year listing...again...

 Have been cracking on with the Peninsula year list, 132/143 to end of January so not too bad, Short-eared Owl, Bullfinch and Siskin are topping the looking for list atm...did try for the Black-necked Grebe at Itchenor...I really need to review those pics, looked quite good in the scope albeit nearly on Thorney Island!! A flyover pipit at the North Wall today was almost certainly Water Pipit but not claiming it without a sound recording or a photograph.

Spring is looming and we have a lot to do on the farm this year with a couple of new enterprises taking shape so that might curtail things a bit. The nightmare of a Peninsula tick appearing at 4pm on a Friday afternoon is always present, Oving to Medmerry Stilt Pool (it's always the Stilt Pool, the furthest from me) is no joke and far too stressful. On the positive though quite often things have stuck until the next day so there is always hope if a dip is made.

A few new birds on the Peninsula would be welcome; Pacific Diver got to be a possible, plenty of Great Northern Divers to associate with, another Night Heron would be welcome as would be a Barred or Melodious Warbler, we shall see what the year brings...

Little Gull

 A juvenile Little Gull was at the Bill late morning (was there early on but top tip for visitors don't push in past the regulars and stand in front of them ...and don't flush birds later...) and a good day out was had in spite of it all...Kingfisher, three Jack Snipe, Coal Tit all met the year list, up and running!

LEOs, Egrets & Nuthatch

Three Long-eared Owls were roosting at a private site on the Selsey Peninsula in December. Also 50 Cattle Egrets at Drayton plus  a Great White Egret and c.15 Little Egrets and a Nuthatch in the orchard!

Pied Wheatear at Seaford

With not much going on in the local area I decoded on a nice trip out on Friday morning to try for the now long-staying Pied Wheatear at Seaford's Splash Point. A good run down there found me first on site and the bird duly oblige after about 20 minutes! It continued to show well around the ruins at the end of the esplanade, along with two or three Black Redstarts and a scattering of Meadow Pipits and Pied Wagtails, for at least 45 minutes, vet nice little bird. I liked the area so a spring seawatch here rather than Selsey is very much on the cards..!

Orchard Marsh Tit

 A Marsh Tit was with a mixed flock in the orchard this morning, only the second record in thirty years at least here, so exciting! Also a Firecrest in the flock, bonus!

199: Black-necked Grebes

 A trip to East Head, thanks AJ on the Hayling side for heads up, found the two Black-necked Grebes offshore at Chichester Harbour mouth this morning, 199 for the Selsey Peninsula area for the year and the first of the year here (wait for it...😂😂😂)....

 So come on then Goosander, Snow Bunting, SEO, Bullfinch of Caspian Gull. Where art thou?? What if any of these. let's not get complacent, will be 200????

Out & About

The seawatching has been generally dire with the ever present high pressure doing no favours but there have been a few birds around otherwise. 

Circa ten Hawfinches at Rewell Wood was nice as were the Firecrests and Marsh Tits on the wat up to Sherwood Rough, plenty of Redwings here too...a Hawfinch flew over at home as well.

Also managed to get Hawfinch onto my Peninsula list, ticked Water Pipit, Brambling and Bearded Tit for the year there and saw the four Black Redstarts at the Selsey caravan park. Still looking for Bullfinch, Short-eared Owl & Snow Bunting, or indeed anything else, to get to 200 on the Selsey Peninsula for the year, be a nice way to bow out...