Saturday, 25th January: A cool and bright morning in just a light to moderate north-westerly breeze...........
Pre-blog years 1975-2012: Just a short note to say that the latest additions have been made to this paper, now taking the updates up to the end of the 1980's. Working through my old diaries has brought back many memories; some events seem like yesterday to me at and it's hard to realise just how many years have slipped by! Just click the link on the title bar in the usual way.
Selsey Bill: Five Slavonian Grebes went east this morning, and a few Kittiwakes and Gannets went west, but not too much else was on the move. full log below.(JA/SH/PB/BI/SR/IP/P&LH/OM)
(0730-0945hrs) (NW, F2-3)
Great Northern Diver - 5os
Red-throated Diver - 6E, 6W, 1os
diver sp - 4W
Slavonian Grebe - 5E
Great Crested Grebe - 1W
Gannet - 45E, 110W
Shag - 7E
Shelduck - 2W
Red-breasted Merganser - 13E, 8W, 10os
Oystercatcher - 2W
Mediterranean Gull - 4E, 3W
Common Gull - 8W
Kittiwake - 18W
auk sp - 91E, 116W
Ferry Pool: A Kingfisher was in the channel opposite, and over 500 Lapwings flew into the harbour from the west, early this morning, whilst on the pool there were c40 Black-tailed Godwits, six Gadwall, 14 Shelducks, c70 Shovelers, c150 Teal, c200 Wigeon and c30 Mallards. (AH)
Kingfisher (above), Gadwall & Black-tailed Godwits at the Ferry (AH)
Sidlesham Quay: A Hawfinch was heard, though not seen, in the line of conifers between the pond and the marsh along Mill Lane. (M&LL)
Also, a Coal Tit was showing occasionally and singing repeatedly from pines nearby. (OM)
North Wall: A Water Pipit was reported as seen and heard in flight by visiting birders at Halsey's Rife and a White-tailed Eagle was reported flying north of the Breech Pool, whilst a Coal Tit was in Pagham churchyard. (BI et al)
Late this afternoon, a Barn Owl was out at Halsey's Farm and the c15 Lesser Redpolls were still present, along with the ten Barnacle Geese. (AB)
Church Norton: There were a few birds offshore this morning, though all distant, including the drake Long-tailed Duck, three Red-breasted Mergansers, three Great Northern Divers, two Great crested Grebes and a Red-throated Diver on the sea, with another nine of the latter heading west together, along with half a dozen Gannets.
The harbour was full of birds on the falling tide, including the Whimbrel, three Bar-tailed Godwits, a Sanderling, 19 Avocets, c50 Knot, c60 Ringed Plovers and Turnstones and vast numbers of Dunlin and Grey Plovers, with at least 60 Pintail among the Wigeon and Teal.
Also, at least 2000 Brent Geese, including the Pale-bellied bird, were commuting between the harbour and the fields behind the church and a Marsh Harrier and a Buzzard were distantly over the far side, but a Chiffchaff and a Meadow Pipit were the only small birds of note. (AH/P&LH/JEv et al)
Brent Geese (above), Pintails, Avocet, Ringed Plovers & Dunlin at Church Norton (AH)
Also, the partially albino Blackbird, first seen last autumn, is still going strong in the field by the Mound. (HK)
Also, there was an unconfirmed report of two Spotted Redshanks and a Goosander near the harbour mouth (Per RBA)
partially albino Blackbird at Church Norton (HK)
Selsey Peninsula: All three Long-eared Owls were still present today. (Eds)
Fishbourne Creek: Three Red Kites and two Buzzards were at the top end of the creek late this morning, whilst two drake goldeneyes, two Red-breasted Mergansers, half a a dozen Little Grebes and a dozen Great Crested Grebes were on the water.
Among the many waders seen were 18 Avocets, two Greenshanks, c75 Black-tailed Godwits and c40 Turnstones, whilst wildfowl included four Pintail, c150 Teal and c1500 Brent Geese, with a dozen Common Gulls, a Kingfisher and a Sparrowhawk also noted. (HB/P&LH)
Mapson's Lane, Sidlesham: Around 35 Fieldfares and a lone Redwing were in roadside trees late this morning. (P&LH)
Medmerry: Easton Lane to the Stilt Pool - A Peregrine was sat out on a dead tree in the middle of the reserve this morning, with at least one Dartford Warbler and half a dozen Yellowhammers also present. (IP)
The Peregrine was still about this afternoon, along with a Buzzard and four Sparrowhawks, with an avocet on the Stilt Pool and a water Rail and six Brent Geese on the reserve.
There were also 16 Yellowhammers, two Reed Buntings, three Goldcrests and 23 Fieldfares along the banks. (S&SaH/AH)
Eider amongst the Common Scoter flock offshore from Coastguards (OM)
Friday, 24th January: After a very stormy night, a morning that started with a gale-force south-westerly and heavy rain, but slowly eased into an average sort of winter's morning of moderate breezes and an overcast sky.......
