Birding the Selsey Peninsula: 23rd

Christmas Day, Wednesday, 25th December: Another very overcast, if fairly mild, morning in just a modest north-westerly breeze........

We would like to wish all of our readers and contributors a very happy Christmas. (Eds)

Selsey Bill: A Velvet Scoter went east, and then back west this morning, whilst two Slavonian Grebes and two Great Northern Divers were on the sea. Full log below. (SH/AH/IP/SR)

(0745-0900hrs) (NW, F3)

Great Northern Diver - 2os

Red-throated Diver - 4E, 10W, 1os

Slavonian Grebe - 2os

Great Crested Grebe - 1E

Gannet - 6E, 11W, 50os

Shag - 6E

Brent Goose - 2E

Velvet Scoter - 1E, then back W

Red-breasted Merganser - 4E

Turnstone - 5

Mediterranean Gull - 5W

Sandwich Tern - 2E

Razorbill - 2E, 51W, 20os

auk sp - 4E, 69W

(1000-1100hrs) (SM)

Great Northern Diver - 2os

Red-throated Diver - 2E, 1os

Slavonian Grebe - 1os

Great Crested Grebe - 1os

Gannet - 14os

Brent Goose - 2E

Common Scoter - 10W, 60os

Mediterranean Gull - 4os

Lesser Black-backed Gull - 1W, 1os

auk sp - 11W

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

Ferry Pool: There were 26 Avocets, a Black-tailed Godwit and a couple of Lapwings present this morning, along with c60 Shovelers, c150 Teal and c50 Mallards, whilst a male Marsh Harrier went through at the back. (SM/AH)

Lapwing (above) & Avocets on the Ferry (AH)

Church Norton: At least 1000 Brent Geese were spread around the harbour this morning, but there wasn't too much else, with a single Black-tailed Godwit, a dozen Grey Plovers, c20 Dunlin and a few Redshanks, Wigeon and Shelducks being about it in a quick look. (AH)

Grey Plover (above) & Brent Geese at Church Norton (AH)

North Wall: It was just the regular species this morning, with large numbers of Lapwings and Brent Geese in the harbour, along with plenty of Black-tailed Godwits, Redshanks, Wigeon, Teal, Pintail and Shelduck.

Also, a few Snipe flew up from the saltmarsh, and a Skylark flew over but it was quiet along the hedgerows and in the fields, whilst a Jay was in the paddocks, as were 16 Meadow Pipits and a Green Woodpecker, but apart from a Marsh Harrier early on, that was about all. (LP)

Jay (above) & Lapwings and Brent Geese at the North Wall (LP)

East Head: The highlight this morning was a juvenile/female type Long-tailed Duck offshore from the car park and the was also a Great Northern Diver and c.30 Great Crested Grebes on the water.

Small birds were few and far between but there were a few Stonechats, Skylarks and Linnets around the dunes. Two Avocets dropped into the shoreline where there was also a single Sanderling, 170 Lapwings were over the saltmarsh and c.50 Brent Geese flew over. (BI/DBh et al)

Avocets (above) & Stonechat at East Head (BI)

Drayton: At least 45 Cattle Egrets and 15 Little Egrets were on the new organic field today but there was no sign of yesterday's Great White Egret here (BI/SM)

Cattle Egrets at Drayton (SM)

Medmerry: Easton Lane to Marsh Barn - A Merlin was sat out on the reserve this morning,, with a Buzzard and a Kestrel also about, whilst the banks held five Yellowhammers, two Stonechats, a Cetti's Warbler and c20 Chaffinches. (S&SaH)

A brief late afternoon visit produced a flock of 31 Fieldfares and a Great Spotted Woodpecker in trees in the field opposite the car park whilst the hedges held a Yellowhammer, a Cetti's Warbler, a Dartford Warbler and a Buzzard, plus a Water Rail was heard. (SR)

Fieldfares at Medmerry (SR)

Almodington: A walk across the fields today produced a flock of 42 Fieldfares, two Stonechats, a Skylark, a Yellowhammer, three Pied Wagtails, a Chiffchaff, five Meadow Pipits, a Green Woodpecker, two Kestrels, two Buzzards and two Stock Doves, before most were soon displaced by nearby bird scarers, but for a short time the stubble field was full of birds. (SR)

Fieldfares at Almodington (SR)

Tuesday, 24th December: A very murky and overcast morning, quite mild in a light westerly breeze........

Just a short note to say I have now updated the Pre-blog Diary years from 1975 to 1978 (the Greater Sand Plover year)....just click the link on the title bar. Merry Christmas. (OM)

Selsey Bill: The visibility was much better offshore than it was just a few hundred metres inland and it was a surprisingly interesting morning, with three Goldeneyes - two drakes and a duck - going west separately, with five Slavonian Grebes on the sea, a Peregrine over and a good selection of other species, too, with half a dozen Bottle-nosed Dolphins about, too. Full log below. (SH/BI/IP/AH/SR)

(0730-0945hrs) (W, F3)

Great Northern Diver - 2W, 2os

Red-throated Diver - 7E, 32W

Slavonian Grebe - 5os

Great Crested Grebe - 3os

Gannet - 15E, 39W

Shag - 11E

Brent Goose - 4E

Shelduck - 1W

Tufted Duck - 4W

Goldeneye - 3W

Common Scoter - 2E, 8W, 56os

Red-breasted Merganser - 4W, 1os

Peregrine - 1N

Oystercatcher - 1W

Turnstone - 8

Mediterranean Gull - 12W

Common Gull - 1W

Kittiwake - 1W

Sandwich Tern - 2E

Guillemot - 2W, 1os

Razorbill - 83W

auk sp - 26E 50W

Pied Wagtail - 1

Bottle-nosed Dolphin - 6E

Goldeneye (above), Great Northern Diver, Red-throated Divers, Red-breasted Mergansers, Tufted Ducks, Shags & Gannets at the Bill (AH)

