Although the weather continues to be very changeable with northerly based winds there are a few signs that the migration is well underway, however, it is still a trickle but an improvement in the weather will hopefully see a increase in the number of migrants. The most noticeable are the Chiffchaff and Willow Warblers which at every opportunity are in full song making their identification much easier.

 

Chiffchaff (above…

With a high pressure system parked to the north west of the UK dragging a cold North Easterly wind there has been a very slow start to the spring migration with many migrants opting to stay on the continent at present and let it warm up. However a few newly arrived Chiffchaff have been caught singing around the site when the sun showed it face and thing warmed up and on Fri 18^th the first signs of visible migration took…

High Tide Count -- 24/01/2016

High Tide Count -- 21/02/2016
Little Egret 1 Water Rail 1 Goldeneye 1 Bar-tailed Godwit 1 Water Rail 1 Whimbrel 1 Spot Redshank 1 Snipe 1 Whimbrel 1 Shoveler 2 Kingfisher 1 Goldeneye 3 Gannet 1 Little Egret 5 Pale Bellied Brent 1 Pochard 5 Spoonbill 1 Grey …

As March moves onwards the clearing work out on Tern Island has finished for this winter. Over the last four projects over 50 volunteer and staff days have been achieved to clear about 95% of the Island ready for the Shorebird breeding season. Over the next couple of weeks the electric fencing will be erected and then we will wait for the arrival of the Terns in fact the first Sandwich Tern has already been reported in…

Another successful trip to Tern Island to continue with the clearance work with 13 hard working volunteers. We would like to thanks all those whole help out on this important project. With this extra help we have had over the last six weeks the island is nearly clear for the breeding season so fingers crossed. Already some of the seabirds are showing signs of changing their winter attire and the Black-Headed and Mediterranean…

Despite the recent storms, we’ve had some gorgeous days over the last couple of weeks and we took full advantage of them this week...

Last Sunday our friendly Guides were down at Church Norton introducing visitors, walkers and regulars to our wonderful wildlife out on the mudflats and saltmarsh. Armed with scopes, binoculars and a dash good-humoured banter they continue to inform and entertain. Their next outing…

The last Saturday in January saw our first Wildlife Photography Workshop. Led by Roger Crocombe ARPS and Bill Brookes of Bognor Regis Camera Club, a full complement of keen photographers, from ‘beginners to improvers’, listened enthusiastically as techniques and tips for photographing wildlife were imparted. Having taken on board the theory they went out after lunch to put their new skills into practice, before returning…

The highlight of the period was a short but sweet visit by a 2^nd winter Glaucous Gull on the sea at Church Norton. It was observed devouring a dogfish followed by short siesta on the sea before departing. There was also lots of other gull activity particular good numbers of Common and Mediterranean Gulls feeding in the surf. One surprise was the brief visit of a Long-Eared Owl which was flushed out from the Church Norton…

Many of you may have heard and even helped with our Save the Albatross campaign...

Seventeen out of twenty-two species of albatross are threatened with extinction, the main threat being death at the end of a hook on a fishing long-line.

 

The RSPB and our partners are working simultaneously on two fronts to save the albatross: we are funding and managing the Albatross Task Force (ATF) which puts trained experts on…

We continue to develop our events programme and kicked off the year with a New Years Day walk around Medmerry with our Warden. A good number of hardy souls were up out and early in good spirits, despite the previous night’s festivities. Their resilience was rewarded with not-so common gulls, spotted redshank, a kingfisher, yellowhammers and best of all, a raven, amongst numerous other species.

Over the last couple…

There was a sudden change in weather last week with cool chilly condition descending on to the reserve. However this has not lasted long and we are now back in to exceptionally mild weather. I was hoped that the cold snap would see some winter movement of birds southwards but as the weekend approached this did not happen and it is turning to a very quiet January in regards to birds.

 

The Spoonbill continues to do what…

Medmerry. It's a bit different (pt.2)...

As the beach changes and rolls back, it is revealing some remarkable evidence of former human activity on the Medmerry coastline.

This stretch of coast is famous for its fossils and ancient clay formations, but in the last few months the remains of Thorney Farm has started to (re)appear. Initially it was parts of a flint wall (perhaps a barn/out-building), but last week we had…

 

Medmerry. It's a bit different...

It is now nearly 2 and a half years since the breach of the old seawall was carried out, and its maintenance as a coastal flood defence ceased.

