7th - 8th March 2025

Sunday, 9th March: Another cool and hazily sunny morning in a fresh and blustery easterly breeze.......

Selsey Bill: There was a good selection again this morning, though numbers of everything were low, including two Velvet Scoters, an Eider, seven Tufted Ducks and Shovelers and two Slavonian Grebes east, plus three more of the latter offshore, and, again, just a very small amount of visible overhead migration. Full log below. (SH/BI/IP/AH/OM/MWh)

(0615-1100hrs) (E, F5)

Great Northern Diver - 4os

Red-throated Diver - 7E

diver sp - 1E

Slavonian Grebe - 2E, 3os

Great Crested Grebe - 1E, 1os

Fulmar - 1E

Gannet - 25E, 29W

Shag - 2E, 2os

Shelduck - 1W

Shoveler - 7E

Tufted Duck - 7E

Eider - 1E

Velvet Scoter - 2E

Common Scoter - 22E

Red-breasted Merganser - 13E, 1W, 3os

Sparrowhawk - 1

Oystercatcher - 3E

Turnstone - 1E

Mediterranean Gull - 1W

Black-headed Gull - 15E

Common Gull - 5E

Sandwich Tern - 6E

Stock Dove - 6E

Skylark - 3N

Meadow Pipit - 3N

Pied Wagtail - 1

Chiffchaff - 2N

Linnet - 37E

Ferry Pool: Apart from just two Avocets and a handful of Lapwings and Black-tailed Godwits it was mostly ducks again this morning, comprising six Shelducks, eight Gadwall, a dozen Mallards, c50 Teal, c80 Shovelers and c200 Wigeon. (AH)

North Wall: A Grey Wagtail, a White Wagtail, two Pied Wagtails, eight Meadow Pipits, a Song Thrush, a Green Woodpecker and a Kestrel were in and around the paddock, with three Marsh Harriers further back over the reeds.

It was quiet along the wall in the wind, with a Reed Bunting, six Chiffchaffs and two Greenfinches in the bushes and six Grey Herons near Owl Copse, whilst at Halsey’s Farm a Great Spotted Woodpecker, a Green Woodpecker, 12 Linnets and two Long-tailed Tits were in the trees, a Snipe, two Skylarks, and 30 Meadow Pipits flew off the fields, and a Marsh Harrier and a Buzzard were overhead.

Also, a potential Scandinavian Rock Pipit was by the sluice in White’s Creek, and there were c60 Pintail, c40 Teal and c150 Wigeon further along, together with c40 Redshanks and c20 Black-tailed Godwits, whilst further out in the harbour there were large numbers of waders, including c500 Knot, c1000 Dunlin, c200 Grey Plovers and c500 Golden Plovers. (LP/MRi/MJa/AH/DHi)

Sidlesham: A Merlin was hunting over the fields west of Cow Lane. (PA)

Medmerry: Wilson's Farm - Possibly the same Merlin was later hunting over the cover cop fields. (BI)

Medmerry: Easton Lane to the Stilt Pool - Along the banks this morning there were two Chiffchaffs, three Cetti's Warblers, four Reed Buntings, 11 Yellowhammers and a Pied Wagtail, whilst 22 Avocets, six Dunlin and a Black-tailed Godwit were on the Stilt Pool and a Peregrine, three Buzzards and nine Mediterranean Gulls went over. (S&SaH)

Saturday, 8th March: Another cool and hazily sunny morning in a fresh and blustery easterly breeze.......

Selsey Bill: There was a fair amount of eastward activity this morning, including four Velvet Scoters and 72 common Scoters east, along with 35 Stock Doves and a some Teal, Pintail and Shovelers, but the only Brent Geese seen headed west. 

