Thursday, 6th February: A cold and frosty morning with a bit of sun between the clouds, with a shift to north-east for the breeze, though remaining light......
Selsey Bill: The usual selection of species was present, though three Great Northern Divers were on the sea and 21 Red-throated Divers and 287 very distant auks went west. Full log below. (SR/AH/MO-W/RP/PC/PD/RAI)
(0745-1000hrs) (NE, F2)
Earlier, a Marsh Harrier went over. (RAI)
Fishbourne Creek: A look from Dell Quay this morning produced a Spotted Redshank, four Greenshanks, up to ten Goldeneye and a few Red-breasted Mergansers. (RAI)
Itchenor Village Pond: A Tree-creeper was in the trees by the pond this morning, as was a Great Spotted Woodpecker, whist a probable Nuthatch was heard calling from some distance away. (AH)
North Wall: Six Song Thrushes, two Redwings and a Kestrel were all again present in the horse paddocks this morning, whilst from the sluice gates an hour before high water, a Grey Wagtail was visible and further out Dunlin, Black-tailed Godwit, Shelduck, as well as Wigeon and Teal, could be seen in good numbers.
Brent Geese were also out in the harbour before flying to join 20 Curlew in the field at the far end of North Wall and they perhaps eventually exceeded 2,000 in number.
Also, a group of Long-tailed Tits progressed through undergrowth near Owl Copse where at least six (and probably more) Grey Herons were sitting. (IH)
Church Norton: There were plenty of birds in the harbour, including many Knot, Dunlin and Grey Plovers, but not much out of the ordinary, save the pair of Peregrines around their island, a couple of Skylarks on the spit and up to eight Snipe, plus a few Wigeon and Teal around the creek by the horse field, whilst a flat sea held just a solitary Great Crested Grebe. (AH)
Runcton: Two Chiffchaffs were with a small tit flock down Saltham Lane this morning, whilst in Runcton Manor there were two Nuthatches and a Great Spotted Woodpecker, seen from opposite Pip’s Meadow. (CRJ)
Chi GPs: Drayton House pits - Highlights today were two Marsh Harriers, two pairs of Bullfinch, the pair of Coal Tits and 80+ Pochard and Shoveler. (OM)
East Head: There were four Avocets in Snowhill Creek this morning. (MR)
Wednesday, 5th February: A pleasant morning of sun and light cloud, with just a gentle north-westerly breeze......
Great Northern Diver - 1W, 3os
Red-throated Diver - 8E, 21W
Great Crested Grebe - 1os
Slavonian Grebe -1os
Gannet - 3E, 3W, 1os
Common Scoter - 4E
Red-breasted Merganser - 8os
Turnstone - 1W
Mediterranean Gull - 3os
Common Gull - 3os
Turnstone - 1W
Mediterranean Gull - 3os
Common Gull - 3os
Sandwich Tern - 3os
Razorbill - 2E, 1W, 1os
auk sp - 14E, 287W
Ferry Pool: At least six Snipe were by the road, whilst c300 Wigeon, c200 Lapwing, c50 Teal and c20 Shoveler were around the field and pool, and three Buzzards were overhead together. (AH)auk sp - 14E, 287W
Great Northern Divers (above), Red-throated Divers & Sandwich Tern at the Bill (AH)
Earlier, a Marsh Harrier went over. (RAI)
Buzzard (above) & Lapwings and Wigeon at the Ferry (AH)
Fishbourne Creek: A look from Dell Quay this morning produced a Spotted Redshank, four Greenshanks, up to ten Goldeneye and a few Red-breasted Mergansers. (RAI)
Itchenor Village Pond: A Tree-creeper was in the trees by the pond this morning, as was a Great Spotted Woodpecker, whist a probable Nuthatch was heard calling from some distance away. (AH)
Tree-creeper at Itchenor Village Pond (AH)
North Wall: Six Song Thrushes, two Redwings and a Kestrel were all again present in the horse paddocks this morning, whilst from the sluice gates an hour before high water, a Grey Wagtail was visible and further out Dunlin, Black-tailed Godwit, Shelduck, as well as Wigeon and Teal, could be seen in good numbers.
Brent Geese were also out in the harbour before flying to join 20 Curlew in the field at the far end of North Wall and they perhaps eventually exceeded 2,000 in number.
Also, a group of Long-tailed Tits progressed through undergrowth near Owl Copse where at least six (and probably more) Grey Herons were sitting. (IH)
Church Norton: There were plenty of birds in the harbour, including many Knot, Dunlin and Grey Plovers, but not much out of the ordinary, save the pair of Peregrines around their island, a couple of Skylarks on the spit and up to eight Snipe, plus a few Wigeon and Teal around the creek by the horse field, whilst a flat sea held just a solitary Great Crested Grebe. (AH)
Snipe (above), Teal & Knot, Dunlin and Grey Plovers at Church Norton (AH)
Runcton: Two Chiffchaffs were with a small tit flock down Saltham Lane this morning, whilst in Runcton Manor there were two Nuthatches and a Great Spotted Woodpecker, seen from opposite Pip’s Meadow. (CRJ)
Chi GPs: Drayton House pits - Highlights today were two Marsh Harriers, two pairs of Bullfinch, the pair of Coal Tits and 80+ Pochard and Shoveler. (OM)
Coal Tit at Drayton House GPs (OM)
Avocets in Snowhill Creek (MR)
Selsey Bill: There wasn't too much about, though a couple of Great Northern Divers were on the sea and a Fulmar went east. Full log below. (AH/SR/MO-W)
(0740-900hrs) (NW, F2)
Ferry Pool: There were still at least 300 Wigeon on the pool, along with 20 Shelducks and c40 Shoveler and Teal, whilst three Snipe were at the front and c150 Lapwing were on the field. (AH)
Fishbourne Creek: A drake Goosander flew north over the creek from the dell Quay area this morning. (BFF)
Later, two Barn Owls were in the fields between Fishbourne Creek and the Lavant outflow. (RP)
Medmerry: Ham Farm - Four Corn Buntings were back around the banks this morning, with five Jack Snipe, 26 Yellowhammers, two Redwings and c140 Fieldfares in the fields.
