Monday, 6th January: After yet more overnight rain, the morning started with a very fresh south-westerly pushing through drizzly squalls, before brightening up slowly, and getting colder, as the wind shifted to the north-west....
Selsey Bill: The drake Long-tailed Duck dropped in, well offshore, and there were a few more Gannets than of late, though it was otherwise a quiet morning. Full log below. (AH/IP/SR)
(0755-0910hrs) (SW, F6-7)
Great Northern Diver - 1os
Red-throated Diver - 2E
Gannet - 16E, 41W, 10os
Long-tailed Duck - 1os
Red-breasted Merganser - 1E, 7os
Common Gull - 1W
Sandwich Tern - 1W
Gannet at the Bill (AH)
Ferry Pool: There were at least 800 Lapwings on the fields this morning, but there were just four Avocets and c20 Black-tailed Godwits present, along with 40 Shovelers, c80 Teal and c150 Wigeon. (AH)
Lapwings, Shovelers and Teal on the Ferry (AH)
Church Norton: There were lots of waders in the harbour this morning, including the Whimbrel, two Bar-tailed Godwits, 18 Avocets, c100 Grey Plovers, c300 Knot and c800 Dunlin, whilst a pair of Red-breasted Mergansers were in the main channel and a few Pintail, Wigeon, Teal and Shelducks were spread about.
Also, a Sparrowhawk went over and a couple of Chiffchaffs were in the sheltered hedges. (AH)
Later on, a Firecrest was also along the sheltered hedges, near the steps. (MRe)
Chiffchaff (above), Sparrowhawk, Avocets, Dunlin & Knot at Church Norton (AH)
West Itchenor: There were two Great Northern Divers on the water this morning. (PA)
Fishbourne Creek: A look along the creek this morning produced a Greenshank and seven Avocets, along with a couple of Ringed Plovers, 140 Lapwings, just one Black-tailed Godwit and a mix of the usual waders, whilst wildfowl included a Pintail, two Gadwall, 25 Teal, 140 Wigeon and c800 Brent Geese.
There were also a Grey Wagtail, a Rock Pipit and four Meadow Pipits along the edge and a couple of Common Gulls were about, too. (PA)
Greenshank in Fishbourne Creek (PA)
Sunday, 5th January: After heavy overnight rain, a fairly wet and miserable morning of persistent drizzle in a near gale-force south-westerly....
Selsey Bill: It was pretty quiet this morning in the poor viewing conditions, with just a few of the regular species seen. Full log below. (SH/BI/IP/AH)
(0745-0930hrs) (SW, F7)
Great Northern Diver - 1os
Red-throated Diver - 2E, 1os
diver sp - 1E
Great Crested Grebe - 1os
Gannet - 1E, 11W
Common Scoter - 1W
Red-breasted Merganser - 3E, 7W
Turnstone - 8
Mediterranean Gull - 5W
Common Gull - 3W
Sandwich Tern - 3os
Great Northern Diver (above), Red-breasted Mergansers & Sandwich Tern at the Bill (AH)
This afternoon a Sanderling went west with a small flock of Turnstones, but nothing else was moving. (MRe/AW)
Sanderling and Turnstones at the Bill (AW)
Ferry Pool: There were seven Avocets, c40 Black-tailed Godwits and c50 Lapwings present this morning, along with c40 Shovelers, four Shelducks and c75 Wigeon and Teal. (AH)
Avocets, Black-tailed Godwits and Shovelers on the Ferry (AH)
Selsey Peninsula: Just one Long-eared Owl was reported today in the dismal conditions. (Eds)
Church Norton: There wasn't much to report this morning, though a Marsh Harrier was over the harbour, and two Red-breasted Mergansers and three Pintail flew along the main channel, with the Whimbrel, c80 Knot, c20 Grey Plovers and c200 Dunlin, plus just a dozen or so Shelducks, Wigeon and Teal, about it, otherwise. (AH)
Whimbrel (above), Grey Plover & Knot at Church Norton (AH)
Sidlesham: Two calling Ravens went over the garden late this afternoon, heading west. (AH)
North Wall: There wasn't too much going on this morning, though a male Marsh Harrier and a Buzzard were about, an Avocet was in White's Creek, c100 Black-tailed Godwits, c20 Brent Geese and c300 Brent Geese were in the fields and a couple of Stock Doves were in the paddocks. (AHu)
A look along the path through Halsey's Farm late this afternoon was surprisingly productive, with a Jack Snipe popping up and flying a short distance across the newly flooded fields, where there were also three Snipe, whilst a Raven and a Marsh Harrier both went over.
Also, the now vey flooded creek held 300+ Wigeon, c50 Teal, c50 Lapwings and c20 Redshanks, whilst 36 Cattle Egrets were in the field by Owl Copse, along with c50 Curlews. (AH)
Snipe (above), Raven, Marsh Harrier & Cattle Egrets and Curlews at the North Wall (AH)
Saturday, 4th January: A cold and very grey morning in a steadily strengthening south-easterly breeze....
