14th March 2025

Saturday, 14th March: After an overnight frost, a cool but very bright and sunny morning in a moderate north-westerly breeze....

Selsey Bill: It was predictably quiet, given the wind direction, though two Slavonian Grebes and two Great Northern Divers were on the sea among a mix of the usual species. Full log below. (SH/BI/PB/IP/AH/JA/JFi)

(0615-0830hrs) (NW, F4)

Gannet - 2W

Shag - 4E, 3W

Brent Goose - 1E

Common Scoter - 2E, 1W

Red-breasted Merganser - 6E, 3W, 7os

Oystercatcher - 2W

Grey Plover - 5E

Turnstone - 6

Great Black-backed Gull - 3W

Sandwich Tern - 2E

Slavonian Grebes (above) & Shag at the Bill (AH)

Ferry Pool: A Ruff was on the fields among c50 Black-tailed Godwits, with the Green Sandpiper, two Avocets, two Curlews and half a dozen Redshank spread around the pools and fields, with wildfowl comprising 12 Shelducks, a drake Pintail, eight Gadwall, c80 Shovelers, c50 Teal and c100 Wigeon.

There were also a Spotted Redshank, a Greenshank, four Redshank, a Red-breasted Merganser, a pair of Gadwall and six Teal in Ferry Channel, withy five Buzzards thermalling overhead and a couple of Chiffchaffs in the hedges. (PA/AH et al)

Ruff (above), Green Sandpiper, Avocets, Black-tailed Godwits, Pintail & Buzzard at the Ferry (AH)

Park Farm, Selsey: A Chiffchaff was singing south of the farm this morning, whilst a male Sparrowhawk was harassing a Buzzard over the north of the village and the fields (now starting to dry out) held three Pied Wagtails and a dozen Meadow Pipits. (IP)

North Wall: At least three Marsh Harriers, ten Buzzards, a Sparrowhawk, a Peregrine and two Kestrels were up this morning, with two Egyptian Geese and ten Cattle Egrets in the fields, but three Chiffchaffs, three Cetti's Warblers and a Reed Bunting was it along the wall.

Also, of note, ten Common Seals were hauled out in the harbour. (SH/PB)

Church Norton: First thing this morning, a Wheatear was along the spit along with six Skylarks, and there were also two Ravens over the car park and a Marsh Harrier at the back of the Severals. (AW)

Later on, another Wheatear was by the concrete blocks, with half a dozen Skylarks, a couple of Meadow Pipits, a Reed Bunting and two singing Chiffchaffs along the front, whilst at least three different Marsh Harriers were seen, along with a Peregrine, a Sparrowhawk and several Buzzards.

A flock of four Slavonian Grebes were offshore, but the only other bird see was a Great Crested Grebe, whilst in the harbour there were two Red-breasted Mergansers, three Pintail, c50 Brent Geese, c20 Wigeon and Teal, two Mediterranean Gulls, two Bar-tailed Godwits, a Black-tailed Godwit, 23 Turnstones, eight Ringed Plovers, c50 Grey Plovers, c75 Knot and c100 Dunlin. (PM/IP/AH/AB)

Wheatears (AW, top, PM lower three) (above), Marsh Harrier & Mediterranean Gull (AH) at Church Norton