Birding the Selsey Peninsula: 4th

Saturday, 6th January: A cold morning, bright after a grey start, and with just a light to moderate northerly breeze........

Selsey Bill: There was a good selection of species seen his morning, including two Long-tailed Ducks and four Velvet Scoters offshore, a Black-throated Diver and 137 Red-throated Divers west and double figure counts of Slavonian Grebes and Great Northern Divers, too. Full log below. (SH/JA/BI/PB/LP/S/IH/SR/IP/AH)

(0730-1000hrs) (N, F3)

Great Northern Diver - 11E, 2W, 2os

Black-throated Diver - 1W

Red-throated Diver - 8E, 137W, 2os

diver sp - 1E, 2W

Slavonian Grebe - 4E, 3W, 6os

Great Crested Grebe - 2E, 2W, 3os

Gannet - 1W

Brent Goose - 7E, 16W

Shelduck - 2E

Wigeon - 2W

Long-tailed Duck - 2os

Velvet Scoter - 4os

Common Scoter - 18E, 10W, 19os

Red-breasted Merganser - 10E, 3W, 7os

Turnstone - 13

Mediterranean Gull - 6os

Kittiwake - 1W

Guillemot - 1W

Razorbill - 1W

auk sp - 7E

Great Northern Divers (above), Slavonian Grebe & Red-breasted Mergansers at the Bill (AH)

Ferry Pool: A Spotted Redshank and three Snipe were on the pool this morning, whilst at least 500 Lapwing were around the fields, and wildfowl comprised a drake Gadwall, six Shelducks, c60 Shovelers, c150 Teal, c100 Wigeon and c30 Mallards.

Also, a Raven went over the Tramway, a Mediterranean Gull was on the pool and c50 Rooks were among the Carrion Crows on the field.(AH/BI/SR et al)

Spotted Redshank on the Ferry (AH)

Church Norton: There were a total of 26 Red-throated Divers east, 20 west and four on the sea offshore this morning, with a Great Northern Diver also going west, and a flock of c500 Brent Geese flew in and settled on the sea and the beach, but just a Red-breasted Merganser and five Great Crested Grebes were otherwise noted.

A Greenshank, a Bar-tailed Godwit, the Whimbrel ad half a dozen Avocets were in the harbour, along with many commoner waders, including c300 Knot, c50 Grey Plovers and 1000+ Dunlin, whilst at least 100 Black-tailed Godwits and 1000 Lapwings went up from the far end.

There were few wildfowl about, until c500 Brent Geese flew in, with otherwise just a handful of Shelducks and Pintail and a couple of dozen Wigeon and Teal seen, and there were also a couple of Mediterranean Gulls present. (AH et al)

There were also over 30 Red-legged Partridges along the west side today. (IP)

Red-throated Divers (above), Brent Geese, Avocet, Dunlin & Knot and Grey Plovers at Church Norton (AH)

Medmerry: Easton Lane to the Stilt Pool - Two Avocets, a Snipe, two Egyptian Geese, c200 Brent Geese, c200 Golden Plovers and c200 Lapwings were on/over the reserve today.

Also, two Yellowhammers, two Stonechats and five Pied Wagtails were along the banks, whilst a Peregrine, a Kestrel, a Sparrowhawk and three Buzzards went over. (SH)

Chichester GPs: Ivy Lake - A pair of Egyptian Geese and plenty of Greylag Geese were here, but not much else of note. (IP)

Fishbourne Creek: Two male and a female Goldeneye were in the channel this morning, along with two Greenshanks. (IP)

Sidlesham churchyard: A Firecrest and a Goldcrest were in the churchyard today. (IP)

Pagham Spit: A Slavonian Grebe was offshore from the spit this afternoon. (A Rosenfeld)

There was also a Goldeneye in the harbour, near Tern Island, with a Marsh Harrier nearby. (IP)

North Wall: Four Marsh Harriers, including an adult male were over the Breech Pool, with another female flying in just before dusk, and there was also a Buzzard, until it was chased off by the resident male Marsh Harrier, and a couple of Kestrels about, too.

A Redwing was at Halsey's Farm and a Fieldfare was along the hedge in Honer 1 field, with a couple of Stonechats, Reed Buntings, Meadow Pipits and a Rock Pipit seen along the wall, whilst a Grey Wagtail was in the paddocks and a couple of Cetti's Warblers and Water Rails were heard, too.

At least 150 Black-tailed Godwits and 1000 Lapwings were on the wing at various times, along with a few Snipe and lots of Wigeon, Teal and Shelducks, whilst a pair of Egyptian Geese were in the rife at Halsey's Farm before flying towards the harbour. (AW/AH/SH/IP)

Marsh Harriers (top two AW, lower AH) & Black-tailed Godwits (AH) at the North Wall

Friday, 5th January: After a night of prolonged and heavy rain, finally a fairly bright and breezy, if much cooler, morning.....

