29thJanuary 2026

Thursday, 29th January: A cold and fairly grey, though dry, morning in a brisk easterly breeze.....

Selsey Bill: Two Slavonian Grebes were offshore, but otherwise it was another slow morning. Full log below. (RP/KT/AH)

(0745-0900hrs) (E, F4-5)

Red-throated diver - 2E, 11W, 4os

Slavonian Grebe - 2os

Great Crested Grebe - 1E

Gannet - 1W, 1os

Shag - 1E

Teal - 7E

Common Scoter - 15os

Red-breasted Merganser - 8E, 2os

Mediterranean Gull - 1E

Common Gull - 7E

Great Black-backed Gull - 3os

auk sp - 2E, 3W, 1os

Red-breasted Mergansers (above), Common Gull & Teal at the Bill (AH)

Ferry Pool: Two Avocets roosting on the pool were the only waders present beyond c1000 very flighty Lapwings, with c80 Shovelers, c150 Teal and c300 Wigeon, plus a pair of Gadwall and five Shelducks, also about. (AH)

Also, the Green Sandpiper was present again later on. (PA)

Avocets, Shovelers and Lapwings (above), Gadwall and Teal, Lapwings & Wigeon on the Ferry (AH)

East side: At least two first-winter Caspian Gulls were among the gulls in the harbour this morning, with two Lesser Black-backed Gulls and many Mediterranean and Common Gulls about, too, together with huge numbers of waders, including a Greenshank, a spotted Redshank, five Bar-tailed Godwits, c200 Grey Plovers, c450 Golden Plovers, c500 Knot, c1200 Dunlin and c4500 Lapwings. (PA)

North Wall: There were two Water Rails in the paddocks this morning, along with a Grey Wagtail, a Pied Wagtail, a Stonechat and a Chiffchaff, with both male and female Marsh Harriers up over the reeds.

All the regular species were out in the harbour, and two Rock Pipits were along the wall, but the hedgerows were quiet, with just a couple of Reed Buntings and five Redwings seen.

At Halsey’s Farm c1000 Brent Geese were in the fields and c150 Wigeon were along the rife, as well as 22 Canada Geese and 18 Curlews, whilst in the trees there was just a Great Spotted Woodpecker, two Song Thrushes and a Goldcrest. (TRH/IH/LP)

Redwing (above), Marsh Harrier, Water Rail & Pied Wagtail at the North Wall (LP)

Also, later, two Pale-bellied Brent Geese were among c2500 Dark-bellied Brent Geese along Rookery Lane. (PA)

Caspian Gulls along the East side (PA)

Medmerry: Breach area - The Purple Sandpiper was in the tidal area this morning, along with a Sanderling, a Greenshank and c100 Dunlin and Ringed Plovers. (SH)

East Head: The Snow Bunting was again present today, this time not far from the car-park. (SR)

Snow Bunting at East Head (SR)

Chichester Canal: It was very quiet along the Birdham Road to Donnington Road stretch this morning, with two Fieldfares and a Jay over the most interesting things, with nothing beyond the very regular along the hedges and just a couple of calling Little Grebes and a scattering of Moorhens and Coots on the water. (AH)

Fieldfare at Chichester Canal (AH)

Hunston: A Glossy Ibis was reported as south of the pits on Birdguides at lunchtime, and was tracked down this afternoon to the field just along the Mundham Road in the company of c30 Cattle Egrets. (AH/PA et al)

Glossy Ibis (above) & Cattle Egrets at Hunston (AH)

26th - 28th January 2026

Wednesday, 28th January: A complete change in the weather this morning, with it mostly sunny, and mild after a frosty start in just a light breeze, initially from the north-west before backing to the south-east..........

Selsey Bill: It was very slow this morning! Full log below. (RP/TR/AH)

(0730-0900hrs) (NW, F2-3)

Great Northern Diver - 1E

Red-throated Diver - 6E, 1W, 4os

Shag - 6E

Red-breasted Merganser - 2E, 6os

Oystercatcher - 1E

Mediterranean Gull - 1E, 1os

Common Gull - 1E

Great Northern Diver at the Bill (AH)

Ferry Pool: The Green Sandpiper was on the roadside pool with a Redshank and a Greenshank was heard, but not seen, nearby, whilst eight Avocets and c1000 Lapwings were around the main pool, with wildfowl comprising six Shelducks, c100 Shovelers and Teal and c300 Wigeon. (AH)

Green Sandpiper (above), Teal & Avocets and Lapwings at the Ferry (AH)

Later, the Peregrine was on the top of the radar mast. (EB)

Peregrine at the Ferry (EB)

Pagham Spit and Lagoon: Two Red-breasted Mergansers were seen from the Spit this morning, whilst in the bushes nearby there were four Linnets and six Reed Buntings.
On the Lagoon there were 18 Tufted Ducks, along with 40 Coots and five Little Grebes, but just the one Great Crested Grebe. (GHi)

Red-breasted Mergansers (above), Tufted Duck, Little Grebe & Linnet at Pagham Spit/Lagoon (GHi)

Runcton: On a nice sunny morning with plenty of birdsong, south of the village this morning were a pair of Mute Swans, half a dozen Shelducks, a dozen Mallard, 14 Shovelers, ten Gadwall, 14 Teal, two Tufted Ducks, a Little Grebe, 28 Coots, a Moorhen, a Kestrel, a Green Woodpecker, a Great Spotted Woodpecker, a Stonechat, a Cetti’s Warbler, a Chiffchaff and a Goldcrest. (CRJ)

Goldcrest at Runcton (CRJ)

East Head: There was no sign of the Snow Bunting this morning, or any other passerines bar half a dozen Meadow Pipits, but there was a good selection of birds on the water off the northern end, including two Great Northern Divers, a Red-throated Diver, two Slavonian Grebes, at least 15 Great Crested Grebes and a dozen Red-breasted Mergansers.

