Birding the Selsey Peninsula: 22nd

Monday, 24th November: A fairly cool and overcast morning in a fresh north-westerly breeze.......

Selsey Bill: It was much quieter today, though three Sandwich Terns went west, as did a single Redpoll and a single Siskin. Full log below. (AH/IP)

(0730-0845hrs) (NW, F5-6)

Great Northern Diver - 2E

Great Crested Grebe - 5W, 1os

Gannet - 3W

Shag - 8E, 1os

Common Scoter - 1W

Red-breasted Merganser - 2E, 3W

Oystercatcher - 2E, 2W

Turnstone - 4

Mediterranean Gull - 1E, 1W, 1os

Great Black-backed Gull - 1os

Sandwich Tern - 3W

Redpoll - 1W

Siskin - 1W

Goldfinch - 4W

Ferry Pool: There was a bit of activity today, including the re--appearance of the Green Sandpiper on the roadside pool and three Avocets and nine Black-tailed Godwits on the main pool, along with c40 Lapwings, 12 Shelducks and c40 Teal and Shovelers, plus c80 Wigeon on the fields at the back.

There were also a Marsh Harrier over, a Kingfisher in the channel opposite and a Grey Wagtail and a Chiffchaff around the hide. (TG-P/NR/AH)

Sidlesham: There were up to ten Redwings around Cow Lane this morning, with a similar number along Highleigh Road. (AH)

North Wall: An Avocet, a Spotted Redshank and five Grey Plovers were along White’s Creek this morning, while further out on the mud were c500 Golden Plover and a similar number of Lapwing.

A Rock Pipit was along the wall and there was some activity along the hedgerows with a roving flock of 15 Yellowhammers,12 Reed Buntings, 10 Goldfinches and 2 Greenfinches, as well as five Chiffchaffs.

The Water Rail was again showing well by Owl Copse, and four Shovelers were on the water, whilst a Song Thrush was in the trees, and at Halsey’s Farm, a Kingfisher was by the outfall and a Marsh Harrier was over the fields, but otherwise there were just 42 Wigeon, 12 Teal and 16 Curlews along the rife.

Elsewhere, three Cattle Egrets were with the cows in Honer 3, and in the paddock, a Jay, a Pied Wagtail and a Great Spotted Woodpecker were around the fences. (LP/JDW/MJa)

Water Rail (above), Reed Bunting, Yellowhammer, Rock Pipit, Pied Wagtail, Jay & Brent Geese, Shelducks, Lapwings and Golden Plovers at the Nort Wall (LP)

Sunday, 23rd November: Yesterday's rain and cloud slowly gave way through the morning to leave it bright and breezy in a fresh south-westerly.....

Selsey Bill: After a slow start, it proved to be an interesting morning, with the first Slavonian Grebe back, another appearance by the Black-necked Grebe, a Black-throated Diver and a Long-tailed Duck on the sea and at least 15 Great Northern Divers west. Full log below. (SH/JA/BI/AH/IP/P&LH et al)

(0715-1215hrs) (SSW, F6)

Great Northern Diver - 2E, 15W, 6os

Black-throated Diver - 1os

Red-throated Diver - 11E, 15W, 4os

diver sp - 1E, 4W

Slavonian Grebe - 1os

Black-necked Grebe - 1W

Great Crested Grebe - 2E, 20W, 5os

Gannet - 1E, 17W

Shag - 11E, 3os

Brent Goose - 1E

Long-tailed Duck - 1os

Common Scoter - 10E, 15os

Red-breasted Merganser - 2E, 20W, 9os

Turnstone - 23

Mediterranean Gull - 7E, 11W, 7os

Common Gull - 2W

Great Black-backed Gull - 13W, 3os

Kittiwake - 10W

Razorbill - 2W

auk sp - 9W

Pied Wagtail - 2

(1330-1430hrs) (P&LH)

Great Northern Diver - 2E, 1os

Red-throated Diver - 3W

Gannet - 7W

Shag - 1W

Red-breasted Merganser - 6W

Turnstone - 1

Mediterranean Gull - 1E, 3W

Common Gull - 1E

auk s - 1W

Razorbill - 1W

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

Ferry Pool: There were nine Black-tailed Godwits and c30 Lapwings on the pool this morning, along with c20 Shelducks, a pair of Gadwall, c60 Shovelers and c100 Teal, whilst a Grey Wagtail flew over. (AH)

Gadwall (above) & Shovelers and Teal at the Ferry (AH)

North Wall: A Marsh Harrier was flew across the harbour disturbing hundreds of Dunlin, Golden Plovers and Lapwings, whist on the water were c1000 Brent Geese, c500 Wigeon, c100 Teal, 18 Shelducks, three Little Grebes and a Great Crested Grebe.

A Kingfisher was along White’s Creek early on as well as two Spotted Redshanks and an Avocet, while two Rock Pipits were along the wall, but the bushes were quiet with just six Reed Buntings and two Yellowhammers seen. A Water Rail was along Owl Water, where four Shovelers and a Little Grebe were also present, but it was quiet at Halsey’s Farm, with just a Redshank and 40 Wigeon along the rife, and a few Curlews and a single Cattle Egret in the fields.

