7th - 9th March 2023

Thursday, 9th March: Another grey, cold and miserable start with a light south-easterly breeze, soon backing to the south-west, and increasing to force 5-6.......

Editorial: They say that time flies and it's certainly true in my case, for in just two days time the 'Selsey Blog' (as it has become known) will celebrate its tenth birthday. Readers might like to visit the 'History of the Blog' on the title bar to see how things have developed over time, but to quote myself from that article.....

"So it was that on 11^th March 2013, barely knowing what a blog was, I tentatively opened a basic ‘Selsey Bill & area birding blog’ – that first attempt adding only a few back-dated Selsey Bill records. It didn’t stay that way for long! Having mentioned it to the locals, almost immediately one individual – Andy House – showed great enthusiasm and a willingness to assist me with what he considered a long-overdue development. The rest, as they say, is history – though it is worth documenting here how things developed fairly rapidly thereafter, to become what the blog is today."

So, with the blog still going strongly, our tenth birthday will see us closing in on our two millionth page hit, whilst daily reports still appear and on the very same day as the sighting - a feat achieved by very few, if any, similar blogs elsewhere. As time has gone on we have developed a system which seems to work, but I must pay tribute here to Andy (AH), who lives on the Peninsula and now deals with the lion's share of the daily reports whilst (allegedly!) holding down a job. We had thought about doing a special feature to mark the end of the blog's decade, but in the end decided on a low-key approach. So, you may see just the odd photo or comment over the next few days to reflect on the years since 2013, and meanwhile we thank everyone for their continuing support and kind comments. (OM)

One man and his dog in their natural environment.....AH and Boo at Pagham Harbour (photo: AJW)

Selsey Bill: There wasn't too much going on this morning in some very poor visibility. Full log below. (AH/SR/MO-W)

(0745-0845hrs) (SE, F2-3, quickly veering to SW, F4-5)

Red-throated Diver - 2E

Gannet - 10E, 1W

Red-breasted Merganser - 1E, 3W

Oystercatcher - 1

Turnstone - 1

Mediterranean Gull - 1os

Sandwich Tern - 2os

To celebrate the blog’s birthday, possibly the worst sea watch ever! (SH/SR)
(1545-1645)
Turnstone - 1
Mediterranean Gull - 1W

Red-throated Diver and Gannets at the Bill (AH)

Ferry Pool: There were14 Avocets and c25 Lapwings on the pool, along with four Shelducks and c50 Shovelers and Teal, whilst the Spotted Redshank and five Redshanks were in the channel opposite. (AH)

Spotted Redshank (above) & Avocets, Shelduck and Shovelers at the Ferry (AH)

North Wall: There were 80 Wigeon, six Pintails and eight Redshank along White’s Creek this morning, and a Rock Pipit was along the wall, whilst two Chiffchaffs were by the paddock and a single Little Grebe was on the Breech Pool.

Two Marsh Harriers and two Kestrels were over the reeds and in the fields, there were 48 Curlew, 60 Teal and a couple of Grey Herons, whilst at Halsey’s Farm, nine Black-tailed Godwits were by the rife along with 40 Wigeon, and 12 Cattle Egrets were in the distant field near the cow sheds. (LP)

Marsh Harrier (above), Rock Pipit & Black-tailed Godwits at the North Wall (LP)

Church Norton: Highlights this morning were a female Peregrine sat on the fence on Tern Island and a female Marsh Harrier drifting over, a dozen noisy Mediterranean Gulls, and two Oystercatchers engaged in a prolonged and ferocious fight.

Otherwise, four Red-breasted Mergansers were on the sea, with another in the harbour, whilst at least 300 Knot, c50 Grey Plovers, c20 Ringed Plovers and c500 Dunlin were spread about the mud, along with c50 Teal, but that was about it. (AH/IH/SP)

Marsh Harrier (above), Mediterranean Gulls, Knot, Dunlin, Ringed Plovers and Dunlin & fighting Oystercatchers at Church Norton (AH)

Wednesday, 8th March: A thoroughly miserable morning's weather, with persistent drizzly rain pushed on by a cold and blustery north-easterly breeze......

Selsey Bill: Six Common Scoters going east and a Fulmar west were about it for birds moving, with otherwise just a few of the regular species about. Full log below. (AH/IP/SR)

(0720-0905hrs) (NE, F6)

Great Northern Diver - 1os

Great Crested Grebe - 2os

Fulmar - 1W

Gannet - 19E, 6W, 10os

Common Scoter - 6E

Red-breasted Merganser - 9E, 14W, 2os

Curlew - 1E

Turnstone - 6

Mediterranean Gull - 1os

Common Gull - 1E

Sandwich Tern - 4os

(1545-1645hrs) (SH)

Great Crested Grebe - 1os

Gannet - 7E, 2W

Common Scoter - 1E

Red-breasted Merganser - 3os

Turnstone - 9

Mediterranean Gull -1os

Sandwich Tern - 1os

Gannet (above), Mediterranean Gull & Red-breasted Mergansers at the Bill (AH)

Ferry Pool: There were just 12 Avocets, five Lapwings, six Shelducks and c50 Shovelers and Teal on the pool this morning. (AH)

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

Pagham Spit and Lagoon: There was just a Tufted Duck, a Little Grebe and a Great Crested Grebe on the Lagoon this morning, whilst a Rock Pipit and a Kingfisher were along the spit.

