Saturday, 28th December: The settled spell continues, with another very grey and murky - though, thankfully, not foggy - morning, with the breeze light and variable..
Selsey Bill: There was a good selection again this morning, with over 100 Red-throated Divers west and at least ten Great Northern Divers, two Long-tailed Ducks and four Velvet Scoters offshore. Full log later. (SH/BI/LP/SP/KT/AH/IP/SR)
(0730-1000hrs) (S, F1)
Great Northern Diver - 1E, 10os
Red-throated Diver - 15E, 117W
Gannet - 6E, 182W
Shag - 12E
Brent Goose - 3W
Wigeon - 5W
Long-tailed Duck - 2os
Velvet Scoter - 4os
Common Scoter - 2E, 1W, 80os
Red-breasted Merganser - 5E, 5W, 10os
Oystercatcher - 2W
Turnstone - 12
Common Gull - 1W
Kittiwake - 1W
Sandwich Tern - 2os
Guillemot - 1W
Razorbill - 2E, 43W
auk sp - 73W
Great Northern Divers (above), Red-throated Divers, Common Scoters, Shags, Gannet, Sandwich Tern & Red-breasted Merganser at the Bill (AH)
Ferry Pool: There were 16 Avocets back on the pool this morning, along with c50 Shovelers and c100 Teal, whilst c100 Lapwings and c150 Wigeon were on the fields. (AH)
Also, later, the Green Sandpiper was back on the roadside pool. (LP)
Shoveler (above), Avocets (AH) & Green Sandpiper (LP) at the Ferry
Church Norton: The splendid drake Long-tailed Duck was offshore again this morning, but half a dozen Great Crested Grebes were the only other birds present.
In the harbour there were at least 40 Pintail on the water, along with similar of Wigeon and Teal, but most of the waders, beyond a few Dunlin, Grey Plovers and noisy Redshanks, were roosting on the far side..
Also, a Mistle Thrush was in the field behind the churchyard, along with the huge flock of Brent Geese and a dozen Red-legged Partridges were along Rectory Lane. (AH/LP)
Long-tailed Duck (LP top, AH lower three) (above), Pintail & Pintail and Dunlin (AH) at Church Norton
Long-eared Owl on the Peninsula
Medmerry: Easton Lane to the Stilt Pool - There was good activity offshore, late this morning, with a Velvet Scoter, a Razorbill and two Great Crested Grebes on the sea and two Red-throated Divers going east, whilst the Stilt Pool held a Greenshank, an Avocet, a Snipe and a Pied Wagtail.
The banks were slow, though, beyond a Dartford Warbler, two Reed Buntings and 20 Yellowhammers, whilst two Snipe and c100 Brent Geese were on the reserve and a Peregrine, two Marsh Harriers, a Kestrel and four Buzzards went over. (S&SaH)
Sparrowhawk (above) & Stonechat at Medmerry (AW)
Friday, 27th December: Another fairly mild, but heavily overcast morning in a light north-easterly breeze.....
Selsey Bill: The Red-necked Grebe was present again this morning - seen flying east at 0730hrs - and there were also three Velvet Scoters among the big Common Scoter flock and at least five Slavonian Grebes, whilst 155 Red-throated Divers, a flock of 20 Pochard and many auks went west. Full log below. (SH/PB/BI/SR/DBo/AH et al)
(0745-0945hrs) (NE, F2)
Great Northern Diver - 1E, 1W, 3os
Red-throated Diver - 2E, 155W
Red-necked Grebe - 1E (0750hrs)
Slavonian Grebe - 5E, 1os
Gannet - 24E, 57W
Shag - 10E
Brent Goose - 6W
Pochard - 20W
Velvet Scoter - 3os
Common Scoter - 3E, 5W, 110os
Red-breasted Merganser - 1E, 3W
Oystercatcher - 3E, 3W
Turnstone - 8
Kittiwake - 1E
Sandwich Tern - 4os
Razorbill - 27E, 174W
auk sp - 69E, 384W
Red-throated Divers (above), Pochard, Common Scoters, Shags & Gannets at the Bill (AH)
Early this afternoon the Black Redstart was again present, whilst three Great Northern Divers were close offshore and four Red-throated Divers went west. (AW)
Black Redstart (above) & Great Northern Diver at the Bill (AW)
Ferry Pool: Unexpectedly, two Green Sandpipers flew out from the small, roadside pool, presumably heading back to Medmerry, but c150 Lapwings on the fields were the only other waders present, and wildfowl comprised of just c50 Shovelers and c80 Teal. (AH)
Green Sandpipers at the Ferry (AH)
Church Norton: Offshore from the beach this morning there were two Great Northern Divers and five Great Crested Grebes on the sea, a Red-throated Diver and two Red-breasted Mergansers flying east and four Gannets west.
In the harbour there were a Greenshank, the Whimbrel, three Bar-tailed Godwits, plenty of Knot, Dunlin and Grey Plovers, a dozen Pintail and 50+ Wigeon and Teal, whilst at least 1500 Brent Geese were still behind he churchyard. (AH)
Also, of interest, a pair of Muntjac Deer have been seen several times recently in the vicinity of the horse field and Priory Wood - possibly the first recorded on the Peninsula. (RS)
Greenshank (above), Whimbrel, Wigeon & Red-breasted Mergansers at Church Norton (AH)
North Wall: An Avocet was along White’s Creek this morning, along with c1200 Lapwing, c500 Golden Plover, c200 Grey Plover c200 Dunlin and c100 Knot, with 97 Pintail on the water, together with the usual Wigeon, Teal and Shelducks.
