Birding the Selsey Peninsula: 4th

Monday, 6th March: The wind direction had shifted to the north-west, leaving a cool, murky and grey morning in a moderate breeze ........

Selsey Bill: The two Long-tailed Ducks dropped again offshore, there there were also four Great Northern Divers, but a flock of 35 Brent Geese heading east was the only hint of migration activity. Full log below. (IP/SR/MO-W/AH/GSh)

(0720-0905hrs) (NW,F3-4)

Great Northern Diver - 4os

Red-throated Diver - 1E, 2W

Great Crested Grebe - 1W, 1os

Gannet - 9E, 32W

Brent Goose - 35E, 2W

Long-tailed Duck - 2os

Common Scoter - 4E, 5W

Red-breasted Merganser - 1E, 4W, 16os

Turnstone - 1W

Sandwich Tern - 2os

Long-tailed Ducks (above), Sandwich Tern & Red-breasted Mergansers at the Bill (AH)

Ferry Pool: There were 12 Avocets, 17 Black-tailed Godwits and c30 Lapwings around the pool, along with c40 Shovelers and c120 Teal, but the only bird of note around the Tramway was a Sparrowhawk. (AH)

Sparrowhawk (above), Black-tailed Godwit & Avocets, Shovelers and Teal at the Ferry (AH)

Also, earlier on, the Spotted Redshank was in the channel opposite again, and a Water Rail was in Red Barn Ditch. (TG-P/GSh))

Spotted Redshank (above) & Water Rail around the Ferry (GSh)

Long Pool: This evening a female Marsh Harrier was hunting along the pool, viewable from the Tramway. (AH)

Marsh Harrier at the Long Pool (AH)

Church Norton: There wasn't too much going on in the harbour, with c250 Knot, c100 Grey Plovers and c500 Dunlin, plus a couple of Black-tailed Godwits, moving around with the rising tide, and there were also c200 Brent Geese, c50 Teal and Wigeon, plus a handful of Pintail, present, but there was nothing offshore and nothing of note in the bushes. (AH)

Knot, Dunlin and Grey Plovers (above), Teal & Brent Geese at Church Norton (AH)

Chichester Canal: Four Little Grebes, the nesting Mute Swans, a Jay and three groups of Long-tailed Tits along with three nesting Coots and six Moorhens was all I could come up with today. (SR)

Pagham Spit and Lagoon: Six Red-breasted Mergansers were in the harbour, along with a few Brent Geese, Wigeon, Teal and Pintail, whilst on the rising tide there were a few tightly packed groups of mixed waders, mostly Dunlin and Grey Plover but also Knot, Turnstone, Ringed Plovers and Oystercatchers.
Along the spit there were 15 Linnets, five Skylarks, a Redshank, and a Little Egret while out on the sea, there were two Great Crested Grebes, a Slavonian Grebe, and a Red-throated Diver.
Also, another two Great Crested Grebes were on the Lagoon, along with five Little Grebes, ten Brent Geese, two Tufted Ducks and three Common Gulls. (LP)

Red-throated Diver (above), Red-breasted Mergansers & Knot and Dunlin at Pagham Spit (LP)

Medmerry: Easton Lane to the Stilt Pool- Two Fieldfares were near the car-park this afternoon (TG-P), whilst a Greenshank, 13 Avocets, four Black-tailed Godwits and two Great Black-backed Gulls were on the Stilt Pool and a few Skylarks and plenty of Linnets and Goldfinches were along the banks (GSh).

Greenshank (above), Avocets and Black-tailed Godwits & Linnet at Medmerry (GSh)

Sunday, 5th March: Another cold morning, with the moderate breeze from the north, though slowly brightening up from a grey start ........

Selsey Bill: The two Long-tailed Ducks dropped in offshore again this morning, as did a drake Shoveler, whilst a total of 11 Great Northern Divers offshore was the highest count this winter.

