14th-15th January 2014

Wednesday 15th January: After the pleasures of yesterday's sunshine it was back to dull, damp and windy weather today. Both Whooper Swans were present at Chi GPs for a while this morning, but it seems they soon departed.

Chi GPs Ivy Lake: The two Whooper Swans were still present at 0900hrs (per Ivan Lang) but it seems they departed later and were not present early afternoon (RK).

Church Norton: Not much to report at a wet and windy Norton today - a group of 7 Bar-tailed Godwits in the harbour, plus a pair of Red-breasted Mergansers, and around the bottom of the path to the harbour the Firecrest and the Treecreeper were amongst half a dozen Goldcrests, plenty of Blue, Great and Long-tailed Tits and 50+ Goldfinches. (AH)

 

Three of the seven Bar-tailed Godwits at Church Norton (AH)

 

The two Ruddy Shelducks were again present in the harbour this afternoon, viewable from the North Wall, together with 88 Common Shelducks (Ron 'Chunky' King).




Tuesday 14th January: A glorious winter's day - bright and clear....

Chi GPs: Ivy Lake complex: The hitherto elusive Red-crested Pochard obviously liked the weather and was very obliging this morning, on the small pit at the eastern end of the complex. Also present around the pits were a Kingfisher, 80 Pochard, 20 Shoveler and 54 Greylag Geese. (AH)

Female Red-crested Pochard on Chichester Lakes (AH)

 

Later, the 2 Whooper Swans appeared on Ivy Lake early-mid afternoon (Matt Eade).

 

Whooper & Mute Swans on Ivy Lake (AH)

 

Honer Farm area: The two Whooper Swans were with Mute Swans near Bowley Farm this morning before being disturbed by shooters. Around the Honer Farm reservoir there were 2 Stonechats, 6 Meadow Pipits and 10 Yellowhammers. (CRJ)

Hunston: The large flock of Fieldfare (circa 150 this morning) was still at Kipson Bank Farm this morning, along with about half a dozen Redwing and similar of Yellowhammer. (AH)

Fieldfares (above) and Redwing at Kipson Bank Farm, Hunston (AH)

 



11th - 13th January 2014

Monday 13th January: Dry periods with fairly frequent heavy showers. Wind SW4-5.

Pagham Hbr: Church Norton: Very little on the sea -  a close in female Eider and 4 Great Crested Grebes was all I could find. A female Red-breasted Merganser was in the harbour and a huge flock of Brent Geese dropped in, but otherwise nothing unusual. A Song Thrush was singing in the Priory. (AH)

Eider off Church Norton (AH)

 Ferry Pool: The two Ruddy Shelduck were showing nicely this morning, along with 60 Common Shelduck, 40 Shoveler, 50+ Teal, at least 200 Wigeon and a single Gadwall. A Kingfisher was in Ferry Channel, as was a Red-breasted Merganser, and Trevor Gibson-Poole reported 8 singing Song Thrushes around Yeoman's Field. (AH)

Ruddy Shelducks on the Ferry (AH)

SOS walk: Thirteen members joined Audrey Wende and Jim Weston for a muddy walk from the Information Centre at Sidlesham to the beach at Church Norton and back. First stop was the Ferry Pool which yielded the two long staying Ruddy Shelduck, 18 Shoveler and a lone Gadwall. On the walk down to Church Norton seven Avocets, some 600 Black-tailed Godwits and battalions of Brent Geese flying SW were noted. In the adjoining fields were a Buzzard, Kestrel and six Roe Deer. The beach watch was very disappointing with only a single Great Crested Grebe seen. Lunch was in the hide at Church Norton and birds seen included Knot, Dunlin, Grey Plover, Oystercatchers, Ringed Plovers and a single Bar Tailed Godwit. The highlight took place at the end of the track leading down from the Church Norton car park where a single Treecreeper was seen. Quite a rarity for Pagham. A Water Rail was heard on the return journey (JW/SOS website)

Sunday, 12th January: Not as sunny as anticipated but just about remaining dry through the day, though cool and windy.