Selsey Bill: A drake Goldeneye west was the highlight of a fairly varied morning, including the first Shag of the year, 35 Red-throated Divers west and a Slavonian Grebe on the sea. Full log below. (BI/IP/AH/SR)

(0745-0930hrs) (NNW, F4-5)

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

Red-throated Diver - 1E, 35W, 5os

Slavonian Grebe - 1os

Great Crested Grebe - 3W, 1os

Gannet - 2E

Shag - 1os

Brent Goose - 2E

Pintail - 2E

Goldeneye - 1W

Common Scoter - 5E, 11W, 9os

Red-breasted Merganser - 7E, 8W

Turnstone - 40

Mediterranean Gull - 2E, 5W

Kittiwake - 1W

Sandwich Tern - 2os

auk sp - 3E, 14W

Shag (above), Great Northern Diver, Red-breasted Merganser & Mediterranean Gull at the Bill (AH)

Ferry Pool: A lone Avocet was the only wader seen, with the very full pool holding c75 Shovelers, c200 Wigeon and Teal, c40 Mallards and eight Shelducks, whilst a drake Red-breasted Merganser was in the channel opposite. (AH)

Red-breasted Merganser (above) & Shovelers and Teal at the Ferry (AH)

Later a Water Rail was seen swimming across Red Barn Ditch. (AW)

Water Rail in Red Barn Ditch (AW)

Long Pool: This morning 300 Brent Geese, five Red-legged Partridges, and a Mistle Thrush were in the fields adjacent to Long Pool.

A Raven flew towards Church Norton while a Marsh Harrier crossed the harbour from the North Wall putting up 100s of waders including Knot and Grey Plover. Two Reed Buntings and twenty Goldfinches were feeding along the path. (AW)

Raven (above), Knot & Brent Geese around the Long Pool &Tramway (AW)

Church Norton: Two Long-tailed Ducks were reported being seen distantly offshore from the spit late this afternoon. (per NBd)

North Wall: A pair of Red Breasted Mergansers were fishing close to the sluice gates this morning, and along White's Creek there was the usual mix of Wigeon, Teal and Redshank, with lots of Brent Geese and Lapwing further out.

A Rock Pipit and a Meadow Pipit were along the wall, and 12 Snipe dropped into the wet area by the rife, whilst a Great Crested Grebe was on the Breech Pool and two Egyptian Geese flew in from the harbour and landed on the flooded field behind, and on Honer 1 there were four Shovelers and 1000 Brent Geese, with a Buzzard, two Greenfinches, two Stonechats and five Reed Buntings along the hedgerows.

A Peregrine was in its regular tree at Halsey’s Farm and three Water Rails, and 2 Cetti’s Warblers were calling from the reeds, there. Also, a Great Spotted Woodpecker was around the paddock, along with a Green Woodpecker, two Pied Wagtails and six Reed Buntings, and around the fields further back there were a Marsh Harrier, two Song Thrushes, a Chiffchaff, five Meadow Pipits, 22 Skylarks, 12 Linnets, 18 Goldfinches and an impressive further 42 Reed Buntings. (LP/CT/GHi)

Peregrine (above), Rock Pipit & Red-breasted Mergansers at the North Wall (LP)

Chichester GPs: Two Egyptian Geese flew from Ivy lake to Whyke Lake this afternoon seen from the A27. (BI)

Medmerry: Easton Lane to Wilson's Farm - There were finally a few birds around the cover crop fields at Wilson's Farm this morning, though mostly using the trees but not feeding in them, including c30 Yellowhammers, a couple of Reed Buntings and Chaffinches, c50 Goldfinches and at least 200 Linnets, plus a Great Spotted Woodpecker.

Along the fields back to Easton Lane there were a pair of Stonechats, c40 Skylarks, a handful of Meadow Pipits, c100 Stock Doves and Canada Geese, plus the pair of Egyptian Geese, whilst c200 Lapwings and c50 Brent Geese came up from further south on the reserve. (AH)

Yellowhammer (above), Stonechat, Linnets, Great Spotted Woodpecker & Egyptian Geese at Medmerry (AH)

Thursday, 4th January: The moderate westerly breeze eased through the morning, though unfortunately it became increasingly overcast before the predicted rain set in at midday.....

Selsey Bill: It was a vey quiet morning, with just a few Red-throated Divers the only birds on the move. Full log below. (SR/SP/IH/LP/AH et al)

(0755-0925hrs) (W, F4)

Great Northern Diver - 2W, 2os

Red-throated Diver - 6E, 13W

Great Crested Grebe - 4os

Gannet - 1W, 2os

Brent Goose - 22W

Common Scoter - 3W

Red-breasted Merganser - 1E, 1W, 1os

Oystercatcher - 1W

Dunlin - 19E, 250W

Turnstone - 19

Mediterranean Gull - 1os

Sandwich Tern - 2W

Guillemot - 1W

Razorbill - 1W

auk sp - 4W

Pied Wagtail - 1

Sandwich Tern (above) & Brent Geese at the Bill (AH)

Ferry Pool: A pair of Tufted Ducks were on the pool this morning, along with c75 Shovelers, c200 Teal, c100 Wigeon and c50 Mallards, with at least 800 Lapwings on the fields. (AH)

Tufted Ducks (above) & Lapwings at the Ferry (AH)

Hunston: Two Cattle Egrets were with a few Little Egrets in the fields along Mundham Road. (BI)

Medmerry: Easton Lane to the Stilt Pools - The banks were really quiet this morning, despite the calm conditions, with just one Dartford Warbler, a pair of Stonechats, up to a dozen Meadow Pipits and a small flock of Linnets, Goldfinches and Greenfinches seen, whilst the only two raptors were a Peregrine and a Marsh Harrier.

At least 400 Golden Plovers, 800 Lapwings and 100 Brent Geese came up from the reserve several times, but a single Snipe and a few Curlews and Redshanks were the only other waders seen, along with a few roosting Lapwings on the Stilt Pool.

There were lots of ducks on the Stilt Pool, including c20 Gadwall, a dozen Tufted Ducks, c50 Wigeon and c100 Teal, plus at least three Little Grebes, whilst on the big pool on the reserve there were another 200+ Wigeon and a pair of Pintail. (BI/AH)

Later on, a Great White Egret was on the reserve, near the Stilt Pool. (AT)