23rd - 25th December 2023

Christmas Day, Monday, 25th December: Yet another grey but mild morning in a fresh and blustery westerly wind...........

We would like to wish all our contributors and readers a very Happy Christmas

Selsey Bill: There were probably a minimum of 17 Great Northern Divers around - the highest count this winter, with six Velvet Scoters, 31 Kittiwakes, 142 Gannets, 44 Razorbills going west, too. Full log below. (SH/SR/IP/AH)

(0730-0915hrs) (W, F5)

Great Northern Diver - 3E, 12W, 5os

Red-throated Diver - 16W, 1os

Gannet - 1E, 142W

Brent Goose - 3W

Velvet Scoter - 6W

Common Scoter - 12E, 9W, 23os

Red-breasted Merganser - 11W

Oystercatcher -  1E

Turnstone - 6

Mediterranean Gull - 5W, 1os

Kittiwake - 31W

Sandwich Tern - 9os

Guillemot - 1W

Razorbill - 44W

auk sp - 67W

Great Northern Divers (above), Kittiwakes & Gannets at the Bill (AH)

(1230-1330hrs) (AW)
Great Northern Diver - 1os
Mediterranean Gull - 6os
Kittiwake - 11W
Guillemot - 5W
Razorbill - 22W

Kittiwake (above) & Razorbills at the Bill (AW)

Ferry Pool: There were 26 Avocets roosting on the pool this morning, with at least 400 Lapwings on the fields, with c60 Shovelers, c200 Wigeon and Teal and c40 Mallards also present. (AH)

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

North Wall: At high tide there were just a few Wigeon and Brent Geese on the water and many hundreds of Lapwing overhead. The male Marsh Harrier was over the reeds and four Snipe, a Pied Wagtail, a Stonechat and a Jay were around the paddock, but it was otherwise quiet in the blustery conditions. (LP/DHi)

Later, the male Marsh Harrier was about again, with c400 Lapwings, c200 Knot, c200 Golden Plovers, c150 Black-tailed Godwits and 22 Snipe about, with 500 Bent Geese in the Honer fields and 300 more towards Marsh Farm.

There were also two Fieldfares, two Stonechats and two Cetti's Warblers present. (S&SaH)

Pagham Spit and Lagoon: The female Goldeneye was still on the lagoon this afternoon, whilst the two Eiders, a Red-breasted Merganser and two Sandwich Terns were offshore from the spit. (LP)

Chalder Farm to Fisher: A good variety of birds seen today, including a Great Spotted Woodpecker, a Firecrest and a Goldcrest, two Song Thrushes, a Mistle Thrush, a Marsh Harrier, two Buzzards, 16 Greenfinches, two flocks of Chaffinches totalling 80 birds, a Chiffchaff, 14 Pied Wagtails, 12 Curlew, 23 Canada Geese, six Little Egrets, two Mute Swans, 41 Cattle Egrets, c300 Brent Geese, five Shelducks, two Egyptian Geese, four Fieldfares, two Stonechats, two Meadow Pipits and 30+ Collared Doves. (SR)

Cattle Egret at Chalder Farm (SR)

Church Norton: The Whimbrel was in the harbour at high tide, along with a Snipe and c30 Redshanks, with a few Dunlin and Grey Plovers the only other waders seen, whilst there were also c50 Brent Geese and c30 Wigeon in the harbour, plus a Great Crested Grebe, but there were only a handful of Mediterranean and Common Gulls and a couple of distant Gannets offshore. (AH)

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

East Head: There were c.1500 Brent Geese in the fields this morning, five Sanderling were on the strandline and along the dunes were a handful of Skylarks and also five Stonechats. The high tide roost held c.200 Dunlin, 125 Ringed Plover, six Curlew, ten Redshank and 21 Oystercatchers whilst on the water were three Red-breasted Mergansers and two Great Crested Grebes. A single Sandwich Tern was was noted and two Red-throated Divers went east offshore. (BI et al)

Dunlin (above) & Stonechat at Medmerry (BI)

Sunday, 24th December: Another very overcast and windy morning, with the westerly wind freshening to gale-force during the morning, though fairly mild and dry save a bit of spitty drizzle.....

Selsey Bill: The Red-necked Grebe went west again early on, and a probable, though distant, Pomarine Skua went west later, and there were good numbers of Great Northern and Red-throated Divers about, along with at least ten Guillemots, a few Razorbills and lots of Gannets. Full log below. (SH/BI/SR/AH/IP/MPh et al)

(0730-0945hrs) (W, F6-7)

Great Northern Diver - 2E, 3W, 6os

Red-throated Diver - 4E, 7W

Red-necked Grebe - 1W

Gannet - 322W

Brent Goose - 46E, 9W

Common Scoter - 2W

Red-breasted Merganser - 1E, 22W

Sparrowhawk - 1

Oystercatcher - 1E

Turnstone - 5

Pomarine Skua - 1 probable W

Mediterranean Gull - 2os

Common Gull - 2W

Kittiwake - 21W

Sandwich Tern - 10os

Guillemot - 14W

Razorbill - 31W

auk sp 127W

Rock Pipit - 1

(1315-1415hrs) (SH)

Red-throated Diver - 3W

Gannet - 25W

Brent Goose - 9W

Common Scoter - 2os

Red-breasted Merganser - 4W

Dunlin - 9W

Turnstone - 5

Mediterranean Gull - 1os

Kittiwake - 1W

Sandwich Tern - 8os

auk sp - 1W

Great Northern Divers (AH) (above), probable Pomarine Skua (AH top, MPh lower two), Kittiwake, Razorbills, Gannet & Red-breasted Merganser (AH) at the Bill 

Ferry Pool: There were 22 Avocets and c100 Lapwings around the pool this morning, along with c50 Shovelers, c30 Teal and Mallards, four shelducks and c100 Wigeon. (AH)

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

Long Pool and West side: There wasn't too much in the windy conditions this morning, though 30 Fieldfares were in the trees, eight Snipe and c150 Brent Geese were around the fields an a Kestrel went over. (S&SaH)

Church Norton: A Great Northern Diver was inside the harbour this morning, with at least five Gannets and three Red-breasted Mergansers offshore, along with a few Common and Mediterranean Gulls.