Also, a Water Rail was in the reed-bed by the viewpoint and a Peregrine went over. (HB)
Medmerry: Easton Lane to the Stilt Pool - A Dartford Warbler was in the gorse opposite the Stilt Pool, whilst along the banks there were at least eight Stonechats and c100 Meadow Pipits and c50 Skylarks, but just a couple of Yellowhammers, whilst at least 50 Stock Doves and 300+ Linnets came up from the stubble fields among the Wood Pigeons, Starlings and crows.
A Greenshank was calling near the poplars, where there were also c40 Redshank, whilst the Stilt Pool held four Ringed Plovers, eight Dunlin and 40 Lapwings, and a mix of wildfowl including ten Shovelers, 22 Gadwall, c40 Teal and c200 Wigeon, plus 30 Canada Geese, with c150 Brent Geese on the reserve opposite. (AH)
Later, what was probably a different Dartford Warbler was near Marsh Barn. (HB)
Tuesday, 4th February: A cold morning, bright early on before clouding up, and with a fresh and blustery north-westerly breeze...(0740-900hrs) (NW, F2)
Great Northern Diver - 2os
Red-throated Diver - 3W
Great Crested Grebe - 1E, 1os
Slavonian Grebes -1E
Fulmar - 1E
Fulmar - 1E
Gannet - 2W
Brent Goose - 14W
Red-breasted Merganser - 8E, 2os
Sandwich Tern - 2E
Razorbill - 1E
auk sp - 3E
Great Northern Diver (above), Sandwich Tern & Red-breasted Mergansers at the Bill (AH)
Ferry Pool: There were still at least 300 Wigeon on the pool, along with 20 Shelducks and c40 Shoveler and Teal, whilst three Snipe were at the front and c150 Lapwing were on the field. (AH)
Snipe (above) & Wigeon at the Ferry (AH)
Fishbourne Creek: A drake Goosander flew north over the creek from the dell Quay area this morning. (BFF)
Later, two Barn Owls were in the fields between Fishbourne Creek and the Lavant outflow. (RP)
Medmerry: Ham Farm - Four Corn Buntings were back around the banks this morning, with five Jack Snipe, 26 Yellowhammers, two Redwings and c140 Fieldfares in the fields.
Also, a Water Rail was in the reed-bed by the viewpoint and a Peregrine went over. (HB)
Medmerry: Easton Lane to the Stilt Pool - A Dartford Warbler was in the gorse opposite the Stilt Pool, whilst along the banks there were at least eight Stonechats and c100 Meadow Pipits and c50 Skylarks, but just a couple of Yellowhammers, whilst at least 50 Stock Doves and 300+ Linnets came up from the stubble fields among the Wood Pigeons, Starlings and crows.
A Greenshank was calling near the poplars, where there were also c40 Redshank, whilst the Stilt Pool held four Ringed Plovers, eight Dunlin and 40 Lapwings, and a mix of wildfowl including ten Shovelers, 22 Gadwall, c40 Teal and c200 Wigeon, plus 30 Canada Geese, with c150 Brent Geese on the reserve opposite. (AH)
Later, what was probably a different Dartford Warbler was near Marsh Barn. (HB)
Yellowhammer (above), Stonechat, Skylarks, Meadow Pipit, Stock Dove & Gadwall at Medmerry (AH)
Selsey Bill: Predictably quiet as the wind shifted north-west, with just small numbers of the regular species seen. Full log below. (M-OW/AH/IP)
(0745-0915hrs) (WSW, F5)
Great Northern Diver - 1W
Red-throated Diver - 1E
Great Crested Grebe - 1os
Slavonian Grebes - 3os
Gannet - 2W
Teal - 12W
Common Scoter - 2E
Red-breasted Merganser - 2E, 2W, 2os
Mediterranean Gull - 1W, 4os
Common Gull - 2E, 6W
Sandwich Tern - 2os
Razorbill - 1E
auk sp - 13E, 3W
Sandwich Terns (above) & Mediterranean and Black-headed Gulls at the Bill (AH)
Ferry Pool: At least 400 Wigeon were on and around the pool, though otherwise there were just c40 Teal and Shovelers and 22 Shelducks. (AH)
Wigeon on the Ferry (AH)
North Wall: A Redwing, a Grey Wagtail and a couple of Song Thrushes were in the horse paddocks this morning while out in the harbour at least 2,000 Brent Geese were present together with about 200 Golden Plover, large numbers of Lapwing, both a Great Crested and Little Grebe and the usual Wigeon and Redshank.
Also, a Marsh Harrier was active over the reed beds, whilst the Grey Heron count near Owl Copse was only eight this morning. (IH)
Church Norton: About 60 Knot were among the Grey Plovers and Dunlin on the mud, whilst about 300 Golden Plovers and up to 1000 Lapwings were towards Ferry Channel. There were still a few Teal and a couple of Mediterranean Gulls in the harbour and a dozen Shelduck flew through, but it was generally quiet.
The only land-birds noted were a Meadow Pipit along the side of the harbour, a couple of Goldcrests and Long-tailed Tits around the car-park, a Green Woodpecker by the Mound and a Mistle Thrush over Rectory Lane. (AH/CRJ)
Grey Plover (above), Knot, Golden Plovers, Green Woodpecker & Mediterranean Gull at Church Norton (AH)
