13th - 15th October 2026

Wednesday, 14th October:  Light winds from the south today, the possibilty of the odd shower drfting through but mainly dry and with even some sunny interludes possible...

Selsey Bill: There was a decent Skylark movement this morning, Shag numbers were up and a Red-necked Grebe flew east. (SH/PB). Log below:

(0700-0930hrs) (SSE F2)

Brent Goose - 7W 1os
Red-necked Grebe - 1E
Gannet - 15E 8W
Shag - 8E
Sparrowhawk - 1
Oystercatcher - 1E 1W
Turnstone - 24
Mediterranean Gull - 1E
Great Black-backed Gull - 4os
Sandwich Tern - 2E 1W
auk sp. - 15E
Skylark - 76E
Swallow - 4E
Meadow Pipit - 33W
Pied Wagtail - 5W
Chiffchaff - 3
Chaffinch - 5E
Goldfinch - 50p
Linnet - 29W
Reed Bunting - 2p

Mill Lane: A Brambling and a Grey Wagtail were in the area today. (LL)

North Wall: Two Spoonbills were along White’s Creek, a Spotted Redshank was along the banks, and 28 Golden Plover were out on the mud whilst a Kingfisher was around the sluice and a Rock Pipit was along the rocks.

On the Breech Pool, a Snipe, a Water Rail, two Grey Wagtails, four Pied Wagtails, six Stonechats, eight Reed Buntings and a Meadow Pipit were on the mud, and in the bushes along the wall there were another 12 Stonechats, 16 Reed Buntings, 12 Chiffchaffs, three Yellowhammers, a Cetti’s Warbler, a Song Thrush, a Green Woodpecker, two Great Spotted Woodpeckers, and a few Greenfinches, Goldfinches and Long-tailed Tits.

At Halsey’s Farm a Marsh Harrier, four Buzzards and 20 Swallows flew over, and eight Skylarks were around the fields, and a Kingfisher was along the rife. (MJa/SP/TRH/LP/JDW/EB et al)

Yellowhammer, above, Spoonbill, Reed Bunting, Grey Wagtail, Pied Wagtail, Snipe & Stonechat at the North Wall (LP)

Pagham Spit/Lagoon/East Side: A group of around 80 Linnets were flitting around the spit this morning before getting spooked by a Sparrowhawk, this also flushed a Dartford Warbler and around a dozen Skylarks. When things settled down a pair of Stonechat turned up along with a good number of meadow pipits.
Out in the harbour there was the usual mix of Curlew, Redshanks, Wigeon, Turnstones and Pintails plus ten Common Seals; on the saltwater lagoon were a few Little Egrets and a lone Grey Plover.
Pagham Lagoon held nine little grebes, seven Mute Swans and four Tufted Ducks. Finally a quick look down the east side produced the pair of Spoonbills seen earlier in White's Creek (DHo)

Spoonbills, above, Dartford Warbler, Stonechat, Meadow Pipit, Grey Plover, Turnstone, Wigeon, Pintails with Brent Geese & Common Seals off Pagham Spit/East Side (DHo)

Medmerry, west side: A Sparrowhawk flew through and three Kestrels were about mid-morning and a Kingfisher was near the sluice. Along the banks were four Chiffchaffs, three Cetti's Warblers, 15 Stonechats, two Pied Wagtails and eight Yellowhammer and two Swallows went over. Meadow Pipits numbered twenty birds, there were c.50 each of Skylarks and Linnets and on the Stilt Pool was a Snipe. (SH/PB)

Tuesday, 13th October:  A day that started off dry but was then punctuated by heavy showers mid-morning...sunny spells forecast for later...winds F4-5 westerly...

Selsey Bill: Another day where it was hard going! (P&LH) Log below:

(0740-0910hrs) (W F4-5)

Wigeon - 5W
Common Scoter - 6E 1os
Gannet - 3E 5W
Oystercatcher - 3
Turnstone - 40
Great Black-backed Gull - 5os
Meadow Pipit - 3N
Pied Wagtail - 2p

Gannets, above, Wigeon and Oystercatcher with Turnstone in the murk at the Bill this morning. (LH)

(1145-1245hrs) (P&LH)

Brent Goose - 16W

Gannet - 2W 1os

Oystercatcher - 3ob

Turnstone - 48W

Great Black-backed Gull - 2os

Sandwich Tern - 3os

Skylark - 1N

Rock Pipit - 1ob

(1325-1425hrs) (P&LH)

