1st - 3rd January 2025

Friday, 3d January: After a surprisingly sharp overnight frost, a cold and bright morning in a fairly light north -westerly breeze...

Just a  reminder that the Review of the Year for 2024 is available to read on the bar above.

Selsey Bill: A Long-tailed Duck went east, there were four Velvet Scoters on the sea, 51 Red-throated Divers went west and the Black Redstart was still present, but by far the best bird for the regulars was a Buzzard - a much less than annual bird here - going west along the beach early on. Full log below. (BI/SH/MRe/IP/P&LH/AH/MO-W/CG/AB et al)

(0745-0915hrs) (NW, F3)

Great Northern Diver - 2E, 2W, 3os

Red-throated Diver - 11E, 51W

Great Crested Grebe - 1E

Shag - 5E

Brent Goose - 11E, 20W

Shelduck - 5W

Long-tailed Duck - 1E

Velvet Scoter - 4os

Common Scoter - 1E, 21W, 40os

Red-breasted Merganser - 2E, 4W

Buzzard - 1E

Sparrowhawk - 1

Mediterranean Gull - 4W

Common Gull - 

Sandwich Tern - 7W

Razorbill - 1W

auk sp - 8E, 6W

Pied Wagtail - 1

Black Redstart - 1

Great Northern Diver (above), Red-throated Divers & Sandwich Terns at the Bill (AH)

Ferry Pool: A Barn Owl was seen from the B2145, south of Knight Fencing before dawn this morning. (CG)

The pool was still frozen mid-morning, so, apart from a handful of Lapwings, it was just a lot of wildfowl at the back, comprising c60 Shovelers, c40 Mallards and at least 200 Wigeon and Teal. (AH)

Later on, a Jack Snipe flew across the harbour heading for Red Barn Ditch and a Marsh Harrier went over, whilst a Stonechat was along the Tramway and four Avocets and 20 Shelducks were on the pool. (P&LH)

Shovelers, Wigeon and Teal on the Ferry (AH)

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

Long-eared Owls on the Peninsula

Church Norton: A Rock Pipit - a surprisingly uncommon bird on this side of the harbour - was on the metalwork this morning, with three Meadow Pipits and four Skylarks along the spit, whilst offshore there were three Slavonian Grebes, five Great Crested Grebes and a Red-breasted Merganser on the sea and 11 Red-throated Divers and six Gannets went west.

In the harbour there were three Avocets, the Whimbrel, a Bar-tailed Godwit, 15 Ringed Plovers,40 Grey Plovers, 75 Lapwings, 100 Knot and 250 Dunlin, along with a Kingfisher, a Mediterranean Gull, c60 Brent Geese and c50 Wigeon and Teal, whilst at least half a dozen Chiffchaffs were round the Mound and churchyard and a pair of Stock Doves were on the edge of Priory Wood.(AW/P&LH)

Rock Pipit at Church Norton (AW)

The Greenshank was roosting in the harbour this afternoon, and there were vast numbers of the regular waders sitting out high tide, whilst offshore a Great Northern Diver, two Red-breasted Merganser and at least five Great Crested Grebes were sat on the sea, a long way out, and even further out there was a huge feeding flock of thousands of gulls, with at least 80 Gannets and a couple of Sandwich Terns among them. (AH)

Greenshank and Redshanks (above) & Knot and Grey Plovers at Church Norton (AH)

North Wall: A Song Thrush and three Rock Pipits were along the wall this afternoon, with four Snipe and 60 Black-tailed Godwits in the fields (P&LH), whilst earlier, there were a pair of Red-breasted Mergansers present (GHi), and this evening two Tawny Owls and two Cetti's Warblers were calling at Halsey's Farm with five Snipe going over (S&SaH).

Red-breasted Mergansers at the North Wall (GHi)

Fishbourne Creek: Three Goldeneyes - two males and a female - were at the top end of the creek early this afternoon. (IP)

Sidlesham Common: There were three Cattle Egrets and c40 Stock Doves along Lockgate Road this morning. (P&LH/AH)

Medmerry: Easton Lane to the Stilt Pool - There were a minimum of eight Dartford Warblers along the banks this morning, along with a Goldcrest, half a dozen Reed Buntings, c15 Yellowhammers and two pairs of Stonechats, with a Marsh Harrier and a Buzzard going over.

