29th - 31st January 2024

Wednesday, 31st January: Another cool and grey morning in an initially fairly light, but freshening, south-westerly breeze......

Selsey Bill: The female Velvet Scoter was offshore again, whilst 18 Sandwich Terns - the highest count so far this year - were offshore and 86 Red-throated Divers went west. Full log below. (SR/AH/RP/OM)

(0750-1100hrs) (WSW, F4)

Great Northern Diver - 3os

Red-throated Diver - 38E, 86W, 7os

Great Crested Grebe - 2os

Gannet - 8E, 16W

Velvet Scoter - 1os

Common Scoter - 1E, 11W, 1os

Oystercatcher - 2os

Grey Plover - 50W

Dunlin - 226W

Turnstone - 73W

Mediterranean Gull - 4W

Sandwich Tern - 18os

Guillemot - 3W

Razorbill - 1E, 33W

auk sp - 27E, 48W

Red-throated Divers (above), Great Northern Diver, Sandwich Tern & Dunlin at the Bill (AH)

Ferry Pool: There were c800 Lapwings on the pool again this morning, along with c200 Wigeon, whilst the pool held c60 Shovelers, six Shelducks and c100 Teal. (AH)

A Water Rail flew across Red Barn Ditch at dusk this afternoon. (AH)

Lapwings on the Ferry (AH)

Long Pool: There was little on the pool itself, but looking from the end a female Marsh Harrier flew over the harbour, putting up most of the wildfowl and waders, including a nice flock of several hundred Golden Plovers, which eventually settled somewhere near the North Wall (OM).

East side: A female Marsh Harrier was hunting over the salt marsh this afternoon, whilst amongst the birds seen were 187 Pintail, 149 Curlews, three Red-breasted Mergansers, four Lesser Black-backed Gulls, 228 Great Black-backed Gulls and 4890 Herring Gulls, though the true figure would be higher as (uncounted) birds were still arriving from the east after dusk. (IMcK)

Medmerry: Easton Lane to the Stilt Pool - A very busy Stilt Pool this morning held three Avocets, 50 Lapwings, 70 Wigeon, 40 Teal, 50 Brent Geese, a dozen Moorhens, 11 Tufted Ducks and at least 40 Snipe, with at least 30 more in the bankside vegetation on the southernmost shore, and at least another ten on the small northern island.

Also seen were four Meadow Pipits, two Skylarks,a Kestrel and a Marsh Harrier hunting over the reedbed east of the Stilt Pool. (JMo)

West Wittering: A female Blackcap was in a garden at Roman Landing this morning. (SH)

West Itchenor: The Black-throated Diver was off the Northshore boatyard this morning, with two Great Northern Divers further down the channel and up to four more in the wider harbour, with at least a dozen Red-breasted Mergansers and a couple of Great Crested Grebes on the water and 500+ Brent Geese on the saltmarsh, along with a Common Gull and plenty of the regular waders. (KT/AH/PH/LP/CT/HB et al)

Black-throated Diver (above), Great Northern Diver, Common Gull, Red-breasted Mergansers & Brent Geese at West Itchenor (AH)

Tuesday, 30th January: A fairly cool and mostly overcast morning in a fresh north-westerly breeze...

Selsey Bill: There was a bit of variety this morning, including three Long-tailed Ducks east and two Velvet Scoters, two Eider and four Great Northern Divers on the sea. Full log below. (SR/RP/JDa/AH/KJ et al)

(0750-1005hrs) (WNW, F4-5)

Great Northern Diver - 4os

Red-throated Diver - 12E, 26W, 6os

Great Crested Grebe - 1os

Gannet - 3E, 102W

Brent Goose - 2E, 7W

Pintail - 4W

Eider - 2os

Long-tailed Duck - 3E

Velvet Scoter - 2os

Common Scoter - 5E, 4W

Red-breasted Merganser - 3E

Oystercatcher - 1E, 6W

Turnstone - 15

Mediterranean Gull - 3os

Sandwich Tern - 11os

Guillemot - 1W

Razorbill - 3W

auk sp - 22W

Velvet Scoter (above), Great Northern Divers, Red-throated Diver, Sandwich Tern & Pintail at the Bill (AH)

