4th December 2024

Wednesday, 4th December: A fairly cool start, with some cloud and some sun in a light north-easterly, but becoming more overcast as the breeze veered to the south-west and freshened ....

Selsey Bill: There was a bit more activity, though mostly well offshore, but included a Long-tailed Duck, a good westward movement of auks and a few divers. Full log below. (SH/PB/AH)

(0730-0900hrs) (NE, F1-2)

Great Northern Diver - 2E, 6os

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

Great Crested Grebe - 1os

Gannet - 1W

Brent Goose - 8W

Long-tailed Duck - 1os

Common Scoter - 39W, 21os

Red-breasted Merganser - 2E, 2os

Oystercatcher - 3W

Sanderling - 1E

Turnstone - 7

Mediterranean Gull - 1W

Sandwich Tern - 9os

Razorbill - 68W

auk sp - 673W

Pied Wagtail - 1

Great Northern Diver (above), Red-throated Divers, Sandwich Tern (AH) & a glorious sunrise (PB) at the Bill

Ferry Pool: There were just three Avocets on the pool this morning, though there were 48 Black-tailed Godwits and c200 Lapwing about, and wildfowl numbers were lower, too, with just one Shelduck, c50 Shovelers and Wigeon and c75 Teal present. (AH)

Shoveler (above), Lapwings & Avocet and Black-tailed Godwits at the Ferry (AH)

Church Norton: There were up to 2000 Brent Geese present this morning, mostly getting pushed into the harbour by the shooting in the fields, whilst in the harbour itself there were good numbers of waders about, including the Whimbrel, a Bar-tailed Godwit, c300 Knot, c80 Grey Plovers and c500 Dunlin, plus at least 500 Golden Plovers flying up from the back, along with everything else, when a Merlin sped through.

The hedges were quiet, though, with two Chiffchaffs, a Great Spotted woodpecker and two Kestrels being about it. (AH/CRJ)

This evening a very impressive seven Marsh Harriers went in to roost in the Severals, with an adult male and three females in the first and a sub-adult male and two females into the second. (S&SaH)

Whimbrel (above), Grey Plover, Brent Geese & Golden Plovers at Church Norton (AH)

North Wall: A flock of 13 Cattle Egrets were along Mill Lane this morning, with a Chiffchaff and two Stonechats along the wall, with a Marsh Harrier, three Buzzards and a Kestrel went over. (S&SaH)

Pagham Spit and Lagoon: A Dartford Warbler, a Kingfisher, two Stonechats, 12 Linnets, two Meadow Pipits, a Rock Pipit and two Skylarks were along the spit this morning, and around the harbour entrance there was a Sanderling, a Common Gull, two Mediterranean Gulls, and a Sandwich Tern, but it was quiet offshore, with just a couple of Great Crested Grebes on the water, and a Razorbill that flew by, heading west.

In the harbour on the rising tide there were large numbers of Grey Plovers, Knot, and Dunlin as well as two Bar-tailed Godwits, 100 Ringed Plovers and 30 Turnstones, and the Pale-bellied Brent Goose was amongst the vast number of Brent Geese on the water.

A Sparrowhawk flew across the Lagoon but on the water, there were just ten Tufted Ducks, eight Little Grebes and 50 Coots. (LP)

Sanderling (above), Sandwich Tern, Tufted Ducks & Knot, Dunlin & Grey Plovers at Pagham Spit (LP)

North Mundham: A Nuthatch was briefly on our feeders this afternoon. (MJ)

Medmerry: Easton Lane to the Stilt Pool - There was quite a bit of activity on the Stilt Pool late this morning, including a Green Sandpiper, eight Dunlin, 21 Snipe, 74 Ringed Plovers, a Kingfisher and a Pied Wagtail, with c200 Lapwings, c300 Golden Plovers, c250 Brent Geese, four Egyptian Geese, a Water Rail, another Kingfisher and another Snipe out on the reserve.

The banks were fairly quiet, but held a Dartford Warbler, nine Stonechats, two Chiffchaffs, two Goldcrests, two Pied Wagtails, a Yellowhammer, six Reed Buntings and eight Song Thrushes, whilst a flock of 98 Chaffinches flew over the track near the car-park, and there were also a Peregrine, two Marsh Harriers, two Kestrels and four Buzzards about. (S&SaH)