Sunday, 10th March: Mainly grey and cloudy, but just about staying dry through the morning, with a light to moderate SE breeze 2-3/4; light rain appearing by afternoon.
Elmer Rocks (0715-1045hrs): A fairly calm sea, with just a moderate breeze and a clear horizon, made for fairly good sea-watching conditions this morning....and there was certainly no doubt that spring migration has well and truly started, as I logged just over 700 Brent Geese moving east, on the first stage of their prolonged annual journey to their breeding grounds in the Arctic. There were some decent sized flocks on the move today, including two of over 100 strung out over the sea, quite a fascinating sight, yet I'm often amazed as to how some folks on the beach are just totally unaware of all this natural wonder going on around them.
Another clear highlight was 3 Great Northern Divers together, two well out from the rock islands, then joined by a third bird which dropped in, this one well into its smart summer plumage. They stayed for half an hour or so, before all eventually heading off east. A few other bits and pieces were also seen, as per the log below:-
Red-throated Diver - 1E, 3W
Great Northern Diver - 3 o/s, drifted off E
Great Crested Grebe - 1E
Gannet - 1E
Brent Goose - 707E
Shelduck - 2E
Red-breasted Merganser - 16 o/s
Common Scoter - 10E
Mediterranean Gull - 2E
Oystercatcher - 22
Turnstone - 70
Sanderling - 45
Ringed Plover - 2
Long-tailed Tit - several in tamarisk bushes Kiosk, moved off E
They're on their way! Brent Geese flocks heading east off Elmer Rocks (top two) and Common Scoters (bottom)
Bilsham farm area: Not a lot to report from here, the best probably being the 2 Grey Partridges and 2 singing Yellowhammers from the farmland. A total of 18 Tufted Ducks, a pair of Mallard and 2 Pied Wagtails were the best of the rest.
Saturday, 9th March: Generally cloudy, with a few brighter spells and a bit of hazy sun, but still with the brisk and chilly E wind force 5-6 persisting, and the chance of showers later.
Elmer Rocks: I was absent from the patch most of the morning, due to carrying out the monthly WeBS count at some of the Chichester Gravel pits (for those unaware, WeBS = Wetland Bird Survey, basically a regular, national duck, goose and wader count!) Needless to say then, after a quiet week, you could bet this would be the day things improved considerably! Fortunately though, friend and good local birder Bola was at Poole Place where he notched up a nice flock of 7 Avocets going east, amongst other things.
But better was to come, for on flooded fields at the back of Climping and just south of Ferry Road, he then found a Little Ringed Plover, a proper early spring migrant bird, which was in company with a couple of similar Ringed Plovers and a Dunlin. Now that's more like it and well done Bola. (More info can be found on Bola's Climping Gap blog - just click the relevant link on the right side of the main blog).
Fortunately, I was able to finalise my WeBS count and return to the patch in time to see the 'LRP' (as birders often call it!) - for its always a pleasure to see the first of the year. However, with the main A27 road closed and the alternative A259 and the local villages almost gridlocked, just getting there was another story in itself!
Friday, 8th March: Similar to yesterday, being dry and mainly sunny with some wispy high cloud, but feeling notably cooler in a brisk E/SE wind, force 5-6.
Elmer Rocks: It was again quiet this morning, although there was just a little visible migration with a total of 11 Pintail passing through eastwards (flocks of 9 and 2), plus 6 Red-breasted Mergansers and 5 Common Scoter. Sadly, a rather dark-looking Guillemot - which was bobbing around on the choppy sea some way behind the rock islands - appeared to be a heavily-oiled bird. Five Common Gulls also passed through, with a further 4 offshore. The only other bird of note was the local Kestrel hunting along the hedgerow at the back of the beach near Poole Place.
Flock of Pintail heading east of Elmer Rocks
Lidsey WTW & area: There were 8 Tufted Ducks near the WTW, but most of the activity was on the heavily-flooded meadows behind the Works, where a gathering of well over 600 wildfowl were still present. A decent scan of the flock failed to find anything out of the ordinary and I didn't attempt a full count today, but about half the birds were Teal, with some Shoveler, Wigeon and Gadwall accounting for most of the rest, with perhaps a dozen Pintail and a couple of Shelduck completing the tally.
