The best at Selsey Bill this morning, despite hopeful conditions, were seven Great Northern Divers offshore and a few Common Scoter-obviously the best is still to come here!
A bike ride down from coastguards to Toe End didn't turn much up either, the best being eight Sanderling near the sea defences, a few Meadow Pipits and an adult Lesser Black-backed Gull with a few Great Black-backed Gulls on the mud.
Six excellent Whooper Swans were in White's Creek on Tuesday, well found by LP in White's Creek at Pagham North Wall, two years running for these now after a long barren period on the Selsey peninsula.
On Friday a distant Great Skua (Bonxie) was the highlight, picked up by SH heading west. More intriguing, however, was a distant bird moving across the horizon in large arcs...we were sure it wasn't a juvenile Gannet and skuas were ruled out which only really left a shearwater of some kind (or Giant Petrel of course lol) but we shall, sadly, never know...these are the ones that really bug me!
Declining a first-of-the-year Wheatear twitch at Church Norton on Saturday I headed over to Itchenor for yet another go for the partridges, this time successfully: two Grey Partridges in the Horse Pond field & two Red-legged Partridges in Rookwood Lane. The best on the water in the harbour were a few lingering Brent Geese and two Great Crested Grebes.
Over the farm today (Saturday) were at least 40 Mediterranean Gulls. We do get good numbers of these passing through in the spring so I suspect this is just the first wave.
Whooper Swans:
There wasn't much at the Bill this morning other than 26 Curlew and four Whimbrel. Later in the day a Ruddy Shelduck was at Honer 1 (found by Mike James) and I managed a five second view of it flying away over the trees, very unsatisfactory but hopefully it will be refound for a better look! Update: AW had it in off the sea at the windmill on Friday so hopefully it'll stick in the area.
At look around Honer Reservoir & Marsh Farm didn't turn the above up but there were 78 Cattle Egrets at Bramber Farm and two Egyptian Geese were with half a dozen Shelduck near Summer Lane.
It was nice to see the regulars at Selsey Bill this morning in my first proper visit for over a month due to circumstances...unfortunately it was rather quiet but a Red Kite over north (or east if you're AH lol) was a good bird, as was a Raven that I missed. A Blackcap in the bushes (missed that too) and a few Chiffs and Mipits were the best of any migration whilst on the sea a Black-throated Diver and a few Great Northerns were the highlights.
Afterwards I went to Itchenor where I had partridges...only problem was that they were Red-legged Partridges not Grey ones! Did have a cream-capped Marsh Harrier (a migrant maybe? bit of an odd place for one?) and a few Brent Geese and small birds but nothing else really of note. The camera struggled today in the gloom but a couple of pastiches (cough) are below!
Red Kite at the Bill:
We had to drop a van into the garage this morning so went up to Long Down hill afterwards, this is sort of above Eartham to give you an idea. Last time it was fog-bound but today there were excellent views across to the downs, Chichester & villages and even the offshore windfarms. Some of the habitat looks spot on for Honey-Buzzard later in the year but today we had plenty of Common Buzzards, a few Red Kites, Yellowhammers and Skylarks. Very much an underwatched area this with also plenty of wet woodland and numerous hilltop copses which today held numerous Tit flocks-looks good for Woodcock here too.
Later in the day we went to the Chichester Gravel Pits where Colin Jupp had found at least four Sand Martins, nice to see the first "proper" migrants of the year!
Skylark, note rarity: blue sky!:
Sand Martin:
We had a bit of stroll at the North Wall this morning, nothing really of note, a couple of Egyptian Geese at Church Barton and a Chiffchaff here, too, two Marsh Harriers, a cronking Raven (later seen over the Mill Pond) some nice Pintail from the east side and a nice mixed flock of warders.
I suppose it was nice to be out after the funeral but still not really feeling much like it atm, but tomorrow's another day so hey ho...
Later, an odd report from the data-scrapers (have you noticed how the national bird services never credit their sources...?) of a Red-breasted Goose with c.3000 Brent Geese and two Pale-bellied Brent Geese in the area, I believe they were looked for but without success...I do know if they were there this morning we missed them! UPDATE: well they weren't there but they were in 1986 apparently! A data entry error to blame for today's report, the culprit? well that would be telling lol and no it wasn't me!
