A Wander on the Wildside: RSPB Pagham Harbour - Church Norton, 20th February 2019

When half term finally arrived, I had a number of places I wanted to go to with numerous sites in Surrey that could be good, such as the YBW at Molesey, stuff at Staines Res and also the long-staying Black-throated Diver at Holmethorpe. However, to make a better day birding I opted to go to Pagham Harbour and Church Norton (by Chichester Harbour for those who don't know it,) having enjoyed it on previous visits. After getting ill the day before going, it nearly got abandoned but I managed to drag my family out for the day, not leaving at the planned 9am but 10am instead. The journey to Pagham took longer than it should've with 3 stops on the way, meaning we didn't actually get to the car park at Church Norton until about 12:30pm. Much to my continued joy and luck, it was 5 minutes until high tide and we couldn't walk anywhere, due to water covering the footpaths.

Shelduck

Great Crested Grebe

Teal - tough getting these flight shots but satisfied with this effort

m Wigeon

From the bit at the bottom of the car park all I could manage were 3 Red-breasted Mergansers in the harbour, the overwintering Whimbrel, waders including Grey Plover, Redshank, Dunlin, Ringed Plover, 6 Knot, Curlew, BTG and more. Along with the ducks, it wasn't too bad, although I was disappointed and frustrated again.

Nonetheless, after moping around the nearby churchyard with my family, we nearly abandoned plans with some time to wait before the water levels decreased. I stuck it out until just before 2pm, when there was enough of the path for me to stomp across to the spit. While walking to the spit I came across a family who said they'd wished they'd had a scope or better binoculars, as they were sure they'd seen a Basking Shark off shore. Although they aren't seen until early summer in the UK (and even then only along the East coast,) I decided not to say anything...

Whimbrel

Redshank etc

Redshank etc got spooked - looking more closely at the rocks at the back reveals what

Whimbrel

Whimbrel - this bench helps identify the location as Church Norton

Whimbrel

Waders

Grey Plover

Waders

Oiks in a crescent formation

Few more waders, inc Ringed Plover which was one of few seen

Once I reached the spit I set up my scope straight away in the hope of getting some views of a Diver species or Grebe on the sea. With nothing other than some Med Gulls moving along I carried on walking along the spit in the hope of seeing the Hooded Crow. I stopped to get some better wader views along the way, with a few Grey Plover showing nicely for me. The first Skylarks were also in voice, making it a nice place to walk. With about half an hour left to walk, I paced it down to get some poor, distant views of a Great Skua snoozing further away on the spit, which was nice to see and my first for a few years, as well as a year tick. While walking back, I stopped to talk to a birder I'd spoken to earlier who hadn't seen anything on the sea or the spit. I asked about Grebes and he said he doubted there'd be any around at the time, so I surprised him when I found a group of Slavonian Grebes a few moments later! Not only was it a group of about 9 birds bobbing up on the waves with Great Crested Grebes but a much-wanted lifer to boot. So I was quite pleased to say the least! I finished off watching flocks of Brent Geese coming into the harbour in the gloom, which was nice to watch.

I had to leave soon after with my family waiting for me, but we visited Worthing Beach on the way back and among the usual Herring and LBB gulls I was pleased to see a first-winter Common Gull as well flying about. However, no waders were around unfortunately. Either way, a decent day out and probably my last for a good while...