1st - 3rd November 2024

Sunday, 3rd November: Yet another heavily overcast morning, slow to warm up in the fresh easterly breeze.........

Selsey Bill: Over 500 Brent Geese went west this morning, along with 98 Wigeon and ten Red-breasted Mergansers, whilst among a good variety of species seen, there were a Red-throated Diver and a Great Northern Diver, along with a good variety of waders. Full log below. (SH/JA/PB/MRB/BI/AH/SR)

(0645-0915hrs) (E, F4)

Great Northern Diver - 1os

Red-throated Diver - 1E

Gannet - 5E, 47W

Shag - 6E, 6os

Brent Goose - 16E, 531W

Shelduck - 10W

Wigeon - 14E, 98W

Teal - 14W

Tufted Duck - 1W

Common Scoter - 1E, 10W

Red-breasted Merganser - 10W

Oystercatcher - 3W

Golden Plover - 1E

Grey Plover - 1E

Knot - 1E

Sanderling - 1E

Dunlin - 13E

Curlew - 1W

Turnstone - 25

Mediterranean Gull - 7E

Sandwich Tern - 2os

Guillemot - 3os

Razorbill - 53E, 9W, 3os

auk sp - 47E, 67W

Skylark - 1N

Pied Wagtail - 3

Meadow Pipit - 9E

Goldfinch - 30

Red-throated Diver (above), Common Scoter & Brent Geese at the Bill (AH)

(1400-1530hrs) (AW)

Gannet - 5W

Shag - 1os

Brent Goose - 4W

Pochard - 1E

Common Scoter - 5E

Sanderling - 2E

Pochard (above), Common Scoters & Shag at the Bill (AW)

Ferry Pool: There were 25 Avocets and 14 Black-tailed Godwits on the pool this morning, with up to eight flighty Snipe in the roadside reeds, but otherwise there were just the usual mix of c80 Shovelers, c100 Teal, c30 Wigeon and Mallards and five Shelducks. (AH/PB/MRB)

Avocets on the Ferry (AH)

Sidlesham: Six Hawfinches went over the garden again this morning - they may possibly be the same ones seen several times recently and are lingering in the area - and also a flock of c150 Fieldfares went over, heading west. (PA)

North Wall: There were three Bearded Tits - two males and a female - in the Breech pool again this morning, though otherwise there were just the odd Reed Bunting and Cetti's Warbler about, whilst a pair of Stonechats were in the paddocks, with a Chiffchaff nearby, a Raven went Over Owl Copse and two Snipe went over Halsey's Farm. Later in the morning a Water Pipit, seen and sound recorded, flew from the saltmarsh to the back of the Breech Pool. (PB/MRB/S&SaH/AH/BI et al)

East side: The harbour was full of birds on the rising tide this morning, with some of our winter visitors returning in numbers at last, including at least 500 Brent Geese, c200 Wigeon, c60 Pintail, c40 Teal, c750 Dunlin, c50 Knot, a Greenshank, half a dozen Bar-tailed Godwits, c60 Black-tailed Godwits, c120 Golden Plovers and at least 500 Lapwings. (AH/PB/MRB et al)

Golden Plovers (above), Bar-tailed Godwit, Black-tailed Godwits, Brent Geese, Brent Geese and Pintails & Brent Geese and Lapwings along the East side (AH)

Saturday, 2nd November: A very gloomy and grey morning, cool early on in the moderate north-easterly breeze......

Selsey Bill: The Black Redstart was still around the houses at the Bill-tip this morning, and a Red-throared Diver and a Red-breasted Merganser went east, but it was slow for migrants again, otherwise, with just a few Brent Geese and auks going mostly west. Full log later. (SH/PB/MO-W/AH/SR)

(0645-0900hrs) (NE, F3)

Red-throated Diver - 1E

Gannet - 8E, 27W

Brent Goose - 4E, 68W

Common Scoter - 11os

Red-breasted Merganser - 1E

Oystercatcher - 2W

Turnstone - 18

Mediterranean Gull - 1os

Common Gull - 2W

Razorbill - 4E, 53W, 12os

auk sp - 35E, 222W

Pied Wagtail - 10

Black Redstart - 1

Goldfinch - 30E

(1215-1315hrs) (SH)

Gannet - 21E, 5W

Brent Goose - 2E, 27W

Common Scoter - 2E, 3W

Turnstone - 3

Razorbill - 7E, 4os

auk sp 9E, 8W

Pied Wagtail - 1

Also, at 1430hrs, a Bonxie was seen chasing a Herring Gull, well out to sea. (ML)

Mediterranean Gull (above) & Brent Geese at the Bill (AH)

Ferry Pool: There were three Greenshanks at the back this morning, with 20 Avocets, 18 Black-tailed Godwits, ten Shelducks, c80 Shovelers and c120 Teal also about. (AH)

Later, two Greenshanks were in Ferry Channel and 24 Avocets were on the pool, whilst the Coal Tit continues to regularly visit the feeders by the Visitor Centre. (RP)

Greenshanks (above) & Avocets, Black-tailed Godwits and Teal at the Ferry (AH)

Park Farm, Selsey: There were two Stonechats, a Grey Wagtail, a Pied Wagtail and nine Meadow Pipits around the fields this morning, plus a Buzzard over. (S&SaH)

Church Norton: Early this morning, visible migration over the Severals included a Yellowhammer, seven Siskins, three Lesser Redpolls, 18 Chaffinches, 103 Goldfinches, a Grey Wagtail, and 13 Meadow Pipits, whilst a Firecrest, four Goldcrests, seven Chiffchaffs and five Cetti's Warblers  were around the Severals/Bluebell Wood area, with four Water Rails heard.

