1st - 3rd February 2023

Friday, 3rd February: A mostly overcast and cool morning, with the westerly breeze freshening during the day......

Selsey Bill: A very quiet morning, with just small numbers of the regular species about. Full log below. (BI/AH/SR)

(0740-0855hrs) (W, F4-5)

Red-throated Diver - 3W

Gannet - 1W

Brent Goose - 2W

Common Scoter - 2W

Red-breasted Merganser - 4E, 2os

Oystercatcher - 1E

Turnstone - 6

auk sp - 1E, 5W

Red-throated Diver at the Bill (AH)

Ferry Pool: The Green Sandpiper was missing early on, but back on the concealed pool later, whilst four Avocets and a Redshank were around the main pool, along with c75 Shovelers, c150 Teal and six Shelducks.

Also, the Spotted Redshank and six Redshanks were in the channel opposite, before the tide rose too high. (AH/BI)

Green Sandpiper (above), Spotted Redshank & Avocets at the Ferry (AH)

Marsh Farm, Sidlesham: It was quiet around the fields this morning, with just one Cattle Egret seen, and with the flooded fields towards Bramber Farm empty of birds, too, though c50 Curlews flew over from the fields by Chalder Farm, and at least 1000 Starlings were around the dairy unit, along with a few Meadow Pipits, Pied Wagtails and Chaffinches.

The Firecrest was present again by the rear gate to the churchyard, along with a Chiffchaff, but six Jays were all that could be found in the churchyard and three Stonechats and four Stock Doves were the only birds along Church Farm Lane. (AH)

Stonechat (above), Jay, Stock Dove, Curlews & Starlings around Marsh Farm, Sidlesham (AH)

North Wall: There were plenty of the usual wildfowl and waders in the harbour around high tide, with a pair of Shovelers being the only unusual addition.

A Rock Pipit was along the wall and a Marsh Harrier was up briefly over the reeds but, apart from a few Long-tailed Tits down the lane, that was about it. (LP)

Rock Pipit (above) & Shovelers at the North Wall (LP)

Medmerry: Easton Lane to the Stilt Pool - A pair of Egyptian Geese were in the fields along Easton Lane late this afternoon, whilst a Marsh Harrier was over the reserve and c1000 Brent Geese were in the arable fields towards Earnley.

Also, a Dartford Warbler was along the banks, together with six Yellowhammers and five Stonechats. (SH/AH)

Egyptian Geese at Medmerry (AH)

Thursday, 2nd February: Another fairly mixed and cool morning, with the breeze still brisk and from the west......

Selsey Bill: A flock of c40 Lapwings appeared to be lingering distantly offshore before heading slowly west, and two Gadwall went west, but otherwise it was a quiet morning. Full log below. (SR/AH/MO-W)

(0745-0900hrs) (WSW, F4-5)

Red-throated Diver - 3E

Great Crested Grebe - 1os

Gannet - 1E, 1os

Brent Goose - 4W

Gadwall - 2W

Common Scoter - 1W

Red-breasted Merganser - 6E, 3W, 3os

Oystercatcher - 1E

Lapwing - 40W

Turnstone - 6E, 2W

Razorbill - 1os

auk sp - 17E, 36W

Common Scoter at the Bill (AH)

Ferry Pool: A Green Sandpiper was on the small, concealed roadside pool, now that the water level has begun to drop, though, otherwise, it was just the usual mix of c60 Shovelers, c150 Teal, c20 Mallards and eight Shelducks, mostly around the banks. (AH)

The Spotted Redshank was also in the channel opposite this morning (GSh), whilst later on, the Green Sandpiper was still present and four Avocets were on the pool (RP).

Green Sandpiper at the Ferry (AH)

Earnley: A male Bullfinch was in hedges along Almodington Lane this morning. (SH)

Fishbourne Creek: This morning off the Lavant Outfall there were seven Goldeneye, including three males, two Pintail, two Great Crested Grebes and a Spotted Redshank, whilst roosting on the saltmarsh there were 100+ Black-tailed Godwits. (RW)

Spotted Redshank at Fishbourne Creek (RW)

Pagham Spit and Lagoon: A Short-eared Owl was on the new tern island before being chased off by a Peregrine and heading over the Church Norton Spit.

The Snow Bunting was still around, but more mobile than usual, and a Kingfisher shot through over the spit. There was a large number of Brent Geese spread throughout the harbour and plenty of Turnstones, Oystercatchers and Ringed Plovers along the banks.

A Common Seal was out on the saltmarsh and four Red Breasted Mergansers were on the water, with two more in the new lagoon.

The main body of the Lagoon held just a few Little Grebes, but down by the boardwalk there were a Goldeneye, four Tufted Ducks, two Mute Swans, 18 Coots and 12 Mallards together, with a few more Little Grebes. (LP/TG)

The Snow Bunting was still present later on, when a Slavonian Grebe was in the nearby channel. (CS)

Short-eared Owl (above), Short-eared Owl and Peregrine, Snow Bunting, Goldeneye, Red-breasted Merganser & Shelducks and Common Seal at Pagham Spit (LP)

Church Norton: A single Egyptian Goose circled several times before finally dropping in near the old harbour mouth, whilst a Pale-bellied Brent Goose was among the c1500 Dark-bellied Brent Geese present and two female Goldeneyes were near Tern Island.

