BOC trip to Selsey Bill and Pagham Harbour, 15th January 2023
A 7:30am start and a full car, on what promised to be a challenging day: what a good way to be off for some coastal birding! The forecast was for stiff winds, with moderate cloud and dry all day. Gray Burfoot was driving and leading and Elaine and Ralph were with us. We were to be joined at the coast by Paul Briggs and Doug, a friend from the Wokingham and Bracknell RSPB Local Group.
The advantage of being a small group was soon felt as we all fitted into a sheltered spot at the end of the wall at Selsey Bill. Sea viewing was a real challenge the moment anyone stepped out of the lee. The wind was gusting from the west and the waves reared a couple of metres or more high, with wing-jagged tops. Not easy, but promising! Surprisingly, Sandwich Tern obliged first and regularly. I can’t get used to seeing them here in winter. It was some time before anyone got a glimpse of a passing Diver. Eventually we saw several Red-throated and just one distant and unidentified Auk (markings indistinguishable but wing-beats frantic). A passing Merganser was our only duck. The odd Cormorant raised our hopes of Great Northern, but we were out of luck. A couple of people picked up very distant Gannets, but large gulls often caused false alarms.
There is a limit to masochism, so the thought of warm cars eventually dominated and we repaired to the relative shelter of Church Norton. The calm of the enclosed churchyard produced very little, so we aimed next for the benches on the harbour shingle. Out of the wind it was not that chilly. With the tide well out, we watched an assortment of waders and other birds. There were Lapwing, Golden Plover, Knot, Dunlin, Grey Plover, Curlews Oystercatcher, some in large numbers, but only one Ringed Plover and not a single Godwit of either species. Teal was plentiful in the gullies and there were one or two Shelduck. Cormorant and Great Black Backed Gull were at roost and we found a small flock of nine Common Gull.
Such was the general scene as I started to scope up towards the North Wall, attracted by a flock of about 1000 Brent Geese on the wing. Suddenly the nearer sky was full of Lapwing and Golden Plover, a real raptor flush. I scanned the skies above and around them and could not spot the expected Peregrine; but I suddenly noticed a smaller brownish bird flashing like lightning through the top of the flock – a Merlin, and from its colour and apparent ineptitude, a young bird. It was too far off to see in detail, but was unmistakeable in size and style. Soon the others were onto it, but then things calmed down for a while. The scene was re-run two or three times as the little raptor rested and tried again, so everyone had time to enjoy the interaction.
We next walked round to the shingle ridge to check the sea, realising as we did that wind was still very strong. Sea-watching seemed even harder there and our main targets, Slavonian Grebe, were so tiny in the walls of water. One or two were glimpsed by some of the group, while others spotted the odd Merganser, and some found a Grey Seal. It was impossible to see well in the dull grey light which now prevailed. With vibrating scopes and unable to hear each other, we soon retreated. I love sea-watching, but there is a limit!
After a snack, we drove up to check Ferry Pools and the creek. With all the recent rain, the pool was very full and there were relatively few birds – Teal, Shoveler, a couple of Tufted Duck and a couple of Little Grebe. Wigeon were grazing in the rough grass behind, a Heron stalked along a gully and a pair of Stonechat showed briefly. The creek had several Redshank and Moorhen, but nothing else.
We stopped on the way home at Emsworth, where a Spotted Redshank is almost guaranteed. Gray and I had seen one there before and we had been assured by several eminent Hampshire birders that it was there ‘all the time, year after year’. This time it had left a Common Redshank on duty and gone to bed. When no-one else saw my Rock Pipit my day had gone really flat!
The final stop was at Warblington to seek out the Cattle Egret. We found two or three among a few Little Egret, but these all had to be spotted among a flock of several hundred large gulls. Under normal circumstances I would have been scouring the gulls for interest, but the light was going fast and, frankly, I was now too exhausted to bother.
It had been a great day out, thanks to Gray’s planning and thanks to his generosity in doing the driving.
Ray Reedman