23rd - 25th January 2023

Wednesday, 25th January: A really gloomy morning, with leaden skies and mist never far away, but above freezing and the breeze light and from the north.....

Selsey Bill: There was absolutely nothing on the move this morning, though up to six Great Northern Divers were on the water. Full log below. (SR/ABi/MO-W/AH)

(0745-0900hrs) (NNW, F2-3)

Great Northern Diver - 1E, 6os

Great Crested Grebe - 1os

Brent Goose - 1os

Red-breasted Merganser - 3E, 3os

Oystercatcher - 2

Mediterranean Gull - 4os

Great Northern Divers (above) & Mediterranean Gull at the Bill (AH)

Selsey: A female Bullfinch was seen in hedgerow just south of Costa Coffee, by the roundabout on the north of the village. (IP)

Ferry Pool: The pool is still frozen, and consequently birdless, with just c50 Wigeon, c50 Teal and a couple of Redshanks in the channel opposite. (AH)

Wigeon at the Ferry (AH)

North Wall: A Goldcrest was down the lane to the stables this morning and a Song Thrush and a Stonechat were behind the paddock, whilst just four Tufted Ducks were on the Breech Pool and in the flooded fields there were two Gadwall, four Shovelers, 200 Black-tailed Godwits, 20 Snipe, 200 Wigeon, 50 Teal and a few Lapwing and Curlews.
Also, a dozen Long-tailed Tits were along the hedgerows and many Brent Geese were moving between the harbour and the fields. (LP) 

Black-ailed Godwits (above), Tufted Duck & Curlew at the North Wall (LP)

West Itchenor: A look along the side of the harbour this morning produced up to ten Bar-tailed Godwits, c20 Grey Plovers and Curlews and c300 Dunlin, along with 50 or so Brent Geese, whilst three Red-breasted Mergansers and six Great Crested Grebes were on the water.
There were a surprisingly large number of birds in Chalkdock Copse, including two Tree-creepers, up to four Goldcrests, 20 Goldfinches and at least 50 Long-tailed Tits and Blue Tits, whilst a Rock Pipit was along the path and the adjacent arable fields held at least 20 Stock Doves and 100 Lapwings. There were also two Foxes out on an island, right in the middle of the harbour. (AH)

Bar-tailed Godwit (above), Bar-tailed Godwit and Dunlin, Tree-creeper, Rock Pipit, Lapwing & Foxes at West Itchenor (AH)

Tuesday, 24th January: A cold, murky and grey morning in a fairly fresh north-easterly breeze....

Selsey Bill: It remains quiet, though a Black-throated Diver and a few Red-throated and Great Northern Divers were seen. Full log below. (AH/P&LH/IP/SR/KJ et al)

(0750-1015hrs) (ENE, F3-4)

Great Northern Diver - 5os

Black-throated Diver - 1E

Red-throated Diver - 10E

Great Crested Grebe - 1E, 1os

Gannet - 5E, 1os

Red-breasted Merganser - 8os

Oystercatcher - 2W

Turnstone - 44

Mediterranean Gull - 2os

Sandwich Tern - 4os

Razorbill - 1E, 2os

Later on, the Red-necked Grebe was seen drifting west, quite close inshore. Full log below. (P&LH)

(1300-1440hrs) 

Great Northern Diver - 1E, 1os

Red-throated Diver - 4E, 1W

Red-necked Grebe - 1os

Eider - 1E

Red-breasted Merganser - 16E, 3W

Turnstone -5

Sandwich Tern - 1os

Razorbill - 4E, 2os

auk sp - 3E

Great Northern Diver at the Bill (AH)

Ferry Pool: The pool remains frozen still, whilst the channel opposite held c50 Wigeon, c200 Teal and a pair of Gadwall. (AH)

Gadwall and Teal, Teal & Wigeon at the Ferry (AH)

Church Norton: There were at least 300 Knot and lots of Dunlin and Grey Plovers out on the mud this morning, with c100 Teal, c50 Wigeon, c20 Pintail and c50 Brent Geese along the main channel.

