1st August 2026

Saturday, 1st August: Another morning that started quite cool and ended up very warm, with unbroken sunshine and a moderate northerly breeze.....

The Pom-King Trophy was duly handed over to the 2026 winner this morning - congratulations to Paul Bowley for his second success, having seen an impressive 36 of the 51 Pomarine Skuas recorded this spring, well ahead of runner-up AH on 20, with the rest of the field close behind him. (Eds)

PB (above) & AH receiving their respective trophies from IP (CRJ)

Selsey Bill: There wasn't much excitement offshore for those gathered, though, with main interest coming from the shingle bar, where an adult Yellow-legged Gull and two Lesser Black-backed Gulls were amongst the flock, of which the majority - 691 birds - were Mediterranean Gulls. Full log below. (PB/MRB/CRJ/JA/IP/AH/ D Beardsall)

(0630-0800hrs) (N, F3)

Gannet - 10E, 3W

Common Scoter - 1E

Oystercatcher - 2

Turnstone - 5

Mediterranean Gull - 691os

Black-headed Gull - 80os

Yellow-legged Gull - 

Lesser Black-backed Gull - 

Great Black-backed Gull - 7os

Sandwich Tern - 17E, 2W

Common Tern - 1W

Swift - 8

Swallow - 4

Sand Martin - 2

House Martin - 14

Pied Wagtail - 1

Swallow (above), Sand Martin & Lesser Black-backed Gulls and Mediterranean Gulls at the Bill (AH)

Ferry Pool: There were just two adult and two juvenile Avocets, a Stock Dove and four Pied Wagtails on the pool this morning. (AH)

Avocet at the Ferry (AH)

Mill Pond Marsh: The only wader present this morning was a Green Sandpiper, with eight Teal and 28 Moorhens also about, whilst the hedges at the front held half a dozen Whitethroats, a Sedge Warbler and a Willow Warbler. (AH)

Green Sandpiper (above), Whitethroat & Sedge Warbler at Mill Pond Marsh (AH)

This evening the Green Sandpiper was still present, along with three Snipe. (AH)

Green Sandpiper (above) & Snipe at Mill Pond Marsh (AH)

North Wall: The first returning Wheatear was by the rife this morning, whilst the Glossy Ibis and a Spotted Redshank were on the Breech Pool. (CRN)

This afternoon, at Halsey's Farm, there were 45 Cattle Egrets, including six juveniles, a Kingfisher, five swallows, a Buzzard and two Kestrels seen. (SH)

Church Norton: A family group of four Lesser Whitethroats were behind the hide, but, beside two or three Whitethroats, the bushes were devoid of birds, whilst the harbour just held a couple of Whimbrel, a Grey Plover, a dozen Redshanks and Curlews and c60 Oystercatchers, with c20 Ringed Plovers on the beach and a handful of Sandwich Terns offshore the only other things noted. (AH et al)

Lesser Whitethroat (above) & Whimbrel at Church Norton (AH)

Medmerry: Easton Lane to the Stilt Pool - There were still c20 Common Terns around the rafts and the Stilt Pool, which also held four Greenshanks, five Common Sandpipers, five Dunlin, two Avocets, four Redshanks, four Lapwings and six Oystercatchers, and there were also two Sandwich Terns offshore.

The banks held a fair selection, including two Dartford Warblers, four Willow Warblers, a Chiffchaff, a Blackcap, two Reed Warblers, four Sedge Warblers, eight Whitethroats, a Stonechat, a Meadow Pipit, two Reed Buntings and eight Yellowhammers, with a House Martin, c30 Swallows and Sand Martins, a Marsh Harrier, a Buzzard and a Kestrel going over. (SH) 

West Wittering: A Coal Tit and a Purple Hairstreak were in the garden this morning. (GM)

Purple Hairstreak in a West Wittering garden (GM)

29th - 31st July 2026

Friday, 31st July: After a surprisingly cool start under heavy cloud in a fresh northerly, the morning steadily brightened and warmed up......