At least 400 Black-tailed Godwits, 1000 Golden Plovers and 2000 Lapwings were put up by a Marsh Harrier on the far side of the harbour, with another of the latter flying over Priory Wood, and there were also at least 40 Avocets among the large numbers of regular species on the rising tide.

Two Linnets and a dozen Skylarks were around the start of the spit, but it was quiet offshore, with just a Great Northern Diver, a Slavonian Grebe and a Great Crested Grebe on the sea, all a long way out. (AH)

Egyptian Goose (above), Pale-bellied Brent Goose and Brent Geese, Goldeneye and Brent Geese, Brent Goose, Marsh Harrier and Lapwings, Knot and Grey Plovers, Skylark & Linnet at Church Norton (AH)

Medmerry: Easton Lane to the Stilt Pool - The banks were quiet in the brisk breeze, with just a couple of Buzzards and the odd Skylark to be seen. The highlight of the Stilt Pool was three sheltering Snipe and a Stonechat, which was the one bird to sit up. (GSh)

Snipe (above) & Stonechat at Medmerry (GSh)

Wednesday, 1st February: A fairly cool morning of sunshine and cloud, in a fresh westerly breeze......

Selsey Bill: A Slavonian Grebe and a Sanderling west were the only things this morning, other than the usual species, including 13 Red-throated Divers and 163 auks going east, all a long way out to sea. Full log below.(SR/AH)

(0750-0905hrs) (WNW, F4-5)

Great Northern Diver - 1W

Red-throated Diver - 13E, 4W

Slavonian Grebe - 1W

Great Crested Grebe - 1os

Gannet - 1E

Brent Goose - 2W

Wigeon - 3W

Common Scoter - 2os

Red-breasted Merganser - 8E, 14W, 3os

Sanderling - 1W

Turnstone - 5

Mediterranean Gull - 2os

auk sp - 163E

Slavonian Grebe at the Bill (AH)

Ferry Pool: It was just the usual mix of c50 Shovelers, c100 Teal and half adozen Shelducks on the pool this morning, though the Spotted Redshank was back in the channel opposite.

Also, a Marsh Harrier was hunting over the saltmarsh south of the Tramway, putting everything in the harbour up, including at least 500 Golden Plovers and 1000 Lapwings. (AH)

Later on, there were two Spotted Redshanks in the channel, with a Peregrine and a couple of Snipe also seen in the viciniy, whilst the Water Rail was showing well again in Red Barn Ditch. (TG-P/NR)

Spotted Redshank (above) & Marsh Harrier at Ferry Channel (AH)

North Wall: A Grey Wagtail, a Stonechat, a Song Thrush and a Fieldfare were around the paddock this morning, and both Marsh Harriers and a Kestrel were further back, whilst a Rock Pipit was by the sluice, two Tufted Ducks were on the Breech Pool, 12 Goldfinches and two Greenfinches were along the wall and 30 Curlews were in the fields.

The usual Wigeon and Teal were along White’s Creek, and further out there were large numbers of Brent Geese, Lapwings, Black-tailed Godwits and Golden Plover, whilst at Halsey’s Farm there were six Cattle Egrets in the fields and a Buzzard was in one of the distant trees. (LP)

Marsh Harrier (above), Stonechat & Greenfinch at the North Wall (LP)

Church Norton: Just one Marsh Harrier came in to roost in the Severals this evening, whilst two Water Rails and a Cetti's Warbler could be heard. (S&SaH)

Donnington: A Barn Owl went over the B2201 near Southend Barns, well before dawn this morning. (IP)

Chichester GPs: Ivy Lake complex - There weren't very many wildfowl about this morning, with totals spread across the various pits including c30 Pochard, c50 Tufted Ducks, c20 Shovelers, c10 Gadwall, two Greylag Geese and c50 Canada Geese, plus a handful of Little and Great Crested Grebes and c80 Coots.

At least three Chiffchaffs and half a dozen Goldcrests, plus a calling Cetti's Warbler and a Little Egret, were along the paths, but that was about it. (AH)

Chiffchaff (above), Goldcrest, Gadwall, Pochard & Shovelers at Chichester GPs (AH)

Medmerry: Coastguards to the Breach - The female-type Black Redstart was seen briefly around the former go-kart track and two Skylarks were about.

At Toe End it was good to see a native hedge being planted between the new caravans and breach viewpoint, but I couldn't find any more Black Redstarts, though it was very windy. There were plenty of waders in the inter-tidal area: 62 Ringed Plover, 75 Lapwings, 41 Dunlin, 19 Grey Plover and six Turnstones, along with 27 Brent Geese and 28 Shelducks, whilst two Stonechats and 18 Meadow Pipits were around the banks and a flock of c750 Brent Geese flew over. (SR)

Meadow Pipit (above) & Brent Geese at Medmerry (SR)