14th - 16th December 2025

Monday, 14th December: A cool and grey morning in a fresh south-westerly............

Selsey Bill: Over 300 Gannets went west this morning, along with a distant flock of a dozen Little Gulls and 36 Guillemots - remarkably, the best count of the species this year. Full log below. (BI/IPAH/BFF/SL)

(0800-1000hrs) (SSW, F5)

Great Northern Diver - 1E, 2os

Red-throated Diver - 2E, 5W

Slavonian Grebe - 1E, 2os

Great Crested Grebe - 1W, 1os

Gannet - 8E, 317W, 40os

Shag - 2E

Brent Goose - 13E

Red-breasted Merganser - 3E, 1W, 1os

Turnstone - 2

Little Gull - 12W

Mediterranean Gull - 9W

Common Gull - 2W

Great Black-backed Gull - 8W

Guillemot - 36W

Razorbill - 57W

auk sp - 196W

Pied Wagtail - 2

Guillemots (above), Red-throated Diver & Gannets at the Bill (AH)

Later, around 1100hrs, a Black-throated Diver went west, along with four Red-throated Divers and more Gannets and Common Gulls. (AW)

Black-throated Diver at the Bill (AW)

Ferry Pool: There were just c50 Lapwings, c30 Shovelers and half a dozen Teal around the pool this morning. (AH)

Lapwings (above) & Shovelers at the Ferry (AH)

Church Norton: There were up to 2000 Dunlin out on the mud this morning, along with two Bar-tailed Godwits, 24 Avocets and c100 Grey Plovers, but only a couple of dozen Knot, whilst at least 1000 Golden Plovers and Lapwings came up from the far end of the harbour a couple of times.

Also, c150 Brent Geese were present, along with c60 Wigeon, a few Teal, two Great Crested Grebes and four Little Grebes, but that was about it. (AH)

Avocets (above), Dunlin, Bar-tailed Godwit & Brent Geese at Church Norton (AH)

East Head: There was no sign of the Snow Bunting today, with a flock of 35 Avocets off Rookwood the only thing of note. (BFF/SL)

Sunday, 14th December: A chilly start, occasionally warming up in the sun, before clouding over, with winds from the south west.......

Selsey Bill: An intriguing shearwater sp. that moved leisurely but purposefully east just too far out to be sure of identification was the highlight of the day. Otherwise, the Long-tailed Duck put in another appearance, two Slavonian Grebes were offshore, as was the Little Gull, and two Velvet Scoters flew east. Full log below. (SH/P&LH/IP/AH/BI/AWi et al).

(0715-1030hrs) (SW F 5)  

Great Northern Diver - 3E, 2W, 2os

Red-throated Diver - 6E, 20W 1os

diver sp. - 1E

shearwater sp - 1E (0920hrs)

Great Crested Grebe 2W 2os

Slavonian Grebe - 2os

Gannet - 4E, 20W

Shag - 2E

Brent Goose - 28W

Long-tailed Duck - 1os

Common Scoter - 13w

Red-breasted Merganser - 3W, 1os

Sparrowhawk - 1

Little Gull - 1os

Common Gull - 1W

Great Black-backed Gull - 2W

Guillemot - 1W

Razorbill - 99W

auk sp - 30E, 177W

Pied Wagtail - 1

This afternoon a good flock of 220 Mediterranean Gulls flew west as did 171 Razorbills.

(1210-1410hrs) (P&LH/SH)

Great Northern Diver - 1E, 1os

Red-throated Diver - 4W, 3os

Great Crested Grebe - 3W, 1os

Gannet - 26W, 25os

Turnstone - 1

Mediterranean Gull - 239W (inc a flock off 220 at 1409hrs)

Common Gull - 2W

Great Black-backed Gull - 9W

Lesser Black-backed Gull - 1W

Kittiwake - 25W

Sandwich Tern - 4W

Razorbill - 171W

auk sp. - 195W

Red-throated Divers (above), Common Gull & Gannet at the Bill (AH)

