Birding the Selsey Peninsula: 20th

Sunday, 22nd January: Similar to yesterday; a cold, frosty and sunny start with a light north-easterly breeze, the temperature easing above freezing as the day progressed.....

Selsey Bill: There was a good selection this morning, including two Black-throated Divers east, two Goldeneyes west and two Slavonian Grebes on the sea. Full log below. (SH/JA/PB/MRB/AH/IP/SR)

(0730-0930hrs) (NE, F2-3)

Great Northern Diver - 2os

Black-throated Diver - 2E

Red-throated Diver - 24E, 42W, 3os

diver sp - 3W

Slavonian Grebe - 2os

Great Crested Grebe - 1E, 2W, 1os

Shag - 1E

Brent Goose - 17E, 10W

Shelduck - 4W

Teal - 2W

Pintail - 4E

Goldeneye - 2W

Common Scoter - 2E, 10W

Red-breasted Merganser - 2E, 9W, 9os

Oystercatcher - 1

Turnstone - 14

Mediterranean Gull - 3os

Sandwich Tern - 3os

Guillemot - 1E

auk sp - 19E, 5W

Later, the Velvet Scoter flew in and dropped on the sea and an Eider went east. (SH)

(1230-`330hrs)

Great Northern Diver - 2os

Red-throated Diver - 20E, 8W

diver sp - 1E

Slavonian Grebe - 1E

Great Crested Grebe - 2os

Eider - 1E

Velvet Scoter - 1os

Common Scoter - 3E, 8os

Red-breasted Merganser - 3E,5W

Sandwich Tern - 1os

Razorbill - 2W

auk sp - 2E, 3W

Goldeneyes (above), Red-throated Divers & Brent Geese at the Bill (AH)

Ferry Pool: A Grey Heron was the only bird on the frozen pool, whilst the channel opposite just held a few Redshanks, c50 Wigeon and c100 Teal, and a Buzzard was sat out along the Tramway. (AH)

Buzzard at the Ferry (AH)

Park Farm, Selsey: The easterly fields held a feeding flock of 25 Pied Wagtails, a few Meadow Pipits and a dozen Skylarks, whilst the only raptor of the day, a Kestrel, was also present in the tree line. (IP)

Church Norton: The Greenshank was back in the very southerly part of the harbour along with plenty of the regular waders, and in addition to these there were five Avocets towards the Ferry and a flock of thirty Black-ailed Godwits flew across to the North Wall,, whilst on the duck front at least 200 Pintail were the dominant species and a single female Goldeneye was in the middle of the harbour. .

Offshore two distant Red-throated Divers flew east and a closer bird went west. along with a Red-breasted Merganser, whilst on the sea there were four Great Crested and three Slavonian Grebes, along with two Great Northern Divers and a distant flock of c12 Common Scoter.

Also, an unseen Chiffchaff was calling in Bluebell Wood. (IP)

Greenshank at Church Norton (IP)

Pagham Spit: The Snow Bunting as again at the west end of he spit today. (GJ)

Sidlesham Quay: A Dartford Warbler was seen flying in and out of a hedge south of the quay this afternoon. (T Jones per SOS)

North Wall: There was a good selection of birds again on the flooded arable fields at Church Barton Farm, including 87 Black-tailed Godwits, 69 Snipe, 26 Dunlin, 37 Redshank, 12 Golden Plovers, 360 Lapwings, three Ruff, 120 Black-headed Gulls, 18 Herring Gulls, six Great Black-backed Gulls, 18 Shelduck, 36 Teal, 13 Wigeon, eight Mallard, eight Fieldfares, a Marsh Harrier and a Buzzard. (BI/JDW/LP)

A Great Spotted Woodpecker and a Jay were down the lane this morning and a Lapwing and a Song Thrush were in the paddock, whilst two Marsh Harriers, two Buzzards and a Kestrel were behind the Breech Pool, and along the wall there were 20+ Reed Buntings, eight Meadow Pipits, 20 Long-tailed Tits and two Yellowhammers.

Also, spread around the partly frozen flooded fields there were 1000 Brent Geese, 200 Wigeon, 500 Black-tailed Godwits, 100 Snipe, 30 Curlews, 50 Redshank and a lone Fieldfare. (LP/DH)

Ruff (above), Fieldfare, Marsh Harrier, Yellowhammer, Snipe, Lapwing & Great Spotted Woodpecker at the North Wall (LP)

Chi GPs: Drayton House pits - The pits were largely frozen over this morning, with perhaps less than 10% of their area still open water, but even so the South pit in particular was teeming with wildfowl, mainly Shoveler and Teal.

