22nd - 24th November 2017

Friday, 24th November: The wind died away overnight to leave a fairly cool, calm morning under mostly grey skies...

Selsey Bill: Very little was moving, but on the sea offshore there were four Great Northern Divers, four Common Scoters and at least nine Red-breasted Mergansers. Full log below...
(0745-0945hrs)  (AH/C&ME)
Great Northern Diver - 4os
Great Crested Grebe - 2os
Shag - 2E
Brent Goose - 6E
Common Scoter - 1E, 4os
Red-breasted Merganser - 7W, 9os
Mediterranean Gull - 3E, 6W
Razorbill - 3E
Pied Wagtail - 6N
Chiffchaff - 1p

Oystercatcher on the Oval Field at the Bill (AH)

Medmerry: Toe End - The Glossy Ibis was still by the building site today. Also, a female-type Black Redstart was along the nearby fences. (SH/J Harrington)


Ferry Pool: There were around 200 Lapwing on the pool and similar on the fields this morning, with a Shelduck and 40 Teal on the pool and c100 Wigeon on the back fields. (AH)

Lapwing (above) && Wigeon at the Ferry (AH)

Sidlesham churchyard area: A Yellow-legged Gull was on the grass in the Fieldgate campsite, and a Firecrest and two Redwing were down Church Farm Lane this morning. (A&YF)

Church Norton: The Velvet Scoter wasn't showing today, though there were two distant Common Scoters and a closer Slavonian Grebe offshore. (J Harrington)

Itchenor Pond: There was nothing of note here, with just a handful of Blue, Great and Long-tailed Tits, plus a couple of Chaffinches noted. (AH)

Fishbourne Creek: There were a lot of birds in the creek at low tide, including many Wigeon, Brent Geese and commoner waders and gulls, though there was not too much out of the ordinary beyond a couple of Greenshank, 40 Black-tailed Godwits, three Red-breasted Mergansers, a Lesser Black-backed Gull and at least 100 Common Gulls.
Along the edges there were a couple of Rock Pipits and a Grey Wagtail, with a Stonechat, two Chiffchaffs, three Reed Buntings and half a dozen Yellowhammers in the bushes. (AH)

Rock Pipit (above), Yellow Wagtail, Yellowhammer, Stonechat, Chiffchaff, Red-breasted Merganser, Brent Goose, Lesser Black-backed Gull & Common Gulls at Fishbourne Creek (AH)

North Wall: On the Breech Pool there were two Little Grebes and around 60 Mallard, whilst along the Wall there was a small flock of seven Reed Buntings and a Cetti's Warbler was calling and in the field behind there were 120 Wigeon.
On the east side of Pagham Rife there was a flock of 44 Mute Swans who have now been joined by the two Black Swans, whilst on Honer reservoir the only birds to be seen were 56 Canada Geese. In a partially flooded field south east of the reservoir there was a flock of 19 Pied Wagtails and three Yellowhammers and in the adjacent field there were 23 Shelduck, and 52 Fieldfare were feeding on berries along Honer Lane. There were also two Kestrels and three Goldcrest along Church Lane. (JDW)

Fieldfare (above), Reed Bunting, Pied Wagtail & Kestrel around the North Wall (JDW)

Thursday, 23rd November: After a wet and stormy night, another bright and blustery day with a strong west-south-westerly persisting, gusting to near gale force.....

Selsey Bill: Highlight of the morning was a Red-necked Grebe, that went first east at around 9am and then back west again about half an hour later. 
Otherwise, there was a bit more going on than of late, with at least seven Great Northern Divers and a dozen Red-breasted Mergansers offshore and over 25 Great Crested Grebes west, whilst there was also a Chiffchaff in the ornamental garden. Full log below.....
0715-1245hrs:   (OM/C&ME/AH/MO-W/KF)
Red-throated Diver - 1E, 3W
Great Northern Diver - 7 os (moving back and forth)
Red-necked Grebe - 1E later flew back W
Great Crested Grebe - 29W
Shag - 2E
Gannet - 6W
Brent Goose - 4E
Red-breasted Merganser - 4E, 26W, 5os
Razorbill - 2E, 1W
auk sp - 10E, 4W
Kittiwake - 8W
Mediterranean Gull - 2E, 1W
Great Black-backed Gull - 42W
Pied Wagtail - 2W
Goldfinch - 12W
Greenfinch - 6 gardens
Chiffchaff - 2 gardens