Selsey Bill 0745 to 1000hrs: Cool, SE4/5, cloudy: (Obs: JA/SH/IP/PB)
Great Northern Diver - 1 os
Black-throated Diver - 1E
Red-throated Diver - 11E, 1W, 1os
diver sp - 1W
Great Crested Grebe - 5E
Slavonian Grebe - 2W, 1 os
Gannet - 4E, 11W
Fulmar - 2E
Brent Goose - 1E
Red-breasted Merganser - 12E, 8 os
Common Scoter - 4E, 17 os
Eider - 2W
Shelduck - 2W
Peregrine - 1p
Kestrel - 1p
Curlew - ca. 100E
Turnstone - 7 ob
Kittiwake - 8E, 19W
Razorbill - 2E
Guillemot - 2E, 2W
auk sp - 6E, 20W 
Rock Pipit - 2 ob.

Selsey Park Farm - Church Norton: I walked from near Park Farm to the edge of the harbour and back (1115-1345hrs) with Sam and Sandra Hill  half an hour behind me! Very little of note on a cold and choppy sea.....Two Eider and Five Common Scoter, with lots of common waders along the shore as the tide fell. The harbour held one Peregrine.The area around Park farm produced the overwintering Grey Wagtail, plus the best bird of the day in the shape of a Firecrest (IP).

Pagham Lagoon/North Wall: Had a fruitless look on the Breech Pool for the Red-crested Pochard this morning - and fruitless for just about everything else bar a few Teal & Tufted Duck! No sign on the Lagoon either, though there were 6 Goldeneye (including one drake), at least 30 Tufted Duck and 50+ of both Common & Mediterranean Gull. (AH)

One of six Goldeneye on Pagham Lagoon (AH)

Hunston: At Kipson Bank Farm, just south of the village there was a huge flock of birds on the first half-flooded arable field from the main road, comprising at least 250 Fieldfare, up to 10 Redwing and similar of Yellowhammer, plus at least 100 each of Chaffinch and Starling. I'm not sure what is so appetising there, but it is a field that often attracts birds. (AH)

Fieldfare at Kipson Bank Farm, Hunston (AH)

 

After reading Ian's report I don't feel quite so bad about not seeing very much at Church Norton today.  At the foot of the path leading from the car park a flock of 12 Long-tailed Tits and a Treecreeper that obligingly 'froze' to the side of the tree as I took one of my bad photos.   I hadn't visited the hide for a while and it was a shame to see one of the benches had been defaced, as had the tree standing outside the hide.  A spot of sandpaper would probably bring the bench back to normal.  Low tide and poor visability, good numbers of waders but nothing out of the ordinary, a Peregrine sending up waves of Knot, Lapwings and Grey Plover.  There were at least 8 Red-breasted Mergansers and 7 Little Grebes but it wasn't the best day to visit Norton so I was glad to head for home (SR).
 

Treecreeper at Church Norton (S. Russell)

 

Saturday, 11th January: At last a very welcome and gloriously sunny day with mild conditions. It seems that this induced some of the Peninsula regulars to take the opportunity of going off-piste, heading inland for year-listing purposes! Even so there was coverage, and Sarah Russell and Steve (the hat) came up with the bird of the day in the form of a female Red-crested Pochard at the back of the Breech Pool - it was sleeping amongst a small group of Mallards for most of the time I was there, avoiding any hope of a photo.

On the downside I must mention that recently I seem to be having a few technical problems with this blog site; currently this is resulting in some difficulty with loading any photos onto the blog. I am not sure if this is just due to my pc being incompatible with some aspects of the site, or whether it is a more general issue. Fortunately Andy House still seems able to upload data, so could you if possible send any info/photos to both he and I for the time being; Andy's assistance has proved invaluable in running the blog and I continue to be grateful for his input (OM).
 

Pagham Hbr: North Wall: A female Red-crested Pochard at the back of the Breech Pool. Other info gained whilst I was there includes reports of a Marsh Harrier this morning, the 2 Ruddy Shelducks again in the harbour, 300+ Golden Plovers and a hunting Peregrine (with thanks to Dave Shepherd and Steve) (OM).

