1st - 3rd March 2024

Sunday, 3rd March: A complete change this morning, with some warm spring sunshine and blue skies in just a light north-westerly breeze...

Selsey Bill: There was the biggest Red-throated Diver movement for while this morning, with 70 going west, mostly in a 20 minute spell either side of 0830hrs, whist nine Great Northern Divers were on the sea and a pod of c15 Bottle-nosed Dolphins showed well as they went east. Full log below. (SH/JA/BI/SR/IP/P&LH)

(0630-0900hrs) (N, F2)

Great Northern Diver - 2E, 9os

Red-throated Diver - 19E, 70W

Slavonian Grebe - 1os

Great Crested Grebe - 1E, 1os

Brent Goose - 8E

Shoveler - 3E

Common Scoter - 15E, 1W, 21os

Red-breasted Merganser - 8E, 14os

Oystercatcher - 2W

Mediterranean Gull - 2W

Sanderling - 2E

Turnstone - 8

Sandwich Tern - 8os

Bottle-nosed Dolphin - c15E

(1340-1420hrs) P&LH)

Great Northern Diver - 4os

Great Crested Grebe - 1E

Common Scoter - 6os

Knot - 2W

Dunlin - 3W

Turnstone - 3

Mediterranean Gull - 2os

Brent Geese moving east at the Bill (BI)

Ferry Pool: The Spoonbill was back on the pool this morning, before flying back off west early in the afternoon.

There were also c20 Avocets, three Redshanks, six Snipe and a Mediterranean Gull present, along with four Gadwall, six Shelducks, c80 Shovelers, c100 Teal and c100 Wigeon. (AH/P&LH/GD et al)

Spoonbill (above), Avocet, Shoveler (AH) & Snipe and Teal (GD) at the Ferry

Park Farm, Selsey: A male Kestrel was sat on the barn roof early morning, whilst later at the beach end of Park Lane two Chiffchaffs were singing (possible migrants?) and a Buzzard was being mobbed by the local crows at the eastern end of the fields. (IP)

Church Norton: The main interest today was offshore, which was very calm and as a result produced six Long-tailed Ducks in a loose flock - including two males, one with a very long tail, up to five Slavonian Grebes, a single Eider and two Great Northern Divers..
A group of 16 Avocets were the highlight in the harbour, which still held cc1500 Brent Geese and reasonable numbers of Teal, Wigeon and Pintail), whilst all the common waders were present in reasonable numbers, including Redshanks, Curlews, Oystercatchers, Dunlin, Grey Plovers, Knot and Ringed Plovers, plus a lone Turnstone, whilst the three Little Grebes were back in the harbour close to Tern Island.
Also seen were a Sparrowhawk over Priory Wood, a Dartford Warbler in the bushes in front of the horse field and a singing Reed Bunting in the first Several, whist a Cetti's was calling nearby. (IP)

North Wall: A Spotted Redshank was along White’s Creek this morning, together with 12 Snipe, a Grey Plover and the usual Wigeon, Teal and Redshank, while further out there were 20 Pintail and 300 Brent Geese.
Two Tufted Ducks were on the Breech Pool, and on the flooded fields there were three Ruff, 22 Lapwing, 250 Black-tailed Godwits, 24 Curlew, 200 Wigeon, 46 Teal, 18 Shovelers, a pair of Gadwall, 12 Brent Geese and a pair of Canada Geese.
Also, the pair of Marsh Harriers were over the reeds and six Buzzards were higher up, but it was quiet along the wall with just six Chiffchaffs and a couple of Reed Buntings in the bushes, and eight Grey Herons in Owl Copse. (LP/CT/DHi/AH)

At dusk this evening, both a Barn Owl and a Little Owl were around the paddocks. (LP)

Spotted Redshank (above), Ruff, Chiffchaff, Brent Goose, Shoveler (LP), Marsh Harrier, Gadwall & Wigeon (AH) at the North Wall

Pagham Lagoon and Spit: There were just a displaying pair of Great Crested Grebes, plus a pair of Little Grebes and a handful of Mediterranean Gulls on the Lagoon, and not much from the spit beyond the large numbers of Brent Geese, Wigeon, Teal and Pintail seen from elsewhere. (AH)

Great Crested Grebes (above) & Little Grebe at Pagham Lagoon (AH)

Medmerry: Easton Lane to the Stilt Pool - A Barn Owl was out hunting late into the morning today, whilst a Marsh Harrier, four Buzzards and three Kestrels were also seen, but the banks were fairly slow, just holding two Dartford Warblers, a Chiffchaff, eight Stonechats, ten Yellowhammers and c25 Linnets and Skylarks.
There were also a dozen Golden Plovers and c50 Lapwings on the reserve, with a Greenshank, 11 Avocets, six Oystercatchers, four Ringed Plovers and four Common Gulls on the Stilt Pool and a selection of wildfowl, including six Shovelers, eight Gadwall,c20 Wigeon and Tufted Ducks and 31 Brent Geese. (P&LH/SH)

Fishbourne Creek: The long-staying female Long-tailed Duck was off Dell Quay again today. (S Rushmer, per PH)

Long-tailed Duck at Fishbourne Creek (S Rushmer)

Saturday, 2nd March: And so it goes on; another grey, blustery and wet start to the day, with heavy rain and a strong south-west wind, before the wind and rain subsided to give brighter condition with some sunny breaks..... 