Brent Goose - 1W

Wigeon - 3W

Pintail 3W

Gannet - 3os

Oystercatcher - 3ob

Turnstone - 9ob

Mediterranean Gull - 1W

Kittiwake - 1W

Great Black-backed Gull - 12 os

Sandwich Tern - 2W

This afternoon at the Bill in brighter conditions: Sandwich Terns, above, Turnstones and Rock Pipit (LH)

Church Norton: A good selection of wildfowl out in the harbour today included 21 Brent Geese, 45 Wigeon, 20 Mallard, seven Pintail and ten Teal. Waders noted: 38 Oystercatchers, three Grey Plover, the regular Whimbrel, 15 Curlew, a Turnstone, 35 Redshank and two Dunlin; two Little Egrets were also present. The hedges and bushes were quiet but a Green Woodpecker and a Great Spotted Woodpecker were seen and a Sparrowhawk flew through. Two Avocets were also in the harbour. (P&LH/K.Robinson)

North Wall: A Merlin flew over the north fields this morning and a Rock Pipit was along the wall, but these were the highlights of another wet and windy morning along the wall. Two Spotted Redshanks, a Grey Plover and an Avocet were along White’s Creek, as well as a large number of ducks, mostly Mallards and Wigeon but also a few Pintail, Teal and Shelducks. A Grey Wagtail, a Stonechat, and a Redshank were on the Breech Pool, but the bushes along the wall were quiet with just a couple of Reed Buntings about, a Kingfisher was along the rife at Halsey’s Farm, and four Little Grebes were on Owl Water. (LP) 

This afternoon two Marsh Harriers, an adult male and a sub-adult male, were up behind the reedbeds, a Kesttel was hovering nearby and a Buzzard was present. Two Cattle Egrets were in the fields and along the walls were two Pied Wagtails, a Grey Wagtail, a Rock Pipit, three Cetti's Warblers, three Chiffchaffs and two Reed Buntings. Thirty-two Swallows were also noted overhead. (SH)

Little Grebe family, above, Grey Plover & Rock Pipit at the North Wall (LP)

10th - 12th October 2026

Monday, 12th October:  Clear early on but persistent rain and low cloud soon set in on F4 south-southeast winds...

Selsey Bill: It was hard going this morning as visibility quickly deteriorated but a Great Northern Diver was offshore and another flew east. (PB/BI) Log below:

(0715-0915hrs) (SSE F4)

Common Scoter - 4os
Great Northern Diver - 1E 1os
Gannet - 5E 27W
Oystercatcher - 4
Sanderling - 11 on bar
Turnstone - 15
Kittiwake - 2W
Mediterranean Gull - 7E 19W
Great Black-backed Gull - 7E
auk sp. - 4W
Pied Wagtail - 2E

Turnstone, above, & the rain front moving in at the Bill (BI)

Ferry Pool: Three Shelduck, two Teal and 25 Lapwings was all she wrote for the pool but the channel opposite was full of birds: Mallards, Teal, Wigeon, Little Grebes, Moorhens, Little Egrets and Grey Herons all being present. (BI)

Shelduck at the Ferry Pool (BI)

Church Norton: A walk around the churchyard and hide found a few Chiffchaffs and tit sp. plus two Mistle Thrushes and a Great Spotted Woodpecker whilst a Song Thrush was near the hide. The harbour was shrouded in mizzle but a Whimbrel, a Greenshank, a few Oystercatchers, Redshanks & Curlews and several Little Egrets could be seen on the mud. Six Bar-tailed Godwits and six Brent Geese were also noted from the hide. (PB/BI) This afternoon a Curlew colour ringed "Yellow V5" was on the saltmarsh. (GBl) Later, a 1CY Arctic Tern, three Sandwich Terns and a Common Tern in front of the hide, 89 Brent Geese on the mud and two Greenshanks and the Whimbrel on the saltmarsh. (J.Picksley)

Great Spotted Woodpecker & Whimbrel at Church Norton (BI)

North Wall:  There was predictably not much to see in the difficult wet and windy conditions this morning, although a Grey Wagtail was by the sluice and a few Pintail, Wigeon and Teal were along White’s Creek.

With more water on the Breech Pool, there were five Teal, five Lapwings, a Redshank, two Pied Wagtails and a Grey Wagtail about, whilst along the bushes there was just a couple of Reed Buntings, six Chiffchaffs and a Great Spotted Woodpecker.