A Green Woodpecker and three Pied Wagtails were in the paddock, another Marsh Harrier was over the reeds, and a Water Vole was in the area behind the sluice. (LP/MJa/CT/EB/SBr)

This evening an adult male and female Marsh Harriers went into roost behind the Breech Pool, with another adult male and two female heading across the harbour towards Church Norton.

There were also a Stonechat and a Yellowhammer about. (SH)

Spotted Redshank (above), Marsh Harrier, Avocet, Dunin & Rock Pipit at the North Wall (LP)

Church Norton: The first Slavonian Grebe of the autumn was offshore this morning, along with four Great Crested Grebes and a distant Gannet went west.

There were plenty of birds in the harbour on the rising tide, including at least 800 Brent Geese, with the Pale-bellied bird among them, three Red-breasted Mergansers, c50 Pintail, plus similar numbers of Wigeon and Teal, along with an Avocet, three Greenshanks, c300 Knot, c500 Dunlin, c50 Grey Plovers and a dozen Turnstones, with 2-300 Golden Plovers and Lapwings at the far end.

Also, a flock of ten Egyptian Geese went west over the north of the harbour, whilst there were a Little Grebe and a Kingfisher in the harbour, c25 Linnets along the beach and a Great Spotted Woodpecker in the trees. (AH/PB/MRB et al)

Slavonian Grebe (above), Greenshanks, Pale-bellied and Dark-bellied Brent Geese, Red-breasted Mergansers and Pintails, Knot & Egyptian Geese at Church Norton (AH)

Fishbourne Creek: A female Common Scoter was in the creek this morning, along with eight Red-breasted Mergansers, six Little Grebes, ten Great Crested Grebes, the Black Swan among c90 Mute Swans, c100 Brent Geese and a lot of Wigeon.

There were also two Kingfishers, three Avocets, two Bar-tailed Godwits and a dozen Black-tailed Godwits present. (PB/MRB)

Chichester GPs: Westhampnett Pit - The three Great White Egrets were together along the southern shore this morning, with four Little Egrets present, too, whilst 37 Pochard, 15 Tufted Ducks, five Shovelers, two Little Grebes and 22 Great Crested Grebes were on he water. (MRe)

Medmerry: Easton Lane to the Stilt Pool - A Dartford Warbler, a Chiffchaff, two Cetti's Warblers, five Goldcrests, nine Stonechats, two Song Thrushes, six Meadow Pipits, a Pied Wagtail, two Skylarks and c40 Linnets were along the banks this morning, plus a Marsh Harrier, a Buzzard and two Kestrels went over.

Also, c50 Dunlin and Ringed Plovers were on the Stilt Pool and c200 Golden Plovers, c300 Lapwings and c300 Brent Geese were on the reserve. (S&SaH)

Medmerry: Breach area - There were plenty of waders around the breach this morning, including two Greenshanks, c30 Ringed and Grey Plovers, c200 Dunlin and c250 Golden Plovers, with 28 Brent Geese and half a dozen Wigeon and Shelducks about, whilst c200 Stock Doves were in the fields opposite. (MRe)

Saturday, 22nd November: A complete change overnight left it a little milder, but heavily overcast and with intermittent drizzly rain in a near gale-force south-westerly.....

Selsey Bill: Despite the change in the weather there wasn't too much going on, though 11 Red-throated Divers was the best count yet this autumn, and a few Kittiwakes and Razorbills went west, too. Full log below. (SH/JA/BI/PB/AH)

(0710-0910hrs) (SW, F6-7)

Great Northern Diver - 1os

Red-throated Diver - 11W, 1os

diver sp - 1E

Great Crested Grebe - 1os

Gannet - 4E, 5W

Shag - 15E

Brent Goose - 1W

Teal - 8W

Common Scoter - 8E, 3W

Red-breasted Merganser - 2W

Oystercatcher - 2E, 1 present

Turnstone - 5

Mediterranean Gull - 1E, 2W

Common Gull - 4E

Kittiwake - 4E, 25W

Razorbill - 26W

auk sp - 157W, 10os

Pied Wagtail - 1

Common Scoters (above) & Mediterranean Gull at the Bill (AH)

Ferry Pool: There were 21 Black-tailed Godwits and c30 Lapwings on the pool this morning, along with 14 Shelducks, c75 Shovelers, c120 Teal, c80 Wigeon and c40 Mallards, whilst a Kingfisher was in the channel opposite. (AH)

Black-tailed Godwits, Lapwings and Shovelers (above), Shovelers & Teal at the Ferry (AH)

North Wall: A look along the wall this morning produced a Marsh Harrier, eight Cattle Egrets, four Rock Pipits, a Goldcrest, five Snipe, four Black-tailed Godwits, c100 Dunlin and c300 Brent Geese. (SH)

Church Norton: An Avocet and a Bar-tailed Godwit were in the harbour this morning, along with a good number of waders, including c400 Knot, c1000 Dunlin, c50 Grey Plovers and 20 Ringed Plovers and Turnstones, with c200 Brent Geese, c60 Pintail, c30 Wigeon and a dozen Teal and Shelducks also present.

A Marsh Harrier and a Kingfisher were also present, but the bushes were as dead as might be expected. (AH)