There wasn't much else to report, though two or three Sanderlings were seen in flight, a flock of c80 Golden Plovers were out on the saltmarsh, a few Common Gulls were along the shore and a huge flock of c1500 Brent Geese feeding on the grass before about half headed off. (AH)

Great Northern Diver (above), Slavonian Grebe, Common Gull, Golden Plovers & Brent Geese at East Head (AH)

Later, the Snow Bunting was back at the northern end showing well on the mud, whilst four Great Northern Divers, the two Slavonian Grebes and Red-throated Diver, two Red-breasted Mergansers and seven Great Crested Grebes on the water from there.

Also, two Avocets, a Bar-tailed Godwit, five Sanderlings and c250 Golden Plovers were about and two Egyptian Geese were among the Brent Geese. (RW/JC)

Snow Bunting at East Head (RW)

Tuesday, 27th January: After very heavy overnight rain and early drizzle the morning slowly improved, though it remained very grey in the near gale-force southerly.......

Selsey Bill: There was just a selection of the most regular species this morning, including 38 Gannets and 16 Red-throated Divers east. Full log below. (AH)

(0750-0920hrs) (SSE, F6-7)

Great Northern Diver - 1os

Red-throated Diver - 16E, 3os

Great Crested Grebe - 2os

Gannet - 38E, 4W

Common Scoter - 3W, 4os

Red-breasted Merganser - 2E, 4W , 3os

Oystercatcher - 1E

Turnstone - 5

Great Black-backed Gull - 3os

Kittiwake - 6

Sandwich Tern - 2E

Razorbill - 4E

Sandwich Tern (above), Red-throated Diver & Gannet at the Bill (AH)

Ferry Pool: There were 12 Avocets on the pool this morning, along with c1500 Lapwings, a pair of Gadwall, eight Shelducks, c100 Shovelers and Teal and c300 Wigeon. (AH)

Avocets, Lapwings and Shovelers (above), Shoveler & Lapwings at the Ferry (AH)

Church Norton: There was very little going on in the southern half of the harbour this morning, with just a handful of Grey Plovers and c100 Dunlin on the mud and half a dozen Pintail and Shelducks among c50 Wigeon and Teal, though vast numbers of Golden Plovers, Lapwings and other waders came up from the far end at one point. (AH)

Pintail (above) & Grey Plover at Church Norton (AH)

North Wall: A Little Grebe was by the sluice, but otherwise it was just a mix of Wigeon, Teal, Shelduck, Lapwings and Redshanks out in the harbour, and it was quiet along the wall, with the hedges and flooded fields mostly empty.
It was busier at Halsey’s Farm, where three very noisy Mistle Thrushes were in the trees as well as a Firecrest, a Goldcrest, a Great Spotted Woodpecker, four Redwings, and a Jay, whilst two Skylarks were up singing, whilst c150 Wigeon were along rife and a Spotted Redshank was in the channel by the outfall.
Also, the Water Rail was in the paddocks again, along with a Pied Wagtail, a Stonechat, a Chiffchaff and five Redwings, whilst further back, both male and female Marsh Harriers were very active over the reeds. (LP)

Spotted Redshank (above), Mistle Thrush, Redwings & Water Rail at the North Wall (LP)

Fishbourne Creek: A quick look this morning found two Greenshanks and an Avocet in the River Lavant outflow channel, whilst there was a flock of 200 Black-tailed Godwits along the main channel. (RW)

Monday, 26th January: A very murky and grey morning, though mild in the fairly light easterly breeze......

Selsey Bill: It was very quiet in the poor viewing conditions, with most of what there was sat on the sea. Full log below. (RP/AH/IP)

(0740-0855hrs) (E, F2-3)

Great Northern Diver - 1E

Red-throated Diver - 1E, 3os

Great Crested Grebe - 4os

Common Scoter - 20os

Red-breasted Merganser - 5E, 1W , 6os

Turnstone - 25E

Red-breasted Mergansers at the Bill (AH)

Ferry Pool: The Green Sandpiper and a Ruff were present this morning around the pool, along with c750 Golden Plovers, c2500 Lapwings, three Black-tailed Godwits, three Snipe, six Gadwall, 115 Shovelers, 123 Teal and 250 Wigeon.

Two Kingfishers were in the channel opposite, along with an Avocet, a Grey Plover and 15 Redshanks, whilst two Fieldfares, three Redwings, a Goldcrest, a Cetti's Warbler, a Rock Pipit, four Linnets and c60 Goldfinches were around the Tramway. (PA/AH/IP)

Kingfisher (above), Shovelers, Teal & Lapwings at the Ferry (AH)

Medmerry: Toe End - There were 20 Sanderlings around the breach today. (SH)