A Kingfisher and a Greenshank were around the Stilt Pool, along with an Avocet, a Redshank, two Dunlin, a Little Grebe, a Shoveler  and lots of Wigeon and Teal, whist on he fields there were at least 400 Golden Plovers, 100 Lapwing, c40 Skylarks, c100 Linnets, 45 Bent Geese, a Greylag Goose, c60 Canada Geese and many more Wigeon and Teal, with four Gadwall among them. (BI/AH/S&SaH)

Late this afternoon, two Corn Buntings were present, along with a dozen Yellowhammers and a Stonechat, whilst the first field from the car-park held c25 Fieldfares, two Redwings and six Song Thrushes. (P&LH)

Dartford Warblers (above), Yellowhammers, Reed Bunting, Marsh Harrier, Golden Plovers and Lapwings, Gadwall, Teal & Greylag, Brent and Canada Geese at Medmerry (AH)

Thursday, 2nd January: A complete contrast this morning, with the storm and overnight rain having moved on to leave a cold, but bright and sunny morning in a light to moderate northerly breeze...

Just a  reminder that the Review of the Year for 2024 is available to read on the bar above.

...and the Diary notes from pre-blog years have now reached 1979-80. Some harsh decisions by the committees of the day, the first Woodchat, and more...just click the relevant link on the title bar. (OM)

Selsey Bill: There were eight Velvet Scoters seen together in flight this morning near the big Common Scoter flock, whilst two Slavonian Grebes went east and the Black Redstart and Black-throated Diver were about again, too. Full log below. (SH/PB/BI/MRe/PA/PM/IP/SR/OM/AH/RHa)

(0745-0930hrs) (N, F2-3)

Great Northern Diver - 2E, 2os

Black-throated Diver - 1E

Red-throated Diver - 3E, 22W, 4os

Slavonian Grebe - 2E

Great Crested Grebe - 2W, 1os

Gannet - 3E, 8W

Shag - 10E

Brent Goose - 7E, 7W

Shelduck - 1W

Velvet Scoter - 8os

Common Scoter - 2W, 70os

Red-breasted Merganser - 9E, 12W, 7os

Oystercatcher - 1W

Turnstone - 12

Mediterranean Gull - 3os

Common Gull - 2W

Sandwich Tern - 4os

Guillemot - 1E

Razorbill - 2W

auk sp - 2E, 12W

Black Redstart - 1

Black Redstart (above), Shags & Mediterranean Gull at the Bill (AH)

Ferry Pool: There were just one Avocet, c40 Black-tailed Godwits and c80 Lapwings present this morning, along with c60 Shovelers, c150 Teal and c200 Wigeon. (AH)

Lapwings, Black-tailed Godwits, Teal and Shovelers on the Ferry (AH)

Selsey Peninsula: All three Long-eared Owls were present again today. (Eds)

Long-eared Owl on the Peninsula

North Wall: There was selection of birds along the wall this morning for a good number of watchers, including a Marsh Harrier, a Kingfisher and a couple of Water Rails and Rock Pipits, with two Egyptian Geese, a Pale-bellied Brent Goose, at least 1500 Brent Geese and c40 Curlews and Black-tailed Godwits in the Honer fields, whilst a Stonechat and a couple of Jays and Mistle Thrushes at Halsey's Farm.

Also, a Spotted Redshank was in White's Creek, along with 500+ Lapwings, 30+ Redshanks and many Wigeon and Teal. (LP/CT/SP/TRH/PM/IP/OM/AH/CRJ et al)

This evening a Barn Owl was out hunting and a Water Rail was heard, and there were also three Marsh Harriers, three Buzzards and a Kestrel about. (S&SaH)

Egyptian Geese (above), Rock Pipit, Black-tailed Godwits and Brent Geese & Brent Geese at the North Wall (AH)

Church Norton: A Greenshank and the Whimbrel were about today, along with a Kestrel in the car-park and plenty of the regular species. (IP/A Haines et al)

Greenshank (above), Kestrel, Teal & Common Seal at Church Norton (A Haines)

Fishbourne Creek: Two Goldeneye were along the creek this morning, along with four Greenshank, seven Avocets and a Kingfisher. At least eight Red-breasted Mergansers were at Dell Quay and the strange hybrid Wigeon present a few years ago was also on the water here. (PJ/MRe/BI)

Medmerry: Easton Lane to the Stilt Pool - There was a good selection of birds on and over the reserve this morning, including a Merlin, a Marsh Harrier, an Egyptian Goose, a Kingfisher and a Fieldfare, along with four Buzzards and a Kestrel, whilst an Avocet, three Dunlins and a Pied Wagtail were on the Stilt Pool.