Also, the male Marsh Harrier flew over the fields and two Rock Pipits were along the wall, whilst a Song Thrush, two Reed Buntings, eight Meadow Pipits, a Jay and two Green Woodpeckers were in the paddocks, but aside from a Great Spotted Woodpecker at Little Welbourne that was about it. (LP/SP/CT/JDW)
Late this afternoon a Barn Owl was hunting over the Honer fields and three female Marsh Harriers came in to roost, whilst a couple of Water Rails were squealing in the reeds, a Spotted Redshank flew around calling and a Tawny Owl was calling at Halsey's Farm.
Also, c500 Brent Geese flew into the harbour and there were huge numbers of Lapwing and Golden Plovers around, too. (S&SaH/AH et al)
Rock Pipit (above), Avocet & Golden Plovers and Lapwings at the North Wall (LP)
Medmerry: Easton Lane to the Stilt Pool - There were three Dartford Warblers, seven Stonechats, two Goldcrests, 19 Yellowhammers, four Reed Buntings and 12 Chaffinches along the banks this morning, whilst a Greenshank, six Dunlin and two Snipe were on the Stilt Pool and two Sandwich Terns were offshore.
Also, another Snipe, c200 Lapwings, c50 Golden Plovers and c100 Brent Geese were on the reserve and a Peregrine, three Marsh Harriers, two Sparrowhawks and two Buzzards went over. (S&SaH)
This afternoon the Barn Owl was out hunting near Marsh Farm, and a Buzzard was there, too. (EB)
Barn Owl (above) & Buzzard and Magpie at Medmerry (EB)
Boxing Day, 26th December: An almost still morning, with just a very light north-easterly breeze, and quite mild, despite the heavily overcast conditions.....
Selsey Bill: Highlights of a busy morning were a Red-necked Grebe - and very probably two - offshore, along with a Slavonian Grebe, with a Long-tailed Duck seen several times, too, whilst a (female) Black Redstart popped up for the first time in a month and there were large numbers of Gannets and auks moving about offshore. Full log later. (SH/BI/IP/SR/AH/MRe et al)
(0730-1000hrs) (E, F2-3)
Great Northern Diver - 4os
Red-throated Diver - 10E, 11W
Red-necked Grebe - 1os (0920hrs) at 07540hrs
Slavonian Grebe - 1os
Great Crested Grebe - 1E, 2os
Gannet - 46E, 288W, 50os
Shag - 5E
Brent Goose - 2E, 5W
Long-tailed Duck - 1os
Common Scoter - 100os
Red-breasted Merganser - 2E, 3W, 3os
Oystercatcher - 3E, 2W
Dunlin - 1E
Redshank - 1E
Mediterranean Gull - 8W
Common Gull - 2W
Kittiwake - 1W
Sandwich Tern - 2os
Guillemot - 6W, 1os
Razorbill - 335W
auk sp - 432E, 562W
Rock Pipit - 1
Pied Wagtail - 1
Black Redstart - 1
Red-necked Grebe (above), Black Redstart, Red-throated Divers, Guillemots and Razorbills, Razorbills & Gannets at the Bill (AH)
Ferry Pool: A total of 25 Avocets were on the pool and c100 Lapwings were on the field, with c50 Shovelers and c75 Teal also present, whilst a Little Grebe was in the channel opposite. (AH)
Avocet (above) & Little Grebe at the Ferry (AH)
Church Norton: This morning there were dozens of Gannets, along with 20+ Razorbills around the harbour mouth, with a Red-breasted Merganser the only other bird seen offshore, and there were also two Sanderlings and ten Turnstones on the beach.
In the harbour, a female Kingfisher was on the old ironwork and a Sandwich Tern was roosting with a flock of Mediterranean, Black-headed and Common Gulls, with a female Peregrine, the regular Whimbrel, a Black-tailed Godwit, three Little Grebes, two Pintail, a few Wigeon and Teal also about, along with vast flocks of Knot, Dunlin, Grey Plovers, Golden Plovers and Lapwings flying about.
Also, a Pale-bellied Brent was feeding behind the churchyard in amongst at least 1500 Bent Geese, a pair of Green Woodpeckers were along the spit, a Great Spotted Woodpecker was in Bluebell Wood and two Little Grebes were on the second several. (AW/IP/AH et al)
Gannets (above), Gannets and Razorbills, Sanderlings, Sandwich Tern and Mediterranean Gulls & Pale-bellied and Dark-bellied Brent Goose at Church Norton (AW)
Medmerry: Easton Lane to the Stilt Pool - A Barn Owl was out hunting near Marsh Barn this morning - the first sighting here since the spring - and a Marsh Harrier and two Buzzards were also about.
Also, two Brent Geese were on the reserve, a Greenshank, two Snipe and two Pied Wagtails were on the Stilt Pools, whilst four Dartford Warblers, seven Stonechats, three Goldcrests, seven Yellowhammers and two Reed Buntings were along the banks. (S&saH)
Drayton: At least 45 Cattle Egrets and three Little Egrets were in the fields by the Drayton railway crossing this morning, before flying off south. (CRJ)
Cattle Egrets at Drayton (CRJ)
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