14th - 16th January 2025

Thursday, 16th January: Another overcast morning, still quite cool but with just a very light southerly breeze.........

Just a note to say that the years 1985-86 have now been added to the pre-Blog years data....the Sora makes an appearance and it's a busy time for me. Click the link on the title bar for the details. (OM)

Selsey Bill: The Red-necked Grebe went east, fairly distantly, this morning, and there were plenty of Gannets and a few divers about, whilst the Black Redstart was on Bill House roof. Full log below. (SH/AH/SR)

(0750-0920hrs) (S, F2-3)

Great Northern Diver - 6os

Red-throated Diver - 8E, 11W, 1os

Red-necked Grebe - 1E (0810hrs)

Great crested Grebe - 

Gannet - 122E, 120W, 80os

Shag - 8E

Brent Goose - 4E, 2W

Red-breasted Merganser - 4E, 4W, 5os

Oystercatcher - 3E

Turnstone - 5W

Mediterranean Gull - 1E

Kittiwake - 1W

Sandwich Tern - 11os

Razorbill - 4W

auk sp - 62E, 4W

Black Redstart - 1

Black Redstart (above), Great Northern Diver & Shag at the Bill (AH)

Ferry Pool: The Green Sandpiper was on the small roadside pool again this morning (JMo), whilst later there were just one Avocet, c60 Shovelers, c100 Teal and four Shelducks present (AH).

Avocet, Shovelers and Teal at the Ferry (AH)

North Wall: A female Bearded Tit was in the reeds at the Halsey's Farm end of of the wall, with the ten Barnacle Geese still in the fields there, and a Spotted Redshank flew around over the Breech Pool before heading off west. (CRJ/OM)

Honer Reservoir: There were just five Tufted Ducks and an impressive count of 115 Coots on the reservoir this morning. (JDW)

Church Norton: The drake Long-tailed Duck was showing well offshore this morning, along with 14 Red-throated Divers - most of which flew off west - and eight Great Crested Grebes.

There wasn't too much of note in the harbour, though two Avocets were present, along with plenty of Knot, Dunlin and Grey Plovers, and at least 1000 Lapwings were flying about the far end. 

There were also a couple of Goldcrests among a flock of Long-tailed Tits along the path to the harbour..(AH)

Long-tailed Duck (above), Red-throated Diver & Avocets at Church Norton (AH)

Medmerry: Easton Lane to the Stilt Pool - There were two Dartford Warblers, a Cetti's Warbler, four Stonechats, two Reed Buntings and 22 Yellowhammers along the banks today, with a Raven, a Marsh Harrier, two Peregrines and seven Buzzards over.

Also, a Snipe and an Avocet were on the Stilt Pool and a water Rail was on the reserve. (S&SaH)

Wednesday, 15th January: A misty, murky sort of a morning, and quite cool in the light northerly breeze.........

Selsey Bill: It was pretty quiet this morning, though the Black Redstart and two Rock Pipits were about, two Fulmars went west,  and half a dozen Great Northern Divers were on the sea. Full log below. (AH/SR/AW et al)

(0745-0915hrs) (N, F2)

Great Northern Diver - 6os

Red-throated Diver - 1E, 19W, 4os

Great Crested Grebe - 1W, 2os

Fulmar - 2W

Gannet - 4E, 2W

Shag - 2E

Shelduck - 1W

Common Scoter - 19W

Red-breasted Merganser - 6W, 8os

Sparrowhawk - 1

Turnstone - 2

Sandwich Tern - 5os

Rock Pipit - 2

Black Redstart - 1

Later, the two drake Eider were among the large Common Scoter flock off Hillfield Road. (LL)

Fulmars (above), Black Redstart, Rock Pipit & Sparrowhawk at the Bill (AW)

Ferry Pool: It was just wildfowl this morning - but lots of them -  with four Shelducks,  a pair of Gadwall, c50 Shovelers, c150 Teal, at least 300 Wigeon and c40 Mallard present, though c50 Lapwings flew over into the harbour. (AH/TG-P)

Gadwall and Shovelers (above) & Wigeon at the Ferry (AH)

North Wall: The ten Barnacle Geese were still in the field at Halsey’s Farm and the flock of Lesser Redpolls were also still present by the entrance, whilst a Spotted Redshank was on the mud by the outfall with 16 Redshanks, a Grey Plover and c150 Wigeon.

There were 32 Black-tailed Godwits and 65 Curlews out in the fields, whilst a Shoveler ,a Kingfisher and two Water Rails were around the Breech Pool, and eight Snipe were along White’s Creek with the usual large group of c800 each of Lapwings and Golden Plovers.