A Red Kite which appeared over the back fields was a 'patch year-tick' for me, whilst two Buzzards were more regular fare here, and 2 Chiffchaffs were in the hedgerows.
(above) View of part of the floods and wildfowl at Lidsey, with drake Shoveler (below) and drake Wigeon (bottom)
Thursday, 7th March: Cool at first, but dry and mainly bright in a fresh SE/E wind 4-5/6, becoming warmer by afternoon with sunshine.
Elmer & Ancton: Due to commitments I only had a couple of hours available in the afternoon, but it was all very pleasant to be out in the bright sunny conditions.....
Around the horse paddocks there was a selection of species, including 2 Green Woodpeckers, a Great Spotted Woodpecker, a Grey Wagtail and a Pied Wagtail, before the Black Redstart again briefly appeared. It seems to favour the edge alongside the public footpath, but also seems to disappear into a hedge for lengthy periods. Three adult Mediterranean Gulls also flew over, giving their distinctive 'meow' like calls.
Green Woodpecker and (below) Black Redstart in Ancton horse paddocks.
This Black Redstart can be quite elusive at times....it appeared today near the public footpath, when the bright sunlight silhouetted it, before it dropped down to feed (as below) and then disappeared again!
Fieldfare flying between the tree-tops at Ancton woods.
Wednesday, 6th March: A chilly start, but a fine and pleasant morning of sunshine and white cloud, with a light NE breeze backing SE 2-3.
Elmer Rocks: Another promising morning for early visible migration, but again there was very little happening and it didn't live up to the promise! Two Brent Geese flew east, whilst another 14 were feeding up on Cudlow's field before setting on the sea. However, it was apparent that there had been a 'clear out' of birds overnight, with no more than half a dozen R/b Mergansers offshore and just 20 Common Scoters now present. A couple of Mediterranean Gulls and 30 Turnstones completed my lowly totals and with so little being observed I cut my losses and moved on.
Elmer & Ancton: A visit to the horse paddocks produced a Green Woodpecker and a Pied Wagtail, before the somewhat elusive and long-staying Black Redstart put in an appearance....it's flashing red tail being much to the annoyance of the local Robin. Unfortunately, the former was at the back and a bit distant for a photo, so my efforts are best not shown here! The adjacent woodland held a recently-arrived Chiffchaff which was feeding in tree-tops and two Green Woodpeckers which were clearly paired up.
Tuesday, 5th March: A fairly mild and grey day, with light drizzly rain soon becoming heavier and more persistent, but with only a light NW breeze.
Elmer Rocks (0900-1030hrs): I spent the whole time sea-watching whilst under the umbrella again, but it continues to be very 'samey' and rather quiet. The highlight was the gathering of Common Scoters offshore - and just a little closer - allowing more scrutiny and a count of at least 40 birds this time. A single Red-throated Diver went east and around 15 Red-breasted Mergansers were offshore, often chasing each other around, but there was little to report again, other than a newly-arrived Chiffchaff singing briefly from bushes in a sea-front garden.
Monday, 4th March: A fairly bright morning of mainly sunshine and some cloud, with a light-moderate and fairly chilly breeze S 2-3, the cloud increasing and wind freshening considerably by afternoon, with blustery conditions and heavy showers forecast by evening....
Elmer Rocks: It was clear overnight with a light southerly breeze - promising conditions - so I was quite optimistic it might be a good morning to watch migration over the sea. However, upon my arrival, it was obvious that geese and wildfowl had already set off unseen overnight, doubtless in reasonable numbers. The sea was very quiet with barely double-figures of Red-breasted Mergansers about, whilst a single Gannet, 10 Sanderlings and 4 Mediterranean Gulls were about the best of the rest. The only exception to this was Brent Geese; as predicted some have now started to set off on their long journey to their breeding grounds, with a total of 36E offshore and a further 120 together on the sea presumably just breaking their journey.