Ferry Pool: There were two Avocets on the pool this morning, along with c60 Shovelers and 150 Wigeon and Teal. (AH)

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

Pagham Lagoon: The Black-necked Grebe was still present today. (LP et al)

Runcton: This morning south of the village were two Grey Herons, a Kestrel, 40 Mallard, 20 Teal, 40 Shovelers, a Tufted Duck, Green and Great Spotted Woodpeckers, 12 Starlings, four Meadow Pipits, two Stonechats and five Roe Deer. (CRJ)

Fishbourne Creek: A Jack Snipe and two Common Snipe flushed from the saltmarsh this morning and two Rock Pipits were along the strand. 

On the water there were c.300 Wigeon, c.40 Mute Swans and a few Pintail but the nearby hedges were quiet with just a few Long-tailed Tits of note. (BI)

Church Norton: In the harbour this morning there were c200 Brent Geese, a pair of Red-breasted Mergansers, 30 Shelducks, 20 Teal and six Wigeon whilst out on the mudflats were 30 Grey Plovers, four Ringed Plovers, eight Curlew, three Black-tailed Godwits, c100 Knot and 500 Dunlin. A Grey Heron and a Common Gull were also seen, whilst at the Ferry end there were eight Avocets and at least 500 Golden Plovers. (P&LH/AH)

Red-breasted Mergansers (above), Brent Geese, Grey Plover & Black-tailed Godwits at Church Norton (AH)

10th - 13th December 2025

Saturday, 13th December: It was one of those rare, still and bright mornings, cool early on and warming up later .........

Selsey Bill: The Long-tailed Duck re-appeared for the first time this month, with an Eider, the first-winter Little Gull and up to seven Slavonian Grebes about, too. (SH/BI/IP/AH)

(0730-0900hrs) (NE, F2)

Great Northern Diver - 1E, 6os

Red-throated Diver - 1E, 3W, 1os

diver sp - 1W

Slavonian Grebe - 3E, 4os

Great Crested Grebe - 1E, 2W, 3os

Gannet - 4E, 4W, 2os

Shag - 10E

Brent Goose - 7W

Eider - 1E

Long-tailed Duck - 1E

Common Scoter - 30os

Red-breasted Merganser - 2E, 2W, 6os

Little Gull - 1os

Great Black-backed Gull - 1E

Razorbill - 3W

Chiffchaff - 1

Little Gull at the Bill (AH)

Ferry Pool: There were lots of birds back on the pool and fields this morning, including an Avocet, c50 Lapwings, c80 Shovelers, c200 Teal, c400 Wigeon and c120 Canada Geese. (AH)

Avocet and Teal (above) & Shovelers at the Ferry (AH)

Pagham Lagoon: The Black-necked Grebe was still present on the lagoon this morning. (AHu)

Church Norton: The first-winter Little Gull turned up offshore late this morning, with two Slavonian Grebes, two Red-throated Divers and c30 Common Scoters on the sea, eight Shovelers going west and c75 Brent Geese sat on the shingle.

There were plenty of birds in the harbour, including a Black-tailed Godwit, 20 Knot, 100 Dunlin, ten Turnstones, six Avocets, c40 Pintail, a Little Grebe,

Also, the trees between the two Severals held a couple of Goldcrests and Chiffchaffs amongst a large flock of Goldfinches and a Great Spotted Woodpecker; with a Water Rail briefly seen in the waterlogged undergrowth, whilst a few Cetti's warblers were calling in the Severals and our Stock Doves went over Priory Woods. (IP)

North Wall: A Kingfisher was by the sluice and it was busy along White’s Creek, with hundreds of Brent Geese, Lapwings, Black-tailed Godwits, Dunlin, Grey Plovers, Wigeon, Teal, Shelducks and Pintail. present. A Rock Pipit was along the rocks and the mixed flock of c40 Yellowhammers, Reed Buntings, Greenfinches, Linnets, and Blue Tits were moving along the hedgerows, where there was also at least four Song Thrushes.