 

Record shot of fem Red-crested Pochard (S. Russell)

 

Selsey to Church Norton: (1400hrs)
One Long-tailed Duck, 6 R/b Mergansers, 3 Eider offshore, and a single Redwing at Park Farm (SH).

 Redwing, Park Farm, Selsey (S. Hill)

 

9th-10th January 2014

Friday, 10th January: Sunshine, cloud and showers.

East Head: A glorious sunny morning was rewarded with a few good birds, mostly on the water - highlights were 2 Great Northern Divers, 3 Slavonian Grebes, 1 Eider, 5 Great Crested Grebes & at least 20 Red-breasted Mergansers. Quiet around the dunes - 40+ Skylarks and a few Meadow Pipits were about the sum, but I couldn't track down the Dartford Warbler. (AH).

Red-breasted Mergansers off East Head (AH)

Skylark at East Head (AH)

Sidlesham SF: A quick stop  here produced a Grey Wagtail, a Rock Pipit, a Chiffchaff and a Reed Bunting amongst at least 200 Pied Wagtails and 30+ Meadow Pipits.

Meadow Pipit having a bath at Sidlesham SF (AH)

 

Info from Sarah Russell... I only went out briefly this afternoon along West Beach (Medmerry).  The caravan park is closed at the moment, the gates locked and rather annoyingly the barrier is in operation again, so I parked in West Street and walked along.  The lack of people was refreshing but there was also a distinct lack of birds today.  However I thought you might like this to see the storm damaged cliffs toward the Coastguard Station, great chunks have fallen onto the beach exposing old brickwork and pipes belonging to previous properties.  The footpath is still in operation but you have to go carefully (SR).

 

Medmerry Cliffs (S. Russell)

 

As mentioned in yesterday's blog, Bernie Forbes and I, with several guests, completed our Birdrace on the peninsula today. Unfortunately it turned out to be fairly unspectacular and we struggled to even reach a total of about 85 species (subject to checking) - probably our worst ever! The list of species we missed was both surprising and embarrassing (Ringed Plover, Skylark, Gannet, Goldcrest, Grey Wagtail, etc etc...) whilst highlights were few, though we did log at least 8 Spotted Redshanks in our travels, plus 3 Velvet Scoters off Church Norton, and a Slavonian Grebe and 2 Sandwich Terns off East Head. The mild weather and lack of birds contributed to a disappointing day and it may yet prove to be our swansong, but time will tell.

Bernie Forbes (right) with the team, taking lunch at West Wittering (OM)

Thursday, 9th January: Wet and windy yet again overnight, but with the promise of some drier weather over the weekend.

Firstly, a record shot of the Dartford Warbler at East Head yesterday (Sarah Russell) which unfortunately couldn't be uploaded to yesterday's blog due to technical problems with Blogger.

 

Pagham Spit/Lagoon: There were 4 Goldeneye, including one drake, on the lagoon this morning, along with about 20 Little Grebes and a dozen Tufted Duck. There were at least 200 Mediterranean Gulls around the harbour entrance, plus at least 100 Common Gulls, but I couldn't find much else out of the ordinary.

Goldeneye on Pagham Lagoon (above) and Mediterranean Gulls just inside the harbour (AH)

Can I just mention that I am due to do the annual winter Bird Race tomorrow, to raise funds for the SOS, and will be competing with my old mucker Bernie Forbes and several others. Our team (named 'The Muppets' after Waldorf and Statler, the two grumpy old men on the show) will be confining themselves entirely to the Peninsula, so if anyone is out birding on the patch tomorrow and finds something interesting, please could you give us a ring. Many thanks. (OM).

7th-8th January 2014

Wednesday 8th January: Drier, brighter and less windy today, though rain later.

Fishbourne Creek: Had an interesting morning - the highlight of which was a Black Brant in amongst at least 1000 Brent Geese in the main channel.