Out in the harbour four Red-breasted Mergansers were on the water, and a few Grey Plover and Dunlin were on the mud, along with a large gathering of c100 Great Black-backed Gulls, along with two Lesser Black-backed Gulls and a few Herring Gulls. (LP)

Rock Pipit (above) & Red-breasted Mergansers, Grey Plover and Dunlin at Pagham Spit (LP)

North Wall: On the rising tide there were 16 Pintails, two Wigeon and six Teal on the water and further back on the mud, there was a mixed selection of Dunlin, Grey Plovers and Knot.

Two Goldcrests and a Song Thrush were in the trees along White's Creek and in the flooded area between the sluice gates there were two Stonechats, three Chiffchaffs, a Wren and four Goldfinches, but there was just a Little Grebe on the Breech Pool and nothing else of note along the wall. (LP)

Stonechat (above), Stonechats and Wren & Pintail at the North Wall (LP)

Medmerry: Easton Lane to the Stilt Pool - A Barn Owl was out hunting in the rain, late this afternoon, whilst on the Stilt Pool there were a Greenshank, two pairs of Avocets, a Black-tailed Godwit, ten Ringed Plovers, two Lesser Black-backed Gulls, two Little Grebes, two Gadwall, eight Tufted Ducks and a Grey Heron, whilst a flock of c750 Brent Geese flew over and settled in a field behind Marsh Barn.. (SR)

Greenshank (above) & rent Geese at Medmerry (SR)

Fishbourne Creek: There were at least 15 Red-breasted Mergansers (mostly in one group), two Little Grebes and eight Great Crested Grebes on the water at high tide this morning, along with c40 Pintail, c100 Teal and c200 Wigeon, whilst waders included five Greenshank, six Snipe, c30 Lapwings, c50 Grey Plovers and Turnstones, c500 Dunlin and c200 Black-tailed Godwits.

There wasn't much else of note to report, though, with two Lesser Black-backed Gulls at the far end and two Rock Pipis along the water's edge being about it. (AH)

Red-breasted Mergansers (above), Pintails, Black-tailed Godwits, Lapwings & Lesser Black-backed Gull at Fishbourne Creek (AH)

Tuesday, 7th March: A very cold and gloomy day, with leaden skies and intermittent drizzly rain, though in just a fairly modest northerly breeze......

Selsey Bill: Another morning with nothing really moving, though seven Sandwich Terns and four Great Northern Divers were offshore and a Fulmar went west. Full log below. (IP/AH/SR/P&LH)

(0725-0855hrs) (NNW, F3)

Great Northern Diver - 1W, 4os

Red-throated Diver - 1E

Fulmar - 1W

Gannet - 3E, 1W

Brent Goose - 14W

Red-breasted Merganser - 11W, 4os

Oystercatcher - 1E

Turnstone - 8

Common Gull - 1E

Sandwich Tern - 7os

Common Seal - 1os

(1300-1430hrs) (P&LH)

Great Northern Diver - 4os

Slavonian Grebe - 1os

Gannet - 1os

Long-tailed Duck - 2os

Common Scoter - 1W

Red-breasted Merganser - 2E, 6os

Oystercatcher - 1E

Sandwich Tern - 4os

Razorbill - 2os

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

Ferry Pool: There were just eight Avocets and nine Black-tailed Godwits roosting on the pool, along with c50 Shovelers and c75 Teal, whilst c100 Wigeon were in the fields. (AH)

Black-tailed Godwits (above), Avocets & Shovelers at the Ferry (AH)

Church Norton: A flock of 15 Redwings were in the field behind the hide this morning, though two Reed Buntings at Greenlease Farm, a Jay and three widely spread Goldcrests were the only other passerines of note.

It was fairly quiet in the harbour, though three Red-breasted Mergansers and 20 Pintail were present, along with 12 Wigeon, c30 Teal and c75 Brent Geese, a Mediterranean Gull, c50 Grey Plovers and c250 Dunlin, whilst three Shovelers were on the second Several, too. (P&LH)

Medmerry: Windmill to the Breach - The Purple Sandpiper was again among the roosting waders - including four Knot, c20 Ringed Plovers, c80 Grey Plovers and c300 Dunlin - at the breach this morning, though otherwise there were just a single drake Pintail and c20 Teal, Shelducks and Brent Geese about, with just half a dozen Red-breasted Mergansers and two Great Crested Grebes offshore.

A Corn Bunting was on the banks by the Viewpoint, with up to a dozen Reed Buntings, c30 Meadow Pipits and a pair of Stonechats also in the vicinity, whilst the female Black Redstart was again around the go-kart track by the windmill. (AH)

Corn Bunting (above), Black Redstart, Stonechat, Reed Bunting, Purple Sandpiper, Dunlin and Ringed Plovers, Ringed Plover & Dunlin at Medmerry (AH)

North Wall: At high tide there wasn’t much to see in the harbour, with just 20 Teal, six Wigeon, eight Pintail and 18 Shelduck out on the water, with a few Redshank and Curlews on the banks.

A Stonechat and a Chiffchaff were by the sluice and a Rock Pipit and a Wren were along the wall, whilst on the Breech Pool there were two Great Crested Grebes, a Little Grebe, a Shoveler and 16 Teal, while the female Marsh Harrier was up over the reeds further back and the fields contained 120 Wigeon, 500 Brent Geese and 20 Meadow Pipits, with a Kingfisher by the sluice at Halsey’s Farm. (LP)

Kingfisher (above), Chiffchaff, Rock Pipit, Stonechat, Shoveler & Teal at the North Wall (LP)

Medmerry: Easton Lane to Marsh Barn - Both Barn Owls were out hunting the banks late this afternoon, though otherwise there were just a handful yellowhammers and c20 Linnets about, along with c40 Wigeon and two drake Shovelers flying about. (AH)

Barn Owl (above) & Shoveler at Medmerry (AH)