Monday, 18th November: After some overnight rain, a much better morning than forecast, with some hazy sun breaking through broken cloud, pleasantly mild and calm conditions and just a light NE breeze. Then becoming grey and dull by early afternoon, with light to moderate rain setting in and the wind veering more SE force 3.
Elmer Rocks: An interesting morning where there had clearly been an influx of birds offshore. At least 30 Great Crested Grebes were logged on the calm sea, ranging from close in to distant birds, whilst 25 Red-breasted Mergansers were also present, of which a flock of around 15 were displaying and head-bobbing frequently, presumably having recently arrived.
Highlight of the morning for me though was a Velvet Scoter, quite well out and heading west, doubtless the same bird seen heading west off Selsey Bill some 15 minutes or so later, whilst a Red-throated Diver flew east and six Brent Geese west.
The rising tide produced a selection of waders coming in to the rock islands to roost, producing a good count of 72 Oystercatchers, five Grey Plover, 18 Sanderling, 45 Ringed Plover and 12 Turnstones. Two Chiffchaffs were still present along the tamarisk hedges, but there was little else except c.20 Goldfinches and the regular Kestrel
Red-breasted Mergansers offshore from Elmer Rocks this morning and (bottom) Oystercatchers arriving to roost at high tide.
Elmer & Ancton: A casual look around the local woods and horse paddocks produced surprisingly little really. Three Chiffchaffs and two Goldcrests were about the best, with regular species such as Green and Great Spotted Woodpeckers noted, plus Song Thrush, Pied Wagtail, Skylark and Buzzard,
Green Woodpecker at Ancton
Saturday, 16th November: A cloudy, dry and light grey sort of day, very calm again
with just a very light N/NW breeze, increasing a bit later.
Bilsham farm: A short visit on my way back from a WeBS count elsewhere, hoping that something new might have dropped in, but the reverse was true and numbers had actually dropped somewhat with nothing out of the ordinary found. There were still 36 Canada Geese and 185 Coots, plus a good number of mixed gull species, but Pochard and Shoveler numbers had dropped to one and 14 respectively, whilst only two Little Grebes and two Tufted Ducks were present….disappointing overall.
A Shoveler amongst a gaggle of Coots, but nothing out of the ordinary at the reservoir this morning.
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