There were also a Siskin, four Redwings and a Raven over the churchyard, with nine Chiffchaffs and three Goldcrests among a big Long-tailed Tit flock there. (MRe)

Later on, there were two Dartford Warblers and two Stonechats along the beach, with a Grey Wagtail in the creek by the horse field, whilst three Lesser Redpolls and eight Siskins dropped in briefly to the trees at the bottom of the path to the harbour and c50 Goldfinches went over. There were also several Chiffchaffs and Long-tailed Tits, plus a Mistle Thrush around the car-park and path there.

The harbour was quiet, though c100 Brent Geese were near the harbour mouth, with a few Wigeon and Teal about, too, but waders were restricted to c75 Redshanks and c20 Grey Plovers. (AH)

Dartford Warbler (above), Stonechat, Chiffchaff & Brent Geese at Church Norton (AH)

Early this afternoon, there were three Dartford Warblers and seven Stonechats along the beach, with a Chiffchaff and a Goldcrest also present, whilst five Swallows went over. 

Also, a Water Rail was in the Severals, a Kingfisher was in the harbour, along with c150 Brent Geese, whilst another 145 went west offshore, with 16 Gannets feeding out ro sea, too. (S&SaH)

Also of note, a Pale-bellied Brent Goose was among the flock near the harbour mouth. (K Britten)

Pale-bellied Brent Goose at Church Norton (K Britten)

North Wall: Two - and possibly three - Bearded Tits were still around the Breech Pool this afternoon, and there were also three Spotted Redshanks in White's Creek. (AB)

Later on, four Marsh Harriers went in to roost in the Breech Pool and c40 Cattle Egrets flew in to Owl Copse. (S&SaH)

Mill Pond Marsh: A female marsh Harrier was hunting over the reeds again late this afternoon. (MRe)

West Wittering: A male Marsh Harrier was quartering the wildlife strips in a field in Rookwood Lane this morning - first time in 15 years I've seen one here. (GM)

Marsh Harrier at West Wittering (GM)

Friday, 1st November: The fairly mild, settled and grey spell continues, though the breeze was a little stronger and from the west this morning.....

Selsey Bill: A male Eider dropped in offshore, before going off west with three Common Scoters and a few more auks and Brent Geese went west. Full log below. (AH/SR/PD)

(0700-0830hrs) (W, F2-3)

Gannet - 2E, 2W

Shag - 1E, 3os

Brent Goose - 4E, 37W

Wigeon - 26W

Eider - 1os, then W

Common Scoter - 3W

Turnstone - 7

Mediterranean Gull - 1W

Sandwich Tern - 1os

Guillemot - 1W

Razorbill - 13E, 94W, 38os

auk sp - 94E, 334W

Wood Pigeon - 275W

Pied Wagtail - 20

Meadow Pipit - 1

Goldfinch - 6

Eider (above), Shags, Guillemot and Razorbills & Pied Wagtail at the Bill (AH)

Later in the morning, a Black Redstart was along the beach. (AW)

Black Redstart at the Bill (AW)

Ferry Pool: The Green Sandpiper was again on the roadside pool, whilst on the main pool there were 22 Avocets, 18 Black-tailed Godwits, five shelducks and c80 Shovelers and Teal. (AH)

Green Sandpiper (above) & Avocets and Black-tailed Godwits at the Ferry (AH)

Church Norton: There was a bit more visible migration over the Severals early this morning, including five Bramblings, five Lesser Redpolls, 22 Siskins, 23 Linnets, ten Chaffinches, 39 Goldfinches, two Yellowhammers, 26 Reed Buntings, ten Meadow Pipits, 12 Pied Wagtails, 31 Skylarks and a Swallow.

Also, a Dartford Warbler and a Stonechat were along the front, with a Firecrest, eight Goldcrests and five Chiffchaffs around the hedges, whilst two Snipe, 13 Lapwings, 28 Brent Geese and c100 Wood Pigeons also went over. (MRe)

There wasn't much to add later, though c50 Brent Geese, including a couple of small flocks flying in, were around the harbour, along with a few Wigeon and Teal, a Greenshank, the Whimbrel and c40 Grey Plovers were among the relatively few waders about on the high tide, and a Marsh Harrier, a Sparrowhawk, a Jay and two Green Woodpeckers were also noted. (AH/PDF et al)

Sparrowhawk (above), Jay & Green Woodpecker at Church Norton (AH)

Sidlesham: Five Hawfinches went over Cow Lane early this morning. (PA)

Medmerry: Coastguards - Two Guillemots went west offshore this morning. (PD)

North Wall: There were two Barn Owls out at Halsey's Farm at dusk this evening. (AH)

Mill Pond Marsh: A female Mash Harrier was hunting over the reeds late this afternoon and a Snipe went over, but otherwise there were just a pair of Teal and a dozen mallards present. (AH)

Marsh Harrier at Mill Pond Marsh (AH)