28th - 30th November 2023

Thursday, 30th November: A very cold and grey morning in a brisk north-easterly, with even a few flurries of snow early on..... .....

Selsey Bill: Very little was on the move this morning, though a couple each of Great Northern and Red-throated Divers, Shags and Razorbills were on the sea. Full log below. (SR/IH/SP/AH/MO-W)

(0740-0900hrs) (NE, F4)

Great Northern Diver - 2os

Red-throated Diver - 1W, 2os

Great Crested Grebe - 1os

Gannet - 2E, 1W

Shag - 2os

Brent Goose - 1W

Common Scoter - 5E

Red-breasted Merganser - 5E, 6W

Turnstone - 23

Common Gull - 1os

Razorbill - 2os

Chiffchaff - 1

Great Northern Diver at the Bill (AH)

Ferry Pool: A Spotted Redshank, an Avocet and at least three Snipe were around the pool, with at least 300 Lapwings on the fields, and wildfowl present included c200 Wigeon, c100 Teal, c50 Shovelers and c80 Canada Geese. (AH/IH/SP)

Spotted Redshank (above), Snipe, Avocet & Wigeon and Teal at the Ferry (AH)

Marsh and Chalder Farms, Sidlesham: A dozen or so Cattle Egrets were tucked in by the dairy buildings at Marsh Farm, with a Grey Wagtail and a couple of Pied Wagtails nearby, but not much else, whilst four Fieldfares were flying about near Chalder Farm, where there were also c30 Greenfinches and c20 Chaffinches in the cover crop plots and a handful of Curlews and c30 Stock Doves in the adjacent fields.

Also, the churchyard held two Mistle Thrushes, at least four Song Thrushes and a dozen Blackbirds, but not much else, whilst there were c20 Collared Doves together along Chalder Lane. (AH)

Fieldfare (above) & Cattle Egrets at Marsh Farm, Sidlesham (AH)

Fishbourne Creek: A Great Northern Diver was showing well, close to Dell Quay early this afternoon, and there were also a drake Goldeneye, two Red-breasted Mergansers, a few Little Grebes and 100+ Black-tailed Godwits in the vicinity. (TA)

West Itchenor: A probable Black-throated Diver was seen heading up the harbour towards the Marina early this afternoon. (PH)

Medmerry: Coastguards to the Windmill - The male Black Redstart was around the Medmerry Cliff and adjacent houses at the end of West Street this morning, but there were just half a dozen Red-breasted Mergansers offshore. (AH)

Black Redstart (above) & Red-breasted Mergansers at Medmerry (AH)

Wednesday, 29th November: Another cold and bright start this morning, in a light northerly breeze, though clouding over as the day progressed.....

Selsey Bill: A Black-throated Diver and a Guillemot went west this morning, whilst a Slavonian Grebe and up to four Great Northern Divers were about, too. Full log below. (KT/SR/MO-W/P&LH/AH) 

(0730-0930hrs) (NNW, F2-3)

Great Northern Diver - 1W, 3os

Black-throated Diver - 1W

Red-throated Diver - 6W, 1os

Slavonian Grebe - 1os

Gannet - 1E

Shag - 4E

Brent Goose - 4E

Common Scoter - 10W, 31os

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

Oystercatcher - 1W

Turnstone - 11

Mediterranean Gull - 3os

Common Gull - 2W, 1os

Sandwich Tern - 2os

Guillemot - 1W

Razorbill - 1os

auk sp - 1E

Pied Wagtail - 2E, 3W

(1000-1200hrs) (AW)
Great Northern Diver - 1E
Red-throated Diver - 3W
Common Scoter - 10os
Ringed Plover - 1E
Dunlin - 200E
Turnstone - 50E
Sandwich Tern - 3E
Razorbill - 1os

(1220-1340hrs) (P&LH)
Great Northern Diver - 2os
Red-throated Diver - 3E, 3W, 1os
Gannet - 3W
Brent Goose - 1W
Shoveler - 6E
Velvet Scoter - 2E
Common Scoter - 55os
Red-breasted Merganser - 1os
Turnstone - 19
Mediterranean Gull - 1os
Common Gull - 4os
Little Gull - 1os
Guillemot - 1os
Razorbill - 1W, 9os
Pied Wagtail - 2

Razorbill (above), Sandwich Tern, Ringed Plover and Turnstones & Dunlin at the Bill (AW)

Ferry Pool: The nine Avocets were back on the pool, with at least 300 Lapwings on the field until something spooked them and they flew off into the harbour, along with most of the wildfowl, leaving just c30 Shovelers, .c50 Wigeon, c80 Teal and c80 Canada Geese. (AH)