Totals for the pits were c.300 of the former and 450 of the latter, whilst other highlights included two, possibly three, Great White Egrets, two Little Egrets, a dozen Grey Herons and a Kingfisher, all making for an interesting WeBS count. (OM)

Shovelers and Teal (above), Shovelers (mainly) & Great White Egret (OM)

Medmerry: Easton Lane to the Stilt Pool - A Black Redstart was on the rocks near the Stilt Pool this afternoon, and a Green Sandpiper was on the reserve, whilst both Barn Owls were out, along with a female Marsh Harrier, a Peregrine, three Buzzards and two Kestrels.

Two Dartford Warblers, three Stonechats and a Yellowhammer were along the banks, with a Kingfisher, a Snipe, a Greenshank, a Grey Plover, c100 Lapwings, c200 Golden Plovers and c500 Brent Geese also about. (HB/SH/DY et al)

Fishbourne Creek: There were five male and four female Goldeneyes along the creek this morning, the best count by far this winter, with a couple of Red-breasted Mergansers, a handful of Great Crested Grebes and many hundreds of Brent Geese and Wigeon also on the water.

At least two Jack Snipe and ten Snipe were along the harbour's edge, with c400 Black-tailed Godwits and three Greenshank among the many waders present on the high tide, whilst a Kingfisher was flying about, looking for somewhere to settle on the busy banks and a Marsh Harrier was hunting along the far side.

Also, at least half a dozen Rock Pipits were along the edges, a pair of Stonechats were by the Lavant outflow and a Coal Tit was singing in the church carpark. (BI/AH/PB/MRB)

Jack Snipe (above), Snipe, Goldeneyes, Kingfisher, Rock Pipit, Red-breasted Mergansers & Black-tailed Godwits at Fishbourne Creek (AH)

Saturday, 21st January: A fine and sunny morning, initially very cold, but warming up in the light north-easterly breeze........

Selsey Bill: There were a few of the regulars species moving about this morning, most notably 39 Red-throated Divers and nine Guillemots west and the first (five) Sandwich Terns in a week. Full log below. (SH/BI/P&LH/AH)

(0730-0930hrs) (NE, F2-3)

Great Northern Diver - 3os

Red-throated Diver - 4E, 39W, 1os

diver sp - 1W

Great Crested Grebe - 5E, 3W

Fulmar - 1W

Gannet - 8E, 12W

Brent Goose - 3W

Shelduck - 1W

Common Scoter - 1E, 1os

Red-breasted Merganser - 5E, 6W

Turnstone - 2

Mediterranean Gull - 3os

Sandwich Tern - 5os

Guillemot - 9W

Razorbill - 1E, 4W

auk sp - 12E, 75W

(1330-1430hrs) (SH)

Great Northern Diver - 1os

Red-throated Diver - 2E, 11W

Great Crested Grebe - 1W

Gannet - 2E, 1W

Brent Goose - 8E

Velvet Scoter - 1os

auk sp - 1E, 4W

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

Ferry Pool: The pool is still frozen, whilst the channel opposite just held a few Wigeon and Teal. (AH)

Late this afternoon the Spotted Redshank was in Ferry Channel, along with five Redshanks and c200 Teal. (AH)

Spotted Redshank in Ferry Channel (AH)

North Wall: Down the lane to the stables there were two Great Spotted Woodpeckers, 10 Long-tailed Tits and a few Blue Tits, Great Tits and Goldfinches, whilst both the male and female Marsh Harriers were up over the reeds and five Snipe were in the flooded fields, along with a few Lapwing and Curlew.

Along the wall there were 20 Reed Buntings and a few Meadow Pipits while at Halsey’s Farm, 200 Wigeon were in and around the rife and 1000 Brent Geese were in the fields along with 100 Black-tailed Godwits, 40 Curlew and a few Redshanks. (LP)

The arable fields around Church Barton Farm held a lot of birds this morning, including two Ruff, 72 Common Snipe, 940 Black-tailed Godwits, 310 Lapwing, 69 Redshank, 54 Teal, 48 Black-headed Gulls, 28 Coot, 22 Wigeon, 22 Dunlin, 16 Shelduck, two female Marsh Harriers and a Common Buzzard. (JDW)

Snipe (above), Reed Bunting & Brent Geese at the North Wall (LP)

Church Norton: Three Slavonian Grebes and a Sandwich Tern were offshore this morning. (J Curson)

Sidlesham churchyard: There were four Fieldfares were feeding on the berry bushes this morning, with a Goldcrest, three Jays and both Green and Great Spotted Woodpeckers also present. (IP)

Fishbourne Creek: Three Jack Snipe were along the edge of the harbour, together with a few Rock Pipits, whilst four Goldeneye were on the water.

