Buntings Boo again!

Saturday 14th February 2026.

Numbers of Mediterranean Gulls have been building up in large numbers here at the Oyster Beds.

This week's Snow Bunting was my target bird today and despite the fact it was a ‘no show’ today, Geoff, Andy and myself had a good day birding on Hayling Island with a trip to Sandy Point and also the Oyster Beds. The weather was much, much better today with mostly a clear blue sky and plenty of sunshine, but the north-easterly wind still reminded us that winter was still here as temperatures rarely got into double figures today. My day kicked off at Cowplain Marsh (Andy’s house) and over a nice cup of coffee, I checked his Moth Box and also his Pond.

Cowplain Marsh:

Sadly, the Moth Box held not a single moth, but I wasn't too surprised seeing how cold it was here. Over in his Pond, the guys told me that the Frogs were ‘croaking’ last night and so inspecting the Pond, at least three Frogs were seen briefly within the Pond and at least three clumps of Frog Spawn was present; my first of the year.

My first Frog Spawn of the year in Andy's garden.

From his garden, a small flock of Long-tailed Tits were in his neighbours garden, obviously attracted to the bird feeders within the garden. It was a tad cold outside to linger outside and so we went back into the kitchen. Geoff told me that the Firecrest was singing most days near the house all week and a female Tawny Owl was calling in nearby trees last night!

Sandy Point Nature Reserve, Hayling Bay & the harbour entrance:

A Great Northern Diver flying into Chichester Harbour. This was one of two seen here today.

On arrival at Seafarers Walk, walking along the track leading to the harbour entrance, we bumped into local birder, Andy Johnson and after a good chat, he gave us permission to go onto the Nature Reserve here and try and find a Jack Snipe. This is a very good spot for the species and after negotiating a very unkempt and thorny footpath leading to the main pool, we eventually overlooked the pond and it didn't take long for two Jack Snipe's to fly out and head off north somewhere. These were our first of the year and rather than linger too long here to disturb any others, we made our way back and headed to the harbour entrance.

Above, one of the Great Northern Divers seen today and below, there were two Harbour Seals also in the harbour entrance.

Three Brent Geese heading into Chichester Harbour. A large number were seen distantly flying over West Wittering.

We walked up to the area where Andy had seen the Snow Bunting earlier this week, but there was no sign of the bird. It was most likely over on the other side of the harbour at East Head, but judging by the amount of dog-walkers there, I was rather surprised that it was still there with all that disturbance. More disappointed birders arrived as we walked back to the Lifeboat Station and from here, we had sightings of at least two Great Northern Divers (one of which flew into the harbour), two Great Crested Grebes and a few distant Mergansers. A small flock of 15 Sanderling flew low over the water along the shoreline heading north.

Above, always looking out for interesting plants, Geoff found this Sea Rocket in flower while we were searching for the Snow Bunting. Below, the large pond that held the Jack Snipe on the reserve.

While enjoying a cup of coffee, looking over to the busy West Wittering side, the sunshine had brought out at least 10 Common Buzzards soaring over the area! A couple of Sandwich Terns passed through the harbour mouth and out to sea to round off our stay here by the Lifeboat Station. Andy still needed Dartford Warbler for his year list and so we took a walk south to the Gorse area on the reserve. Sadly, no Dartfords were seen, but checking the sea for anything going past, I got lucky when I saw our first Red-throated Diver belting past at a rate of knots over the sea, heading east and was joined by a second bird about ten minutes later. I think Andy was more than happy with adding another species to his year list. While Andy was talking to a friend of his, Geoff and I watched a female Sparrowhawk scattering all the pigeons over the houses and trees until disappearing out of sight. Nice bird to end our trip here.Though the wind had dropped, it was still quite cold and so we made our way back to the car and headed off to the Oyster Beds.

Hayling Oyster Beds:

Two drakes and a female Red-breasted Merganser swam close to where we stood by the Oyster Beds.

The tide was ebbing when we arrived at the Oysterbeds. Parking up in Victoria Road, we made our way across a very busy road to walk up to the Reserve and make our way to the end of the path overlooking both the Beds and Langstone Harbour. The wind had dropped considerably, though it was still cold, but tolerable. The Beds itself held up to 90+ Mediterranean Gulls and boy, was it noisy with their calls, but such a beautiful Gull to watch and enjoy as several past overhead. A few waders were present, mostly Redshank, Oystercatchers and Turnstone while the water held a lovely flock of four Red-breasted Mergansers, which swam very close to where we stood.

Above, a pair of Med Gulls over the Beds and below, a very pale breasted Common Buzzard seen from the Billy Trail.

Above, an Orchid comes through the soil by the Beds. Possibly a Lizard Orchid? Below, a pair of female Red-breasted Mergansers on one of the lagoons.

While Andy laid down and checked out anything that flew overhead (he did spot a Buzzard!) Geoff and I scanned the harbour thoroughly and picked off the ‘star birds’ that have brought a lot of birders here of late. This included the Long-tailed Duck that Geoff found swimming close to one of the islands, but that bird suddenly disappeared and was never seen again! The drake Scaup was also found by Geoff as was a lone Great Northern Diver, while I counted at least 40+ Mergansers in the harbour and around 30 Great Crested Grebes. There was just the one Little Grebe off Long Island, but no sign of any Black-necks or Slavonian Grebes during our hour stay here.

Above, Sweet Pansies growing by the Billy Trail and below, four Mergansers flying off the Beds into Langstone Harbour.

Above, two pairs of Mergansers swimming on the main lagoon and below, a Med Gull sitting on the same lagoon.

Geoff was ‘on fire’ in finding the birds as he picked out a female Marsh Harrier quartering over the islands. I watched the bird head for Long Island and in turn, put up a very disgruntled male Kestrel of which they had a bit of a tussle with one another! Two Sandwich Terns were seen distantly flying between the islands and up to 8 Goldeneye were swimming in the northern end of the harbour near Langstone Bridge. From our viewpoint at the northern end of the Oyster Beds, we could see over at Broadmarsh and Southmoor, literally hundreds of Gulls present, but too distant to get any clear ID, though mostly Herring and Black-headed Gulls.

Above, four Roe Deer were discovered in the field east of the Billy Trail and below, this Redshank came close to where we stood by the Beds.

Above, an Oystercatcher with a Redshank on one of the spits and below, four Med Gulls with two Black-headed Gulls.

The walk back to the car produced a couple more Common Buzzards that included the very pale breasted bird Andy had found earlier and now perched on the edge of a tree. A Cetti’s Warbler was heard calling deep within cover, but not much else regarding the birdlife as we made our way back to the car. We did stop by a gate overlooking the bramble field and found a small group of Roe Deer relaxing on the ground in the sunshine. I cannot ever recall ever seeing Roe Deer by the Oyster Beds, so where on earth did they come from?