Marsh Harrier:
The wife and I went up to Stapleash Farm at West Dean estate on Friday morning while the son was at band rehearsal (just the 26 songs to learn!!) and had a few bits, four displaying Ravens, six Buzzards, two Red Kites, a Hawfinch (possibly more but not certain) and a big flock of mixed finches on the maize crop.
At the Canal on Saturday there were at least a dozen Siskins, probably more as they were well heard before they were seen at the Birdham end. Not a lot else here and at dead low water off the marina all that could be found of note in a brief look were a few Red-breasted Mergansers.
The two White-fronted Geese & the two Egyptian Geese were also still at Oving early on.
Raven:
Two Egyptian Geese and two White-fronted Geese with the motley band of Greylags and Canada Geese at Drayton, Oving this morning.
No photos as it was a bit dark but we had a Barn Owl and at least two Tawny Owls in a brief visit to Halsey's Farm at Pagham Hbr on Monday night. The Barn Owl was quartering the field between the two gates up from the Halsey's Farm House end, one Tawny Owl was nearby and another was towards Marsh Farm.
I haven't really felt like doing much birding recently (see previous post for why) but with the boy at Karate class and the wife hill-walking it felt like maybe this was the time for a gentle return...
A Nuthatch had been seen at Saltern's Copse near Chichester Marina in the week (I found one here a couple of years ago) so I though I might as well give that a go. After a muddy walk round I eventually located the bird on the south side path near the seawall and it showed pretty well. Also a Great Spotted Woodpecker in the area, plenty of mixed Tits, a nice flock c.12 Reed Buntings and a few Red-breasted Mergansers out on the water, no sign of the Black-necked Grebe (presumably the same bird as my one from East Head on December 31st) here or at Dell Quay though.
On the way down a quick scan of the Greylag horde found the two White-fronted Geese still with them in the fields adjacent to the railway crossing at Drayton near Oving.
So I'm not going mad and rushing to get out and about but a few gentle strolls with the family are hopefully on the agenda, we shall see how it goes...
Nuthatch:
Although it's been a very sad time here as my father passed away last weekend it was heartening to see that his life touched many people... many, many tributes on social media and direct to us have been comforting. He and I were very close and it was him who inspired me to love nature as I do-not some sanitsied Country File nature but a warts-and-all version, the true countryside really, held together by nails and baler twine, old vans full of vegetables, ropes for seatbelts, bodges, welds and repairs and... well I could go on but you get the idea, he was my hero and I became his...and once he even found a Velvet Scoter on Shopwhyke Pit!
I will always miss you Dad & your 100% support but I will honour your legacy, being a bloody good dad, with my son as you would have wished. XX
Peter Ives 1930-2026 requiescat in pace:
A look for the Pagham Caspian Gull(s) the other day was susccessful including photos..however the photos seem to be stuck on the camera and won't dowload which is super annoying, might be able to do a BOC shot...
In other news, did get a Sooty Shearwater past the Bill on the 24th January which I forgot to mention, thanks SH for the gentle reminder lol.
The first of February brought an excellent 335 Red-throated Divers west past Selsey Bill, along with three Red-necked Grebes, four Slavonian Grebes, two Fulmars and two Great Northern Divers. ON the way home more surprises included a female Bullfinch and two White-fronted Geese at Drayton Pits, the former consideralbly rarer than the latter on the Peninsula at the moment!
Red-throated Divers:
A Glossy Ibis was at the "farm" near the substation at Hunston today, not easy viewing as the owners are misreable as sin and don't like birders (what could they be up to??? 🤣) but it was showing niceley really. Also about 20 Cattle Egrets and a few gull sp. there. Probably amused the passing motorists by crouching down by the hedge pointing a camera at a waterlogged field...
Earlier at Honer (I was out delivering to Honer Farm before you though i was bunking work!), a female Merlin was briefly perched up before flying over the fields and being lost to view; presumably one of the birds I had there at the end of last year.
Glossy Ibis video: HERE
Glossy Ibis & Cattle Egrets:
So I ended up with a window of opportunity on Sunday morning which, finally, enabled a run to Ripley Farm Reservoir for the fortunately long-staying Killdeer.