Brent Geese heading east off Elmer; note that some are quite distant and these views are fairly typical of migrating flocks.
There were no other migrant birds that I could find in my fairly short visit, though 2 different Great Spotted Woodpeckers were frequently drumming from the nearby woodland. The only other bird of interest was a Kestrel that was hunting over the set-aside area behind the beach, until it took exception to several Crows in an adjacent tree-top and repeatedly and noisily dive-bombed them until they left.
Kestrel over the set-aside just behind the beach; it repeatedly dive-bombed the local Crows and drove them off.
Bilsham farm area: Later I managed a short visit, where on the reservoir were 17 Tufted Ducks and 4 Mallard. Four Skylarks and a singing Yellowhammer were also present and a couple of Buzzards were soaring above.
Sunday, 3rd March: At last a dry and pleasant day and feeling much more spring-like, with a bright and sunny morning, a touch of early frost and a very light breeze, N 1-2.
Elmer Rocks: Although it was a bit chilly, it was a joy to be out early. First bird up on my arrival was a Chiffchaff in the tamarisk hedge behind the Kiosk; presumably a recently arrived bird, it didn't stay long before heading off inland.
The sea was flat calm, allowing good conditions to locate and count birds offshore, though on the downside the tide was low and many of the birds were a fair way out. The flock of Common Scoter previously reported was again present, but although distant I was able to count 36 birds this time (and I still want to see them closer to ensure I haven't overlooked anything). Red-breasted Merganser numbers have built up again and they were offshore at all ranges, with a count of 45, mainly in small groups, the males displaying, neck stretching and bobbing as they get ready for the challenges of the coming season. A Red-throated Diver, a Great Crested Grebe and a single Gannet were also offshore, the latter amongst a distant flock of feeding gulls, but otherwise there was no visible seabird passage...it is perhaps just a bit early yet.
The only other sighting of interest was a flock of 32 Brent Geese, initially feeding in the field (Cudlow's) close to Poole Place, but having refuelled, continually restless and clearly about ready to commence their migration. Several times they flew to the sea, settling, then staying on the water's edge.....they'll be gone soon.
Brent Geese on the beach and sea, getting restless and about ready to depart from our patch.
Saturday, 2nd March: Yet another grey, blustery and wet start to the day, with heavy rain and a strong SW wind force 6, before it and the rain subsided to give brighter condition with some sunny breaks.
Bilsham farm area: The only birding I managed on the patch today was a short visit here; I was hoping that perhaps the weather had dropped in something interesting, but in the end it proved to be very similar to yesterday. The main difference was an increase in the number of Tufted Ducks to 14 and a decrease of Fieldfare numbers, but the main point of interest was the number of Roe Deer seen ...a good scan of the area produced a count of at least 22 feeding in the flooded fields.
Tufted Ducks on Bilsham reservoir and Roe Deer feeding in the flooded fields.
Friday, 1st March: And so it goes on....another very wet and grey morning with a strong SW wind, gusting to near gale force at times, before easing a bit to give sunshine and heavy showers, followed by hail and rain until evening...! The first day of spring - meteorologically speaking at least - continues on with what last month has left behind, apparently being officially the wettest February month on record.
Elmer Rocks: It was back to spending time in a sheltered spot and under the umbrella again, though there was very little of interest on show. A fairly close Red-throated Diver and a Gannet went west, whilst a dozen or more Red-breasted Mergansers were flying back and forth, and several Common Gulls were bobbing around on the rough sea. It was otherwise much the same as recently with the usual Turnstones and Oystercatchers present. An hour was enough for me today!
Ancton & Elmer: A look around the Lane End horse paddocks eventually produced the long-staying Black Redstart, but little else except a few Long-tailed Tits.
Bilsham Farm area: The reservoir held just 8 Tufted Ducks, with 2 Pied Wagtails round the edges. A scan of the wider area (from under the umbrella) produced 29 Mute Swans, 50 Fieldfares and 3 Skylarks, but eventually the weather got the upper hand and I abandoned, as the hail set in!
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