1st - 3rd February 2025

Monday, 3rd February: After overnight frost, a very grey and murky morning in a moderate south-easterly breeze.....

Selsey Bill: A fairly quiet morning, though a female Long-tailed Duck went east and a Black-throated Diver dropped in offshore, whilst a male Blackcap was in the gardens. Full log below. (PA/AH/IP/SR/M&LL et al)

(0745-0915hrs) (SSE, F3-4)

Great Northern Diver - 4os

Black-throated Diver - 1os

Red-throated Diver - 20E, 11W, 4os

Great Crested Grebe - 1os

Gannet - 1E, 3W

Grey Heron - 1

Shelduck - 1W

Long-tailed Duck - 1E

Common Scoter - 16os

Red-breasted Merganser - 2E, 15os

Oystercatcher - 1

Common Gull - 1E

Blackcap - 1

Black-throated Diver (above) & Red-throated Diver at the Bill (AH)

Ferry Pool: There were three pairs of Gadwall on the pool this morning, along with three Shelducks, c40 Black--tailed Godwits, c60 Lapwings, c60 Shovelers and c150 Wigeon and Teal. (AH)

Gadwall and Shovelers at the Ferry (AH)

Church Norton: First thing this morning there were large flocks of Knot, Dunlin and Grey Plovers flying around the harbour, and around 2000 Brent Geese, including the Pale-bellied bird, gradually moved from the harbour into the field behind the churchyard.

Also, the leusistic Blackbird was behind the hide and a Sparrowhawk was hunting along the hedge-line. (AW)

Pale-bellied and Dark-bellied Brent Geese (above), Knot & leucistic Blackbird at Church Norton (AW)

Selsey: A Green Woodpecker was in the garden today. (AW)

Green Woodpecker in a Selsey garden (AW)

Marsh and Chalder Farms, Sidlesham: At least 25 Cattle Egrets and ten Little Egrets were quite widely spread among the fields this morning, including nine of the former by the Marsh Farm dairy buildings, whilst the fields also held c30 Curlews, eight Shelducks and vast numbers of gulls and corvids.

Most of the passerine activity was at the Chalder Farm end, with a big flock of c150 Chaffinches, c20 Yellowhammers and half a dozen Reed Buntings and Greenfinches, plus c50 Meadow Pipits, along the track to Bramber Farm, with another c100 Chaffinches and a Chiffchaff along Chalder Lane. (AH)

Cattle Egret and Little Egret (above), Yellowhammer, Yellowhammer, Greenfinch and Chaffinch, Meadow Pipit, Curlew & Shelduck at Chalder Farm, Sidlesham (AH)

North Wall: A look early this morning found a Kingfisher near the sluice, three Song Thrushes  and six Meadow Pipits in the paddocks whilst a calling fly-over pipit sp. was unfortunately unidentified! 

There were plenty of birds in the harbour including many Knot, Lapwing & Golden Plover and White's Creek held a good number of Wigeon, some Teal and c.20 Redshanks. The creek at Halsey's Farm also had a good head of Wigeon present but all that could be found around the Breech Pool and adjacent hedges were a few Reed Buntings. (BI/DI)

Medmerry: Easton Lane to the Stilt Pool - There were a Dartford Warbler, four Reed Buntings, c65 Yellowhammers, five Stonechats and ten Meadow Pipits along the banks today, with at least 2120 Skylarks over the fields, along with at least 120 Skylarks and a Marsh Harrier over the fields.

Also, an avocet, four Dunlin, 18 Ringed Plovers and a dozen Gadwall were on the Stilt Pool and c250 Lapwings, c300 Golden Plovers and c400 Brent Geese were on the reserve. (PA), 

Sunday, 2nd February: Another cool morning, but pleasant in the almost uninterrupted sunshine and fairly light southerly breeze....