Also, the Whimbrel was about, along with plenty of roosting Knot and Dunlin, plus about 50 Wigeon and 50 Brent Geese, but a Stonechat and a couple of Meadow Pipits were the only small birds seen. (AH/MPh et al)

Great Northern Diver (above), Gannet, Wigeon & Stonechat at Church Norton (AH)

Late this afternoon there were five Marsh Harriers around the Severals - an adult male, a subadult male and three females, whilst a Merlin flew the length of the harbour and a Peregrine shot along the beach. (AH)

Marsh Harriers at Church Norton (AH)

North Wall: At high tide this morning there were just a few Wigeon and Brent Geese on the water, along with a Little Grebe, whilst 1200 Lapwings flew out of the harbour, and in the flooded fields there were more Brent Geese and a few Curlews.

A Buzzard was along the hedges and the male Marsh Harrier was briefly over the reeds, but apart from a pair of Stonechats in the paddock and a Chaffinch along the lane, that was all that was about in the windy conditions. (LP)

Stonechat (above), Brent Geese & Wigeon at the North Wall (LP)

Saturday, 23rd December: A fairly mild morning, mostly overcast and still with a fresh and blustery westerly blowing.....

Selsey Bill: There was a good selection again this morning, including five Slavonian Grebes and six Great Northern Divers on the sea, and a Red-necked Grebe, a Fulmar, 33 Red-throated Divers and 280 Gannets going west. Full log below. (SH/BI/SR/LP/SP/AH/IP)

(0730-0945hrs) (W, F6-7)

Great Northern Diver - 2E, 1W, 6os

Red-throated Diver - 9E, 33W, 2os

Slavonian Grebe - 5os

Red-necked Grebe - 1W

Great Crested Grebe - 1os

Fulmar - 1W

Gannet - 7E, 280W, 100os

Brent Goose - 2W

Common Scoter - 1W

Red-breasted Merganser - 3E, 9W, 8os

Curlew - 1W

Turnstone - 12

Mediterranean Gull - 2W, 1os

Common Gull - 1W

Kittiwake - 7E, 1W

Sandwich Tern - 2W, 2os

Guillemot - 3W

Razorbill - 1E, 43W, 7os

auk sp - 4E, 155W

Pied Wagtail - 2

Great Northern Diver (above), Red-throated Divers, Fulmar, Guillemot, Razorbills & Gannet at the Bill (AH)

Ferry Pool: There were just 18 Avocets, c50 Lapwings, c100 Teal, c50 Shovelers and c50 Wigeon around the pool this morning. (AH)

Avocets at the Ferry (AH)

Church Norton: A Great Northern Diver and eight Gannets went west offshore, whilst the harbour held the usual species on the high tide, including 200+ Knot, 50+ Grey Plovers and 500+ Dunlin, plus at least 50 Pintail and similar of Wigeon and Teal, with at least 500 Brent Geese flying around at the far end. (AH)

Great Northern Diver (above), Gannet, Mediterranean Gull, Wigeon & Knot, Dunlin and Grey Plovers at Church Norton (AH)

North Wall: A male and three female Marsh Harriers were around the Breech Pool this afternoon, but didn't go into roost, whilst two more females went over the harbour, and there were also two Buzzards and two Kestrels about.

Also, a flock of14 Snipe flew over and  c1000 Bent Geese flew in to the harbour from the Marsh Farm area, whilst there were also eight Fieldfares about and four water Rails and two Cetti's Warblers were heard. (S&SaH) 

Also, the Black Redstart was reported at Summer Lane again this morning (per bird news services)

Medmerry: Easton Lane to the Stilt Pool - The Ruff was on the Stilt Pool this morning, along with 22 Snipe and eight Dunlin, whilst c20 Golden Plovers, and c200 Lapwings and Brent Geese were on the reserve.

Also, two Dartford Warblers, five Stonechats, two Pied Wagtails and c40 Fieldfares were along the banks and a Buzzard and Kestrel went over. (S&SaH)

Chichester Gravel Pits: A comprehensive look at the Ivy Lake complex, including all the outer pits, both Drayton House pits and the two Westhampnett pits produced poor returns. Noted across all were: six Greylag Geese, 28 Canada Geese, one Mute Swan, 29 Shoveler, 31 Gadwall, 26 Mallard, 173 Pochard, 81 Tufted Duck, 13 Great Crested Grebe and, the highlight, a single Kingfisher at Drayton north. Small birds included singles of Goldcrest, Cetti's Warbler and Song Thrush, two Jays and four Long-tailed Tits. Eight Little Egrets were at the trout lakes and six Grey Herons were at Drayton. (BI)