13th - 15th November 2023

Wednesday, 15th November: A mix of sun and white cloud this morning, though still with a fresh and blustery westerly breeze.............

Selsey Bill: A Little Gull went west and a couple of Great Northern and Red-throated Divers were about, but not too much else was on the move, Full log below. (PB/SR/KT/AH/P&LH)

(0715-1000hrs) (W, F5)

Great Northern Diver - 1E, 1W

Red-throated Diver - 1E, 2W, 1os

Great Crested Grebe - 2W, 1os

Gannet - 10E, 3W

Shag - 1os

Brent Goose - 3W

Common Scoter - 3E, 4W

Red-breasted Merganser - 1E, 6W

Oystercatcher - 4W

Turnstone - 12

Mediterranean Gull - 6W, 10os

Common Gull - 5os

Little Gull - 1W

Pied Wagtail - 10W

Goldfinch - 46

(1300-1400hrs) (P&LH)

Great Northern Diver - 1E

Gannet - 4os

Brent Goose - 1W

Red-breasted Merganser - 12W

Turnstone - 35

Mediterranean Gull - 3os

Common Gull - 3os

Kittiwake - 1W

Pied Wagtail - 1

Little Gull (above), Mediterranean Gull, Shag & Starlings at the Bill (AH)

This afternoon, a Purple Sandpiper was at the Bill again. (AW)

Purple Sandpiper at the Bill (AW)

Ferry Pool: The two Spotted Redshanks were still present today, along with 21 Avocets, four Little Grebes, four Canada Geese, eight Wigeon, c40 Shovelers and c100 Teal, with a Stonechat, a Grey Heron and 100+ Lapwings on the field, whilst a Water Rail was again the Red Barn Ditch. (KT/AH)

Later, a Little Gull was on the pool. (GR)

Water Rail (KT) (above), Spotted Redshanks & Avocets (AH) at the Ferry

Church Norton: There were plenty of Dunlin and Grey Plovers about on the rising tide, along with five Bar-tailed Godwits, with c30 Mediterranean Gulls,100+ Brent Geese and a good few Wigeon and teal also present, but the bushes were quiet this morning. (CRJ/AH/P&LH) 

Bar-tailed Godwits and Grey Plovers (above), Brent Geese, Dunlin and Grey Plovers, Mediterranean Gull & Brent Geese at the Ferry (AH)

Tuesday, 14th November: After a grey and murky start, another morning of prolonged, often heavy, showers pushed through on a blustery westerly........

Selsey Bill: A Purple Sandpiper and an adult Little Gull both dropped in briefly before moving on west, but it was generally quiet this morning. Full log below. (SR/AH/IP)

(0720-0905hrs) (WSW, F5-6)

Great Northern Diver - 1os

Great Crested Grebe - 1W, 1os

Gannet - 1E

Common Scoter - 10W

Red-breasted Merganser - 1E, 2W

Oystercatcher - 2W

Purple Sandpiper - 1W

Turnstone - 12

Mediterranean Gull - 3W,10os

Common Gull - 3W

Little Gull - 1W

Sandwich Tern - 2E

Pied Wagtail - 1W

Linnet - 3W

Purple Sandpiper (above), Little Gull, Red-breasted Merganser, Common Scoter, Mediterranean Gull & Common Gull at the Bill (AH)

Ferry Pool: The two Spotted Redshanks were still at the back, with 20 Avocets, c30 Shovelers and c50 Teal also on the pool, and c40 Black-tailed Godwits, c20 Lapwings and a dozen Wigeon around the pools at the back of the flooded fields. (AH)

A Grey Phalarope was seen along the side of the pool at around midday (JMo/C Barrett), but there was no sign a short while later (AT/AH/SM)

Spotted Redshanks (above) & Avocets on the Ferry (AH)

Church Norton: The Whimbrel and five Bar-tailed Godwits were in the harbour this morning, along with c20 Grey Plovers, c100 Dunlin, c50 Redshanks and a few Curlews, whilst at least 150 Brent Geese were spread around, along with a few Wigeon and Teal. (AH)

Whimbrel (above), Bar-tailed Godwit and Dunlin & Brent Geese at Church Norton (AH)

West Itchenor: A Great Northern Diver was just off the Sailing Club jetty this morning. Sadly the bird looked unwell, being unusually close to shore, and it was gaping constantly and frequently shaking it’s head, though it was occasionally diving which is a good sign, so hopefully it will recover.(PH)

Monday, 13th November: A return to wet and stormy conditions, with a lot of rain early on, before brightening up somewhat, but with a gale-force south-westerly blowing throughout.....

Selsey Bill: The stormy weather blew in the third Grey Phalarope of the autumn this morning, though it was only viewable for a short while, fairly close inshore, before it moved off west. There were also a couple of Little Gulls - an adult and a first-winter, plus a few Kittiwakes close in, as well. Full log below. (SR/IP/AH/P&LH/AW)

(0735-1005hrs) (SW, F7-8)

Great Crested Grebe - 2W

Gannet - 1E, 25W

Wigeon - 4E

Common Scoter - 1E, 11W, 8os

Red-breasted Merganser - 1W

Dunlin - 6W

Turnstone - 20

Grey Phalarope - 1os, then W (0925hrs)

Mediterranean Gull - 4os

Kittiwake - 14W

Little Gull - 2os

Grey Wagtail - 1W

Grey Phalarope (above), Little Gulls, Kittiwakes, Red-breasted Merganser & Common Scoters at the Bill (AH)

The Grey Phalarope reappeared later on, still showing during the afternoon. Full log below.(P&LH/CRJ/AW et al)

(1100-1400hrs) 

Great Crested Grebe - 1W

Gannet - 5W

Brent Goose - 1W

Red-breasted Merganser - 1E

Grey Plover - 1W

Turnstone - 11

Grey Phalarope - 1os

Mediterranean Gull - 6W, 1os

Kittiwake - 1W

Little Gull - 1os

Sandwich Tern - 2W

Pied Wagtail - 1

Grey Phalarope at the Bill (top three LH, lower CRJ)

Ferry Pool: The two Spotted Redshanks were again on the pool this morning, right at the back, along with a couple of Redshanks, whilst there were also 21 Avocets, four Little Grebes, three Little Egrets, a drake Gadwall, c50 Shovelers and c100 Teal around the edges and c80 Lapwings on the field. (AH)

Avocets (above) & Little Grebes at the Ferry (AH)

Church Norton: A quick look before the very high tide just produced c30 Brent Geese, six Pintail and a few Wigeon and Teal, along with the Whimbrel, half a dozen Curlews and about 20 Redshanks. (AH)

Brent Geese at Church Norton (AH)

Pagham Spit and Lagoon: The Eider was again in the harbour, at the end of the spit and 100 Brent Geese and 60 Wigeon were on the water.

A Rock Pipit, three Meadow Pipits, two Stonechats, five Skylarks and 12 Linnets were along the footpath and 60 Grey Plovers, and 80 Dunlin were on the outer spit.

A Kingfisher was by the boardwalk on the Lagoon, but other than the usual Mallards and Coots, there were just a couple of Little Grebes on the water. (LP)

Eider (above), Brent Goose, Stonechat & Linnet at Pagham Spit (LP)

North Wall: At high tide in the windy conditions, there wasn’t much to see, but there were three Rock Pipits along the wall, a Reed Bunting, a Kestrel and a Buzzard in the bushes, and a Marsh Harrier behind the Breech Pool. At Halsey’s Farm 48 Curlew were in the fields and a Snipe and a few Teal were also about. (LP)

Marsh Harrier (above), Rock Pipit & Curlews and Rook at the North Wall (LP)