Pre-blog Diary notes: For those following my diary entries from previous years, new additions move us well into the early 1990's - the Pontins years - with an interesting selection of scarce and rare birds during these great times. Just click the link on the title bar. (OM)

Selsey Bill: An adult Little Gull went east this morning and a Slavonian Grebe and few divers were about again, along with a mix of the usual species. Full log below. (JA/SH/BI/JFi/IP/P&LH/AH)

(0720-0905hrs) (S, F3-4)

Great Northern Diver - 3E, 4os

Red-throated Diver - 24E, 16W, 8os

diver sp - 8E, 4W

Slavonian Grebe - 1os

Great Crested Grebe - 1os

Gannet - 36E, 6W, 10os

Cormorant - 51E

Brent Goose - 2E

Shelduck - 1W

Pintail - 1E

Common Scoter - 2E

Red-breasted Merganser - 11E, 2W, 5os

Oystercatcher - 2E

Mediterranean Gull - 2E

Common Gull - 17E

Little Gull - 1E

Sandwich Tern - 9os

Razorbill - 4E

auk sp - 20E

Red-throated Diver (above) & Mediterranean Gull at the Bill (AH)

Ferry Pool: It was much the same a recent days this morning, with c30 Black-tailed Godwits and c50 Lapwings about, along with four Shelducks, four Gadwall, c60 Shovelers, c100 Teal, c30 Mallards and c200 Wigeon. (AH)

Gadwall (above) & Shovelers on the Ferry (AH)

Church Norton: A single Great Northern Diver was the only bird seen offshore this morning, with 16 Turnstones on the each, a couple of Cetti's Warblers, a Tufted Duck and a pair of Gadwall on the Severals and a Green and a Great Spotted woodpecker at Greenlease farm the only things of note away from the harbour.

The harbour, however, was full of waders, including all of the regular waders - Curlew, Oystercatcher, Ringed Plover, Knot, Dunlin and Grey Plover - in reasonable numbers , plus two Bar-tailed Godwits, eight Avocets and six Turnstones, with at least 1000 Lapwings and 100 Golden Plovers flying up from the far end..

In addition. a Kingfisher flew south through the harbour and a Little Grebe was still near to Tern Island, and Brent Geese were very evident and flying about in small groups, probably totalling in excess of 1000 birds. (IP)

At high tide this afternoon, the drake Long-tailed Duck and four Common scoters were on the sea. (PA)

This evening just a single Marsh Harrier a sub-adult male - came in to roost in the Severals. (s&SaH)

Selsey Peninsula: The three Long-eared Owls were still present today. (Eds)

North Wall: There wasn't too much to report this morning, with most of the birds - including 1000+ Golden Plovers and Lapwing, c2000 Brent Geese, c50 Pintail and lots of Wigeon and Teal - far out in the harbour.

Along the wall there were just a couple of Rock Pipis and Reed Buntings, with four Meadow Pipits and two Pied Wagtails in the paddocks, whilst a female Marsh Harrier and four Buzzards were thermalling up high over the Breech Pool together. (AH et al)

This afternoon a flock of 30 Snipe flew over the Breech Pool at high tide. (PB/MRB)

This evening the two Little Owls were at Little Welbourne and a Barn Owl was at Halsey's farm, whilst three Marsh Harriers dropped in to roost behind the Breech Pool. (KJ)

Marsh Harrier (above), Wigeon, Rock Pipit & Meadow Pipit at the North Wall (AH)

Medmerry: Easton Lane to the Stilt Pool - There were two Dartford Warblers, seven Stonechats, a Pied Wagtail, three Reed Buntings and 15 Yellowhammers along the banks this morning, with a Kingfisher, a Snipe and eight Ringed Plovers on the reserve, with c300 Lapwings and Golden Plovers occasionally taking to the air..

Another 15 Ringed Plovers and a Snipe were on the Stilt Pool, along with an Avocet and five Dunlin, and there were also two Peregrines, a Kestrel and seven Buzzards about. (S&SaH)

Late this afternoon, half a dozen Fieldfares and a dozen Yellowhammers were in the poplars, and a large female Peregrine was sat out on the reserve, but that was about it. (AH/AB/CD)

Chichester GPs: Vinnetrow Lake - A quick look this morning produced a dozen Pochard, c20 Tufted Ducks and a Great Crested Grebe. (AH)

Pochard on Vinnetrow Lake (AH)

Saturday, 1st February: A cool and very grey morning in a light to moderate south-easterly breeze....

