7th - 9th February 2023

Thursday, 9th February: A really still, murky and misty morning, after overnight frost, slowly brightening up as the breeze shifted north-west and picked up a little.........

Selsey Bill: Another quiet one today, though three Great Northern Divers were on the sea and Red-breasted Mergansers were active. Full log below. (SR/AH/MO-W)

(0745-0845hrs) (NNE, F1)

Great Northern Diver - 3os

Red-throated Diver - 2E

Gannet - 1W

Red-breasted Merganser - 6E, 1W, 10os

Mediterranean Gull - 1os

Sandwich Tern - 2os

Pied Wagtail - 1

Red-breasted Mergansers at the Bill (AH)

Ferry Pool: There were 12 Avocets on the pool this morning, along with two Redshanks, c60 Shovelers and c100 Teal, whilst a big female Sparrowhawk was sat out on a post in the field. (AH)

A bit later, the Spotted Redshank was again in the channel opposite. (NB)

Sparrowhawk (above), Avocets & Shovelers at the Ferry (AH)

Pagham Spit and Lagoon: The Snow Bunting was still at the far end today, along with a Rock Pipit and a Kingfisher, whilst in the harbour mouth there were three female Goldeneyes and three Red-breasted Mergansers.
Out on the salt-marsh were hundreds of flocking Lapwings and Wigeon, plus smaller numbers of Teal, Redshanks, Dunlin, Grey Plovers, Great Black-backed Gulls, Black-headed Gulls, corvids, Oystercatchers and a few Shelducks and Curlews, but on the sea there were just two Great Crested Grebes.
Another was on the Lagoon, along with c12 Little Grebes, a handful of Mallards, three or four Tufted Ducks, a dozen Coots and a Moorhen. (N Davies-Patrick) 

Snow Bunting on Pagham Spit (N Davies-Patrick)

Church Norton: A Marsh Harrier came in to roost in the Severals at dusk this evening, whilst earlier there was a Great Northern Diver, a Slavonian Grebe and a Great Crested Grebe offshore and c800 Brent Geese dropped into he harbour. (SH/AH et al)

Marsh Harrier at Church Norton (AH)

Medmerry: Chainbridge to Ham - There wasn't too much to report this morning, with no buntings seen anywhere, though the big cover crop field west of Chainbridge held c200 Linnets and c40 Skylarks, plus at least 50 Stock Doves, whilst around Ham there were two pairs of Stonechats, c30 more Skylarks and c50 Meadow Pipits, but there wasn't much else beyond a fly-over Snipe and a few Dunlin and Redshanks in the tidal area there. (AH)

Stonechat (above), Meadow Pipit, Snipe, Skylark & Linnets at Medmerry (AH)

Fishbourne Creek: At least 1000 Brent Geese were in the creek his afternoon, along with a Spotted Redshank, a pair of Goldeneye and c70 Black-tailed Godwits. (N Davies-Patrick)

Spotted Redshank in Fishbourne Creek (N Davies-Patrick)

Wednesday, 8th February: The fine spell goes on, with another morning of unbroken sun, after a sharp frost, and a light easterly breeze.........

Selsey Bill: Unsurprisingly, it was another quiet morning, though there were a few Red-throated Divers about. Full log below. (MO-W/AH/SR)

(0745-0900hrs) (ENE, F3)

Red-throated Diver - 5E, 8W, 1os

Great Crested Grebe - 1os

Gannet - 1W

Red-breasted Merganser - 22E, 2W

Sandwich Tern - 3os

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

Ferry Pool: The Green Sandpiper was along the north bank of the main pool this morning, with two Snipe nearby, though otherwise it was the usual c60 Shovelers and c150 Teal on the pool and c200 Wigeon, plus a few Lapwings on the field. 

Also, a Dartford Warbler was in brambles at the harbour end of Red Barn Ditch, and late this afternoon the Spotted Redshank was back in the channel. (AH/TG-P)

Green Sandpiper (above) & Snipe and Teal at the Ferry (AH)

North Wall: There were three Marsh Harriers and a Kestrel over the reeds this morning, and a few Meadow Pipits, Greenfinches, Chaffinches, Goldfinches, Wrens, Dunnocks, Blue Tits and Great Tits were along the bushes.
A Kingfisher was by the sluice and a Little Grebe was in White’s Creek, with lots of Wigeon and Teal, whilst further out there was the usual mass of Lapwings and plenty of Brent Geese.
In the Honer 1 field there were 15 Snipe and a few Teal, and a few Redshank were out on the mud in the harbour. (LP/GHi)

Marsh Harriers (above), Meadow Pipit, Wren & Redshank at the North Wall (LP)

Medmerry: Stilt Pool area - The female Black Redstart was again by the sea defence rocks this afternoon. (MW)

Medmerry: Porthole Farm - Late this afternoon a Marsh Harrier was over the fields to the west and a Barn Owl flew across Ham Road. (AH)

Medmerry: Windmill area - The female Black Redstart and the female Stonechat were both again around the go-kart track this morning. (AH)

Black Redstart (above) & Stonechat at Medmerry (AH)

Fishbourne Creek: There were five Goldeneyes, four Red-breasted Mergansers and half a dozen or so Little and Great Crested Grebes on the water this morning, along with six Pintail, 100+ Teal and 300+ Wigeon, but all the Brent Geese were on nearby arable fields.