Also, a flock of 28 Brent Geese headed east, looking like they were on their way - though a total of 40 also headed west! Full log below. (SH/BI/SR/MO-W/AH/IP/RW)

(0630-0900hrs) (NNE, F3)

Great Northern Diver - 11os

Red-throated Diver - 6E, 4W

Gannet - 4E, 18W

Brent Goose - 30E, 40W

Shoveler - 1os

Long-tailed Duck - 2os

Common Scoter - 3E, 4W

Red-breasted Merganser - 7E, 2W, 17os

Turnstone - 13

Sandwich Tern - 4E

auk sp - 1W

(1245-1445hrs) (SH)

Great Northern Diver - 2os

Red-throated Diver - 3E, 1W

diver sp - 2E

Gannet - 2E, 182W

Brent Goose - 37E

Red-breasted Merganser - 3E, 2W, 2os

Sanderling - 3E

Turnstone - 2

Mediterranean Gull - 1W, 1os

Sandwich Tern - 12os

Red-throated Diver (above), Red-breasted Merganser & Brent Geese at the Bill (AH)

Ferry Pool: The Green Sandpiper was on the pool early on, but not later, when there were just ten Avocets, six Black-tailed Godwits, c40 Shovelers and c80Teal present, along with c50 Lapwings, with the same again of the latter on the field.

Also, the Spotted Redshank and several Redshanks were in the channel opposite. (RW/IP/AH)

Spotted Redshank (above) & Black-tailed Godwit at the Ferry (AH)

Medmerry: Easton Lane to the Stilt Pool - A Red Kite was about near the poplars this morning, with it, or another seen again later, and there were also a Marsh Harrier, two Kestrels and seven Buzzards seen, whilst a Cattle Egret - the first of the year here - was on the reserve, along with c25 Golden Plovers and c300 Brent Geese.

The banks held a Dartford Warbler, nine Stonechats, eight Yellowhammers and a Cetti's Warbler, whilst a Greenshank, three Snipe, three Black-tailed Godwits, four Ringed Plovers and 15 Avocet were on the Stilt Pool. (S&SaH)

Medmerry: Windmill area - There were both a male and a female Black redstart around the old go-kart track today. (JMD/CBr)

West Wittering: A flock of at least 70 Redwing were feeding on the ground late this morning, while loose groups of Brent Geese, were stretched out along the harbour from Ella Nore to Itchenor, probably 500 in total, whilst the flock coming into roost this evening was probably nearer 1000 birds, but definitely down on the large numbers, up to 2500, we saw last week. (GM)

Pagham Spit: Three Slavonian Grebes were offshore from the spit this morning, along with two Common Scoters and two Red-breasted Mergansers, whilst. along the spit there were three Stonechats, three Skylarks, and five Meadow Pipits.

Also, a Kingfisher and nine Little Grebes were on the Lagoon, whilst two Yellowhammers, two Reed Buntings and c80 Linnets were along the footpath down the est side. (GJ)

North Wall: Both Marsh Harriers were out this morning, whilst at least three Stonechats were in the paddocks, but a calling Cetti's Warbler and a couple of Long-tailed Tits along the wall and cc100 Meadow Pipits in the field behind the Breech Pool was about it for land birds.

The harbour was full of Brent Geese - maybe up to 1000, along with c200 Wigeon, c50 Teal and a dozen Pintail and Shelducks, though there were relatively few waders on the high tide, beyond a few roosting flocks of Dunlin and Grey Plovers, with a few Knot among them, and a Snipe that flew up from the water's edge. (AH/LP/SP/DHi et al)

Snipe (above), Pintail, Brent Geese, Stonechat & Long-tailed Tit at the North Wall (AH)

Later on, a single Pale-bellied Brent Goose was among 800 Brent Geese in the fields, with 14 Shelducks, five Shovelers, 33 Pintail, 60 Wigeon, 106 Teal and seven Great Crested Grebe, in the harbour, whilst waders comprised 11 Oystercatchers, 72 Grey Plovers, 17 Golden Plovers, a Lapwing, 15 Ringed Plovers, 37 Curlew,s, three Bar-tailed Godwits, five Black-tailed Godwits, six Turnstones, 34 Knot and c200 Dunlin, as well as two Lesser Black-backed Gulls and 17 Great Black-backed Gull.
Also, two Little Egrets and eight Cattle Egrets were in the fields behind the North Wall), the two Marsh Harriers went over, as did a Raven ,a Sparrowhawk and a Buzzard, whilst along the wall there were three Chiffchaffs, four Cetti's Warblers and c100 Meadow Pipits, with a Water Rail on the Breech Pool. (GJ)

Pale-bellied Brent Goose among Brent Geese at the North Wall (GJ)