Selsey Bill: There were a few Swifts and hirundines about, but two Grey Herons heading west, well offshore, were the only things of note on the move. Full log below. (AH/IP/P&LH/D Breardsall)

(0700-0830hrs) (NNW, F4)

Gannet - 1E, 1W

Oystercatcher - 1W

Grey Heron - 2W

Mediterranean Gull - 40os

Great Black-backed Gull - 6os

Sandwich Tern - 3E, 21W

Common Tern - 3W

Swift - 11

Swallow - 1W

Sand Martin - 3W

House Martin - 20

Pied Wagtail - 2W

Common Terns (above), Sandwich Tern & Grey Heron (AH)

Ferry Pool: The rather desolate remains of the pool just held an adult and two juvenile Avocets this morning. (AH)

Avocet on the Ferry (AH)

Mill Pond Marsh: There were two Green Sandpipers, four Snipe, three Water Rails, eight Teal and a couple of young Little Grebes on the fast drying out flooded field this morning, with a Blackcap, a Willow Warbler, a couple of Sedge Warblers and a handful of Reed Warblers and Whitethroats around the bushes at the front, with half a dozen Swallows on the nearby wires. (PA/AH/P&LH)

Green Sandpiper (above), Snipe, Whitethroat & Swallows at Mill Pond Marsh (AH)

Church Norton: There were just three Whimbrel, c20 Curlews and c45 Oystercatchers in the harbour, plus c40 Mediterranean Gulls overhead, with, otherwise just a Willow Warbler and a Lesser Whitethroat in the churchyard and three Sand Martins over. (P&LH)

North Wall: Two Great White Egrets - the first along the wall this year - were on the Breech Pool just after sunrise, and the Glossy Ibis was also around along with 28 Little Egrets, a Grey Heron, four Spotted Redshanks, 32 Black-headed Gulls, two Common Terns and a Teal, though by 8am everything had departed, although the Glossy Ibis did return on at least two more occasions before heading off north.

Also a Common Sandpiper was by the sluice and a Grey Wagtail flew over, but otherwise it was just the regular species along White’s Creek.

A Sparrowhawk flew into the bushes behind the Breech Pool, but it was quieter along the wall with just a few Reed Warblers, Whitethroats, Linnets and Long-tailed Tits seen, while the young Cattle Egrets were still in the trees at Owl Copse.

At Halsey’s Farm, a Little Ringed Plover was on the mud with the regular Lapwing, and a Kingfisher was along the rife, whilst 18 Curlews and 22 Cattle Egrets were in the fields, and a few Swallows flew over. (LP/MJa/DHo/KU)

Great White Egret and Spotted Redshanks (above), Great White Egrets and Little Egrets, Spotted Redshanks, Glossy Ibis, Little Ringed Plover, Common Sandpiper, Cattle Egret & Sparrowhawk at the North Wall (AH)

East side: A look along the East side of the harbour produced a reasonable selection of waders, though no numbers, including a Greenshank, a spotted Redshank, four Whimbrel, 77 Curlews, 20 Black-tailed Godwits, 45 Dunlin, seven Grey Plovers, a Ringed Plover, a Turnstone and half a dozen Lapwings, along with just a single Sandwich Tern, an adult Yellow-legged Gull and a good count of 950 Mediterranean Gulls. (PA)

Yellow-legged Gull and Cormorant along the East side (PA)

Runcton: South of the village this morning were a Common Buzzard, two Green Woodpeckers and a nice party of seven Mistle Thrushes, whilst on the reservoir were a pair of Egyptian Geese, a pair of Mallard with four juveniles, four Grey Herons, a dozen Little Grebes and two Common Sandpipers.

Also, over the stubble field were three or four Clouded Yellows, including a female 'helice' type. (CRJ)

Swallow (above) & 'helice' type Clouded Yellow at Runcton (CRJ)

Thursday, 30th July: Another very warm and sunny morning, in a moderate north -westerly breeze......

Selsey Bill: Three Common Terns and a few Sandwich Terns and Mediterranean Gulls heading west was about it this morning. (AH/D Beardsall)

(0650-0805hrs) (NW, F3-4)

Oystercatcher - 1W

Mediterranean Gull - 46W

Great Black-backed Gull - 5os

Sandwich Tern - 17W

Common Tern - 3W

Swallow - 4W

House Martin - 15

Common Tern (above), Sandwich Terns & House Martin (AH)

Ferry Pool: There were just an adult and two juvenile Avocets on the pool this morning, with a handful of Redshanks and an Oystercatcher in the channel opposite. 

A look round the Tramway circuit was unproductive, with half a dozen Whitethroats and a Song Thrush all that could be found. (AH)

Avocet (above) & Whitethroat at the Ferry (AH)

Mill Pond Marsh: The Green Sandpiper, two Common Sandpipers, a Snipe and six Teal were on the flooded field this morning, along with at least a dozen juvenile Moorhens, but a couple of Whitethroats were the only birds in the hedges. (AH)

Green Sandpiper at Mill Pond Marsh (AH)

North Wall: The Glossy Ibis flew off from the Breech Pool early this morning and two Spotted Redshanks were still present there, but there was no sign of the Spoonbill, whilst another Spotted Redshank was along White’s Creek, where there was also a Common Sandpiper, two Whimbrels, six Black-tailed Godwits, eight Lapwings and c50 Redshanks.