Black Brant anong the Brent Geese in Fishbourne Creek (AH)

 

Also of note, there was a minimum of 28 Yellowhammers in the bushes by the cattle fields, at least 700 Common Gulls present, as well as a single Lesser Black-backed Gull, 3 Spotted Redshanks, a Greenshank and 3-4 Rock Pipits. (AH)

Greenshank (above) and Spotted Redshank in Fishbourne Creek (AH)

 

Pagham Hbr: North Wall: Very quiet and very mild. Where have all the Wigeon gone?,. only 3 seen today! A pair of Stonechats in the horse field and 181 Curlew spread across 4 fields. Female Sparrowhawk in trees alongside the Breech Pool. (JW) Ivan Lang later reported the 2 Whooper Swans behind the  Breech Pool, plus 2 Long-tailed Ducks off Church Norton and a Nuthatch in Norton Priory.


I visited the dunes at East Head this morning, taking advantage of the reduced £1 parking.  The Snow Buntings seem to have moved on but I did come across a highly vocal Dartford Warbler in bushes along the side of the dunes near the green doggie bins.  I had good views of it although it was very camera shy, being very active and often skulking. There was also up to 2 Reed Buntings, a  Skylark, 3 Pied Wagtails and 8 Meadow Pipits. (SR).
 

Tuesday, 7th January: Cloudy and still very windy with a strong SW approaching gale force; the prospect is of further rain later, but with the promise of some better weather in the next few days. 

Selsey Bill: Bright sunshine and a strong wind veering round to the west meant there was almost no movement. However the two Little Gulls were still close offshore, the two Velvet Scoter and a single Common Scoter were also still about and a total of 8 Kittiwakes drifted through the gull flock feeding on the surf. (AH)

Kittiwake (above) & the first-winter Little Gull off the Bill (AH)  

 

Pagham Hbr: Church Norton: Four Avocets were in the harbour along with two Goldeneye and a Red-breasted Merganser this morning. The huge flocks of Lapwing, Golden Plover and other waders were constantly disturbed but I couldn't find the culprit. (AH) (but see IL's report below).

Pagham Lagoon: Windy and quiet; 1 Kingfisher, 4 Goldeneye (3 females and a happy male), 1 Red-breasted Merganser, 1 Tufted Duck, 12 Little Grebe, 1 Great Crested Grebe, 19 Med Gulls and 120 juvenile Herring Gulls (JW)

Despite the windy weather reasonable number of birds in the harbour. In the entrance from the Pagham side, 1 adult Kittiwake and 50 Med Gull. In the harbour 300 Golden Plover, 600 Black-tailed Godwits, a Merlin, Sanderling, redhead Goosander and Spotted Redshank. Breech Pool had a Water Rail and at North Fields one Marsh Harrier (Ivan Lang).

 



5th - 6th January 2014

Monday, 6th January: Wet and windy early on, the rain subsiding fairly soon to give periods of sunshine. Still very windy, SSW7.  Sea-watching conditions were actually quite tricky this morning, with heavy rain giving way to bright glare and the wind direction making it difficult to find the right spot to shelter - we eventually settled 'round the corner' from Bill Point house. Not surprisingly there wasn't too much moving at sea, but those birds sheltering offshore included the 2 Velvet Scoters and the 2 Little Gulls from yesterday.

 

Selsey Bill 0815-1045 (2.5hrs): Heavy showers, then sunny. Wind strong SSW 7  (Obs: OM/AH)
Red-throated Diver - 3W
Great Crested Grebe - 3W
Brent Goose - 1W
Wigeon - 8W
Eider - 3 os
Velvet Scoter - 2 os
Common Scoter - 8 os
R/b Merganser - 5E, 1W, 3 os
Guillemot - 2W
Auk sp - 3E
Little Gull - 2 os (ad + 1st-w)
Kittiwake - 10 W
Rock Pipit - 1 ob 

Adult Little Gull (above) & Eiders off Selsey Bill (AH)

Selsey: A visit to East Beach Pool and then West Beach produced nothing of note (OM).

