Other than the obvious escape from the hordes of Christmas shoppers and to take a break from the festivities for some fresh air, there are a number of reasons to visit in December…
As the numbers of winter wildfowl and waders continues to increase across our Pagham and Medmerry reserves, goldeneye arrive in harbour and on Pagham Lagoon, the males of these diving ducks being particularly handsome.
Goldeneye - Ben Hall (rspb-images.com)
Shoveler can be seen all over but provide great views as they gather on Ferry Pool. Whites Creeks, Breach Pool and Ferry Channel are good places to look for spotted redshank, while avocet gather along the West Side.
Shoveler - Andy Hay (rspb-images.com)
Spotted redshank
Firecrest sightings rise along with goldcrest supplemented by the seasonal influx from Northern Europe. Church Norton is good place to search out these, our smallest birds, which are always on the move, never stopping, moving from twig to twig, branch to branch, in search of food. Goldcrests can be incredibly confiding working through bushes right next to you almost as if they are too busy to acknowledge your presence. Obviously this makes for great photo opportunities – but you have to be quick!
Goldcrest - John Bridges (rspb-images.com)
Siskin and redpoll may pop up anywhere but we often see them around our Visitor Centre where they are attracted to the alder trees.
Siskin - Ben Andrew (rspb-images.com)
The winter thrushes, redwing and fieldfare, move around both reserves and for me are the symbolic bird of the festive season rather than our resident robin.
Redwing
There is a good chance you’ll find red-breasted mergansers in the harbour, offshore and the pools below Medmerry’s Breach Viewpoint and occasionally goosanders are spotted too.
Short-eared owls quarter above the banks and fields, often spied along Pagham Harbour’s West Side, Church Norton and Medmerry’s banks.
Short-eared owl - Ben Andrew (rspb-images.com)
Great flocks of finches, 500+ congregate in the fields around Medmerry to feed. Linnet and goldfinch joined by large numbers of yellowhammer, skylark and pipit. These masses of small songbirds attract hungry raptors. Merlin and sparrowhawk burst onto the scene like mini rockets locked onto an individual in the panicked throng. This the hunt. Predator and prey. As gripping as any chase you may witness in the Serengeti!
Merlin - Chris Gomersall (rspb-images.com)
Like I said, lots of reasons.