There were also two Slavonian Grebes on the sea and just the slightest amount of visible migration. Full log below. (JA/SH/PB/BI/PA/AH/P&LH et al)

(0615-0930hrs) (ESE, F4-5)

Great Northern Diver - 4os

Red-throated Diver - 1E

Slavonian Grebe - 2os

Great Crested Grebe - 2E, 1os

Gannet - 3E, 6W, 40os

Shag - 3E

Brent Goose - 16W

Shelduck - 1E

Teal - 47E

Pintail - 42E

Shoveler - 56E

Eider - 1E, 1os

Velvet Scoter - 4E

Common Scoter - 72E, 4W

Red-breasted Merganser - 5os

Oystercatcher - 2E, 1W

Turnstone - 1

Mediterranean Gull - 1E

Common Gull - 6E

Kittiwake - 1E

Sandwich Tern - 3E, 3W

auk sp - 1E

Stock Dove - 35E

Skylark - 1N

Meadow Pipit - 3N

Pied Wagtail - 1N

Chiffchaff - 1N

Velvet Scoters and Common Scoters (above), Common Scoters and Teal & Pintail at the Bill (AH)

(1200-1400hrs) (P&LH)

Great Northern Diver - 2os

Red-throated Diver - 2E

Brent Goose - 28E, 31W

Red-breasted Merganser - 2E

Turnstone - 15

Mediterranean Gull - 2W

Sandwich Tern - 12os

Meadow Pipit - 7N

Black Redstart - 1

Black Redstart (above), Brent Geese &Sandwich Tern at the Bill (LH)

Ferry Pool: The only waders present this morning were three avocets, five Black-tailed Godwits and a dozen Lapwings, but there were plenty of wildfowl around, including ten Gadwall, six Shelducks, c40 Teal, c80 Pintail and c150 Wigeon. (AH)

Later, two Siskins went over, calling. (PA)

Black-tailed Godwits (above), Gadwall and Shoveler, Avocet, Black-tailed Godwit and Shovelers & Wigeon at the Ferry (AH)

Selsey: There was a Blackcap singing in a garden in the middle off the ttown this morning. (MRe)

Later, there was a Firecrest in the vicarage garden. (AW)

Also, this afternoon, two Ravens went over our garden to the north of the village. (SH)

Firecrest in a Selsey garden (AW)

North Wall: A ringtail Harrier - presumably Hen - flew west beyond the Honer fields this morning, and there were also a male and two female Marsh Harriers calling and displaying over Halsey's Farm, with three Buzzards and three Kestrels also about. 

A total of five Chiffchaffs were seen/heard, including three singing at Halsey's Farm, with a water Rail, three Reed Buntings and five Cetti's Warblers also present. (PB/S&SaH)

Also, later, two Spotted Redshanks were close in at White's Creek, (ARK) and a Red Kite went over Halsey's Farm (LL).

Park Farm, Selsey: There were just two Skylarks and a Green Woodpecker to report this morning. (IP)

Church Norton: There were still c1500 Brent Geese in the harbour this morning, though looking increasingly flighty, though few other wildfowl, whilst waders included a Bar-tailed Godwit, a Black-tailed Godwit, two Grey Plovers and three Knot and plenty of Turnstones, Dunlin and Ringed Plovers, including a number of pairs of the latter displaying. 

Also, a male Reed Bunting and several calling Cetti's Warblers were along the front, three Great Spotted Woodpeckers were in the same tree at Greenlease Farm and a Little Grebe and three Tufted Ducks were on the second Several. (IP/BI)

Chi GPs - Drayton House Pits: There was a surprise on an early WeBS count this morning, with a roost of 74 Cattle Egrets and six Little Egrets on the North pit. This is (I think) the first record of the species actually on these pits - and thus part of the Peninsula -  albeit the flock has recently been found nearby in the fields by Drayton crossing....so that's where they go! Other highlights included 52 Pochard, 75 Shoveler, 13 Snipe and a Kingfisher, and I am pleased to say a pair of Grey Herons have now re-occupied their old nest, which is very low down, just a few feet above the water. (OM). 

Cattle Egrets on the North pit at Drayton GPs this morning (OM)

Egyptian Goose (centre) with two Greylag Geese on the South pit, and (below) Grey Herons on their low nest (OM)

West Itchenor: A Kingfisher on the pond south of Chalkdock, and a Meadow Pipit in display flight just south of the pond were highlights today. Also, there were c500 Brent Geese still strung out along the shore, significantly fewer than a couple to weeks ago. (GM)

Medmerry Trail: There were five Stonechats along the trail this morning and six Yellowhammers and a Corn Bunting were near the feeding station. 