Pagham Hbr: At Church Norton the tide was still fairly low when I visited; nothing unusual seen but a large flock of 1000+ waders on the mudflats included Grey Plovers, Knot, Dunlin, Lapwing, perhaps half a dozen Bar-tailed Godwits and a few Ringed Plovers (OM). Offshore a couple of Eider and a few R/b Mergansers were picked out but the rough sea made things almost impossible at times.

North Wall: Jim Weston reports' The western end of the North Wall is very much churned up by bicycles and care needs to be taken as it is very muddy and slippery. Quite a surprise this morning - not a single Godwit to be seen, Wigeon numbers were also way down and across the fields I only counted 47. Lapwing were very hard to count as they were continually disturbed and groups were flying backwards and forwards to the Harbour. At the peak there was not less than 2000 birds. Behind the Breech Pool 151 Curlew, 4 Redshank and 2 Snipe. Also there 82 Canada Geese and 68 Teal. No sign of Shovelers this morning. There is big flock of Brent up by Beckett's Barn and I estimated 2100. A Cetti's Warbler calling along the Wall and 2 Buzzards sitting on the back fence (JW).

Ferry Pool: The two Ruddy Shelducks still present this morning, and a few Golden Plovers were in amongst the large Lapwing flock. (AH)

Golden Plover & Lapwing over the Ferry (AH)

 

 

(above) Ruddy Shelducks, Common Shelducks and Shovelers on the Ferry Pool, and (below) Pagham Hbr on a high tide (Photos: Lee Evans)

 

  

Chi GPs: An early afternoon visit to Ivy Lake failed to locate the fem Red-crested Pochard reported a few days ago, just a group of around 15 Gadwall was the nearest I could get. (No reports either of the 2 Whooper Swans seen a couple of days ago). Not much excitement either at the Drayton pits; over 50 Gadwall there plus 30 Shoveler and just the usual assortment of common wildfowl.

Sunday, 5th January: A dry start to the day for a change, but sure enough red sky in the morning means shepherd's warning, and another storm with heavy rain is forecast for this afternoon.

Selsey Bill, 0735 - 1005hrs, Cloudy, wind W1 then WSW3: (Obs: JA/SH/IP/PB et al)
Great Northern Diver - 2 os
Red-throated Diver - 1E, 12W, 1os
diver sp - 9W
Slavonian Grebe - 2W
Great Crested Grebe - 3E, 10W, 6 os
Cormorant - 46 os
Heron - 1 ob
Brent Goose - 7E, 15W, also 80 over village
Wigeon - 6E, 18W
Velvet Scoter - 2 os
Common Scoter - 1E, 7 os
Eider - 4E, 3 os
Red-breasted Merganser - 27 os
Dunlin - 37W
Knot - 21W
Grey Plover - 95W
Ringed Plover - 10W
Oystercatcher - 3 ob
Turnstone - 1W
Little Gull - 2 os (adult, and 1st winter)
Kittiwake - 19W, 3 os
Med' Gull - 8E
Sandwich Tern - 3os
Razorbill - 1W
Guillemot - 1E
auk sp - 4E, 5W 
Rock Pipit - 1 ob.

Selsey - Church Norton:

Still at least 2 Long-tailed Ducks offshore with 4 female Eider and double figures of Red-breasted Merganser. Plenty of common waders again in the harbour, plus a pair of Peregrines on their island and the pair of Ruddy Shelduck were on the mud in the harbour. Nothing much else of note except for the amount of water in the two Severals and the inland sea lake from yesterday has now soaked away (IP, S & SaH).

Pagham Hbr: North wall: Numbers in the fields behind the Breech Pool were way down on last evenings impressive numbers: 470 Lapwing, 260 Black-tailed Godwits and 45 Wigeon. Amongst the Godwits were 2 Spotted Redshank and, surprisingly, 1 Knot. In the flooded field immediately north of the stables were 1100 Lapwing, but they were very skittish and did not settle for long (JW).
A redhead Goosander at Church Norton, near the harbour entrance, also a handsome drake Goldeneye. The high tides had left an interesting selection of starfish and green sea urchins along the strand-line too (SR).

