After watching a group of fellow birders departing from the Bill around 11am, I did my stint for an hour in front of the wall west of the car park, well out of that bitingly cold northeasterly. Within the hour, I notched up a flock of three Red-throated Divers heading west, 2 Gannets heading east, a flock of five Gadwall heading east and three Brent Geese heading west. There was plenty out there but all too distant including several auk species. Pagham Harbour was a little more busier with a good variety of waders on show which included around 100+ Knot on the mudflats. Two female Goldeneye and a female Red-breasted Merganser were off the spit but nothing of note within the churchyard. More on my trip and other reports on http://www.thefinancialbirder.piczo.com

I had a Nuthatch on my feeder this morning, only second time I have seen it in the past few weeks, but hope it will appear more regularly. I am surprised to see it as the feeder is only yards from a busy road in the centre of Horsham. I do have a number of trees by me, but don't think it lives there as it doesn't appear often enough.

Driving up to Shellness yesterday - it looked like we were going to get a cold and possibly snowy day that might just be good for birds. In fact, most of the day was extremely wet, windy and cold. Despite this, Neil Greenaway and myself (on emergency cover as group leaders), were joined by 7 hardy souls to battle against the weather and record a final total of about 40 species. The highlights were assorted wader species together on a windy Shellness beach (Knot, Redshank, Bar-tailed Godwits, Sanderling, Dunlin, Ringed Plover etc.), and a group of 4 Snow Buntings spotted by eagle-eyed Neil. Unfortunately, scoping the birds was not easy due to the strong winds, but the Snow Buntings did get quite close. The afternoon was spent at the Raptor Watchpoint at Harty Ferry where although it eventually stopped raining, it remained extremely cold as we waited and waited....for the Short-eared Owls to appear.....but unfortunately they never did. We did however, get good views of Hen Harrier, and up to 12 Marsh Harriers, so all was not lost. We joked that we would probably see an owl on the road on the way out, and could you believe it - as we drove down Harty Ferry Road, a Barn Owl flew out from a ditch and flew alongside the car! You win some, you lose some. (Chris Davis & Neil Greenaway).

Reported to me today was a Red Kite being mobbed by Crows over the Knepp Estate at about midday.

At a guess, to start the ball rolling there is a photograph of a hybrid Snow x Canada Goose on this website http://www.pbase.com/lmedlock/goosehybrid

An unidentified goose landed at low tide on Hastings beach after the violent westerly squall that hit us yesterday. The bird had a dark bill, pinkish legs, a white neck and head, white underparts, dark flight feathers and a generally brown/grey body and wing coverts (click above to see photo). The bird seemed healthy, but very tolerant of approach as if it had never seen humans before. It spent some time preeening and drying its wings almost cormorant style. (Posted on 24 Nov 2008 by Martyn Stenning). Martyn thinks the bird may be an aberrant Canada Goose - comments please...

At least 4 Red Kites over West Dean Woods (first I've seen in West Sussex since moving down here from Bucks a couple of years ago where they are two a penny now!) with at least 4 Common Buzzards.  Plus close views of a pair of Red-Legged Partridges which made a nice change from the hundreds of Pheasants in the area. Sadly no Hawfinches around the usual hornbeam roost.

Waders commuting between North and South Brooks included 1 Little Stint, 4 Dunlin, 2 Ruff, 34 Black-tailed Godwits, a flock of 15 Snipe and large numbers of Lapwing. Wigeon, Teal, Shoveler, Pintail, and Mallard also present in good numbers and at least 7 Gadwall were also present. Bullfinches can be encountered almost anywhere on the reserve at the moment, Marsh Tits are around the feeders and car park and a Kingfisher appears quite regularly in front of Nettley's hide. Two Peregrines flew low over Jupp's view flashing talons at each other and uttering a call described by one observer as being like a goose which wasn't far from the mark.

Too timid to go out in the wet weather but was delighted to read Richard Ives' report. At the same time as he saw his Woodcock I noticed a large flock (300 - 500) of Starlings come through very fast in the sleeting sky over the coast. At the speed they were going I imagine they were planning to have lunch somewhere like Cardiff!

A sighting of two Barn Owls, the first on the 21st Nov the second on the 22nd Nov, flew in front of my car in exactly the same area on the Rusper Rd out of Horsham heading North, just by farm, bottom of Hurst Hill at 22.30.

Despite the dreadful conditions I endured an hour seawatching off Worthing and had a few interesting sightings. The highlight of the day was a Woodcock coming in off the sea at 08.45. A superb male Goldeneye flying west glowed in the gloom and 12 Teal, 1 Shelduck and 20 Brent Geese formed the bulk of the wildfowl. A single Golden Plover was yet another surprise and brought the tally up to 6 for this month at this site - having waited 30 years to see my first here. It just proves that even in the worst of weathers it's worth braving the elements.

The lone Little Egret still present on Hove Lagoon at 3pm on Saturday - a nice opportunity for local garden birders to have a close look. Of interest also is the fact that the lagoon is in fact leaking water quite quickly, exposing lots of mud and increasing the density of fish and invertebrates. In the coming week or so that it will probably take to empty completely it is quite likely to attract other wading birds, so keep an eye out! Personally I can't recall having ever seen another wader there but then I never make it for dawn.

At Selsey Bill this morning between 7.20 and 10.00, there were ca. 140 Gannets, 41 Black-headed Gulls, 16 Brent Geese, 3 Eider, 6 Common Scoter, 20 Teal, 83 auk sp, 7 Guillemots, 6 Kittiwakes, 1 Grey Plover, 9 Dunlin, 7 Shelduck, 7 Razorbills, 1 Great Skua, 1 Great Northern Diver and 1 Long-tailed Duck, all passing west. A Velvet Scoter flew east.

On our way to Bishopstone by motorbike to start our walk, we saw a Peregrine land on a lamp post just by Newhaven Station. On the River Cuckmere just below the white horse, we watched a lone Swallow attempting to feed, although there wasn't much obvious food flying about.

About midday a female/imm. Marsh Harrier appeared over the large reedbed being mobbed by corvids. It then departed very high to the west.

A fine male Marsh Harrier causing chaos amongst many Lapwing and Starlings behind the pools around 13.30 today.

The first Avocet arrived here at Nutbourne Marsh today - there are usually a lot more at this time of the year so I wait in hope. The usual female Greenshank with GYGY rings is overwintering too.

Weir Wood - male Goldeneye at reserve end at dusk, also 8 Mandarin, 6 Pochard and a Gadwall. Marsh Tit at car park. Also of interest was 6 Bramblings and a Marsh Tit in my Crowborough Garden today.