Some pictures...

A few pictures from the last few weeks: Kingfisher in the fog opposite Bluebelle wood, Red-throated Diver at Selsey Bill, Little Gull at the Bill, Barnacle Goose at Pagham Hbr, Greenland Wheatear at Church Norton and Snow Bunting at the Bill. 

Also had a Water Pipit over at the Bill (97% call accuracy on BirdNet & Chirpity!!!) which was unfairly slept on IMHO...it was ever thus lol..Anyway, nice flock of 53 Skylarks over at home, c.30 Cattle Egrets at Drayton and a good number of Fieldfares around. Plenty of Goldcrests and two Firecrests in the conifers and a big charm of Goldfinches on the thistles. 

Viz-mig

A few bits overhead at Selsey and at home recently, the best being two Hawfinches at the Bill, two over at home and also plenty of Redwings and a Tawny Owl at the latter. A Snow Bunting was at the Bill, on the east side, a Spoonbill flew over and the next day so did three Great White Egrets.

Along the shore were plenty of Spider Crabs and a large cartilage "backbone" possibly from a large Ray.

The SOS report 2025 came out and I made a few small and largely insignificant contributions to what was another nice tome, worth keeping it in this format IMHO rather than the considered abridged version.

On Sunday the highlight after a poor seawatch was a ringtail Hen Harrier into the WWT roost. Also four Marsh Harriers in, two Hawfinches over, a Tawny Owl and c.50 Cattle Egrets.

Sea Mouse

 One at the Bill today, only really see them after storms.

Also plenty of Sand Hoppers: 

Little Owl

 One tonight in the South Mundham/Honer area, also two Tawny Owls and a Barn Owl.

Little Stint

A Little Stint was on the Ferry Pool on Sunday (found late Saturday), otherwise it's been very quiet on the Peninsula, we are surely due a decent scarcity offshore! At home prepped the ground for autumn planting onion sets to fill up any spare ground and picked lots and lots of apples, pears and quinces as we have an event on Saturday in Chichester. The boy and I are also in the Squid Chase at East Beach Selsey at the weekend so that will be fun!

Little Stint:

Tawny Owl

One was screeching away this evening in the ash trees, always around here this time of year.

Grey Phalarope & Little Stints

The seawatching has been poor really, surprising given the strength and direction, SW F6-7, of the wind but there's always a chance something like a Grey Phalarope will be blown in and so it proved when one was was well found by JBo late morning on the Ferry Pool; he's only a young chap so fair play to him for spotting and IDing it, put the olds to shame so it did!

Always a little distant for photos the bird spent its time on the left hand side out of the strong breeze-hopefully it might stay and come down to the road end. (Update: it didn't-no sign on Sunday!)

Grey Phalarope:

The pool has also hosted a pair of Little Stints recently which did show nice and close and were a popular attraction for many.

Little Stints:

Nothing to do with the above but I was sad to hear of the passing of Joe Harkness recently. Joe was a nice guy who had had his battles with depression and mental health over the years and who was the author of, among other works, Neurodivergent by Nature, a book discussing neurodivergence (something we know a fair bit about in this household...) and it's role(s) in conservation. 

I hope he is at peace now.