29th - 30th January 2025

Thursday, 30th January: A welcome change to dry and sunny conditions, though rather cool in exposed spots due to the fresh N/NW wind force 3-4/5.

Bilsham farm: A fairly brief lunchtime visit, on my way back from birding the Selsey & Pagham areas this morning. It was very quiet, with the reservoir holding just 15 Tufted Ducks (the majority being males), 36 Coots and 3 Little Grebes. Numbers here are now beginning to steadily decrease as the winter draws out and thoughts of early spring gradually come into the reckoning. In the distance a herd of 22 Mute Swans was still in situ, but there was precious little else to report, beyond a few Skylarks and Pied Wagtails, plus two Buzzards starting to do a bit of display.

There was little to show for my visit this morning, but 15 Tufted Ducks were still present, the majority being drakes.

Wednesday, 29th January: The strong wind of yesterday subsided overnight, to give a grey but dry morning of cloud with a few hints of brightness and just a light W/SW breeze. Changing again by afternoon, to become overcast with rain setting in and the wind increasing.

Barnham Brooks: Having not visited here for a little while I decided to do a circuit this morning, where the fields were found to be partly flooded but largely devoid of wildfowl, with not too much else on offer either. Twenty-two Mute Swans were in the back fields, whilst three Grey Herons were roosting in the regular nesting colony, presumably just beginning to take an interest there. Two Stonechats were along the path, two Greenfinches were obviously paired up, three Cetti's Warblers were singing from various locations and two rival Song Thrushes were singing stridently, whilst two Buzzards were loafing in tree tops and hedges and up to 20 Skylarks were chasing around the fields.

Stonechat along the fenceline at Barnham Brooks 

Shripney area: I took the long walk, where I eventually found the herd of 54 Mute Swans out in the fields. On the small reservoirs were just 28 Coots and a Grey Wagtail, but the perimeter area held six Chiffchaffs, actively flycatching from the trees and hedges. The flooded arable fields held around 10 Skylarks and 30 Meadow Pipits, plus 20 Goldfinches and half a dozen Pied Wagtails, but there was nothing else worthy of note.

Grey Wagtail on a farm reservoir at Shripney