Pagham Harbour - 15th December

A cloudy and cold morning. Highlights were Hen Harrier and Dartford Warbler.

As we were getting ready in the car park a female Hen Harrier flew past us and quickly disappeared over towards the harbour. A few seconds later we saw several flocks of Lapwing coming over that she had obviously put up.
We walked to the hide overlooking Sidlesham Ferry. It was quite quiet here. On Ferry pool there were Wigeon, Canada Geese, a few Shelduck and Teal and 2 Shoveler. Chris saw the Hen Harrier again as she glided over the fields to our right. A flock of Brent Geese came over and landed on the Ferry Field and there were a few Curlew there too. A small flock of Goldfinch were feeding outside the hide and as we left a couple of Snipe flew over.
We walked along the west side with the harbour or our left and fields on our right. There were Redshanks, Curlews, Brent Geese, a few Wigeon and Black-headed Gulls on the harbour and a couple more Snipe flew in. A covey of 20 or so Red-legged Partridge were in one of the fields and a few people saw a Dartford Warbler in Bramble bushes alongside the path. Further on we also saw Grey Plover, many Dunlin, a few Oystercatchers, some Cormorants and Great Black-backed Gulls in the harbour. On the way back there was a Stonechat and a Song Thrush in the field where the Partridges had been and a Buzzard sat on a post behind Ferry Pool.
Simon Curson