Red-necked Grebe (above), Great Northern Diver, Great Northern & Red-throated Divers, Red-breasted Mergansers & Mediterranean Gull at the Bill (AH)

Chiffchaff at the Bill (Broadreeds ornamental garden) (OM)

Medmerry: Toe End - The Glossy Ibis was still by the building site today. (D & J Killick per SOS)

Ferry Pool: There were half a dozen Golden Plover among c200 Lapwings on the field, with 25 Teal and three Shelduck on the pool. (AH)

Golden Plovers and Lapwings (above) & Teal at the Ferry (AH)

Church Norton: A female-type Marsh Harrier was out in the harbour this morning, upsetting the many waders, whilst the Velvet Scoter, four Red-breasted Mergansers and ten Great Crested Grebes were in the main channel.
There wasn't too much else of note, though, with 800+ Brent Geese and c1000 Dunlin being the most obvious species in the harbour, and just a lone Red-breasted Merganser on the sea. (AH)
Also the Spoonbill was again in the harbour and two Eider were offshore this afternoon. (D & J Killick per SOS)

Marsh Harrier (above), Red-breasted Mergansers, Knot, Dunlin and Grey Plovers & Brent Geese at Church Norton (AH)

Wednesday, 22nd November: A bright, but very windy, day with a near gale-force southerly wind by late morning.....

Selsey Bill: Very little was moving this morning. Full log below (AH)

(0730-0815hrs)

Great Northern Diver - 1E

Gannet - 9W

Shag - 1E

Red-breasted Merganser - 1W

Razorbill - 1E

Mediterranean Gull - 1W

Pied Wagtail - 1W

Ferry Pool: There were a Redshank, a Shelduck and 30 Teal on the pool and c200 Wigeon and similar of Lapwing on the field. (AH)

Teal on the Ferry (AH)

Church Norton: The Velvet Scoter was still along the main channel this morning, but there wasn't too much else of note, though there were still large numbers of Brent Geese and Dunlin in the harbour. 

The Peregrine buzzed around upsetting everything, including at least 500 Lapwing and 100 Golden Plover on the far side of the harbour, 25 Avocets were in the main channel, a Red-breasted Merganser was near the harbour mouth and a big feeding frenzy of Little Egrets, Grey Herons, Cormorants and gulls was going on near Tern Island. (AH)
There were two Firecrests in the churchyard this afternoon and the Whiimbrel was in its usual patch. (AB)

Velvet Scoter (above), Avocets, Peregrine, Curlew, Dunlin, Lapwings, Dunlin, Grey Plover and Bar-tailed Godwits & Wigeon at Church Norton (AH)

North Wall: Had some great views of a Water Rail this morning in the first part of the Breech Pool - usually just heard but for once one was quite obliging and hung around for a few photos. 

Other birds present were 30+ Black-tailed Godwits, Teal, Wigeon, Mallards and a Cormorant struggling to dive in the shallow water. The fields held large numbers of Curlew, and Stonechats popped up and down along the fence line. Harbour side saw a large flock of Brent Geese fly in as the tide rose when I left and the last bird seen was the resident Kingfisher by the sluice gates. (G Whitehead)

Water Rail (above) & Black-tailed Godwit from the North Wall (G Whitehead)

19th - 21st November 2017

Tuesday, 21st November: Another very grey and gloomy morning, with a moderate westerly, though fairly mild....

Selsey Bill: Notably quieter than yesterday, though a distant Velvet Scoter went west and there were five Great Northern Divers on the sea. Full log below........
0715-1015hrs: (C&ME/OM/AH/JD/DS/DF)
Great Northern Diver - 5os
Great Crested Grebe - 1W
Shag - 1E
Gannet - 6E, 45W
Brent Goose - 1E, 1W
Common Scoter - 4W
Velvet Scoter - 1W
Red-breasted Merganser - 1E, 1os
Razorbill - 2E, 2W, 1os
auk sp - 8E
Mediterranean Gull - 5W
Chiffchaff - 2 gardens

Great Northern Diver at the Bill (AH)

Selsey East beach: A Water Rail was moving around and calling from the reeds, but it was otherwise quiet - just 2 Goldcrests and half a dozen Long-tailed Tits were the only birds of note. (OM)

