1st - 3rd January 2024

Wednesday, 3rd January: Another blustery and showery morning in a fresh westerly breeze........

Just a quick reminder that the Review of the Year for 2023 is now available to be read - just click on the bar above. (Eds)

Selsey Bill: A couple of Slavonian Grebes and seven Pintail went west this morning, as did a selection of the other regular species in fairly small numbers. Full log below. (P&LH/AH/SR et al)

(0745-0930rs) (W, F6)

Great Northern Diver - 1W

Red-throated Diver - 11W

Slavonian Grebe - 2W

Great Crested Grebe - 1os

Gannet - 4os

Brent Goose - 4W

Pintail - 7W

Common Scoter - 1E, 1W

Red-breasted Merganser - 2E, 7W

Dunlin - 3

Turnstone - 17

Mediterranean Gull - 5os

Kittiwake - 1W

Sandwich Tern - 9os

Guillemot - 4W

Razorbill - 11W

auk sp - 10W

Gannet (above), Sandwich Tern & Turnstones at the Bill (AH)

Ferry Pool: There were  six Avocets on the pool this morning, along with six Shelducks, a pair of Mute Swans, c60 Shovelers and c150 Teal, whilst at least 800 Lapwings and 100 Wigeon were on the field. (AH)

Avocets, Shovelers and Lapwings at the Ferry (AH)

Church Norton: There were lots of waders about the harbour this morning, including the Whimbrel, c20 Curlews, c400 Knot, c50 Grey Plovers and c1500 Dunlin, along with a dozen Shelducks, c30 Wigeon, c50 Teal and c200 Brent Geese.

Two Red-breasted Mergansers and a Sandwich Tern flew west offshore, but there were otherwise just a dozen Mediterranean Gulls along the beach, whilst also seen were a Stonechat at the start of the spit and a Green and a Great Spotted Woodpecker around the Mound. (AH/P&LH)

Whimbrel (above), Knot, Stonechat, Mediterranean Gull & an impressive rainbow at Church Norton (AH)

Sidlesham: Around a dozen cattle Egrets flew out of the fields between the village and the Visitor Centre early this morning. (SH)

Fishbourne Creek: A Snipe and a Jack Snipe were along the saltmarsh this morning and c.500 Brent Geese were in the main channel at low water. (BI)

Chichester GPs: Two Egyptian Geese were on Triangle Lake this morning before flying off to the back of the trout lakes, otherwise it was just small numbers of the regular wildfowl (BI)

Egyptian Geese at Triangle Lake (BI)

Tuesday, 2nd January: After a night of heavy rain, a truly dire morning's weather, with a freshening to gale-force south-westerly pushing through bank after bank of further squally rain showers........

Just a quick reminder that the Review of the Year for 2023 is now available to be read - just click on the bar above. (Eds)

Selsey Bill: There was very little going on this morning, even after the initial drizzly mist cleared offshore. Full log below. (AH/IP/SR)

(0815-0930hrs) (WSW, F6-7)

Red-throated Diver - 2W

Gannet - 10W

Red-breasted Merganser - 2E

Oystercatcher - 1W

Turnstone - 1

Mediterranean Gull - 2os

Kittiwake - 6W

Gannet (above), Red-throated Diver & Mediterranean Gull at the Bill (AH)

Ferry Pool: Just one Avocet was on the pool this morning, along with c40 Shovelers, c60 Teal, six Shelducks and c30 Mallards, whilst c80 Wigeon and c500 Lapwings were on the field. (AH)

Avocet and Shoveler (above) & Lapwings at the Ferry (AH)

West Itchenor: A Little Gull went west past the jetty this afternoon, and a Great Northern Diver was on the water nearby. (PH)

Pagham Spit: A Goldeneye, a Great Northern Diver and four Red-breasted Mergansers were in the harbour, off the end of the spit this afternoon. (LP)

Marsh & Chalder Farms, Sidlesham: All that could be found were a pair of Stonechats, a Buzzard, five Stock Doves and a flock of Long-tailed Tits, but no Cattle Egrets. (SR)

Stonechat at Marsh Farm, Sidlesham (SR)

Church Norton: A Goldcrest was in the churchyard and a Chiffchaff, a Song Thrush, a couple of Chaffinches and c40 Goldfinches were in the bushes along the path to the harbour.

There was very little to see in the harbour, though, beyond c40 Grey Plovers and Redshank, c300 Dunlin, half a dozen Curlews and just the odd Wigeon and Teal. (AH/BI)

Chiffchaff (above) & Song Thrush at Church Norton (AH)

New Year's Day, Monday, 1st January: The new year started as the old one ended, with a fresh and blustery westerly, lots of heavy cloud and the prospect of rain later.....