Honer Reservoir Area: This afternoon around the reservoir and adjoining farmland there were 45 Mute Swans, 13 Shelduck, three Gadwall, 30 Teal, seven Tufted Ducks, four Stock Doves, a Moorhen, 15 Coots, two Curlews, a Grey Heron, a Little Egret, three Cattle Egrets, two Buzzards, ten Chiffchaffs, a Cetti's Warbler, a Goldcrest, a Stonechat, three Grey Wagtails, 50 Meadow Pipits, ten Linnets and three Reed Buntings. (GJ)

Chi GPs: Drayton House pits - There were at least 56 Canada Geese and 36 Greylags, with two Egyptian Geese and the group of eight Barnacles and/or hybrids, on the crop fields adjoining the pits - before the whole lot noisily flew in to settle on the lakes, mainly on South pit. Two Great White Egrets and a Little Egret were also on South pit, as were a pair of Grey Herons re-decorating last year's nest with a few new sticks, whilst a third bird looked on.

On the North pit were another five Grey Herons, so perhaps another pair or two could also breed as they did last year, whilst a pair of Mute Swans are already nesting. Wildfowl included 40 Shoveler and 86 Pochard and other notable species here included a Kingfisher, a Snipe, a Grey Wagtail and two Cetti's Warblers. (OM)

Grey Herons attending nest on South pit (above), Barnacle Geese and/or hybrids with Canada and Greylag Geese, Egyptian Geese & Great White Egrets on Drayton House pits (OM)

Saturday, 4th March: The breeze was still from the north-east, but a little lighter this morning, though it was cold under the heavy cover of cloud.....

Selsey Bill: There was nothing moving offshore again, though the pair of Long-tailed Ducks and seven Great Northern Divers were around. Full log below. (SH/PB/BI/IP/AH/SR)

(0630-0830hrs) (NE, F3)

Great Northern Diver - 7os

Red-throated Diver - 1E, 2W

Gannet - 6E, 13W

Long-tailed Duck - 2W

Common Scoter - 7E, 3W

Red-breasted Merganser - 5E, 1W, 17os

Turnstone - 6

Sandwich Tern - 1os

auk sp - 17W

(1215-1315hrs) (SH)

Great Northern Diver - 4os

Red-throated Diver - 10E, 3W

Gannet - 1E

Common Scoter - 8E

Red-breasted Merganser - 3E, 5os

Sandwich Tern - 1os

Meadow Pipit - 2N

Ferry Pool: There were 14 Avocets and just two Black-tailed Godwits on the pool, along with c40 Shovelers and c50 Teal, whilst c250 Lapwing and similar of Wigeon were on the field, with a Buzzard just to the south and four Shelducks flew over.

Also, the Spotted Redshank was in the channel opposite, along with a couple of Black-tailed Godwits and Redshanks, whilst two Water Rails were together in Red Barn Ditch, and early on c500 Golden Plovers were out in the harbour from the Tramway. (AH)

Spotted Redshank (above), Water Rails, Golden Plovers, Black-tailed Godwit, Lapwings & Wigeon around the Ferry (AH)

Park Farm, Selsey: A male Sparrowhawk was sat on a freshly killed Feral Pigeon this morning, whilst a Buzzard was sat in the tree line and a Meadow Pipit flew over. (IP)

Medmerry: Easton Lane to the Stilt Pool - Two Marsh Harriers, two Buzzards, an Egyptian Goose, a Snipe, a Greenshank and 13 Black-tailed Godwits were seen in the area around the poplars this morning, with three Chiffchaffs, a Dartford Warbler, a Cetti's Warbler, five Reed Buntings and 14 Yellowhammers along the banks.

The Stilt Pool was quite busy, too, with another Greenshank, 14 Avocets, four Snipe, three Ringed Plovers, four Black-tailed Godwits, 38 Brent Geese and a Pied Wagail all seen. (S&SaH/PB)

Church Norton: There were at least 500 Brent Geese in the harbour this morning, along with a dozen or so Pintail and c100 Wigeon, whilst waders included four Black-tailed Godwits, c20 Knot, 20 Turnstones, a handful of Ringed Plovers (including a displaying pair) and plenty of Grey Plovers and Dunlin.

Offshore there were a lone Slavonian Grebe, three Red-throated Divers, a pair of Red-breasted Mergansers, plus another flying east, a Gannet and four Great Crested Grebes, with another pair of the latter displaying in the harbour, where the female Goldeneye was also seen.

Also, a Marsh Harrier, two Shovelers, a Jay and a Green Woodpecker were seen around the Severals, with another of the latter in the field by the Mound, and a Mistle Thrush was in the trees in the car-park. (IP/AH)