At Ham viewpoint a few newly arrived Meadow Pipits were noted along with good numbers of Skylarks and c250 Brent Geese took off from the breech, heading off east, and another 200 were preparing to travel, appearing constantly agitated. (BI)

Medmerry: Easton Lane to the Stilt Pool - It was fairly quiet along the banks in the stiff breeze this morning, with a Dartford Warbler, four Reed Buntings, two Meadow Pipits, c30 Yellowhammers, c20 Skylarks and c80 Linnets about it.

The Avocet count had risen to 23 on the Stilt Pool, with a Sandwich Tern roosting among them, and there were also two Black-tailed Godwits, a Dunlin, four Tufted Ducks, two Little Grebes, c20 Teal and c80 Wigeon present. (AH)

This afternoon, were were c35 Yellowhammers, five Reed Buntings and a Stonechat along the banks, with 17 Avocets and two Ringed Plovers on the Stilt Pool, c100 Brent Geese and nine Egyptian Geese on the reserve and a Peregrine and four Buzzards over. (S&SaH)

Reed Bunting (above), Linnets, Meadow Pipit, Sandwich Tern and Avocets & Black-tailed Godwit and Avocet at Medmerry (AH)

Friday, 7th March: A cool and hazy, mostly overcast, morning in a fresh easterly breeze.......

Selsey Bill: There was a good easterly movement of Shovelers and Pintail this morning, along with a few Brent Geese, Red-throated Divers, a Long-tailed Duck and the sub-adult male Eider, whilst the Black Redstart was again present and appeared to be singing, although it looks like a female. Full log later. (SH/PB/PM/BI/IP/PA/AH/SR)

(0630-1100hrs) (E, F5) (including those seen passing the Bill from Medmerry)

Great Northern Diver - 1E, 2os

Red-throated Diver -15E, 2W

Great Crested Grebe - 2os

Fulmar - 1W

Gannet - 5E, 3W, 5os

Shag - 2os

Brent Goose- - 72E

Teal - 2E

Pintail - 162E

Shoveler - 144E

Eider - 1E

Long-tailed Duck - 1E

Common Scoter - 40E

Red-breasted Merganser - 3E, 5W, 5os

Oystercatcher - 1E

Turnstone - 2E

Mediterranean Gull - 20E

Common Gull - 21E

Sandwich Tern - 4E

Skylark - 3N

Pied Wagtail - 1

Black Redstart - 1

Rook - 3

Red-throated Diver (above), Great Northern Diver, Black Redstart, Red-breasted Merganser, Pintail and Shovelers & Brent Geese at the Bill (AH)

Ferry Pool: There were just six Black-tailed Godwits and c75 Lapwings on the field this morning, with ten Gadwall, eight Shelducks, c20 Teal and c60 Shovelers around the pool. (AH)

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

Selsey Peninsula: There were still two Long-eared Owls present today. (Eds)

North Wall: A Spotted Redshank was along White’s Creek this morning, along with a few Wigeon, Teal, Pintail, Redshanks and Grey Plovers and c500 Brent Geese were further out towards the harbour entrance.

A Grey Wagtail was in the paddock, and five Marsh Harriers - two males and thee females - were over the reeds further back, but it was quiet along the wall, with just two Reed Buntings and four Chiffchaffs in the bushes, and two Canada Geese on the Breech Pool.

Also, 12 Grey Herons were in and around Owl Copse, and at Halsey’s Farm, a Kingfisher was on the fence, and 20 Meadow Pipits and two Skylarks were around the fields. (LP/SP/MJa/JDW)

Northcommon Farm: A Barn Owl was out hunting over the golf course at dusk this evening. (RS)

Medmerry: Easton Lane to the Stilt Pool - Four Stonechats, a Cetti's Warbler, a Pied Wagtail, five Reed Buntings and c30 Yellowhammers were along the banks this morning, whilst two Buzzards went over.

Also, there were 22 Avocets on the Stilt Pool - a big increase from recent numbers, along with four Dunlin, whilst a flock of c30 Pintail went east offshore. (S&SaH/PB)

Medmerry: Ham Farm - A Short-eared Owl was out hunting near the breach this afternoon, and there were also two Corn Buntings, two Reed Buntings and c30 Yellowhammers along the banks. (SR)

Medmerry: Coastguards and Windmill area - A quick look along West Beach from the Coastguard station early this morning found a Corn Bunting along the fence line, two Skylarks in the field, along with a dozen Linnets, two Meadow Pipits, and a Reed Bunting in front of the old go-cart track.

