14th January 2025

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)