Pre-blog Diary notes: For those following my diary entries from previous years, new additions move us well into the early 1990's - the Pontins years - with an interesting selection of scarce and rare birds during these great times. Just click the link on the title bar. (OM)

Selsey Bill: The first Velvet Scoter for a while went east this morning, as did a Slavonian Grebe and a Guillemot, and there were a few divers about, too. Full log below. (JA/SH/PB/BI/IP/AH/SR)

(0730-0930hrs) (ESE, F3)

Great Northern Diver - 6E, 6os

Red-throated Diver - 15E, 25W, 9os

diver - 8E, 1W

Slavonian Grebe - 1E

Great Crested Grebe - 1W, 1os

Grey Heron - 1

Gannet - 6E

Cormorant - 60E

Velvet Scoter - 1E

Common Scoter - 1E, 2os

Red-breasted Merganser - 14E, 2W, 5os

Turnstone - 1E, 26W

Mediterranean Gull - 1E, 1W, 1os

Common Gull - 6E

Sandwich Tern - 1E, 1os

Guillemot - 1E

Razorbill - 2E

auk sp - 4E

Great Northern Diver at the Bill (AH)

Ferry Pool: There were just c30 Black-tailed Godwits, c40 Shovelers and c80 Teal, plus a Shelduck, on the pool, with c100 Wigeon and c30 Mallards on the flooded areas of the fields. (AH)

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

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

Long-eared Owl on the Peninsula

Church Norton: A Fulmar that flew down the harbour and out to sea was very unexpected this morning, but the harbour was otherwise similar to recent days, with a Greenshank and a couple of Bar-tailed Godwits about, along with at least 600 Knot, c100 Grey Plovers and 500 Dunlin, plus at least 1500 Lapwings and 1000 Golden Plovers at the far end, with a few Wigeon, Teal and Shelducks about, too.

Also of note were a couple of Redwings behind the hide and a pair of Sparrowhawks nearby, with at least 1500 Brent Geese in the fields behind the churchyard before they flew into the harbour. (AH/HB/LT)

Later on, there were 14 Avocets in the harbour, whilst the drake Long-tailed Duck was offshore again, along with a Red-throated Diver, a Great Crested Grebe and two Red-breasted Mergansers. (RW)

Fulmar (above), Grey Plovers, Knot & Brent Geese at Church Norton (AH)

North Wall: A Spotted Redshank was along White’s Creek, together with eight Redshanks, 12 Black-tailed Godwits, 12 Snipe, four Pintail and numerous Wigeon and Teal, with the large flocks of Lapwing and Golden Plover further out on the mud, and a vast amount of Brent Geese moving between the harbour and the fields.

The male Marsh Harrier was over the reeds behind the Breech Pool, but apart from c60 Curlews in Honer 2, it was quiet elsewhere, with just a Jay and a few Greenfinches around the paddock.(LP/CT/GW/GR)

Spotted Redshank (above) & Snipe at the North Wall (LP)

Medmerry: Windmill to the Breach - The Purple Sandpiper flew into the breach area among the Dunlin and Ringed Plovers this morning on the rising tide, and there were also two Greenshanks and a Sanderling present.

A pair of Stonechats were also about, as was a Red-breasted Merganser and a female Marsh Harrier. (IP)

Medmerry: Easton Lane to the Stilt Pool - There were 17 Yellowhammers, seven Reed Buntings and five Stonechats along the banks this morning, whilst an Avocet, a Dunlin and three Snipe were on the Stilt Pool.

Also, at least 500 Brent Geese, 300 Golden Plovers and 200 Lapwings were on the reserve, with a Peregrine, two Marsh Harriers, two Kestrels and six Buzzards going over. (S&SaH/PB)

Fishbourne Creek: Generally quiet here with fewer wildfowl than of late, the highlight being a Jack Snipe along the saltmarsh (BI)

Chichester GPs: There were good numbers of Pochard around today, with 37 on Ivy Lake, 22 on Runcton Lake, six on Vinnetrow Lake and eight on Copse Lake, with a shoveler and ten Gadwall also seen. (RW)  At Drayton north pit there were eleven Grey Herons present with a further two on the south pit. Among the wildfowl on offer were two Egyptian Geese, c.20 Canada Geese and c.30 Greylag Geese. Nearby, at least 40 Cattle Egrets and c.12 Little Egrets were on the new organic field by the crossroads. (BI)