 

3rd - 4th January 2014

Saturday, 4th January: Another day, another storm! The prolonged series of Atlantic lows continues unabated, with more grey skies, heavy rain and strong winds. Sea-watching would therefore seem to be the most realistic option for the time being! A lousy day today with rain persisting most of the time.

Selsey Bill (0800-1000hrs):  Heavy cloud and rain. Wind SW 7.  (Obs: JA/AH)

Great Northern Diver - 1 os

Red-throated Diver - 1W

Diver sp - 2W

Gannet - 2W

Eider - 2 os

Velvet Scoter - 2 os 

Common Scoter - 3 os

R/b Merganser - 2W, 4os

Guillemot - 1W

Auk sp - 1E, 4W

Little Gull - 2 os (ad + 1st-w)

Kittiwake - 2E, 39W

(most birds offshore were between the Lifeboat station and the Mixon 'mile basket')

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

(above) Adult Little Gull with Black-headed Gull, (centre two) Little Gull (1st-winter), and (lower) adult Kittiwake, Selsey Bill (A. House)
 

Additional sea-watch Selsey Bill: 1230 to 1430hrs:    (Obs: SH)
Great northern Diver - 1os

Diver sp - 1W

Gannet - 1E, 1W

Eider  - 1E, 1os

Common Scoter - 2E, 2os

Velvet Scoter - 6E

Long-tailed Duck - 2E, 2 os (presumably the C/Norton birds?)
R/b Merganser - 23E, 4 os 

Auk sp - 1W

Kittiwake - 2E
Med Gull -  4os

Pagham Hbr: Still trying!. All of the circular routes involving the North Wall are impassable unless you have really good wellies. Dreadful light but shed loads of birds as follows - 700 Wigeon, 108 Canada Geese, 80 Teal, 6 Shoveler. On the wader front - 1800 Lapwing, 1050 Black-tailed Godwits, 102 Curlew, 30 Redshank, 3 Common Snipe and 1 Spotted Redshank. A bigger crowd than Bognor Football club get!. Jim Weston.  The 2 Ruddy Shelducks were still on the Ferry Pool (SH).

Ian Pitts reports the following... 'Well the weather abated sufficiently this afternoon to permit a walk on the standard route, Selsey - Church Norton. Firstly I have never seen the harbour so full of water and there is currently a mini sea water lake beyond the shingle bank at the southern end of the harbour. Definite highlight, a male Goosander flew north along the coastline, I presume it is the bird that was offshore in early December with the five females that Andy has recently seen in the harbour mouth. There are still at least three Long-tailed Ducks offshore, together with four female Eiders. 
 

As an aside I met Matt Eade and Adam Bowley on the shoreline, Matt reports a Willow Warbler at Sidlesham Sewage Works today (IP). He also found a Dartford Warbler in the marram on East Head (per SOS website).

 

No sign of the Whooper Swans on Ivy Lake this afternoon up until dark (SH).


 

Friday, 3rd January: If you haven't yet noticed it, the Review of the Year 2013 (compiled by Andy House) is now available - just click the page link under the title bar. I apologise in advance but the sharp-eyed amongst you may notice there are a few minor text-size fluctuations in the article; these are caused by compatibility problems and technical issues beyond my control. It should also be mentioned that our esteemed Log-keeper Justin reports that 2013 was a record-breaking year at Selsey Bill as far as hours and days watched were concerned, with totals of 1060 hours / 262 days being covered. Well done to Justin for his efforts and thanks to all who have watched and contributed. I wonder if it could be beaten this year?

 

Weather-wise it was back to gales and rain overnight and early morning, as the succession of Atlantic storms continues to sweep across the country. First news today is of a reasonable sea-watch at the Bill which produced both a Great Skua and a Balearic Shearwater, the latter described as giving a 'short but amazing view, 100 yds offshore at most!' Quite something then boys.