Selsey Bill: It was another busy morning, with a Black-throated Diver east, two Slavonian Grebes west and two Long-tailed Ducks and four Velvet Scoters offshore amongst a good selection of species. Full log below. (SH/BI/MRe/PB/IP/JFi/AHu/AH/LP/SP/IH/TH/SR et al)
(0740-0940hrs) (SE, F3)
Great Northern Diver - 2os
Black-throated Diver - 1E
Red-throated Diver - 16E, 7W, 1os
Slavonian Grebe - 2W
Great Crested Grebe - 1E, 3W
Gannet - 5E, 1W
Shag - 9E
Brent Goose - 1W
Shelduck - 1W
Wigeon - 12W
Pintail - 6E
Long-tailed Duck - 2os
Velvet Scoter - 4os
Common Scoter - 16E, 22os
Red-breasted Merganser - 2E, 4W, 3os
Ringed Plover - 20
Dunlin - 2
Mediterranean Gull - 2os
Kittiwake - 9E
Sandwich Tern - 15os
Razorbill - 5E
auk sp - 26E
Rock Pipit - 1
Red-throated Divers at the Bill (AH)
Ferry Pool: There were an Avocet, c50 Black-tailed Godwits and c100 Lapwings present this morning, along with c50 Shovelers, c150 Teal and c300 Wigeon, whilst a Kingfisher was in the channel opposite, a Barn Owl went over the road, early on, and eight Red-legged Partridges were in the field to the south. (LP/SP/IH/TH/AH/AHu)
Wigeon and Black-tailed Godwits at the Ferry (AH)
Selsey Peninsula: The three Long-eared Owls were again present today. (Eds)
Long-eared Owl on the Peninsula
Church Norton: It was quiet in the inclement conditions, with four Common Scoters west the only thing of note offshore, and 11 Avocets and two Little Grebes feeding in front of Tern Island the best in the harbour, though there were plenty of the regular species present.
Otherwise, a male Marsh Harrier hunting over the first Several and a Great Spotted Woodpecker at Greenlease Farm was about it. (IP)
Later, there were ten Bar-tailed Godwits about, along with two Red-breasted Mergansers and two Lesser Black-backed Gulls. (MRe)
This afternoon, six Marsh Harriers - two adult males, a sub-adult male and three females - came in to roost in the Severals, with two Buzzards and a Cetti's Warbler about, too. (S&SaH)
North Wall: Two Spotted Redshanks were in White's Creek early on and a Greenshank and a Kingfisher were in the creek opposite Halsey's Farm, but there were only c50 Golden Plovers and c100 Lapwings in the harbour, along with good numbers of the usual species and a dozen Pintail were among the many Wigeon and Teal.
Marsh Harriers were seen a couple of times, along with a Rock Pipit and a Reed Bunting along the wall, whilst there were c50 Black-tailed Godwits and a huge flock of c2000 Brent Geese, plus a Pale-bellied Brent Goose, coming and going from the Honer fields.
Also, a small flock of half a dozen or so Lesser Redpolls were in the trees at Halsey's Farm, along with a Redwing, two Mistle Thrushes and a Great Spotted Woodpecker, with c20 Meadow Pipits in the fields there. (RHa/SHa/AH/AB/NM/GJ/PJ/BI et al)
This evening a Little Owl was out in the paddocks. (SP)
Black-tailed Godwits (above), Golden Plovers, Brent Geese, Meadow Pipit, Mistle Thrush (AH), Spotted Redshank & Pale-bellied Brent Goose (GJ) at the North Wall
Fishbourne Creek: A drake Goldeneye was at Dell Quay this morning. (SM)
Later, a Jack Snipe and a Snipe were along the salt-marsh, together with a Rock Pipit, a Grey Wagtail and a Kingfisher, with a good selection of waders seen, including a Greenshank, ten Avocets, 39 Black-tailed Godwits, 16 Ringed Plovers and 125 Lapwings, with wildfowl including two Red-breasted Mergansers, 15 Pintails, 80 Brent Geese and 100+ Wigeon and Teal. (MRe/AHu)
Medmerry: Medmerry Trail to Pothole Farm - Two Green Sandpipers flew over the Trail, heading towards the Ferry, mid-morning, but two Yellowhammers, two Chiffchaffs and a Goldcrest was all that could be found along the hedges.
Also seen going over were a Snipe, 13 Black-tailed Godwits, c100 Golden Plovers, c200 Lapwings, c100 Brent Geese, three Kestrels and a Buzzard. (S&SaH/PB)
Medmerry: Easton Lane to the Stilt Pool - A Merlin and a Marsh Harrier went over the reserve late this morning, whilst four fieldfares were along the banks, together with six Yellowhammers and three Reed Buntings.
Among waders seen ere three Snipe, eight Dunlin, 19 Black-tailed Godwits, 13 Ringed Plovers, 150 Golden Plovers and 100 Lapwings, and there were also a Egyptian Geese, two Greylag Geese, 25 Canada Geese, 70 Brent Geese and two Gadwall. (MRe)
Pagham WTW: The works are still ongoing here but a Grey Wagtail was with several Pied Wagtails and a few Chiffchaffs and a flock of Jackdaws were on the playpark in Summer Lane. (BI)
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