Trips to Woolmer Pond and Sandy Point on a frosty day.

Saturday 14^th November 2026.

Sanderling and Dunlin taking flight at Black Point this afternoon.

It was bitterly cold this morning as I scraped the ice off my windscreen at 7.30am this morning and I knew it was going to be even colder where I was going today. Yes, I could have gone all the way to see my 3^rd ever Franklin’s Gull, but I did not want to join a huge crowd of admiring birders and chose to do Woolmer Pond with Geoff Farwell. Our Andy Fisher was too hungover to go with us today and after checking Geoff’s Moth Box, we made the journey north up the A3 to check out a very frosty and very cold Woolmer Pond. A lot of the Pond itself was frozen over but there were pockets of ice-free water for the few ducks and Mute Swans to swim.

On the way back, I popped into Morrison's Petrol Station as it was the cheapest I have found it anywhere in the vicinity and picked up a bit of lunch too before driving down to Sandy Point to check out the birdlife in the area to round off our day. We also had a surprise sighting on the way back along the A3 too.

Geoff’s Moth Box, Cowplain Marsh:

The only Moth this morning was a Feathered Thorn at Cowplain Marsh.

Sadly, there was just the one Moth present by the Moth Box as having checked all the empty box and outside egg trays, Geoff found a Feathered Thorn that did not look too well at all. There were a lot of spider’s webs around the poor insects’ feet, but Geoff carefully removed it before I then put the Moth on my hand to take a short film footage of the Moth before releasing it back into the garden.

The Bird Bath was frozen over and frost on the ground at Cowplain Marsh.

While checking the Moth Box over a couple of cups of coffee, there were a few birds going overhead and the garden was busy too with birds coming down the feeders. This included a male Chaffinch that was calling repeatedly before flying off and another pair of Chaffinches flew high overhead also. A Siskin was heard flying over, and a pair of Skylarks also flew high over, but Geoff and I saw these birds heading south. A pair of Rooks flew low over the house. A Grey Wagtail flew past the house and both a Long-tailed Tit and a Green Woodpecker were both heard calling nearby.

Woolmer Pond, nr Borden:

A frozen Woolmer Pond this morning. I believe it was still below freezing here.

There was a variety of birds seen this morning at Woolmer Pond and several species of toadstools to be looked at too. Surely, I am not into Fungi as well I hear you ask? I have always found Fungi fascinating, but they really are a headache to ID at times as most look so similar. I do us Google a lot and some sites on Facebook which is most helpful.

Above, Oyster Mushrooms and below, a Brown Rim-roll Toadstool.

Above, frost of the Ferns and below, a Velvet Rim-roll Toadstool.

Above, a pair of Robins by the perimeter fence and below, a wintry look to Woolmer Pond.

I will not write chapter and verse about the birds I saw as I will let the photos do the talking, but as Geoff said, it was rather quiet for birds here today with sightings being quite sporadic. No big flocks of anything were seen and most sightings involved just single or small groups of birds. The most notable birds seen this morning were a pair of Dartford Warblers and at least 5 Stonechats by Cranmer Pond, next to Woolmer Forest. A probable Brambling (we thought it was a Redpoll at first calling but when it got a lot closer, my view changed and I thought it was a Brambling. Sadly, we never saw the bird) flew over our heads where we stood looking over the heathland behind the Forest and a Red Kite was seen in the same area but flying northbound away from us.

Above, one of two Redwings in the same tree and below, Fairy Ring Champignons toadstools.

Above, the footpath through Woolmer Forest and below, the sun lit up the young Silver Birch trees that have grown after the heath fire from a few years back.

Above, a male Dartford Warbler was not only flitting about in the heather but also took a liking to search for insects in this Silver Birch tree. The bird was also heard singing a couple of times. Below, this gorgeous male Stonechat was one of three males present along with two females.

There was a good variety of Toadstools we encountered that included Oyster Mushrooms, Rufous Milkcap, False Chanterelle, Saffron Milkcap and several Fairy Ring Champignons by one of the entrance gates. Sadly, on the way back down the A3, I saw a dead Red Kite on the side of the road by the northbound carriageway.

