A great days birding with a total of 92 species seen altogether. Started of at Ivy Lake, Chichester GPs and quickly found the drake Red-crested Pochard in the centre of the lake. Briskly walking towards Runcton Lake a Weasel jumped out in front of me. On Runcton Lake the drake Smew also was another good bird for the early morning.
Next stop was down to Selsey Bill. On arrival a fellow birder had seen nothing offshore, but when i looked out to sea a Great Northern Diver was present, aswell as a close in female Common Scoter. Scanning round more another Great Northern was picked up and 7 Red-throated Divers flew east.
Church Norton was hopeless with just another Great Northern and Red-throated Diver offshore and 30+ Mediterranean Gulls along the shoreline.
Next stop was Fishbourne Creek. Birds seen here included the long staying Little Stint (i also saw this on the 3rd Jan), a Water Rail and a Bar-tailed Godwit with also a Firecrest singing around Apuldram Church.
Next was West Dean Woods where along the track heading towards Moncton Farm a large finch flock included 250 Chaffinch, 15 Brambling and Yellowhammer and a Reed Bunting. No Hawfinches unfortunately, nor Red Kites although there is still plenty of time this winter to catch up with these.
Next stop was down to Selsey Bill. On arrival a fellow birder had seen nothing offshore, but when i looked out to sea a Great Northern Diver was present, aswell as a close in female Common Scoter. Scanning round more another Great Northern was picked up and 7 Red-throated Divers flew east.
Church Norton was hopeless with just another Great Northern and Red-throated Diver offshore and 30+ Mediterranean Gulls along the shoreline.
Next stop was Fishbourne Creek. Birds seen here included the long staying Little Stint (i also saw this on the 3rd Jan), a Water Rail and a Bar-tailed Godwit with also a Firecrest singing around Apuldram Church.
Next was West Dean Woods where along the track heading towards Moncton Farm a large finch flock included 250 Chaffinch, 15 Brambling and Yellowhammer and a Reed Bunting. No Hawfinches unfortunately, nor Red Kites although there is still plenty of time this winter to catch up with these.
Burton Mill Pond was the second to last site for the day. Obviously for the long staying Bitterns and with a 20 minute wait i managed to somehow spot one on the right hand side of the pond out in the open. There was just enough time to head down to Coldwaltham Brooks and see a Barn Owl hunting.
