Birding the Selsey Peninsula: 7th

Friday, 9th February: After a grey and murky start, a fairly bright and breezy morning in a fresh south-westerly.......

Selsey Bill: There was a bit more activity this morning, with a fair mix of the regular species seen. Full log below. (BI/SR/AH)

(0730-0900hrs) (SW, F6)

Great Northern Diver - 1W, 2os

Red-throated Diver - 9E, 9W, 3os

Slavonian Grebe - 1os

Great Crested Grebe - 1W

Gannet - 40W

Common Scoter - 1W

Red-breasted Merganser - 2E, 5W

Oystercatcher - 1W

Turnstone - 3W

Mediterranean Gull - 1os

Kittiwake - 1W

Sandwich Tern - 9os

Razorbill - 2E

auk sp - 6E, 7W

(1445-1545hrs) (SH)

Great Northern Diver - 3os

Red-throated Diver - 2W

Great Crested Grebe - 1os

Fulmar - 1W

Eider - 2os

Sanderling - 1W

Turnstone - 1

Mediterranean Gull - 3W

Razorbill - 1W

Great Northern Diver (above) & Mediterranean Gull at the Bill (AH)

Ferry Pool: A flock of 19 Avocets dropped in to roost at the back this morning, whilst c150 Lapwings were still around the field, whilst wildfowl comprised eight Gadwall, four Shelducks, c75 Shovelers, c50 Wigeon and c30 Wigeon and Mallards (AH)

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

Church Norton: A Goldeneye was in the main channel this morning, but there were far fewer wildfowl about generally, with just c20 Shelducks and Wigeon and c50 and Brent Geese seen, along with a couple of Little and Great Crested Grebes, with another of the latter on the sea and a Guillemot flying west the only birds seen offshore.

There were also a few waders moving about the harbour on the rising tide, including the Whimbrel, c100 Grey Plovers, c20 Turnstones and c300 Dunlin, plus the usual Redshanks, Curlews and Oystercatchers, but there were few birds around the hedges beyond a few Chaffinches and Goldfinches. (AH)

Guillemot (above), Whimbrel, Teal & Grey Plovers, Dunlin and Turnstone at Church Norton (AH)

North Wall: It was busy around the paddock this morning, with a Song Thrush, a Green Woodpecker, a Stonechat, a Grey Wagtail, a Pied Wagtail, two Moorhens and a Curlew joining the regular Blackbirds, Robins and Wrens, whilst further back two Marsh Harriers were over the reeds and a Buzzard was also about.
In the harbour, around high tide, there was just a few Wigeon on the water, but way out on the mud there was a large number of waders, with Grey Plovers, Black-tailed Godwits, Knot, Dunlin, Lapwing and Golden Plover all seen.
Three Rock Pipits were along the wall and in the fields which are again very flooded, there were lots of Wigeon, a few Brent Geese and a Little Grebe, while 12 Snipe flew out of the fields and over the harbour, two Buzzards were around Owl Copse and six Grey Herons were out on their island, and at Halsey’s Farm a Skylark was on the fence and 1200 Brent Geese were in the harbour by the outfall. (LP/SP/CT)

Grey Wagtail (above), Rock Pipit, Stonechat, Skylark, Green Woodpecker, Brent Geese & Wigeon and Brent Geese at the North Wall (LP)

Thursday, 8th February: After more heavy overnight rain, a dismal morning of persistent drizzly rain in a brisk south-easterly breeze.....

Selsey Bill: It was even quieter this morning in limited visibility. Full log below. (AH/SR/IP/LP/SP)

(0800-0900hrs) (ESE, F4)

Red-throated Diver - 1E

Great Crested Grebe - 1os

Gannet - 2E, 6W, 3os

Shelduck - 4W

Common Scoter - 6E

Red-breasted Merganser - 2E

Turnstone - 6

Mediterranean Gull - 1os

Sandwich Tern - 2os

Rock Pipit - 1

Gannet (above) & Red-breasted Mergansers at the Bill (AH)

Ferry Pool: There wasn't much about this morning, with no sign of the Long-tailed Duck and otherwise just eight Gadwall, c75 Shovelers and barely a dozen Wigeon and Teal. (AH)

Shoveler (above) & Gadwall and Shovelers at the Ferry (AH)

Church Norton: A fairly brief look at high tide produced very few birds indeed, with just 20 or so Wigeon and Teal on the water, and c20 Redshanks and Oystercatchers roosting on Tern Island. (AH)

Wigeon at Church Norton (AH)

Wednesday, 7th February: After a night of rain and a strong westerly, the wind shifted to the north-east and dropped considerably, leaving it cool, murky and heavily overcast.....

Selsey Bill: There was little to be seen in very poor visibility this morning, though it included three Great Northern Divers and three Sandwich Terns. Full log below. (SR/AH/IP/ABi)

(0755-0855hrs) (ENE, F3-4)

Great Northern Diver - 2E, 1W

Red-throated Diver - 1W

Shag - 1E

Red-breasted Merganser - 2E, 2W

Sandwich Tern - 3os

Razorbill - 3W

Ferry Pool: The Long-tailed Duck was still present on the pool this morning, along with eight Gadwall, eight Shelducks, c75 Shovelers, c50 Teal and c100 Wigeon, but there were just c50 Lapwings around the field. (AH/ABi/JMo)

North Wall: Around high tide this morning there were just a few Wigeon, Teal, Pintail, Shelduck and a single Gadwall on the water, whilst three Rock Pipits and a Redshank were along the wall and 12 Snipe flew over.

Six Grey Herons were in the trees at Owl Copse, two Goldcrests were with six Long-tailed Tits moving along the hedgerows, and around the paddock there were a Great Spotted Woodpecker, a Green Woodpecker, a Jay, a Stonechat and a Pied Wagtail. (LP)

Late this afternoon a Barn Owl was around the Breech Pool, with four Marsh Harriers, three Buzzards and a Kestrel also about, and ten Cattle Egrets and five Grey Herons came in to roost at Owl Copse.

Also, c1000 Brent Geese were in the fields towards Marsh Farm and c200 Golden Plovers and c500 Lapwings were in /over the harbour. (S&SaH)

Rock Pipit (above), Grey Heron & Redshank at the North Wall (LP)

West Itchenor: The Black-throated Diver was again off the Northshore boatyard this morning, with five Red-breasted Mergansers, three Little Grebes and two Great Crested Grebes on the water and at least 500 Brent Geese scattered along the foreshore.

There were also lots of waders moving about, including a Greenshank, c40 Black-tailed Godwits, c150 Grey Plovers and c500 Dunlin. (AH/ABi)

Black-throated Diver (above) & Brent Geese at West Itchenor (AH)

East Head: Over 1000 Brent Geese went over Roman Landing, heading for the harbour this afternoon. (SH)

Fishbourne Creek: Just one drake Goldeneye and seven Red-breasted Mergansers were on the water at high tide, along with c25 Great Crested Grebes, c40 Pintail and vast numbers of Wigeon and Brent Geese, whilst waders included two Greenshanks, c60 Turnstones and c200 Black-tailed Godwits.

Also, a Grey Wagtail and at least ten Rock Pipits in various plumages were along the water's edge, with a Goldcrest in the adjacent hedges, and at least 50 Common Gulls were among the many Black-headed Gulls present. (AH)