Medmerry: Toe End - The Glossy Ibis was still around the building work this morning, unconcerned by the activity. (DF)

Ferry Pool/Long Pool: There were just two Teal and two Moorhens on the pool this morning, and it was quiet along the Long Pool, though there were c30 Avocets at the far end of Ferry Channel. Also, the old hide has been demolished, as work starts on its replacement.(AH/BFF/DM)

Teal on the Ferry (AH)

Gone! A gap in the hedge where the old Ferry hide used to be (AH)

Church Norton: It was pretty quiet here, though the Velvet Scoter was still in the main channel and at least 1000 Brent Geese were still around the harbour. The three Eider were still offshore, along with a couple of Great Crested Grebes, whilst a lone Common Scoter flew west. At least 1000 Dunlin were roosting on the old breakwater and the Whimbrel was roosting on the inner beach. Later the 1st-winter Spoonbill was roosting on the SE corner of Tern Island.
On the far side of the harbour (viewed from the spit) there were a redhead Goldeneye and 14 Red-breasted Mergansers, whilst along the spit there were a few Skylarks and Meadow Pipits, plus the big flock of Linnets and Greenfinches.
Offshore there  were 2 Slavonian Grebes, whilst 2 Chiffchaffs and 8 Greenfinch were around the hide. (AH/BFF/DM)

Velvet Scoter (above), Common Scoter, Eiders, Red-breasted Mergansers, Greenfinches, Brent Geese & Little Egret at Church Norton (AH)

A quick look at Church Norton, this afternoon, after high tide, found the Velvet Scoter down near Tern Island, on which the Spoonbill was roosting. Also, the Common Seal was in the harbour again, as well as two Red-breasted Mergansers, but out at sea all that could be seen on the choppy waves were the three Eider. (AW)

Velvet Scoter (above), Spoonbill & Common Seal at Church Norton (AW)

North Wall: A mild and muggy morning along the Wall. On an incoming tide there were 400 Lapwing in and around White's Creek, whilst on the Breech Pool there were 70 Mallard, 8 Teal, 4 Wigeon, 14 Black-tailed Godwits and 2 Cormorants, and a Kingfisher was busy up and down the Wall. 
Along Pagham Rife there was a flock of 28 Fieldfare, long with 7 Reed Buntings and 2 Stonechats, and in the fields east of the Rife were 30 Mute Swans and there was a further flock of  18 who in the company of 2 Black Swans. Along Honer Lane there were 31 Shelduck feeding in a harvested maize field. (JDW)

Kingfisher (above), Fieldfare & Black Swan around the North Wall (JDW)

Chichester Marina: Little on offer today; two Water Rails were calling from the reedbed and at least three Cetti's Warblers were occasionally calling/singing from there and the canal, but apart from the roosting Lapwings and common waders there was nothing of note. (OM)

Birdham Pool: A Water Rail was flushed from the muddy footpath - and another was heard - but the highlight was a pair of Mandarins on the far side of the pool, somewhat difficult to see in the poor light under overhanging tree roots..... and still a scarce Peninsula species! Up to 20 Cormorants and a couple of Little Egrets were roosting in the trees (this now seems to have become a small but established roosting site in recent years), whilst on the pool were about 10 Tufted Ducks and a dozen Little Grebes. (OM)

Barely discernible record shots of Mandarins (drake above, pair below) with Coots and Mallards) on Birdham pool in the poor conditions! (OM)

Fishbourne creek & Dell Quay: There were 4 Red-breasted Mergansers, 6 Greenshank, 15 Little Grebes, a Goldeneye and a Kingfisher, around the creek, plus 4 Rock Pipits and 2 Stonechats along the margins, with 30 Yellowhammers around the dung heap field. Also, around the Church car park, were a Firecrest, a Treecreeper and a Bullfinch. (BFF/DM)

Monday, 20th November: A fairly gloomy morning, with a bit of rain early on, before the brisk westerly breeze picked up....

