Fishbourne Creek and Church Norton

 Monday 3rd January 2022

Fishbourne Creek

I spent the first couple of hours walking along Fishbourne Creek.  Due to the very high tide, even 2 hours after the peak, there was virtually no mud exposed so wader sightings were at a premium. The weather was good but it was wet underfoot - again!. 

• Pick of the birds seen were 2 Red-breasted Mergansers seen at the start and a cracking pair of Goldeneye seen further down the creek on my return journey. 
• The only waders seen were those that perched on the floating rafts near the moorings for the boats and included the odd Oystercatcher, Turnstone and Sanderling.
• There were loads of Wigeon, a good number of Teal - predominantly on the far side of the channel, many Lapwings, a few Little Egrets, several Shelduck, Curlew and lots of Coot.
• Apart from a couple of Great Black-backed Gulls that was more or less it.  No sign of Yellowhammers in the trees, Rock Pipit, Grey Wagtail or Kingfisher in the usual places.

Pagham Harbour and Church Norton

• At Pagham Harbour by the Ferry Pool I added Black-tailed Godwits, Brent Geese and Redshanks to my list.
• I was unable to spot any Slavonian Grebes on the sea but there were several Red-breasted Mergansers again.
• In the harbour, on the mud, there were plenty of Dunlin, Knot and Grey Plover as well as a couple of Little Grebes.

Year total =  59

Another really nice visit!