A Water Rail and two Little Grebes were on Owl Water and at Halsey’s Farm a Grey Plover was by the rife and eleven Cattle egrets were in the fields. (LP)

A quick look later at Halsey's Farm found three Grey Herons and still 11 Cattle Egrets in the fields. Two Redwings flew over but that was the lot for smaller birds in the poor conditions. (BI)

Grey Heron not impressed by the weather at Halsey's Farm (BI), Pied Wagtail, Water Rail & Great Spotted Woodpecker at North wall (LP)

Medmerry, west side: A Kingfisher and a Common Sandpiper were the highlights this afternoon. (GBl)

Sunday, 11th October:  Sunny spells & dry today in much lighter winds. c.F2-3... NW backing to due southerly by the evening....

Selsey Bill: A generally slower morning offshore today but there was still some viz-mig. (SH/AWi/BI) Full log below:

Brent Goose - 2W 2os

Common Scoter - 3E 4os

Great Northern Diver - 1os

Great Crested Grebe - 1E

Gannet - 2E 122W 30os

Shag - 2E

Sparrowhawk - 1

Oystercatcher - 1W

Turnstone - 12

Arctic Skua - 1os

Mediterranean Gull - 3W 2os

Great Black-backed Gull - 2W

Razorbill - 1E 6W

auk sp. - 61E 82W

Skylark - 7W

Swallow - 63E

House Martin - 4W

Meadow Pipit - 18W

Pied Wagtail - 18W

Grey Wagtail - 3W

Chiffchaff - 2

Chaffinch - 2N

Brambling - 1N

Linnet - 42W

Siskin - 6W

Goldfinch - 30p

Oystercatcher, above, Chiffchaff & viz-mig at the Bill (BI)

Ferry Pool: There were 77 Lapwings, a single Black-headed Gull and a Greenshank present this morning. In Ferry Channel there were at least 200 Mallards and a solitary Teal. Ten Cattle Egrets were also with the herd out in Ferry Field. (BI)

Church Norton: A large mixed flock of small birds wasmoving through the churchyard this morning includiing 20 Chiffchaffs, 10 Blue Tits, 8 Great Tits, 15 Long-tailed Tits, a Goldcrest and a few Dunnocks and Robins whilst in the bare trees were two Mistle Thrushes and a Song Thrush. The fields held c.25 Red-legged Partridges of dubious origin and c.20 Skylarks.In the harbour were five Bar-tailed Godwits, 30+ Redshanks, 60 Grey Plover, a Greenshank, a Knot, 70 Dunlin and a mix of Pintail, Teal and Wigeon. The horse field held three Stonechats, 22 Pied Wagtails and 15 Meadow Pipits, a Siskin was in the bushes and 40 Linnets flew over. (AWi/BI)

Red-legged Partridge, above, & Chiffchaff at Church Norton (BI)

North Wall: A Kingfisher and a Grey Wagtail were around the sluice, and a Spotted Redshank was along White’s Creek along with all the regular species. With more water in the Breech Pool, there were a few more birds about, including two Water Rails, a Snipe, two Grey Wagtails, four Pied Wagtails, eight Stonechats, six Reed Buntings, four Chiffchaffs and a Meadow Pipit, whilst a male Marsh Harrier and a Sparrowhawk were over the reeds further back.

In the bushes along the wall there were more Reed Buntings, Chiffchaffs and Stonechats, as well as two Cetti’s Warblers, two Chaffinches, six Greenfinches, 12 Long-tailed Tits, three Green Woodpeckers, a Great Spotted Woodpecker and five Song Thrushes, also c100 Swallows were along the rife at Halsey’s Farm. (LP/MRi)

Reed Bunting, above, Meadow Pipit, Grey Wagtail, Spotted Redshank & Water Rail at the North Wall. (LP)

Mill Lane: A Tree-creeper and a Water Rail were in the area today. (LL)

Medmerry, west side: Out in the middle of the reserve today were a minimum of 1740 Wigeon, 623 Teal and 127 Golden Plover, with 12 more of the latter flying over west. The Stilt Pool held 131 Ringed Plover, ten Dunlin and a Greenshank and c.20 Meadow Pipits, c.50 Linnets and c.20 Skylarks were in that area. Along the banks were 10 Yellowhammers, a Cetti's Warbler, 18 Stonechats, five Dartford Warblers, a singing Whitethroat and seven Chiffchaffs. The apparently settled Red Kite was still present and other raptors included two Peregrines, two Sparrowhawks, a Kestrel and four Buzzards. Four Swallows flew through and a Cattle Egret was in the fields. (HB/SH)

Saturday, 10th October:  Winds remaining gusty to F6 today but with a north-westerly element to them...staying dry with occasional sunny spells...