An easy journey down, apart from incessant 50mph on the M27 (nothing's changed there then), easy parking in the nearby lay-by and a five minute cycle down the farm track to the reservoir found just two birders present. Handily one had a JWT-style Swarowski and picked up the bird roosting with Lapwings in a gully on the far side-sir, i am indebted to you for the look in the scope of revelation. Later, the bird fluffed itself a bit displaying a beautiful orange rump of the colour only nature can produce, lush.
As the gloomy day brightened decent views were had but photography was a bit difficult due to distance-not sure what type of camera you would need but I don't have one, see below...
Also present, six Egyptian Geese, Teal, Mallards, a flyover White-tailed Eagle and some pigs opposite. Respect to the farmer for not getting arsey about the birders, chapeau.
Didn't bother with the Grackle on the way back but did pop into the Hayling Island oysterbeds but there wasn't a lot happening other than a Goldeneye and a few Great Northern Divers, no sign of the SCaup for me but it was low water so I could have easily missed it.
Glad I went, a decent morning out.
Killdeer:
Another tough week all round with work (and other issues!) prevented me from getting over for the Killdeer in Hampshire... but you never know it might fly over to the Ferry and linger for weeks on end and we shall all be eternally grateful!!
Didn't have long today as doing yet more cover driving for veg box deliveries but a quick look at East Head found the Snow Bunting at the far end and an even quicker look found the Slavonian Grebe showing daftly well in Chichester, a five minute cycle from the Westgate end, the latter really did put a smile on my face..good find SR, not often they show so well!
Snow Bunting video: HERE
Slavonian Grebe video: HERE
Snow Bunting:
Slavonian Grebe:
A seawatch at the Bill was rewarded with an Little Gull picked up by JA and a Velvet Scoter found by SH, all I had to do was point the scope in the right direction!!
At the Ferry Pool the North Wall boys had found a Ruff and together we added a couple more for three in total and these were birds that I was glad to see after missing out over the last week or so.
At Drayton there were four Egyptian Geese but no sign of the Bittern (it's probably in the massive reedbeds on the inaccesible pit) but I did pick up Chiffchaff for the year-small steps and all that...an evening look at the Marina for Bittern might be worth a look sometime I was thinking...
Ruff:
Another few year ticks on the Peninsula but a massive, massive miss! Nine Common Cranes left all but the lucky few regulars weeping into their alcohol-free beer (in my case anyway!), one of the rarest and most wanted species on the Peninsula flew over the Ferry, North Wall and Medmerry and despite hopes there was no sign the day after (Sunday), gutted by this one but we live to twitch another day...just...☺
A Purple Sandpiper at the Bill was scant consolation, a Firecrest was at Apuldram (or Appledram if you prefer) and two Dartford Warblers were opposite Flint Barn. A bike ride looking for Cranes (!) turned up a good flcok of Golden Plovers and a Corn Bunting near Wilson's Farm.
Two Jack Snipe and at least ten Snipe were at Fishbourne sdaltmarsh today in perfect conditions for them; work here in the future will let more water in behind the seawall so hopefully they will do well here going foward. A pair of Goldeneye were out on the water, the male head bobbing & throwing, and there were c.10 Rock Pipits inc. a probable Scandinavian-type bird.
Earlier at the Bill, a Sanderling strolled along the tide line but it was generally quiet again with just afew divers of note.
Sanderling:
Yesterday, a Goldeneye was at Fishbourne Creek and today (Saturday 3.1.26) a Raven was at the North Wall, a Grey Wagtail was in the paddocks and the three White-fronted Geese were in Honer 2 field; a family walk so it was but also good to see a few birding aquaintances along the way..
GOLDENEYE video, a bit shaky, i need to find my monopod!
White-fronted Goose:
211 for the Selsey Peninsula in 2025, a new year list record, was rounded off by an unexpected Black-necked Grebe at East Head on 31st December. Unfortunately the one at Pagham Lagoon had gone on the 1st of January! C'est la vie.
Elsewhere on the first, the Bill was, as expected in a westerly, fairly mediocre although a good few auks did move eastwards.
A few decent Peninsula scarcities about though including three White-fronted Geese at the North Wall, a paid of vocal Coal Tits in Pagham Churchyard, a flock of Goldcrests and a Treecreeper plus a Woodcock near Drayton and four Egyptian Geese on south pit.
Black-necked Grebe:
