7th - 9th November 2023

Thursday, 9th November: Another morning with a fresh and blustery westerly pushing through banks of heavy, rain-bearing cloud, with the just odd sunny gap in between..........

Selsey Bill: A few more Gannets than of late were about, but it was generally slow-going this morning. Full log below. (SR/IP/SP/LP/AH)

(0710-0900hrs) (W, F4-5)

Great Crested Grebe - 1W

Gannet - 4E, 25W, 10os

Red-breasted Merganser - 3W

Turnstone - 19

Mediterranean Gull - 3os

Common Gull - 1W

Pied Wagtail - 2W

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

Ferry Pool: There were 17 Avocets and c40 Lapwings present this morning, along with four Little Grebes, c30 Wigeon, c75 Shovelers and c120 Teal. (AH)

Late this afternoon, two redhead Goosanders were by the sluice before heading back towards the harbour. (AT/IP)

Little Grebe (above) & Avocets. Lapwing, Wigeon and Shovelers at the Ferry (AH)

Marsh Farm, Sidlesham: It was very quiet all round this morning, with a Peregrine over being the highlight, but no egrets were seen, and there were just half a dozen Meadow Pipits and a few Chaffinches, Greenfinches, Goldfinches and Pied Wagtails around the various farm buildings and about 40 Stock Doves on the fields.

The churchyard was devoid of life, with a calling Cetti's Warbler and half a dozen Long-tailed Tits and Skylarks the only birds along Church Farm Lane. (AH)

Long-tailed Tit (above), Chaffinch & Stock Doves at Marsh Farm, Sidlesham (AH)

Wednesday, 8th November: A return to stormy weather this morning, with a gale-force south-westerly pushing through more or less continuous belts of drizzly rain....

Selsey Bill: Sadly, the stormy conditions did not bring much but a few of the regular species this morning. Full log below. (SR/IP/AH)

(0725-0825hrs) (F7-8)

Great Crested Grebe - 3W

Gannet - 2W

Common Scoter - 19W

Red-breasted Merganser - 1E

Turnstone - 25

Mediterranean Gull - 3os

Kittiwake - 1E, 1W

Sandwich Tern - 1W

Pied Wagtail - 1W

(1500-1600hrs) (SH)

Great Northern Diver - 4os

Shag - 1os

Turnstone - 10

Mediterranean Gull - 1W

Kittiwake - 1W

Kittiwake (above), Sandwich Tern, Mediterranean Gull, Common Scoters & Great Crested Grebes at the Bill (AH)

Ferry Pool: There were just ducks on the pool this morning, namely, c150 Teal, c80 Shovelers, c25 Wigeon and a dozen Mallards. (AH)

Shovelers (above), Wigeon & Teal at the Ferry (AH)

Church Norton: The Whimbrel was among half a dozen Curlews this morning, but a handful of Grey Plovers and Redshanks were the only other waders on view at high tide, whilst c80 Brent Geese were around the harbour mouth, with a few scattered elsewhere, along with just a few Wigeon and Teal, plus a couple of Mediterranean Gulls and Great Crested Grebes. (AH)

Whimbrel (above), Wigeon & Brent Geese at Church Norton (AH)

North Wall: A Grey Wagtail was in the paddock and a Kingfisher was at the outfall at Halsey’s Farm, but apart from 24 Curlews in the fields and a few Redshanks and Wigeon along White’s Creek, that was about it. (LP)

Grey Wagtail at the North Wall (AH)

Pagham Spit: A Bar-tailed Godwit and 30 Dunlin were out on the mud, a Mediterranean Gull was about, and 200 Brent Geese were spread between the harbour and the spit, but that was all there was to see in the challenging conditions. (LP)

Bar-tailed Godwit (above) & Brent Geese at Pagham Spit (LP)

Tuesday, 7th November: A cool, dry and bright morning, pleasantly sunny with scattered cloud and a moderate west-north-west breeze....

Selsey Bill: Another quiet morning, the meagre highlights being two late Swallows and 41 Brent Geese moving through, but little offshore movement......Full log below (IP/SR/AE)

(0710-0905hrs)  (W/NW, F5)

Great Crested Grebe - 8W

Gannet - 15W

Brent Goose - 41W

Wigeon - 1W

Red-breasted Merganser - 6W

Turnstone - 32

Mediterranean Gull - 2os

Swallow - 2

Pied Wagtail - 9N

Meadow Pipit - 2N

Brent Geese at the Bill (SR)

Ferry Pool: Late his afternoon, there were c50 Lapwings, c50 Shovelers and c80 Teal on the pool, with c20 Wigeon in the channel opposite. (AH)

Wigeon (above), Lapwings & Shoveler and Teal at the Ferry (AH)

North Fields: In a private area (no access) beyond the North wall this morning, a count of waders produced a Curlew Sandpiper, a Green Sandpiper, a Ruff, 80 Golden Plover, 377 Lapwings, 35 Redshank, a Curlew and a Snipe. Also present were two Mute Swans, two Shelduck, a couple of Mallard, a Kestrel and a Sparrowhawk. (CRJ)

Runcton: Around the area at midday were a Grey Wagtail, two Stonechats, 50 Goldfinch and a Grey Heron (CRJ)

Church Norton: There were c30 Pintail, c50Teal and c200 Wigeon in the harbour this evening, along with a few Brent Geese, but almost no waders were about, beyond a few Redshanks. (AH)

Pintail, Wigeon and Teal at Church Norton (AH)