint!

At least four Avocets were visible along the West side and 30+ Pintail were showing nicely in the sunshine, whilst a number of Knot were amongst the Dunlin, but otherwise it was standard fare. (OM)

Ivy Lake complex: A flighty flock of c120 Greylag Geese was notable this morning, as were c40 Gadwall on Nunnery Lake, with another dozen on the other pits, with two Egyptian Geese, c50 Canada Geese and a dozen or so Shovelers, Mallard, Tufted Ducks and Pochard completing the wildfowl present.

A Lesser Black-backed Gull and a handful of Common Gulls were among the gulls present, whilst two Lapwings flew over and a Chiffchaff and a couple of Goldcrests were along the hedges. (AH)

Gadwall (above), Pochard, Common Gull, Goldcrest & Greylag Geese at Ivy Lake (AH)

Wednesday, 14th December: Another cold and fairly overcast day in a moderate north-easterly breeze....

Selsey Bill: The drake Eider was sat on the bar again this morning, though otherwise it was just small numbers of the regular species. Full log below. (AH/SR)

(0750-0850hrs) (NNE, F4-5)

Great Northern Diver - 2E

Red-throated Diver - 2W

Great Crested Grebe - 1os

Gannet - 1W

Shelduck - 6W

Eider - 1os

Common Scoter - 9E, 1W

Red-breasted Merganser - 1E, 1W

Turnstone - 2

Mediterranean Gull - 1E

Common Gull - 1E

Razorbill - 2E

auk sp - 6E

Great Northern Diver (above) & Eider at the Bill (AH)

Ferry Pool: The pool is still frozen, with just a handful of Teal and two Redshanks in the channel opposite. (AH)

Marsh Farm, Sidlesham: A good look around the area only found a dozen or so widely spread Cattle Egrets, though the fields held plenty of other birds, including c120 Curlews, c300 Black-tailed Godwits, c400 Lapwings, plus a couple of Snipe, together with a couple of Mediterranean and Common Gulls among the many Black-headed Gulls and 50 Stock Doves.

A Red Kite, a Buzzard and a Sparrowhawk went over, whilst a Grey Wagtail was with a dozen or so Pied Wagtails and Meadow Pipits at Chalder Farm, with a few Chaffinches, Greenfinches and Reed Buntings in the adjacent hedges, and up to ten Fieldfares flew over, calling.

Also, three Stonechats were around Church Farm Lane, plus a few more Meadow Pipits, whilst a couple of Goldcrests and Song Thrushes were in the churchyard, along with at least 20 Blackbirds. (AH)

Cattle Egret (above), Red Kite, Grey Wagtail, Meadow Pipit, Pied Wagtail, Stonechat & Black-tailed Godwits at Marsh Farm, Sidlesham (AH)

Later on, in the churchyard, the ornamental cherry was proving popular, with c20 Blackbirds and a Fieldfare around it, with two Jays, two Mistle Thrushes, a Song Thrush, seven Long-tailed Tits and a Chiffchaff also present. (SR)

Fieldfare (above) & Song Thrush in Sidlesham churchyard (SR)

East side: Around 200 Brent Geese, 250 Wigeon, 18 Great Black-backed Gulls, a Marsh Harrier, a Sparrowhawk, and a Rock Pipit ewre seen along the side of the harbour, whilst the Slipe Field held a Stonechat, two Song Thrushes, a Greenfinch, seven Reed Buntings and 45 Linnets. (CRJ)

Linnets and Goldfinches along the east side (CRJ)

North Wall: Along the wall there were just a Common Buzzard, a couple of Jays and Song Thrushes, a Rock Pipit and two Yellowhammers, whilst at Halsey’s Farm there were 300 Wigeon and 50 Teal in the fields, with, sadly, a sickly looking Cattle Egret just on the harbour bank. (CRJ)