Also, two Chiffchaffs, three Rock Pipits, five Meadow Pipits and 15 Reed Buntings were seen along the wall, plus a Firecrest in Owl Copse and a pair of Stonechats at Halsey's Farm, whilst a Grey Wagtail flew over the paddocks, where there were two Green Woodpeckers, six Meadow Pipits, 18 Goldfinches and a Jay, with three Marsh Harriers further back, and a Coal Tit in the garden at Little Welbourne. (LP/MRe/CT/JDW/PB/AT et al)

Barnacle Geese (above), Spotted Redshank, Meadow Pipit & Shoveler at the North Wall (LP)

Marsh and Chalder Farms, Sidlesham: A Barn Owl was out hunting late this afternoon as was a Marsh Harrier, and there was 28 Curlews, eight Cattle Egrets, 17 Stock Doves, seven Pied Wagtails, three flocks of Long-tailed Tits and 75 Chaffinches in two large flocks around the hedges, and a Firecrest was in the churchyard. (SR)

Selsey Peninsula: At least two Long-eared Owls were still present today. (Eds)

Fishbourne Creek: A very quick look off of Dell Quay produced literally nothing on the water, save two distant Little Grebes, with otherwise just a handful of Brent Geese and Lapwings over, whilst an equally brief look at Apuldram churchyard area did turn up the regular pair of Coal Tits, but nothing else of note. (AH)

Hunston: There were three Cattle Egrets in the roadside field at Reedbridge Farm late this morning. (AH)

Cattle Egret at ReedbridgeFarm, Hunston (AH)

Tuesday, 14th January: A pleasant morning of sunshine and cloud in a light to moderate south-westerly breeze.....

Selsey Bill: It was much quieter today, but the two drake Eider dropped in, two Slavonian Grebes and a Black-throated Diver were on the sea and a Velvet Scoter and 86 Red-throated Divers, including flocks of 21, 18 and 14, went west. 

Full log below. (AH/P&LH/SR/RP/SM/KJ/KF et al)

(0750-1050hrs) (SW, F3)

Great Northern Diver - 1W, 2os

Black-throated Diver - 1os

Red-throated Diver - 10E, 86W, 7os

Slavonian Grebe - 3os

Great Crested Grebe - 3os

Gannet - 1E, 6W

Shag - 7E

Brent Goose - 4E

Eider - 2os

Velvet Scoter - 1W

Common Scoter - 1W, 52os

Red-breasted Merganser - 2E, 4os

Sanderling - 1

Turnstone - 1

Mediterranean Gull - 2W

Sandwich Tern - 1os

Razorbill - 2W

auk sp - 6E, 7W

Eider (above), Velvet Scoter & Red-throated Divers at the Bill (AH)

Ferry Pool: A dozen Black-tailed Godwits and three Shelducks were on the pool this morning, along with the regular c60 Shovelers and c100 Teal. (AH)

Shelduck and Shovelers on the Ferry (AH)

Selsey Peninsula: At least two Long-eared Owls were present again today. (Eds)

Long-eared Owl on the Peninsula

Church Norton: The drake Long-tailed Duck was fairly distantly offshore this morning, along with a Black-throated Diver, eight Red-throated Divers (plus ten west), 14 Razorbills, c20 auk sp, 15 Gannets, 12 Great Crested Grebes and four Mediterranean Gulls.

There were also ten Red-legged Partridges in the field behind the churchyard. (SM/KJ/KF et al)

North Wall: The two pairs of Bearded Tits were showing well again on the Breech Pool this morning, whist a Merlin went over and a couple of Marsh Harriers, Buzzards and Sparrowhawks were about, along with two or three Rock Pipits and half a dozen Reed Buntings, whilst the Spotted Redshank and c50 Curlews and Black-tailed Godwits were in the Honer fields, with another c50 of the latter and c200 Lapwings in the harbour.

Also, at least 15 Lesser Redpolls were still showing well near Halsey's Barn and the ten Barnacle Geese ere still in the fields, along with a Stonechat and c200 Wigeon, whilst the vast Brent Geese flock came and went a couple of times, being mostly settled along Rookery Lane. (AH/DW/EB/CW/MT et al)

Bearded Tits (above) (top two AH, lower two EB), Lesser Redpolls (top two AH, lower two EB), Rock Pipit & Sparrowhawk (AH) at the North Wall 

Fishbourne Creek: This morning off the River Lavant outflow there were two male Goldeneyes and seven Pintail, whilst a Kingfisher was perching on the sea wall. 

There were also two Chiffchaffs along the edge of the reedbed, whilst there were two Greenshanks in the wader roost at Dell Quay and two in the roost at Fishbourne, and there were seven Song Thrushes in the field by Apuldram church. (RW)

Medmerry: Easton Lane to Marsh Barn - Two Barn Owls were out at dusk tonight and a Peregrine went over, with two Water Rails, a Goldcrest, two Reed Buntings and three Yellowhammers the only other things seen. (S&SaH)