A Happy New year to all our contributors and readers! Just a quick reminder that the Review of the Year for 2023 is now available to be read - just click on the bar above. (Eds)

Selsey Bill: There was quite a good selection for a good crowd this morning, including a Velvet Scoter and 23 Red-throated Divers west, a Long-tailed Duck flew in and dropped on the sea and the two Eider went east. Full log below. (JA/SH/PB/MRB/AB/BI/IP/PM/P&LH/AH/SR/SM/RAI et al)

(0730-1000hrs) (W, F6)

Great Northern Diver - 1W, 2os

Red-throated Diver - 1E, 23W

diver sp - 1W

Great Crested Grebe - 1E, 1W

Gannet - 1E, 4W

Brent Goose - 1E

Eider - 2E

Long-tailed Duck - 1os

Velvet Scoter - 1W

Common Scoter - 1W

Red-breasted Merganser - 3E, 23W, 3os

Kestrel - 1

Oystercatcher - 1E, 3W

Turnstone - 18

Mediterranean Gull - 8os

Common Gull - 1W

Kittiwake - 3W

Sandwich Tern - 5os

Guillemot - 2W

Razorbill - 15W

auk sp - 109W

(1240-1340hrs) (SH)

Great crested Grebe - 1os

Gannet - 8W

Red-breasted Merganser - 1E, 2W

Mediterranean Gull - 2os

Common Gull - 3W

Sandwich Tern - 12os

auk sp - 1W

A Slavonian Grebe was also reported offshore at the Bill this morning (per bird news services)

Eider (above), Red-throated Diver & Sandwich Tern at the Bill (AH)

Later in the morning at the Coastguard station there were a number of gulls feeding in the surf including a Common Gull, and a dozen each of Black-headed and Herring Gulls (BI)

Common Gull at Coastguards (BI)

Ferry Pool: Early this morning a Marsh Harrier went over and four Avocets were on the pool (RAI), whilst later there were 500+ Lapwings on the field, but just 50 or so Shovelers, Teal and Wigeon on the pool (AH), and a Water Rail was in Red Barn Ditch (SM).

Wigeon (above) & Lapwings at the Ferry (AH), Water Rail at Red Barn Ditch (SM)

Park Farm, Selsey: A Marsh Harrier flushed the 300 or so Brent Geese back from Greenlease Farm to the fields at the farm, but there wasn't much else about beyond a Sparrowhawk and a party of nine Long-tailed Tits. (IP)

Long Pool: A Great White Egret flew from the Pool towards the Ferry (BI) this morning, a Peregrine went over and there was also a Dartford Warbler along the west side (SR).

Highleigh: A Barn Owl was seen, just before dawn, near the junction of Highleigh Road and Rotten Row. (AB)

Fishbourne Creek: A drake Goldeneye, nine Avocets and 300+ Black-tailed Godwits were the highlights this morning with also plenty of Dunlin & Wigeon present. Also a Common Seal was along the quay with a large Bass for its breakfast! (PB/MRB/AB/PM/BI)

Seal and Bass at Dell Quay (BI)

Runcton: South of the village this morning there were three Grey Herons, eight Mute Swans, ten Shelducks, 28 Mallard, three Shovelers, three Gadwall, 50 Teal, ten Tufted Ducks, six Moorhens, four Coots, a Common Buzzard, two Green Woodpeckers, a Great Spotted Woodpecker, a Song Thrush, a Meadow Pipit, three Chiffchaffs and 60 Rooks. (CRJ)

Sidlesham churchyard: A Firecrest was in the churchyard this morning, along with a couple of Goldcrests, a Redwing, a few Long-tailed,Blue and Great Tits and a Song Thrush. (BI/AH)

Firecrest in Sidlesham churchyard (AH)

Church Norton: Remarkably, both a Red-throated and a Great Northern Diver were flying over the harbour at the same time this morning, whilst offshore the two Eiders were back in situ, along with a Great Crested Grebe, whilst a Gannet and another Great Northern Diver went west.

A Whimbrel and a Greenshank were both feeding in the harbour, along with ten Avocets, plus the usual waders and wildfowl, and over 500 Lapwings were airborne at one point with cc50 Golden Plover among them.

Also, the pair of Stonechats were again on the spit, ten Red-legged Partridges were along Rectory Lane, and a Marsh Harrier went over.  (IP/PB/MRB/AB/PM et al)

Later, a Little Gull flew west and a Slavonian Grebe was offshore (per bird news services) 

North Wall: A Great Northern Diver (presumably the one seen over Church Norton, see above), flew inland over the wall and the Breech Pool reeds this late morning, before finally heading off eastwards.

Otherwise, a Redwing, a pair of Stock Doves and a Common Gull were at Halsey's Farm, but there were no other small birds to be seen, whilst a female Marsh Harrier went over and in the harbour there were a single Snipe, a few Redshanks and Dunlin and at least 1000 Lapwings, but only half a dozen Golden Plovers could be seen with them.

At least 2000 Brent Geese were constantly coming and going from the west, but there wasn't much else beyond plenty of Wigeon and Teal, mainly in White's Creek. (AH)

Great Northern Diver (above), Redwing, Marsh Harrier, Brent Geese & Golden Plovers and Lapwings at the North Wall (AH)