Above, another photo of the showy male Dartford Warbler and below, one of the female Stonechats.

Above, a drake Tufted Duck on Cranmer Pond and below, several Saffron Milkcap toadstools were by the footpath within Woolmer Forest.

Above, Black-headed Gulls on a frozen Pond and below Moo Cow and baby moo Cow on the Pond!

Above, leaves were falling from these Aspen trees by the Pond.

Sandy Point, Black Point and Earnley Triangle:

Sanderling and Dunlin on the shingle island at Black Point.

Parking up in Seafarers Walk, we made our way to the harbour entrance and then onto the RNLI Station to have our lunch. Looking over the harbour entrance, we had sightings of several small flocks of Sanderling flying over the water, heading towards the Black Point area to roost I expect and our first Red-breasted Mergansers of the year, with a pair flying north into Chichester Harbour. A Sandwich Tern was quickly pointed out by Geoff heading south along the shoreline and heading out to sea, while large numbers of Brent Geese could be seen flying over the West Wittering beach.

Above and below, this Common Gull was on the shoreline near the RNLI Building.

Above, one of four female Teal on the small inlet of water and below, waders roosting on the small island off Black Point.

Above, a Curlew on the saltmarsh.

Nothing was seen swimming on the harbour entrance and so we took a walk to the inlet to check out the water and if there was a wader roost on Black Point. Like last weekend, we looked from the road looking north and, on the water, around 30 Brent Geese were swimming along with four female Teal. A Curlew and a Little Egret were hunting for food along the saltmarsh near the houses.

Above, Ringed Plovers on one of the small islands off Black Point and below, another photo of the Sanderling and Dunlin on one of the shingle islands.

Walking back to the car, we took a drive to Sparkes Marina to view the wader roost on Black Point. Though the sandy spit held a few Sanderling, these soon dispersed due to an ignorant Sailboarder getting too close. However, the shingle island held at least 40 Oystercatchers and about 200+ each of both Dunlin and Sanderling. Nearby, around 20 Ringed Plovers were present and after checking my photos this evening, there was also two Grey Plovers among the waders. Geoff picked out a few more Sandwich Terns out in the harbour.

Earnley Triangle:

One of three Sandwich Terns in the harbour from Earnley Triangle.

There has been a lot of scrub clearance here on this small reserve and it looked as though a lot of trees had been felled too, which was disappointing. Apart from a good number of House Sparrows present (Geoff counted at least 30+, which is a good number for this species), there was very little here. However, out in the harbour, west of Sparkes Marina, Geoff counted at least 300+ Brent Geese swimming quietly on the flat calm harbour and at least 3 Sandwich Terns were fishing here too. Time was now getting on and so we made our way back to Cowplain to drop Geoff off but not before we had a nice hot coffee with Andy!

Above, another Sandwich Tern flew in and showed well fishing offshore and below, some of the House Sparrows on the site.

The Information Board detailing what could be seen and who is managing the site.

On the way back to Cowplain, a Common Buzzard flew over the road on the A27 and landed in the trees and better still, a Woodcock flew over the A3 northbound and most likely flushed by either a dog or walker having come from the Hazleton Woods. That was the icing on a nice day’s birding.

 

In Hampshire today:

The Whooper Swan on Tundry Pond. Photo by Andy Friend.

Apart from the well-watched and appreciated Franklin’s Gull near Winchester, there were some interesting sightings around Hampshire. An adult Whooper Swan was found on Tundry Pond, near Hook along with a Russian White-fronted Goose. The Bittern was still at Testwood Lakes and up to 17 Spoonbills were at the Normandy Marshes area. A Glossy Ibis was at Titchfield on the Bridge Street Floods. A Great Grey Shrike was found briefly at Milkham Bottom in the New Forest. Two Ring Ouzels were seen with Redwing at St. Catherines Hill, near Winchester. Finally, two Water Pipits were seen today with the usual bird at Titchfield Haven and another at Hook-with-Warsash.

Fieldfare at Farley Mount. Photo by Andy Tew.