Church Norton: There were plenty of waders in the harbour on the rising tide this morning, including nine Avocets, four Bar-tailed Godwits, c40 Knot, c150 Grey Plovers, c60 Turnstone, c400 Dunlin, whilst the Razorbill was present again, along with c90- Brent Geese, 60 Wigeon, 40 Teal, four Little Grebes and nine Great Crested Grebes.
Also, a Marsh Harrier went over, but a Chiffchaff and a Jay were about it, otherwise. (P&LH)

Fishbourne Creek: A Great Northern Diver was again off Dell Quay today. (JMo)

Medmerry: Windmill to the Breach - There were a few things offshore this morning, including at least three Great Northern Divers, a Red-throated Diver, three Great Crested Grebes and at least 16 Red-breasted Mergansers, plus a Sandwich Tern, but there were no passerines about, at all, save a couple of Pied Wagtails and a few Starlings.

There were lots of waders roosting near the breach, including c30 Ringed Plovers, c40 Grey Plovers, c20 Knot, ten Curlews and c300 Dunlin, but, otherwise, a dozen or so Brent Geese and a few Teal were about it. (AH)

Tuesday, 28th November: A beautiful, bright and cold morning in just a moderate northerly breeze....

Selsey Bill: A fairly quiet morning in the offshore breeze, but a Guillemot was on the sea, close in, a Velvet Scoter and 91 Teal went west, and quite a few Red-breasted Mergansers were about, too. Full log below. (SR/AH/IP)

(0740-0910hrs) (N, F3-4)

Great Northern Diver - 1W, 1os

Red-throated Diver - 2E, 1os

Great Crested Grebe - 1E

Gannet - 27E, 3W

Brent Goose - 3W

Teal - 91W

Wigeon - 4E, 18W

Velvet Scoter - 1W

Common Scoter - 1E, 3W

Red-breasted Merganser - 5E, 11W, 6os

Oystercatcher - 1

Ringed Plover - 1E

Turnstone - 4

Mediterranean Gull - 3os

Guillemot - 1os

Razorbill - 1E, 1os

Pied Wagtail - 1E

This afternoon, a Bonxie was seen offshore, along with c60 Gannets and a large gathering of gulls, with two Razorbills on the sea, a Red-throated Diver east and five Common Scoters west. (BFF/DM)

(1300-1400hrs)

Red-throated Diver - 1E

Gannet - 60os

Common Scoter - 5W

Great Skua - 1os

Razorbill - 2os

Guillemot (above), Red-breasted Mergansers & Teal at the Bill (AH)

Ferry Pool: Around 200 Lapwings on the fields were the only waders this morning, with, otherwise, just c80 Canada Geese, c150 Wigeon, c100 Teal and c40 Shovelers and Mallards, plus four Little Egrets. (AH)

Lapwings and Teal at the Ferry (AH)

Church Norton: There were just the female Eder, a distant Slavonian Grebe, four Great Crested Grebes and six Red-breasted Mergansers offshore this morning, with c30 Ringed Plovers and c50 Turnstones along the beach.

The Whimbrel re-appeared in the harbour, where there were also up to five Bar-tailed Godwits, at least 300 Knot, 100 Grey Plovers, 50 Ringed Plovers and 1000 Dunlin, but just a few Wigeon, Teal and Brent Geese.

The Dartford Warbler was showing well along the beach, but a Mistle Thrush and a couple of Goldcrests around the churchyard/car-park were about it. (AH) 

Later in the day, a Razorbill was in the harbour opposite the hide. (M.Manley/C.Barrett)

Dartford Warbler (above), Mistle Thrush, Whimbrel, Bar-tailed Godwit, Grey Plover, Eider, Brent Goose, Teal (AH) & Razorbill (M Manley) at Church Norton 

Fishbourne Creek: A Great Northern Diver, a Goldeneye, 16 Red-breasted Mergansers, and 35 Great Crested Grebes were on the water today, whilst five Greenshanks and 500 Black-tailed Godwits were among the roosting waders.

Also, three Rock Pipits and a Kingfisher were along the creek and a Chiffchaff was in the bushes. (BFF et al)

Medmerry: Coastguards to the Breach - A male Redstart was around the east end of the Medmerry cliff this afternoon, with two Stonechats also about, whilst Peregrine went over and a good count of 430 Golden Plovers were out on the reserve.

There were also a Velvet Scoter, three Common Scoters, six Red-breasted Merganser and a Great Northern Diver offshore. (BFF et al)

Black Redstart at Medmerry (BFF)