Also, a Redwing was in the trees by the path to the churchyard, a Kingfisher flew north up the creek and there was also a male Yellowhammer, a pair of Reed Buntings and a Green and a Great Spotted Woodpecker present. (IP)

East Head: There was no sign of the Long-tailed Duck this morning, though there was a Dartford Warbler in the dunes. (GM)

Medmerry: Easton Lane to the Stilt Pool - The banks were quite busy this morning, with three Dartford Warblers, four Reed Buntings, four Stonechats, seven Goldcrests, six Long-tailed Tits and c100 Meadow Pipits and Skylarks seen, whilst a Kingfisher and a Greenshank were near the poplars.

Five Snipe and eight Ringed Plovers were the only waders on the Stilt Pool, whilst c750 Brent Geese were on the arable fields and c200 Golden Plovers and Lapwings, two Kestrels and four Buzzards were seen over the reserve. (S&SaH)

Also, the Merlin was about again this morning, and there was a flock of seven White Wagtails present. (AT)

Medmerry: Porthole Farm to Ham Farm to Wilson's Farm - There was a huge flock of up to 200 Skylarks in the stubble fields at Porthole Farm, with c20 Meadow Pipits, c30 Golden Plovers, c150 Lapwings and c40 Stock Doves among them, whilst the settling tanks held c50 Pied Wagtails and up to 20 Chiffchaffs were spread all along the southerly hedge of the sewage works.

The Medmerry Trail to Ham was essentially birdless, whilst at Ham there were just two pairs of Stonechats and c40 Meadow Pipits along the banks, but the big arable field to the west held c250 Golden Plovers, c100 Lapwings, c30 Stock Doves and c60 Skylarks.

The cover crop field at Wilson's Farm was very quiet, with just four Reed Buntings - worryingly, the only buntings seen all morning - a Redwing, six Song Thrushes and c80 Linnets seen. (AH)

Golden Plovers (above), Lapwing, Redwing, Song Thrush, Stonechat, Meadow Pipits & Skylarks at Medmerry (AH)

Friday, 20th January: Another cold and bright morning in a fresh north-westerly breeze....

Selsey Bill: Three Eiders west and four Slavonian Grebes were the highlights this morning, with more activity from the regular species, too. Full log below. (AH/BI/KT/SR/IP)

(0745-0915hrs) (NW, F4-5)

Great Northern Diver - 3E, 1W

Red-throated Diver - 4E, 6W

Slavonian Grebe - 4os

Great Crested Grebe - 2os

Brent Goose - 1W

Eider - 3W

Common Scoter - 19E, 15W, 7os

Red-breasted Merganser - 7W

Oystercatcher - 3W

Turnstone - 1E

Mediterranean Gull - 2os

Kittiwake - 3E

auk sp - 21E, 6W

Red-throated Diver (above), Great Northern Diver & Mediterranean Gull at the Bill (AH)

Ferry Pool: The pool remains frozen, whilst the channel opposite held many ducks on the high tide, including c50 Wigeon, c200 Teal, c50 Mallards and two Gadwall, whilst at the far end c20 Avocets were roosting, and a few Redshanks and Lapwings were on the scattered islands. (AH)

Wigeon in Ferry Channel (AH)

North Wall: There were impressive numbers of birds on the partially flooded and frozen fields west of Church Barton reservoir this morning, including 520 Black-tailed Godwits, 240 Lapwing, 32 Redshank, eight Dunlin, five Common Snipe, 32 Wigeon, 19 Shelduck, two Marsh Harriers, 80 Starlings, two Stonechats and a Grey Heron. (JDW)

Later on, there were good numbers of Fieldfares in the last field along Summer Lane. (KJ)

Church Norton: There wasn't much doing on the high tide this morning, with just a lone Great Crested Grebe and two Common Gulls offshore, and not much in the harbour beyond roosting flocks of Knot, Dunlin and Grey Plovers and c40 Pintail, c50 Wigeon and c50 Teal, most of which were along the main channel.

Also, a Rock Pipit flew out from the path to the beach and a handful of Goldcrests and Long-tailed Tits were around the sheltered hedges. (AH)

Teal (above) & Goldcrest at Church Norton (AH)

East Head: The Long-tailed Duck that has been recently reported from the Hampshire side of the harbour was viewable from the end of the Head this morning, with at least four Sanderlings also about. Offshore towards Hayling Island were at least 12 Great Crested Grebes and there were plenty of Skylarks and Linnets, as well as a Stonechat, feeding on the saltmarsh on the leeward side. (BI/PH/SR)

Long-tailed Duck (above), Sanderling & Stonechat at East Head (BI)

Medmerry: Easton Lane to Marsh Barn - A female Merlin was sat out on the reserve late this afternoon before flying off west, and two Barn Owls were out hunting at dusk, with a Sparrowhawk also seen.

The banks were very quiet beyond a few Meadow Pipits and a calling Goldcrest, whilst c100 Lapwings and c20 Golden Plovers came up from the reserve. (AH)