Ducks

 An excellent selection of ducks over the last few days at Selsey: Scoter, Velvets, Eider (majestic imho), Mergs, LT Ducks, Wigeon, Teal and Pintail all on the move. With Goosander now on the list as well not been a bad year at all for my favourite species.

The Bill

 

Greater Short-toed Lark & more

 A week in Pembrokeshire, whilst a fabulous family break, was poor for birding: no chats/warblers/migrant birds of any description and just a few Kestrels on the raptor front- not even a Red Kite. Seawatching was slow with the much vaunted Strumble Head (where I was often the only birder-they don't watch daily here...) being ok for Gannets. Kittiwakes and Manx Shearwaters but not a lot else until the final day when a Sooty Shearwater offshore brightened things up.. Other glimmers of interest were a self found Sabine’s Gull after Monday's storm in with the hundreds of Manx at St. Brides, a Storm Petrel offshore later in the week and a Greater Short-toed Lark at Dale airfield. Annoyingly our pelagic was cancelled in dubious circumstances-guess it doesn't  pay enough when you can take boatloads of grockles round Ramsey…Lovely accommodation and all that but the west country booked for next year!

Alpine Swift...not much else!

 Well an Alpine Swift has finally graced the Peninsula being present for a few hours on Ivy Lake last Sunday, grateful as I am for small mercies there really isn't much else going on! Hopefully a run of decent winds will get the sea-passage going which has been poor to say the least and with just a few migrants trickling slowly in it's hard going...spring's over-rated anyway, bring on autumn!!

Wheatears etc

 Not been a bad few days, a cracking SP Black necked Grebe on Ivy, a Little Gull on scrapyard lake plus numerous Wheatears and two LRPs at Medmerry. Next stop hirundines hopefully!

Long-tailed Ducks

 Two Long-tailed Ducks offshore at Selsey over the weekend were the highlight of last week, otherwise deathly quiet...still no Peninsula Red Kite for me..!

Eagle

 Well later rather than sooner, surprisingly given the proximity of the Isle of Wight, a White-tailed Sea Eagle made an appearance at Selsey Bill on Sunday much to the delight of the four observers. Cue the inevitable chorus of  “you can’t tick it you know” from those NOT present!! Still the first one at the Bill since 1961!

Later, the bird flew over Ham and Medmerry heading off north with a corvid/gull retinue.

Corn Bunting

 A singing Corn Bunting was NFY and good to see two Ravens in the same area at Ham.

Woodcock

 A sixth visit to Shopwhyke copse finally produced a Woodcock (not seen the next day by others (quelle surprise) whilst at Drayton a good selection of geese including 97 Greylags, a pair of Egyptians and the herd of Cackling/Barnacle types. A third dip today of Goosander at Fishbourne creek although a pipit  sounding good for Water Pipit was of interest.

Tawny Owl

Nice to hear a Tawny Owl calling well at Halsey's Farm tonight at around 630pm, was still audible from the parking in Rookery Lane as I left.

NFY

 NFY were Mistle Thrush, Raven. Lesser Black-backed Gull and Velvet Scoter today, always good to get Velvet Scoter out of the way, can be surprisingly tricky, one of those "right place - right time" birds! Also a nice Red-necked Grebe went west at the Bill.

Jack Snipe and Ruff

Two Jack Snipe flew up from Fishbourne Creek this morning and three Ruff were at Church Barton Farm.

Water Pipit

 I was reasonably sure a Water Pipit was at Fishbourne Creek on Friday 13th (!) but couldn’t get a good view of it on the deck. Fortunately, MRE found one in the same area on Saturday so on Sunday I returned to look for it with limited success. The bird showed along with a Scandinavian Rock Pipit and c.10 Rock Pipits but not particularly well in the fierce wind but ID was confirmed to my satisfaction…hopefully conditions will be better later in the week for those searching. Also on Friday, a belated visit to Havant for the Sabine’s Gull…

Black-throated Diver

 Black-throated Diver west past the Bill (left-hand bird) this morning pic AH

Marsh Harrier

 A bit of early year-listing today but sadly little birds such as Nuthatch, Treecreeper and Coal Tit were a no show...I sincerely ope they haven't gone for good :-( 

Did add a few ducks and herons so not all bad plus a smart Marsh Harrier at North Wall.

New Year's Birds

Snow Bunting & Dartford Warbler from Pagham Spit, Great Egret from East Trout Lake