There was nothing offshore, beyond a couple of Common Gulls, though, and Greenlease Farm was more or less bird free, with the churchyard the most active place, with a Chiffchaff, a couple of Goldcrests and a couple of Jays around the vicinity. (AH/P&LH)

Later on, around 15 Avocets were in the main channel and a Green Woodpecker was behind the hide. (GSh)

Chiffchaff (above), Goldcrest, Common Gull & Knot and Wigeon at Church Norton (AH)

Chichester Marina: Three Marsh Harriers were seen over the reedbeds early this morning. (PH)

West Itchenor: Two Rock Pipits were on the saltmarsh west of the jetty with another pipit that was possibly a Water Pipit, but unfortunately it moved and could not e relocated. (PH)

Fishbourne Creek: At least five Goldeneyes were north of Dell Quay today, and a Kingfisher was skulking by the harbour wall near the Lavant outflow. (GSh).

Pagham Spit and Lagoon: There were a drake and three female Goldeneyes on the Lagoon this afternoon, with a Rock Pipit along the spit and two Bar-tailed Godwits in the adjacent harbour. (KJ et al)

North Wall area: At least 20 Snipe were in the flooded fields at the end of Summer Lane, along with a Golden Plover and many Black-tailed Godwits. (KJ et al)

Sidlesham Churchyard: A fairly flighty Firecrest was around the trees by the churchyard gate along Church Farm Lane this morning, together with a pair of Stock Doves and a few Long-tailed, Blue and Great Tits, whilst a flock of 14 Fieldfares were eating the berries from the bush by the other gate. (AH)

Fieldfares in Sidlesham churchyard (AH)

Monday, 23rd January: A fine and sunny, if cold, morning, in a moderate north-easterly breeze......

Selsey Bill: It was pretty slow this morning, with just a few of the regular species about. Full log below. (AH/SR/IP/RP/ABi)

(0800-0900hrs) (ENE, F3-4)

Great Northern Diver - 1os

Red-throated Diver - 3E, 1W

Great Crested Grebe - 1os

Red-breasted Merganser - 1W, 2os

Oystercatcher - 2W

Turnstone - 30W

Mediterranean Gull - 1os

Pied Wagtail - 1E

Mediterranean Gull at the Bill (AH)

Ferry Pool: There was just a Grey Heron on the frozen pool again, whilst the channel opposite just held c50 Teal, c20 Wigeon and a handful of Redshanks. (AH)

Wigeon at the Ferry (AH)

Late this afternoon, the Spotted Redshank and an Avocet were in the channel opposite. (AH)

Spotted Redshank (above) & Avocet in Ferry Channel (AH)

Selsey: A Barn Owl was out hunting over the waste ground opposite the Selsey Centre this evening. (SH)

Northcommon Farm: A Short-eared Owl was in the paddocks near the farm late this afternoon. (RS)

Fishbourne Creek: There were seven Goldeneye on the water off of Dell Quay this morning and two Marsh Harriers went over west between there and the Marina. (PH)

Medmerry: Easton Lane to the Stilt Pool - The Black Redstart was again by the sea defence rocks opposite the Stilt Pool this afternoon, and a Barn Owl was out along the banks. (RP)

North Wall: One Ruff was on the arable fields, along with c300 Black-tailed Godwits, c60 Snipe and plenty of Dunlin, Redshanks, Wigeon and Teal.early this morning. (JDW)

There were a lot fewer birds later, with just 50 or so Snipe, Redshank and Dunlin present, though there were at least another 50 Snipe on the flooded and frozen fields behind the wall, along with a few more Redshanks, Black-tailed Godwits, Curlews and Lapwings, whilst there were also a dozen Meadow Pipits, a Song Thrush and c20 Reed Buntings about, as well as both Marsh Harriers, two Kestrels and c1500 Brent Geese.

There were a lot of birds in the harbour from the far end of White's Creek on the rising tide, including the five Barnacle and three 'Cackling'-type Geese, c120 Pintail, c300 Wigeon, c100 Teal and vast numbers of Knot, Dunlin, Grey Plovers and Curlews, with a Common Seal in the main channel..

Also, at Halsey’s Farm, 100 Wigeon were on the rife and two Buzzards were in the trees with a few Dunlin and Redshanks out on the mud. (AH/LP/CT/GHi et al)

Barnacle and Cackling-type Geese (above), Buzzard, Song Thrush (LP), Reed Bunting, Meadow Pipit, Dunlin, Snipe, Pintails & Pintails and Knot (AH) at the North Wall