Selsey Bill:  A Balearic Shearwater west west this morning giving good, if distant, views, a Wheatear was on the beach and two Woodlarks flew west as did several small flocks of Skylarks. Other highlights of a good mixed bag were a Green Sandpiper west, a Bar-tailed Godwit west and a summer plumage Great Northern Diver offshore. (SH/PB/MRB/AGB/JBo/BI) Full log below:

(0700-0930hrs) (WNW F6):

Brent Goose - 16W

Wigeon - 16W

Common Scoter - 6E 6os

Red-breasted Merganser - 1W

Great Northern Diver - 1W 1os

Balearic Shearwater - 1W (0808hrs)

Gannet - 4E 36W

Shag - 2E

Little Egret - 1W

Oystercatcher - 2W 1ob

Turnstone - 18

Green Sandpiper - 1W

Bar-tailed Godwit - 1W

Kittiwake - 3W

Mediterranean Gull - 32W

Great Black-backed Gull - 3W 6os

Razorbill - 7E 2W 4os

auk sp. - 225E

Skylark - 17W

Woodlark - 2W

House Martin - 2W

Swallow - 10W
Meadow Pipit - 68W

Pied Wagtail - 11W

Grey Wagtail - 1W

Wheatear - 1W

Chiffchaff - 1

Chaffinch - 3N

Linnet - 5E

Redpoll - 3N

Goldfinch - 25p

Siskin - 2N

Brent Geese, Great Northern Diver & Wheatear at the Bill (BI)

Ferry Pool: A Shelduck was present this morning but otherwise it was just the regular Lapwings and Black-headed Gulls. (BI)

North Wall: Two Spotted Redshanks, 38 Black-tailed Godwits, c120 Redshanks, six Grey Plovers and 12 Dunlin were along White’s Creek on the rising tide this morning as well as a good selection of Wigeon, Pintail, Teal, Shelducks, Mallards, Great Crested Grebes and a Little Grebe.

Two Grey Wagtails, three Pied Wagtails and seven Stonechats were around the Breech Pool, but the bushes were quiet with just a few Reed Buntings, Chiffchaffs and a couple of Cetti’s Warblers about, whilst in the fields at Halsey’s Farm, just four Cattle Egrets were with the cows and 18 Meadow Pipits, 12 Skylarks and six Stonechats were along the fences. A Spoonbill was also seen towards the north of the harbour and a Peregrine was in the area. (LP/CT/PB/JB/AWi et al)

Spotted Redshank, above, Grey Wagtail, Grey Plover & Stonechat at the North Wall (LP)

Marsh Farm, Sidlesham: There was a large flock of Linnets along the path to the barn this morning whilst the fields nearby held c.6 Stonechats and c.20 Cattle Egrets. (BI)

Cattle Egret, above, & LInnets at Marsh Farm (BI)

Church Norton:  Along Rectory Lane fields this morning were 25 Skylark and ten Meadow Pipit. In the hedges from the hide: c20 Chiffchaff, 2 Great Spotted Woodpecker, 25 Swallow, a Buzzard and a Cetti’s Warbler. The horse field was alive with birds including 15 Pied Wagtail, 30 Meadow Pipits and eight Stonechats. A Green Sandpiper was also noted from the benches. (CRJ/ML)

Kestrel, top, and Chiffchaff at Church Norton (CRJ)

RSPB Pagham: A White-tailed Sea Eagle landed in the harbour seen from Yeoman's Field at 11am. (per RPo)

Medmerry, west side: A Red Kite, a juvenile Marsh Harrier, three Greenshank, 80 Wigeon, two Pintail and 18 Golden Plover were the best of 56 species seen here this morning. (MP)     This afternoon a walk down to the Stilt Pool from Easton Lane found a Commic Tern over the reserve and 20 Ringed Plover on the pool. The Red Kite was still present, a Kestrel was hovering and along the banks were four Dartford Warblers, three Chiffchaffs, c.20 Meadow Pipits, c.100 Linnets, 17 Stonechats and two Yellowhammers. (SH)