Also, two flocks of Brent went east, one landing on the sea for a while before taking off again. (AW)

Corn Bunting (above), Skylark & Brent Geese at Medmerry (AW)

Later on, a look from the beach there was surprisingly productive, with 91 Pintail and 68 Shovelers seen heading east, along with two Red-throated Divers, whilst a Common Scoter and three Red-breasted Mergansers were on the sea. (PA/AH)

Pintail and Shovelers (above) & Common Scoter at Medmerry (AH)

4th - 6th March 2025

Thursday, 6th March: After a misty start, a pleasantly warm and hazily sunny morning in a light easterly, that veered to the south later on.....

Selsey Bill: A shift in the wind brought a good count of 356 Brent Geese east this morning, along with 44 Pintail, with three Wigeon and 20 Teal dropping in on the sea, whilst the first-winter drake Eider and the Black Redstart were both about again. Full log below. (SR/AH)

(0800-1015hrs) (ESE, F3-4)

Great Northern Diver - 4os

Red-throated Diver - 1E

Great Crested Grebe - 3os

Brent Goose - 356E, 1W

Wigeon - 3os

Teal - 20os

Pintail - 44E

Eider - 1os

Common Scoter - 3os

Red-breasted Merganser - 5os

Oystercatcher - 1E, 1 present

Turnstone - 1E, 6 present

Mediterranean Gull - 2E

Common Gull - 2E

Black Redstart - 1

Goldfinch - 1

Brent Geese (above), Pintail, Brent geese and Pintail, Black Redstart and Mediterranean Gulls at the Bill (AH)

Ferry Pool: Around 30 Black-tailed Godwits and c50 Lapwings and Pintail were on the field this morning, with nine Shelducks, six Gadwall, c50 Teal and c80 Shovelers around the pool. (AH)

Wigeon (above) & Shovelers and Lapwings at the Ferry (AH)

Church Norton: There were still at least 1000 Brent Geese present this morning, split between the field and the harbour, but a pair of Pintail, c25 Shelducks and just a few Wigeon and Teal were the only other wildfowl present.

Also, the Greenshank and the Whimbrel were both present again, along with 22 Black-tailed Godwits, c50 Grey Plovers, c100 Knot and c500 Dunlin, but a pair of Mistle Thrushes behind the churchyard were the only passerines of note. (AH)

Knot (above), Greenshank, Black-tailed Godwit, Pintail, Brent Geese & Mistle Thrush and Brent Geese at Church Norton (AH)

Wednesday, 5th March: It was more or less a white-out this morning, with dense fog persisting until nearly midday in the still conditions..........

Diary notes: Pre-blog years (1975-2012) I am pleased to say that this paper is now complete and I hope it will give a flavour of some of the highlights from earlier, pre-blog years. Just click the link on the title bar. May I thank those readers who have favourably commented already and I hope this document will be of interest and add to the archive. (OM)

See the update below from Adam Taylor at the RSPB - everything is ready and waiting for the gulls and terms to return! (Eds)

“A huge thanks to all who came along to one of our public volunteering sessions on Tern Island over the last few months, bar a small bit of clearance left to do around the edge of the fence we are now ready to go for the nesting season.

We will be deploying decoys and call lures on the island in the coming weeks to try and encourage the mixed gull colony back to the safety of the site, as well as erecting the temporary electric fences on the smaller islands ready for our Little Terns.

As always, this work is a product of hundreds of combined hours of manpower, and we wouldn’t have been able to do it without your support!

Adam Taylor, Site Manager for the RSPB Eastern Solent Reserves”

Build it and they will come! Tern Island ready and waiting for the return of its colony. (AT)

Selsey Bill: Unsurprisingly, sea-watching was effectively a write off this morning, with more heard than seen. Full log below. (AH)

(0740-0840hrs) (NE, F1-2)

Turnstone - 14

Mediterranean Gull - 6E

Sandwich Tern - 2os

Pied Wagtail - 1

Chiffchaff - 1

Goldfinch - 1

Later on, an Eider was on the sea and the Black Redstart was on the railings by Bill House. Full log below. (P&LH)

