There are five species of grebes commonly found in the UK and this week all five could have been seen on the Reserve. Both Great Crested and Little Grebe are common around the reserve, being located in a variety of habitats from the lagoons at Pagham and Breach Pool, out in the harbour and in the case of Great Crested Grebe more likely on the sea at this time of the year. However the other three species are less common on the reserve, but some careful scrutiny of the sea from Church Norton this week could have resulted in seeing the two rarest grebes to visit Pagham. Early in the week a Black Necked Grebe was reported close inshore on the hide tide giving excellent view, whilst a few days later a Red Necked Grebe was seen a little further out from Church Norton Spit. That leaves the Slavonian Grebe, normally at this time of year a small flock is present on the sea at Church Norton. Yet, since Christmas they have been very difficult to locate with very few records reported, maybe the stormy weather has moved them on to a more sheltered location or they have simply headed out to sea, who knows!! So it was with a complete surprise when one turned up on Pagham Lagoon and not only was it possible to get some excellent views of a bird normally seen bobbing up and down out at sea, it was quite confiding.
Pagham Lagoon also provides a winter sanctuary for other visiting birds including up to 40 Little Grebe, 30+ Tufted Duck, the occasional Pochard, multitude of Gulls and the attractive Goldeneye.
This wasn’t the only surprise of the week; in fact last Friday saw an unseasonal report of a Sandwich Tern in the harbour. This species normal migrates south during the winter but some individual can reside around the coast particular in mild winters, but this is one of the earliest records in the harbour itself. A more typical winter arrival to UK shores, although scarce on the south coast, was an adult Glaucous Gull. First reported on Tern Island it soon moved to the second Island in the harbour allowing visitors some excellent although distance views.
The Warden, RSPB Crook of Baldoon