Selsey Bill: 0750-1015hrs:  Showers then sunny, wind WSW 7.  (Obs: JA/AH)

Great Northern Diver - 2 os

Red-throated Diver - 1W

Diver sp - 1E

Great Crested Grebe - 3W

Balearic Shearwater - 1W @ 0943hrs

Gannet - 1E, 1W

Shag - 1E

Brent Goose - 10W

R/b Merganser - 2W, 12 os

Eider - 1 os

Common Scoter - 1W

Guillemot - 3W

Auk sp - 17E, 4W

Great Skua - 1W

Kittiwake - 2E, 11W

Chi GPs: No sign of the Whooper Swans on any of the Ivy Lake complex of ponds, a Kingfisher on Vinnetrow Lake and plenty of the usual Pochard, Gadwall, Great Crested Grebes and Tufted Ducks.  At Lakeside Holiday Village a flock of 62 Greylag Geese, along with a few Canada Geese seemed quite unconcerned as people and their dogs walked close by (SR). Further update.........

I had a phone call from Luke Dray at 4.00 this afternoon to say he'd found a Red-crested Pochard on Ivy Lake.  By the time I arrived 10 mins later it was too dark to make out but we stayed on (in the rain) hoping the Whooper Swans might come in to roost, and at 4.30 they came into view.  A great end to the day! (SR).

 

 Greylag Geese at Chi GPs (S. Russell)

  

Pagham Hbr: The two Ruddy Shelducks were showing well at Ferry Pool this morning (SR).

Lagoon: Jim Weston had a less than pleasant visit today and reports" People must be daft to go birding in this weather. I managed to get blown around the Lagoon and Spit at midday. The Lagoon had 3 Goldeneye, 1 Red-breasted Merganser, a few Tufted Ducks and 18 Little Grebes. There were 7 Med Gulls tucked in with the more numerous Black-headed Gulls. Because of the very high tide very few birds could be seen from the Spit Hide." Keep trying Jim !!

Church Norton: Not much to report today as I dodged the showers - 5 Eider still offshore, but I couldn't find anything else there; a Meadow Pipit, at least 1000 Lapwings and 50 Golden Plover repeatedly going up over the Ferry, and the Ruff amongst similar numbers of Lapwing on the floods behind the Breech Pool, along with 50 Black-tailed Godwits, 20 Pintail and several hundred Golden Plover and Wigeon, plus 3 Reed Buntings (AH).

 

 

 

Lapwings and mixed wader flock over the Ferry field (A. House)

1st - 2nd January 2014

Thursday, 2nd January: A welcome change; sunny and bright for most of today until rain spoilt things late afternoon. I arrived at the Bill this morning to find clear-up operations going on after yesterday's storm, although the sea didn't produce too much other than a Little Gull, whilst Pagham Hbr was teeming with bird-life. It was a nice day to be out birding and a good number of birders were indeed out and about, so by the end of the afternoon a good selection of species had been recorded on the peninsula. Another unexpected highlight today was the arrival of ex-Selsey regular Tony Marr re-visiting his old haunts.

 

 

The aftermath of yesterday's storm - the old fir tree at Bill House garden is no more.

 

 

 

Tony Marr (right) with Jim Weston, on the North Wall

 

Selsey Bill (0830-1000hrs):  Sunny, bright, mild; wind fresh W/SW 4. (Obs: OM/SR et al)

Shag -  1 os

Brent Goose - 16E, 10W

Common Scoter - 1W

R/b Merganser - 3E, 5W

Eider - 4W settled os

Guillemot - 2W

Auk sp - 3E, 4W

Grey Plover - 80W

Knot - 20W

Dunlin - 5W

Little Gull - 1W (1st-w)

Kittiwake - 3W

Common Gull - 26W

 

Apologies for late updates; Mr Marr stayed for supper and a good bit of reminiscing!

Pagham Hbr: On Sidlesham Ferry Pool a good selection of wildfowl included the 2 Ruddy Shelducks and plenty of Common Shelducks and Wigeon. A flock of 18 Avocets and a Little Grebe were also present.