Selsey Bill: An unsurprisingly slow morning, given the conditions, for the hardy team of regulars who still put in the effort....the few highlights being a Slavonian Grebe and three Great Northern Divers offshore. Full log below. (SH/JA/BI/SR)

(0645-0900hrs) (SW, F6)

Red-throated Diver - 1os

Great Northern Diver - 3os

Slavonian Grebe - 1os

Fulmar - 3W

Gannet - 3E, 23W

Shag - 1E

Red-breasted Merganser - 2E, 5W

Oystercatcher - 2W

Turnstone - 8

Mediterranean Gull - 1W

Sandwich Tern - 5os

Meadow Pipit - 2N

(1200-1300hrs) (SH)

Red-throated Diver - 2W

Great Northern Diver - 1W, 4os

Slavonian Grebe - 2E

Common Scoter - 3os

Long-tailed Duck - 2E

Red-breasted Merganser - 6os

Mediterranean Gull - 2os

Sandwich Tern - 5os

Sandwich Tern passing the Mile Basket (BI)

Ferry Pool: The Spoonbill was present again first thing this morning, but later flew off towards Medmerry. Otherwise, there were 12 Avocets and a mix of the usual wildfowl including Teal, Shoveler and Wigeon present. (BI/RP et al)

Spoonbill at the Ferry (BI)

Chichester Gravel Pits: The Ivy Lake complex, including New Lake, was quiet in the pouring rain this morning. There were, however, two Egyptian Geese and c.20 Pochard and Tufted Ducks on the main lakes and 15 Shoveler on the outer lakes. (BI/DBh).

Egyptian Geese (above)  & Pochard at Ivy Lake (BI)

West Wittering: A Coal Tit was in our garden today. (GM)

Chalder/Marsh Farm: Only seven Cattle Egrets were seen today, c.30 Stock Doves were in the fields and the rookery near the milking parlour was very active with a good 500-600 birds present, plus three Buzzards were about. The hedges held a Cetti's Warbler, a Reed Bunting, c.30 Chaffinches, a Pied Wagtail and a Tufted Duck was in the rife. In the churchyard was a Firecrest, a Chiffchaff, a Jay and two flocks of Long-tailed Tits. (SR)

Friday, 1st March: After another night of heavy rain, a cool and blustery morning of heavy showers, fast moving cloud and the odd sunny spell in a very fresh south-westerly....

Selsey Bill: A flock of 27 Brent Geese went east and a few Gannets went west, though it remains quiet. Full log below. (SR/AH/BI)

(0740-0910hrs) (SSW, F7-8)

Great Northern Diver - 3os

Red-throated Diver - 1W

Great Crested Grebe - 1os

Gannet - 23W

Brent Goose - 27E

Common Scoter - 1E

Red-breasted Merganser - 1E, 7W

Turnstone - 20

Mediterranean Gull - 2os

Sandwich Tern - 10os

Razorbill - 1W

Great Northern Diver (above), Red-breasted Mergansers, Sandwich Tern & Mediterranean Gull at the Bill (AH)

Ferry Pool: The Spoonbill and the Green Sandpiper were present again this morning, as were 30 Avocets, six Gadwall, c80 Shovelers and c100 Teal and Wigeon, whilst a Marsh Harrier was over the channel opposite, and c200 Brent Geese flew over into the harbour. (AH/BI)

Spoonbill (above), Spoonbill and Avocets & Marsh Harrier at the Ferry (AH)

The Spoonbill was still present this afternoon, and ten Snipe were tucked in along the bank. (JC/RP)

Spoonbill, Gadwall, Shovelers and Teal on the Ferry (RP)

West Itchenor: The Black-throated Diver was again off the jetty this afternoon. (PH)

Pagham Spit: The two Eider were offshore again this afternoon. (LP)

Church Norton: A Greenshank was in the harbour this morning, along with ten Ringed Plovers, c30 Redshanks and Curlews, c40 Grey Plovers, and c200 Dunlin, plus just a few Wigeon, Teal and Shelducks, with a few Turnstones on the beach, but there was nothing offshore or in the hedges. (AH)

Greenshank (above), Turnstone & Dunlin at Church Norton (AH)

North Wall: In the flooded birds there were 300 Black-tailed Godwits, 72 Curlews, 18 Shoveler, two Gadwall, 40 Teal and 150 Wigeon, but it was quiet along the wall, with just a Reed Bunting and a couple of calling Cetti’s Warblers. At Owl Copse, nine Grey Herons were in the trees, while out in the harbour there were still 800 Brent Geese, and along White’s Creek, a Bar-tailed Godwit and a few Dunlin and Grey Plovers were with the usual Redshanks and Wigeon.

In the fields by the Church Barton reservoir, four Ruff were with 24 Lapwing until they were disturbed by a hunting Peregrine, whilst two Marsh Harriers and a Kestrel were also about, and 60 Linnets, 30 Reed Buntings and four Yellowhammers were along the hedgerow. (LP/IH/SP)

Ruff (above), Ruff and Lapwings, Marsh Harrier, Reed Bunting, Linnets & Black-tailed Godwits and Shovelers at the North Wall (LP)