It was very busy around the paddock where the second brood of Swallows have fledged, and there were family groups of Goldfinches, Greenfinches and House Sparrows in the trees, with two Willow Warblers, six Whitethroats, a Lesser Whitethroat, five Linnets, two Jays and a Green Woodpecker around the bushes. There were lots more small birds in the bushes along the wall with Reed Warblers, Sedge Warblers, Cetti’s Warblers and a Blackcap seen.

There were six young Little Egrets in the trees at Owl Copse, a Little Grebe was on the water, two Kingfishers flew through and a Sparrowhawk with prey flew over, whilst at Halsey’s Farm a calling Wood Sandpiper circled but didn’t land, another Kingfisher was by the rife, a Common Tern was fishing, a Lapwing and flagged Curlew 3Y were on the mud, 28 Cattle Egrets were around the cows, and overhead a Red Kite and a Buzzard were also about. (KB/LP/MJa/TRH/CT/SP)

Spotted Redshank (above), Common Sandpiper, Curlew and Lapwing, Kingfisher, Sedge Warbler & Whitethroat at the North Wall (LP)

Church Norton: A couple of Willow Warblers and a Lesser Whitethroat were among a big flock of Long-tailed Tits in the churchyard this morning, but it was quiet elsewhere and in the harbour, too, where the meagre highlights were a Greenshank, three Whimbrel, a dozen Curlews and just two Sandwich Terns. (AH/RJS/MG)

Willow Warblers (above) & Whimbrel at Church Norton (AH)

Wednesday, 29th July: A return to heatwave conditions this morning, with unbroken sunshine in just a light easterly breeze......

Selsey Bill: A very quiet morning, with just three Sanderlings west and a few hirundines east of note. Full log below. (AH/CRJ/D Beardsall)

(0655-0810hrs) (E, F2)

Oystercatcher - 1E, 6W

Sanderling - 3W

Mediterranean Gull - 28W

Great Black-backed Gull - 5os

Sandwich Tern - 2E, 6W

Swallow - 10E

Sand Martin - 18E

House Martin - 25

Mediterranean Gull at the Bill (AH)

Ferry Pool: There were an adult and the last remaining juvenile Avocet and an adult and a juvenile Oystercatcher on the pool, along with a dozen Black-headed Gulls, and just a dozen or so Redshanks and Black-tailed Godwits in the channel opposite. (AH)

Avocet at the Ferry (AH)

Mill Pond Marsh: There were still a Green Sandpiper, two Common Sandpipers, two Snipe, three Black-tailed Godwits, a Water Rail, a Shoveler, half a dozen Teal and a Little Egret on the flooded field, whilst a couple of Willow Warblers and Whitethroats were at the front. (LP/SP/AH/CRJ)

Also, this afternoon, there were again two Little Ringed Plovers present. (SH)

Pagham Spit: A Common Gull was among the Mediterranean and Black-headed Gulls this morning. (GR)

North Wall: The Glossy Ibis appeared for a quick spin around the North Wall from the Breach Pool to Owl Copse and back, then headed off north, though i didn't seem to come from Owl Copse. The Spoonbill was in the Breach Pool until then, too, and flew off at the same time and there were also and three Spotted Redshanks present, though none were seen later. (MJa/LP/SP)

Glossy Ibis at the North Wall (MJa)

West Itchenor: A Nuthatch was calling from Chalkdock Copse this afternoon. (PH)

Medmerry: Easton Lane to the Stilt Pool - At least 30 Common Terns, including four juveniles, were split between the rafts and the Stilt Pool this morning, with a Common Gull, three Greenshanks, four Common Sandpipers, four Dunlin, two Avocets, eight Redshanks, five Lapwings and six Oystercatchers also on the pool.

Along the banks there were c30 Whitethroats, three Willow Warblers, a Blackcap, a Lesser Whitethroat, a Cetti's Warbler, two Reed Warblers, a Dartford Warbler, two Stonechats, three Yellow Wagtails, five Meadow Pipits, a Reed Bunting and c30 Yellowhammers and Linnets, with two Sand Martins, ten Swallows, a Peregrine, a Buzzard, two Kestrels and vast numbers of Mediterranean and Black-headed Gulls chasing Flying Ants going over. (SH/AH)

Common Terns (above), Greenshank, Common Sandpiper, Whitethroat & Stonechat at Medmerry (AH)