Church Norton: Plenty of waders present including good numbers of Grey Plover and Knot. Along the main path from the car-park were a Goldcrest, a nice Firecrest and a flock of Long-tailed Tits. A small covey of Red-legged Partridges were noted sheltering on field edges, avoiding the adjacent shooting party. Offshore the heavy swell made conditions difficult for viewing, but 5 Eider, 6 R/b Mergansers and several Great Crested Grebes were eventually located, but at first there was no sign of anything else, until Andy House came up with the goods and located four Long-tailed Ducks.

The North Wall / Breech Pool area was just teeming with birds. Brent Geese were wheeling around and a flock of Canada Geese were present. A massive flock of 800+ Black-tailed Godwits was on the flooded fields, together with 2 Spotted Redshanks, a rather sluggish Green Sandpiper, a Ruff, 15+ Snipe and a flock of c500 Golden Plover. A prominent Sparrowhawk was causing spectacular havoc with the waders and several Little Grebes were on the pool. Other observers also logged a distant Little Owl roosting near Honer farm (OM).

 

 

Flock of Black-tailed Godwits over the North fields  

 

   

 

 This delightful Robin escorted me along Church Lane (OM)

 

 

Tony was keen to see Medmerry so I gave him a brief guided tour... unfortunately there was plenty of mud but very few birds on offer, then as the rain closed in a very low-flying helicopter hovered over the site (perhaps surveying?), putting paid to any chance of further birding!

 

Low-flying helicopter over Medmerry



 

Two Whooper Swans were at Chi GPs Ivy Lake late this afternoon (Peter Callis).  Presumably these are  our regular wintering birds but they have been elusive up to now. Also about a dozen Pochard and 30+ Gadwall present (AH).

 

 The 2 Whooper Swans at Ivy Lake (A. House)

 

  East Head: Heaving with people and very few birds - about 20 Skylarks in the dunes, the usual waders on the falling tide, but nothing at all on the water from the northern end (AH)

 

Skylark at East Head (AH)

 

 

 

 

Wednesday, 1st January: Gales and driving rain again ensured that the start of the new year continued in the same vein as the end of the last one. Yours truly decided on a day confined to barracks after a heavy night of celebrating, but surely no-one would be out birding today on the peninsula. Of course they would! Despite the weather the regulars were out there, and their reports follow...

Selsey Bill, 0745 - 1000hrs:  Grey, windy S7, rain:  (Obs: JA/SH et al)

Great Northern Diver - 2W

Red-throated Diver - 4W

Gannet - 29W

Fulmar - 1W

Brent Goose - 16W, 1 os

Eider - 4 os

Red-breasted Merganser - 1E, 2W, 2 os

Common Scoter - 2 os

Wigeon - 2W

Pintail - 2W

Sanderling - 16W

Turnstone - 5E, 8W

Black-headed Gull - 40 os

Little Gull - 1 os

Med' Gull - 3W, 2 os

Kittiwake - 54W

Common Gull - 8W

Guillemot - 3W 

Rock Pipit - 1 ob. 

Little Gull off Selsey Bill (A. House) 

 

 

Pagham Hbr: Sidlesham Ferry Pool: The two Ruddy Shelducks were on show this morning, along with about 80 Common Shelducks, 35 Shovelers enjoying the rain, and 200 Wigeon, 40 Teal, 100 Lapwing and 2 Redshank. (Adam & Paul Bowley reported a Kittiwake, a dozen or more Mediterranean Gulls, 30 Bar-tailed Godwit and a couple of hundred Knot in the harbour, but I was defeated by the conditions and gave up before I started!) (AH).

 

Shovelers (above) and Ruddy Shelducks with Common Shelduck on the Ferry Pool (AH)

 

Sam Hill would not be put off by the weather and bravely decided to do his regular walk from Selsey East beach-Church Norton in a force 7 gale with driving rain. He managed to log 31 species including  2 Kittiwakes, 20+ Med Gulls and a Stonechat. He commented, "I didn't see any other birders for some reason!" Well done mate.