(1310-1410hrs) Red-throated Diver - 1os

Great Crested Grebe - 5os

Gannet - 1E

Eider - 1os

Turnstone - 1

Black Redstart - 1

Black Redstart at the Bill (LH)

Ferry Pool: All that could be discerned through the fog this morning were a couple of Shelducks and Gadwall, three Canada Geese and a dozen Shovelers. (AH)

Later on, there six Gadwall, four Shelducks, c30 Teal and c50 Shovelers on the pool and c100 Lapwings on the field. (AH)

Teal on the Ferry (AH)

Selsey Peninsula: There was still at least one Long-eared Owl present today. (Eds)

Church Norton: With visibility almost down to zero yards, a handful of Wigeon and Teal and a couple of Grey Plovers and Redshanks ere all that could be seen in the harbour, though a couple of Mediterranean Gulls and a flock of Brent Geese could be heard overhead. (AH)

Later, as visibility improved, a Greenshank, the Whimbrel, 15 Black-tailed Godwits, five Knot, nine Ringed Plovers, 25 Grey Plovers and c60 Dunlin were seen in the harbour, along with six Pintail and c500 Brent Geese, whilst a Mistle Thrush was in the hedges. (P&LH)

North Wall: Both Little Owls were again present this evening around Little Welboune. (IP)

Tuesday, 4th March: Following another sharp frost, lovely sunny morning in a light northerly breeze.....

Selsey Bill: About as quiet as would be expected in a light northerly breeze and a flat low tide, with six Brent Geese east the only possible migrants. Full log below. (IP/AH/SR)

(0735-0835hrs) (N, F1-2)

Great Northern Diver - 5os

Red-throated Diver - 1E

Brent Goose - 6E

Red-breasted Merganser - 9os

Oystercatcher - 3E, 2W

Sandwich Tern - 1os

Pied Wagtail - 1

Linnet - 1

Brent Geese (above) & a newly-renovated green triangle at the Bill (AH)

Ferry Pool: There were still c40 Black-tailed Godwits and c100 Lapwings present this morning, along with six Shelducks, six Gadwall, c50 Teal, c80 Shovelers and c100 Wigeon. (AH)

Later on, the Green Sandpiper was back on the roadside pool. (LP)

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

Long Pool: Along the path this morning there were three Yellowhammers, a Reed Bunting, a Cetti's Warbler, a Meadow Pipit and six Linnets, whilst a Snipe dropped into the adjacent fields and Ferry Channel held a dozen Teal, half a dozen Redshanks and a Grey Plover. (AH)

Yellowhammer (above), Reed Bunting, Linnet, Grey Plover & Teal at the Long Pool (AH)

Church Norton: Late this afternoon the drake Long-tailed Duck was offshore, along with four Great Crested Grebes, whilst a Barn Owl was over the horse field and a Greenshank, the Whimbrel and c30 Black-tailed Godwits were in the corner of the harbour opposite and c1000 Brent Geese were still behind the churchyard. (JC/AH)

Greenshank (above), Greenshank and Redshank, Whimbrel & Black-tailed Godwits at Church Norton (AH)

West Wittering: Two Firecrests were at the harbour end of Ella Nore Lane this afternoon. (SH)

Fishbourne Creek: On the low tide this morning off the Lavant outfall there were 200 Brent Geese, 22 Pintail and a Gadwall, whilst at least three Greenshanks were along the creek, and from Dell Quay there were four Great Crested Grebes and two Little Grebes.

Also, amongst the commoner roosting gulls were two Mediterranean, eight Lesser Black-backed and two Great Black-backed Gulls. (RW)

Medmerry: Easton Lane to the Stilt Pool - There were eight Stonechats, two Reed Buntings, two Cetti's Warblers and 45 Yellowhammers along the banks this afternoon, with two Kingfishers, a Water Rail, two Snipe, five Avocets and c40 Golden Plovers, including one in summer plumage, plus a Brown Hare, on the reserve, whilst a Peregrine, a Marsh Harrier and a Buzzard went over. (S&SaH)

Medmerry: Windmill to Ham Farm - There was very little to report this afternoon, though a Dartford Warbler and a few Linnets were along the banks and a few Redshanks ere in the tidal area. (EB)

Dartford Warbler (above) & Redshank at Medmerry (EB)