Ferry Pool: There were just 19 Avocets, c40 Black-tailed Godwits, c50 Shovelers and c75 Teal present this morning. (AH)

Avocets and Black-tailed Godwits on the Ferry (AH)

North Wall: It was very misty along the wall this morning, with it impossible to see far into the harbour, though c80 Brent Geese and four Black-tailed Godwits flew over, c50 Wigeon were in the creek at Halsey's Farm, a dozen Curlews were in the fields, a Chiffchaff and one or two Reed Buntings were along the wall and a couple of Water Rails were heard (LP/SP/SR/AH et al)

Black-tailed Godwits (above), Brent Geese & Wigeon at the North Wall (AH)

Sidlesham: A Firecrest was among a loose flock of Long-tailed and Blue Tits in the garden late this afternoon - the first recorded here after a very long wait! (AH)

Monday, 23rd December: The north-westerly breeze had eased overnight, leaving a cold and hazily sunny morning, before it slowly clouded over later.....

Selsey Bill: Two Slavonian Grebes dropped in offshore and half a dozen Great Northern Divers were about, but little was on the move this morning. Full log below. (PB/P&LH/BI/AH/IP/SR)

(0745-0915hs) (NW, F4)

Great Northern Diver - 3E, 3os

Red-throated Diver - 1E, 5W

Slavonian Grebe - 2os

Great Crested Grebe - 2E, 1os

Gannet - 1W

Shag - 2E

Brent Goose - 2E, 1W

Common Scoter - 3os

Red-breasted Merganser - 4E

Turnstone - 7

Sandwich Tern - 1os

auk sp - 12E, 76W

Sandwich Tern (above) & Great Northern Divers at the Bill (AH)

Ferry Pool: There were 26 Avocets on the pool this morning, along with c40 Black-tailed Godwits, c75 Shovelers, c100 Teal and c50 Mallards, with c80 Lapwings and c150 Wigeon on the fields. (AH)

Avocets and Black-tailed Godwits at the Ferry (AH)

Selsey Peninsula: A report was received of three roosting Long-eared Owls at a private site on the Peninsula in December - the first recorded locally since 2021. (Eds)

Long-eared Owl on the Peninsula

Church Norton: At first light, six Marsh Harriers - an adult male, a sub-adult male and four females - flew out of the Severals, with two Cetti's Warblers calling there, too. (SH)

Later, at least 1000 Brent Geese were still behind the churchyard, but there wasn't too much of note in the harbour, though the Whimbrel was about, along with two Avocets, c50 Grey Plovers, c50 Golden Plovers, c150 Lapwings and c60 Wigeon. (P&LH)

North Wall: There was a bit more variety about this morning, with two Ravens flying across the harbour and heading north over the wall, a Peregrine, two Marsh Harriers, a Sparrowhawk, a Buzzard and a Kestrel in and around the fields, and an Avocet along White’s Creek, together with the usual Wigeon, Teal, Pintail, Redshanks and Black-tailed Godwits. Also, on the mud were the large flocks of Lapwing and Golden Plover and further out there were good numbers of Grey Plovers, Knot and Dunlin.

A Kingfisher flew out from the Halsey’s Outfall and a Greenshank was in the harbour nearby, while along the Rife a Common Gull was with 150 Wigeon along the banks. and 34 Curlews were in the fields.

It was again busy in the Paddock, too, with two Stonechats, five Meadow Pipits, a Song Thrush, two Pied Wagtails, a Collared Dove, a Greenfinch, a Reed Bunting, a Great Spotted Woodpecker and 20 Goldfinches present, as well as a few Blue Tits, Great Tits, Robins and Blackbirds. (CT/LP)

Sparrowhawk(above), Grey Plover & Collared Dove at the North Wall (LP)

Sidlesham Common: There were just two Cattle Egrets in the fields on Lockgate Road this morning, along with c50 Stock Doves. (P&LH)

Fishbourne Creek: A Black-necked Grebe was on the water south of Dell Quay, but there wasn't much else of note there, though the main channel held c800 Brent Geese, 40 Wigeon, 10 Grey Plovers, 35 Lapwings, 15 Black-tailed Godwits and 150 Dunlin.

Also, a good flock of 154 Common Gulls were in the fields along the road to Dell Quay. (P&LH)

Black-necked Grebe in Fishbourne Creek (LH)

Medmerry: Easton Lane to the Stilt Pool - It was fairly quiet this afternoon, with a Chiffchaff, two Goldcrests, four Stonechats, four Yellowhammers, three Reed Buntings and a Pied Wagtail seen along the banks, and a Marsh Harrier, a Sparrowhawk, two Kestrels and four Buzzards over. (S&SaH)

Marsh and Chalder Farms, Sidlesham: Six Cattle Egrets among the sheep at Marsh Farm were the only ones seen late this morning, with a passing Marsh Harrier, a pair of Stonechats and a few Chaffinches and Pied Wagtails the only other birds of note in the vicinity.

There were also a few more of the latter two, plus a Grey Wagtail and a pair of Great Spotted Woodpeckers around Chalder Farm, with c40 Curlews and c100 Stock Doves in the fields there, but that really was about it. (AH)