Ferry Pool: The Greenshank and a Redshank were on the concealed pool again this morning, whilst three Snipe dropped in and at least 800 Lapwings were on the fields, but wildfowl numbers were fairly modest, comprising six Gadwall, four Shelducks, c40 Teal, c60 Shovelers and c30 Mallards. (AH)

Greenshank (above), Greenshank and Redshank & Snipe at the Ferry (AH)

West Itchenor: The Black-throated Diver and a Great Northern Diver were in the harbour, viewable from the jetty, again this morning. (PH)

Black-throated Diver (above) & Great Northern Diver at West Itchenor (PH)

Fishbourne Creek: A Spotted Redshank, a Greenshank, 19 Avocets and 17 Pintails were the highlights of a brief visit this morning. (JC)

Church Norton: A Marsh Harrier put all the waders up at the far end of the harbour, including at least 1000 Lapwings and 100 Black-tailed Godwits, with 500 Brent Geese along the main channel, but there were relatively few birds at the southern end, beyond 200 Knot and 500 Dunlin, plus 50 or so Wigeon and Teal.

A flock of c80 Brent Geese were on the sea, but the only other birds seen offshore were a couple of Red-breasted Mergansers. (AH et al)

Brent Geese (above) & Knot and Dunlin at Church Norton (AH)

North Wall: It was busy in the harbour this morning, with 200 Golden Plovers on the mud along with 1,500 Lapwing and further out a huge amount of Brent Geese.

Two Canada Geese were on the Breech Pool with the regular Mallards and two Marsh Harriers were in the trees further back. Three Grey Herons and 17 Redshank were by Heron island, and 100 Wigeon were in the rife at Halsey’s Farm but there were very few small birds about, with just a Stonechat, a Reed Bunting and a few Goldfinches along the hedges. (LP)

Marsh Harrier (above), Golden Plovers and Lapwing, Stonechat & Grey Heron and Redshank at the North Wall (LP)

Monday, 29th January: Despite the fairly fresh south-easterly breeze, a foggy, murky morning with very limited visibility.....

Editorial: The funeral arrangements for our friend, the late Chris Northwood, are as follows:- 

Please note: If you are able to attend, please advise at the above email address (Eds)

Selsey Bill: Pretty much a dead loss in the conditions! Full log, such as it is, below. (SR/AH/IP)

(0750-0850hrs) (SE, F4-5)

Turnstone - 6

Mediterranean Gull - 3os

There was a bit more interest later on, including 70 Brent Geese and a Velvet Scoter east. Full log below. (AW)

(1200-1300hrs)

Great Northern Diver - 1os

Brent Geese - 70E

Velvet Scoter - 1E

Red-breasted Merganser - 2E

Velvet Scoter (above), Great Northern Diver & Brent Geese at the Bill (AH)

Ferry Pool: There were just four Gadwall and c20 Teal and Shovelers on what could be seen of the pool this morning. (AH)

Church Norton: Visibility was very poor in the harbour, though the Whimbrel, four Curlews, six Redshanks and c20 Dunlin were on the mud, with a dozen Teal and c50 Brent Geese also present. (AH)

Whimbrel (above) & Dunlin at Church Norton (AH)

West Itchenor: The Black-throated Diver and a Great Northern Diver were in the harbour off Chalkdock Copse early this afternoon. (PH)

Sidlesham Churchyard: The Firecrest was still present this morning, along with half a dozen Goldcrests, lots of Blue and Great Tits, a couple of Song Thrushes and a Great Spotted Woodpecker. (AH)

Firecrest (above) & Goldcrest in Sidlesham churchyard (AH)