Also, along the banks, there were two Dartford Warblers, a Cetti's Warbler, eight Yellowhammers, two Reed Buntings and c20 Meadow Pipits. (S&SaH)

Medmerry: Porthole Farm - There were at least six Corn Buntings in the hedges along the Medmerry Trail this morning and an Egyptian Goose was in a stubble field.. (BI)

Corn Bunting (above) & Egyptian Goose at Medmerry (BI)

This afternoon there were still up to five Corn Buntings in the hedges, with a couple of Reed Buntings and c20 Yellowhammers and Linnets further towards Ham.

Also, a Merlin went through, at least three Buzzards were present, together with a Stonechat, but just one Skylark and two Meadow Pipits were seen, along with a dozen Pied Wagtails, whilst six Fieldfares were at Porthole Farm at dusk and c200  Lapwings were over the fields along Ham Road. (IP/AH)

Yellowhammer (above), Reed Bunting, stonechat, Fieldfare & the new moon at Medmerry (AH)

New Year's Day, Wednesday, 1st January: The storm that developed overnight persisted through the morning, bringing gale-force south-westerlies and intermittent drizzly rain under leaden skies, though it was relatively mild....

We would like to wish a Happy New Year to all our readers and contributors, and to remind you that the Review of the Year for 2024 is available to read on the bar above.

Selsey Bill: There weren't too many birds about in the stormy conditions for a good turn-out of watchers, but did include all three diver species early on and a Little Gull later, plus the re-appearance of the Black Redstart. Full log below. (SH/PB/MRB/BI/DB/MB/CG/IP/AH/SR/SM)

(0745-1030hrs) (SW, F8)

Great Northern Diver - 2W

Black-throated Diver - 1W

Red-throated Diver - 2E, 3W

diver sp - 1W

Gannet - 2W

Brent Goose - 2E, 14W

Common Scoter - 3W, 1os

Red-breasted Merganser - 2E, 5W

Oystercatcher - 1W

Turnstone - 16

Mediterranean Gull - 3W

Little Gull - 1W

Sandwich Tern - 2os

Black Redstart - 1

Black-throated Diver (above), Great Northern Diver, Common Scoter, Red-breasted Merganser, Black Redstart (AH), Mediterranean Gull, Brent Geese and Red-breasted Merganser & the stormy conditions (SM) at the Bill

Little Gull at the Bill (BI)

Ferry Pool: There were just seven Avocets and c50 Black-tailed Godwits roosting at the back of the pool this morning, with c50 Lapwings on the field, but wildfowl consisted of c40 Shovelers and c80 Teal, plus c50 Wigeon on the field. (AH)

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

North Wall: Unsurprisingly little was seen along the wall in the conditions, though two Rock Pipits and six Cattle Egrets were about and a Marsh Harrier and a Sparrowhawk went over. (S&SaH) 

Also, an Avocet was in Halsey's Creek first thing and other waders included both Golden and Grey Plovers, Lapwings, Dunlin, Curlews and Redshanks. (BI)

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

Church Norton: The Whimbrel, a Greenshank, a Black-tailed Godwit and three Bar-tailed Godwits were in the harbour this morning, along with 100 Grey Plovers, c400 Knot and c1000 Dunlin, before the tide got too high, but there wasn't much else beyond three Sandwich Terns, a couple of Great Crested Grebes, a dozen Pintail and Shelducks and 30+ Wigeon and Teal.

Also, two Firecrests were in the sheltered hedges and c200 Brent Geese and c40 Curlews, along with lots of Wood Pigeons and a few Stock Doves, were in the fields behind the churchyard. (DB/MB/AH/MRe/SM et al)

Whimbrel (SM) (above), Greenshank, Sandwich Tern, Knot and Dunlin & Brent Geese (AH) at Church Norton

Sidlesham: A Firecrest was in Sidlesham churchyard this morning and seven Cattle Egrets were along Lockgate Road. (BI)

Fishbourne Creek: It was productive here this morning with a Coal Tit and a Chiffchaff near the parking at Apludram and three Jack Snipe and a Rock Pipit on the saltmarsh the highlights. 

Also present were a number of Pintail & Wigeon, a Kingfisher flew off the white yacht moored offshore and waders included Black-tailed Godwits, Dunlin, Ringed Plover and Redshank. (BI)

Drayton Pits: Two Chiffchaffs were ambitiously catching flies along the hedges and a mixed flock of tits included several Long-tailed Tits but otherwise it was just this regular species including  c150 Common Pochard, a few Mallard, c20 Shovelers, five Grey Herons and a Water Rail. (BI)