Selsey Bill: Similar to recent days, with a bit of variety, including a Fulmar, several Great Crested Grebes and Red-breasted Mergansers moving about and three Great Northern Divers on the sea. Full log later. (C&ME/AH/SR/MO-W)
(0715-1115hrs)
Great Northern Diver -1E, 3os
Red-throated Diver - 5E, 2W
Great Crested Grebe - 4E, 6W
Fulmar - 1E
Gannet - 15E, 116W
Shag - 2E
Brent Goose - 6E, 13W
Shelduck - 3W
Common Scoter - 3W
Red-breasted Merganser - 4E, 23W
Grey Plover - 1W
Dunlin - 19W
Sanderling - 2E, 1p
Common Gull - 1W
Lesser Black-backed Gull - 1os
Kittiwake - 6W
Razorbill - 6E, 1W, 2os
auk sp - 48E
Pied Wagtail - 5W
Chiffchaff - 1 gardens               

Razorbill (above) & Gannet at the Bill (AH)

Medmerry: Toe End - The Glossy Ibis was still present this morning, a Black Redstart was on the pile of tyres and a Grey Wagtail was by the sluice. (B. Larcombe/H Bagguley)

Ferry Pool: There were at least 16 Snipe roosting on the concealed pool and about 200 Wigeon, plus a couple of Shovelers, flew in from the field onto the main pool, where there were also a Redshank, 30 Teal and four Shelduck. (AH)

Snipe (above) & Wigeon and Shovelers (AH)

Church Norton: The Velvet Scoter was still in the main channel, and the Spoonbill was also present in the harbour, along with at least 1500 Brent Geese and a dozen Great Crested Grebes, whilst the three Eider were still offshore. Eight Black-tailed Godwits were among the commoner waders and there were a few Pintail among the Wigeon and Teal, though the bushes were quiet beyond the odd skulking Goldcrest and a few Long-tailed Tits. (AH/B. Larcombe et al)

Velvet Scoter (above), Black-tailed Godwits and Dunlin, Dunlin, Great Crested Grebe & Wigeon at Church Norton (AH)

Sunday, 19th November: Another lovely, if fairly chill, day with plenty of hazy sun and just a light north-westerly breeze.....

Selsey Bill: (0715-0815hrs) (CN)

Great Northern Diver - 2os

Red-throated Diver - 1W

Shag - 1E

Red-breasted Merganser - 6W

East Beach:  A Grey Wagtail was on the roof this morning before it flew down into a neighbouring garden - I was a bit peeved when it ignored my pond in preference to the one with the plastic heron! (SR)

Medmerry: Toe End - The Glossy Ibis was still present this morning, though it was seen to fly off far out to sea mid-morning, but returned just after midday. (CN/GM)

Glossy Ibis at Medmerry (GM)

Ferry Pool: There were two Green Sandpipers, a Redshank, 25 Lapwing and 20 Teal on the pool and a snipe was hiding in the reeds. (AH/CN)

Green Sandpipers, Redshank and Lapwing on the Ferry (AH)

Church Norton: The Velvet Scoter was still in the harbour this morning along with  the Spoonbill and c1500 Brent Geese, whilst at the end of Ferry Channel there were two Spotted Redshanks and a dozen Avocets. A couple of Bar-tailed godwits were among the large numbers of Dunlin and Grey Plover that were all upset by the Peregrine.

A Redwing and several Song Thrushes were in the churchyard early on and Goldcrests were thinly spread everywhere, but the west side was quiet, save a Kingfisher and a couple of Reed Buntings.

There were as many as eight Slavonian Grebes offshore, along with the three Eider, whilst along the spit there were several Skylarks and the big mixed flock of Linnets and Greenfinches. (AH/BI et al)

Velvet Scoter (above), Slavonian Grebe, Spoonbill, Spotted Redshank, Redwing, Avocets, Bar-tailed Godwit & Dunlin at Church Norton (AH)

There wasn't too much different to this morning, with the Velvet Scoter and Spoonbill still in the harbour and three Slavonian Grebes offshore, but also a Common Seal was in the harbour, at times no more than fifty feet from the hide at high tide before it finally went back out to sea. (AW)

Spoonbill (above) & Common Seal at Church Norton (AW)

Breech Pool: No sign of yesterday's Mandarin Duck this morning but there were plenty of Mallards & Teal present on the Breech Pool as well as six each of Black-tailed Godwit & Snipe. In the field behind the pool were c.400 Wigeon with a dozen Curlew and along the hedges there were four Reed Buntings. (BI)