A cold grey start to the day found hundreds of Brent Geese moving east and joining well over  a1000 in the fields east & west of Bailiffscourt, also c500 Lapwing in the field west.

Red-throated Diver - 1e 4w 7 os

Teal - 4w

Shoveler - 4e

Red-breasted Merganser - 25 offshore

Gannet - 17 feeding offshore

Great-crested Grebe -11

Common Scoter - 13w

Grey Plover - 35w

Turnstone - c60

Oystercatcher - 17

Little Egret - 2

Med Gull - 7

Dartford Warbler - 1 horse paddock

Stonechat - 6

Yellowhammer - 4

Reed Bunting - 8

Meadow Pipit - 7

Grey Wagtail - 1

Linnet - c50

Skylark - 60

Kestrel - 2

Buzzard - 2

Brents & Lapwing west of Bailiffscourt

Brent Geese

Stonechat

Oystercatcher 

Records from (OM) for the 29/12/25

Red-throated Diver - at least 8E and another 8 o/s

Gannet - c.20 distantly offshore plunge diving/ fishing amongst a massive gull flock on the horizon

Great Crested Grebe - 10 o/s

Brent Goose - 58E

R/b Merganser - 24 o/s, some actually displaying

auk sp - 40+ W distant

Oystercatcher - 10

Grey Plover - 14 feeding on beach

Ringed Plover - 40+ ditto

Sanderling - 30 ditto

Turnstone - 40

Had a watch from the local patch (0840-1010hrs) which was initially very quiet. Only five Brent went east with none appearing on the fields. There were six Gannets east, and on the beach were 45 Ringed Plover and five Sanderling. Then I moved to the Poole Place gate for a sea-watch; dead at first then suddenly at 09:22hrs. nine grey geese came by, heading west and at a reasonable range. Good scope views and it was clear they were White-fronted Geese. 

Late morning, I thought I'd try something a bit different, so went to the lower Arun valley, walking the riverbank from Ford crossing to about Tortington, hoping there might be some geese in the fields. It was really cold and a bit difficult with no shelter and the strong NE wind buffeting me, but a good look failed to locate any geese, though there were a few compensations. There were 49 Mute Swans in a kale field on the west side of the Ford-Arundel road, then a couple more flew in to join them , so 51 total. On the east side of the river, a Marsh Harrier was hunting over some reedy areas, whilst in a large arable crop field there was a gathering of at least 350 Lapwings, together with 15 Golden Plovers. At least another 100 Lapwings were in other adjoining fields, so at least a total of 450 present today. Also, a big flock of Linnets around, c.120. (OM)

A quick mooch about the patch in bright sunny conditions with a bitter chill from the east, found c350 Brent Geese north of the old horse paddock, a nice surprise with a Corn Bunting and c130 Linnet and 2 Stonechat at the old railway carriages site, 7 Lapwing, 3 Grey Heron Ferry Rd, 2 Kestrel, and a Great-spotted Woodpecker.

A cold grey cold morning found c500+ Brent Geese moving offshore, moving manly east with several hundred settled in fields at Elmer & Climping.

Gannet - 17e 4w

Common Scoter - 11w

Med Gull - 7

Sanderling - c100

Turnstone - 125

Grey Plover - 25e

Oystercatcher - 2e

Great-crested Grebe - 5 2w

Shelduck - 1

Red-breasted Merganser - 16e 5w

Stonechat - 2

Chiffchaff - 1

Pied Wagtail - 5

Skylark - 20

Meadow Pipit - 10

Kestrel - 1

Buzzard - 2

I decided on a change today, so time to get out the thermal and check the Ferry Road area. In the end I located just one Common Snipe and one Jack Snipe, which spooked just as I approached for a photo. Then I walked down from Rope Walk to the river mouth, which produced nothing beyond the regular gulls. Next I checked all the Dunes, which was also negative, but there were a lot of waders roosting and feeding on the shoreline/beach, consisting of 53 Grey Plover, 50+ Ringed Plover, 70 Sanderlings and 120+ Turnstones. Then onto the muddy footpath down the side of the golf course, until eventually returning to Rope walk, adding 90+ Stock Doves, 6 Yellowhammers, 4 Reed Buntings, 120+ Linnets and 15+ Skylarks.

At the Poole Place end there were 170+ Brents feeding in the field on the Elmer side, which they have been doing all week. They all gather on the sea in the area before flying into the fields. (OM)

Grey Plover West Beach

Brent Geese Elmer

Loads going on offshore this morning but unfortunately all very distant. Clouds of Gull's feeding west of the Weather station and again from Poole Place. 

Great-northern Diver - 1w

Red-throated Diver - 3e

Great-crested Grebe - 5os 1w

Red-breasted Merganser - 30

Common Scoter - 2w 5e

Auk sp - c70e 30w

Wigeon - 27w 15e

Brent Gesse - 12w 24e

Med Gull - 25

Gannet - 45e 30w

Kingfisher - 1w

Sanderling - 25

Turnstone - c75

Ringed Plover - 2

Oystercatcher - 9

Skylark - 40

Meadow Pipit - 17

Yellowhammer - 2

Stonechat - 3

Pied Wagtail - 5

Jack Snipe - 1

Out with the thermal this afternoon and eventually turned up one Jack Snipe, no other Snipe seen after checking several fields.

Jack Snipe

A Merlin, sitting in the field south of Poole Place was the undoubted highlight of the morning, also a Dartford Warbler in the horse paddock was a nice surprise. 

Red-throated Diver - 1e

Red-breasted Merganser - 3

Brent Geese - 27

Med Gull - c60

Gannet - 9 offshore

Turnstone - 30

Sanderling - 11

Grey Plover - 5

Oystercatcher - 17

Little Egret - 1

Skylark - 25

Meadow Pipit - 9

Song Thrush - 5

Green Woodpecker - 4

Buzzard - 1

Kestrel - 1

Grey Seal - 1 

Brent Geese