Selsey Bill: After a very slow start, there was a little bit of activity, including two Fulmars, a female Eider and 18 Red-breasted Mergansers going west. Full log below. (SH/BI/AH/SR)
(0740-0940hrs) (SW, F7-8)
Great Northern Diver - 1W, 1os
Red-throated Diver - 2E, 3W
Great Crested Grebe- 2W
Fulmar - 2W
Gannet - 26W
Shag - 1E
Brent Goose - 2E
Mallard - 3W
Eider - 1W
Common Scoter - 1W
Red-breasted Merganser - 18W
Turnstone - 6
Mediterranean Gull - 1W
Sandwich Tern - 1os
(1315-1430hrs) (SH)
Slavonian Grebe - 1os
Great Crested Grebe - 1os
Gannet - 7W
Common Scoter - 2os
Red-breasted Merganser - 1W
Turnstone - 1
Mediterranean Gull - 3W
Sandwich Tern - 1os
Razorbill - 1os
Fulmar (above), Sandwich Tern & Red-breasted Mergansers at the Bill (AH)
Ferry Pool: There were just four Shelducks, c50 Shovelers and Wigeon and c80 Teal around the pool this morning. (AH)
Shelducks, Shovelers and Teal at the Ferry (AH)
Church Norton: There were plenty of waders about this morning, including the Whimbrel, a Bar-tailed Godwits, two Black-tailed Godwits, c300 Knot, c50 Grey Plovers and c500 Dunlin, along with the usual Curlews, Redshanks and Oystercatchers.
There wasn't much else, though, beyond c30 Brent Geese and a few wigeon and Teal. (AH)
Whimbrel (above), Bar-tailed Godwit & Dunlin at Church Norton (AH)
Church Norton: The Pale-bellied Brent Goose was among the big Brent goose flock, back behind the churchyard this afternoon. (AW)
Pale-bellied Brent Goose at Church Norton (AW)
North Wall: The Grey Wagtail was in the paddock again this morning, along with a Pied Wagtail, a Meadow Pipit and a Stock Dove, and a Kingfisher flew along White’s Creek, where there was the usual selection of Wigeon, Teal and Pintail, with nine Avocets on the mud along with c1000 Lapwings.
At Halsey’s Farm, two Green Woodpeckers, two Great Spotted Woodpeckers, two Jays and a Buzzard were in the trees, and spread around the fields there were 75 Curlews and 52 Black-tailed Godwits. Overhead, there were plenty of geese about, with the 10 Barnacle Geese flying between the harbour and Marsh Farm, 42 Canada Geese and a lone Greylag Goose went over, too, and there was a constant stream of several thousand Brent Geese moving between the harbour and Rookery Lane. (LP/BI/JDW)
Barnacle Geese (above), Grey Wagtail & Great Spotted Woodpecker at the North Wall (LP)
Medmerry: Chainbridge to the Breach - There wasn't much along the hedges beyond a Chiffchaff, three Stonechats, 22 Meadow Pipits, two Green Woodpeckers, a Sparrowhawk and a Kestrel, whilst in the tidal area by the breach, there were a Greenshank, c20 Ringed Plovers, c20 Grey Plovers, c50 Redshanks, c50 Oystercatchers and c200 Dunlin. (S&SaH)
Medmerry: Coastguards - There were c60 Common Scoters, plus a drake Eider, off the Coastguard Station this morning. (AH)
Common Scoters and Eider at Medmerry (AH)
Thursday, 23rd January: A morning that started quite calm and pleasant, before the breeze freshened quickly from the south-west, bringing heavy cloud and squalls of drizzly rain with it.....
Selsey Bill: It was quiet this morning, though a few Kittiwakes and Gannets were heading west. Full log below. (AH/IP/SR/JDa)
(0750-0920hrs) (SW, F5-6)
Great Northern Diver - 1W
Red-throated Diver - 6E, 1W
Gannet - 8E, 120W, c40os
Shag - 3E
Red-breasted Merganser - 3E, 1W
Turnstone - 2W
Mediterranean Gull - 1W
Kittiwake - 18W
Razorbill - 13W
auk sp - 13E, 39W
Great Northern Diver (above), Red-throated Diver & Gannets at the Bill (AH)
Ferry Pool: There were just c50 Wigeon, Teal and Shovelers spread round the pool and fields this morning. (AH)
Wigeon at the Ferry (AH)
Church Norton: The huge flock of c800 Golden Plovers and perhaps double that of Lapwings flew in from the far side this morning, and there were also plenty of Knot, Dunlin and Grey Ploverson the mud, plus the trusty Whimbrel, but there was just a scattering of Wigeon and Teal, plus a few Brent Geese, about.
Also, a Cetti's Warbler was along the west side and a Chiffchaff, a Song Thrush and a few Long-tailed Tits were along the sheltered hedges. (AH)
Whimbrel and Curlew (above), Golden Plovers, Knot & Song Thrush at Church Norton (AH)
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