Two Greenshank were roosting on the far side, among large numbers of the regular waders, including 500 Lapwing, with a similar number of Black-tailed Godwits spread around the vicinity, and five Snipe were near the Lavant outflow, where there was also a Kingfisher.

Also, at least ten very flighty Rock Pipits were along the water's edge, along with half a dozen Meadow Pipits and a pair of Stonechats, whilst a single Lesser Black-backed Gull and c50 Common Gulls were among the flock at the far end. (AH et al)

Kingfisher (above), Goldeneye, Rock Pipit, Lesser Black-backed Gull & Wigeon at Fishbourne Creek (AH)

Tuesday, 7th February: Another fine and bright morning, after a heavy frost, with the breeze still light and from the east.....

Just a quick note to say that the Statistics page - see bar above - has been fully updated, with the new year's total currently standing at 132 species. (Eds)

Selsey Bill: It was a very quiet morning, with just a few of the regular species about. Full log below. (AH/IP/SR)

(0800-0900hrs) (ENE, F3)

Great Northern Diver - 2os

Gannet - 1E

Red-breasted Merganser - 21E

Turnstone - 2E, 22W

Sandwich Tern - 5E

Sandwich Tern at the Bill (AH)

Ferry Pool: The Green Sandpiper was again on the roadside pool this morning, and the Spotted Redshank was in the channel opposite, whilst two Avocets and a handful of Redshanks were on the main pool, along with c60 Shovelers, eight Shelducks and c150 Wigeon and Teal. (AH/KT et al)

Green Sandpiper (above) & Wigeon at the Ferry (AH)

Long Pool: A Little Grebe and two Coots were the only birds on the pool, whilst a handful of Reed Buntings were along the hedges and a Stonechat and c30 Meadow Pipits, plus a Snipe that dropped in, were in the adjacent fields.

There were just 200+ Teal and a few Redshanks, Grey Plovers and Curlews at the far end of Ferry Channel, but c1000 Golden Plovers and c2000 Lapwings came up from further into the harbour. (AH)

Snipe (above), Little Grebe, Reed Bunting, Golden Plovers & Grey Plovers at the Long Pool (AH)

Pagham Spit and Lagoon: The Snow Bunting was still at the west end of the spit late this afternoon, and a female Goldeneye was on the lagoon. (NB)

Medmerry: Windmill area - Just the female Black Redstart was present this morning, along with a Stonechat and a Kestrel. (AH/HR/DMe)

Later on, a male Black Redstart was at the breach end of the caravan park. (NB)

Black Redstart (above) & Stonechat at Medmerry (AH)

Church Norton: At least five Slavonian Grebes were offshore this morning, with a female Goldeneye in the harbour, whilst a Firecrest was in the churchyard. (NB)

Sidlesham Churchyard: Up to a dozen Fieldfares were still coming and going from the much depleted berry bush by the gate, late this morning, but there was nothing else about beyond a drumming Great Spotted Woodpecker and plenty of Blue Tits. (AH)

Fieldfare in Sidlesham churchyard (AH)

Sidlesham: Tawny Owls were calling in the garden this evening, for the first time this year. (AH)

Medmerry: Easton Lane to Stilt Pool - A Marsh Harrier was hunting around the reservoir this morning, four Dartford Warblers and a Goldcrest were in the gorse, three Fieldfares and a Green Woodpecker were near the poplars and two flocks of Lapwing passed overhead, as did two Kestrels and three Buzzards, whilst a few Meadow Pipits were about and a number of Skylarks were singing. (SR)

Also, on the rocks by the Stilt Pool there were a Black Redstart and a Stonechat, and a Marsh Harrier flew over the pool, which held two Greenshank, eight Snipe, four Ringed Plovers and two Avocets.

A Dartford Warbler was in the gorse near the Easton Viewpoint and a number of Skylark were singing over the reserve, where there was also a Brown Hare. (RW)

Dartford Warbler (above) & Marsh Harrier at Medmerry (SR)

Late this afternoon both Barn Owls were out along the banks, whilst a flock of Fieldfares were in the fields, c20 Yellowhammers and c10 Reed Buntings were sat out near their favoured bush and several Dartford Warblers were along the banks.

Also, at least 800 Brent Geese flew in and c150 Lapwings flew up from the reserve. (AH/LP)

Barn Owl at Medmerry (AH)