As expected, the frontage is changing. Back in 2013, the old seawall was a high, steep-sided, flat-topped shingle bank. Since then, the sea has been busy, flattening and pushing back most of it into a much more natural, broad, low bank. What…

Due to the recent wet weather, a breach in the bank between the Ferry Pool, opposite the Visitor Centre, and the Broad Rife has happened. This has resulted in the Ferry Pool draining in to the adjacent stream, Broad Rife. As so as possible a temporary solution to repair the breach will be carried out and then later in the year when ground conditions and disturbance to the wildlife is less of a factor a full repair will…

A Happy New year to everyone. The beginning of January is a frantic time to those birders who compile year lists. However a windy and wet start to 2016 will have put the dampeners on many who expected to be out and about. Those who are brave enough to get out will have been rewarded as this storm weather has the habit of bringing in some interesting visitors. Persistence paid off when a close in Little Gull was seen working…

A visit to the harbour has a distinctive winter feeling about the birds now, if you decide to ignore the unseasonal temperatures that are being experienced this year. Although this unseasonal weather has resulted in lower than expected numbers of many of our regular winter visitors there is still a full range on show to keep the most avid birder occupied whilst avoiding the regular showers.

Dark Bellied Brent Goose…

The passage period is just about over and the winter visitors are starting to arrive in much large numbers as the weather feels more like winter. Dark Bellied Brent Geese now number in the hundreds as do Lapwing and Wigeon. However the odd surprise continues to keep the avid birder on there feet, this week was the appearance of a Little Stint on Ferry Pool, joining the wide range of waders still using the pool.

 

Dark…

Stars in our eyes!

This month saw our first astronomy event. For the best part of the week prior I had been praying for clear skies, so I was very pleased at being rewarded with a glorious clear sky on the night, particularly as the event was sold out! Two extremely experienced astronomers kindly agreed to lead the event – Ian Sharp, who specialises in photographing the night sky and deep space; and Pete Lawrence, presenter…

If you wander round Pagham Harbour and take the path through Yeomans Field, you may have come across some new members of our team. They are four-legged members! They are Sussex reds – a breed of cow, apparently descended directly from cattle that once roamed the forests of Southern England around the time of the Norman Conquest. Yeomans Field and Chapel Meadow are important areas for flora and fauna and in particular…

It can be quite typical that you go on holiday and something good will appear and that was the case at the middle of September. As I set off northwards to visit the Shetlands, even before leaving the South East the news broke of a very confiding Grey Phalarope on Ferry Pool. I was then seen feeding along side the Pectoral Sandpiper that was also present at the time. At least to compensate Shetland was full of Yellow-browed…

On Friday 11^thSeptember the Warden set the moth trap for our moth event, which linked up with ‘National Moth Night’. The following morning was a bit breezy, so we decided to bring the trap inside the Visitor Centre before opening it. An assembly of eager faces had got up early and were gathered round in anticipation.

Now, apparently the collective noun for a number of moths is a ‘whisper of moths’. By all…

Migration is in full flow with multitudes of birds coming through the reserve. Over the last couple of weeks the Swallow numbers have been very impressive with 15000 reported one evening over Medmerry. These flocks of Hirundines are followed by the Hobbies which are looking for an eay meal. On the north wall at Pagham there has been a roost of over 200 Yellow Wagtails. Spotted Flycatcher, Redstart and occasional Pied…

Summer holidays are over and the kids have gone back to school, but not before I had a chance to join in some fabulous pond dipping! We’ve been running this event every week through the school holidays and it has of course been very popular, with children and adults alike. In fact I’m not sure who gets more excited and I particularly enjoyed overhearing one parent tell her child “We’re not leaving until I’ve caught a…

As the summer grows to an end many of the summering birds are preparing to leave after rearing their young. Much activity can be seen in the bushes with Whitethroat, Blackcap and Chiffchaff all feeding up with the abundance of insects ready for their journey to Africa. Over head the numbers of Swallow, Sand Martins and even the last of the Swifts are seen gathering over the pools. By the middle of the month the first…

Over the last couple of years I’ve tried four times to ‘tick off’ a wryneck... and four times it’s eluded me. So, when one turned up on the Severals last week I figured ‘I got you now!’ Being busy on the Sunday and having to go shopping in Brighton (I know, shopping instead of birding!), I crossed my fingers and hoped that both pied flycatcher and wryneck reported would stay long enough to pick them up the following day…