Two Shovelers and a Little Grebe were along Owl Water, and at Halsey’s Farm 26 Curlews were in the fields, a Snipe flew up and c60 Wigeon and Teal were along the rife.

A Water Rail was in the paddock, as were two Pied Wagtails, two Stonechats, and a Song Thrush, whilst in the fields further back, two Egyptian Geese were around the flooded area. (LP/MJa)

Yellowhammer (above), Stonechat, Song Thrush, Rock Pipit, Wigeon & Shoveler at the North Wall (LP)

Park Farm, Selsey: Around 50 Meadow Pipits were at the eastern end of the fields, where a Dartford Warbler was gently singing from the lone hawthorn bush, whilst a Kestrel seen over the fields from Park Lane. (IP)

East Head: The Snow Bunting was still present along the west side of the dunes, but was inevitably mobile with number of people and dogs about. (MRe/AHu)

Fishbourne Creek: A drake Goldeneye was off Dell Quay this morning, and there were also five Red-breasted Mergansers and two Spotted Redshanks about, too. (HB)

Birdham: A Blackcap was in the garden this morning. (AB)

Sidleham: There were five Fieldfares and six Redwings along Cow Lane this morning (PA) and this afternoon a Raven went over, heading west (AH)

Medmerry: Easton Lane to the Stilt Pool - Most of the activity this morning was along the banks at the southern end of the reserve, including two Dartford Warblers, up to six Stonechats, a dozen Meadow Pipits, c30 Yellowhammers and Skylarks and at least 100 Linnets, with two Ravens going over east, but a single Buzzard was the only raptor seen.

There were just a few Redshanks, Curlews and Teal by the Poplars, with c250 Brent Geese out on the reserve, whilst the Stilt Pool held seven Snipe, three Dunlin, c75 Lapwings, c150 Teal, c100 Wigeon, six Tufted Ducks and two Little Grebes. (AH)

It was much the same this afternoon, but with a selection of raptors about, namely two, and possibly three Marsh Harriers, a Peregrine, two Kestrel and two Buzzards. (S&SaH)

After dark this evening, a Barn Owl and a Woodcock were located near Marsh Barn. (MRe/PA)

Dartford Warbler (above), Raven, Yellowhammer, Linnet, Meadow Pipits, Snipe & Buzzard at Medmerry (AH)

Friday, 12th December: A mild but grey morning in a moderate southerly breeze.........

Selsey Bill: The Little Gull was about again, as was a Slavonian Grebe, a Black-throated Diver and a selection of the regular species. Full log below. (PB/PM/AH/OM)

(0730-1115hrs) (S, F4)

Great Northern Diver - 2E, 2os

Black-throated Diver - 1E

Red-throated Diver - 3E, 5W

Slavonian Grebe - 1os

Great Crested Grebe - 2os

Gannet - 3W

Shag - 9E

Brent Goose - 13E

Common Scoter - 5E, 45os

Red-breasted Merganser - 4E, 14os

Turnstone - 1

Little Gull - 1os

Mediterranean Gull - 12E

Common Gull - 3E

Great Black-backed Gull - 13E

Sandwich Tern - 1W

Kittiwake - 18E

Razorbill - 2E

auk sp - 2E, 2W

Shags (above) & Brent Geese at the Bill (AH)

Ferry Pool: There was nothing on the pool again this morning, though c40 Lapwings flew off from the field. (AH)

East Head: A Snow Bunting - the first for two years - was in their traditional site along the west side of the dunes, late this morning. (TS/BI/A/IP et al)

Snow Bunting at East Head (PA)

Fishbourne Creek: With the low tide this morning there were a Greenshank and a Spotted Redshank at the top of the creek, five Pintail off the sewage works and pair of Red Breasted Mergansers between the Sewage works and Dell Quay.
Also, the large flock of loafing gulls in the upper creek included c1000 Common Gulls, some Black-headed and Herring Gulls and two Great Black-backed Gulls. (RW)

East Beach Pond: A male Blackcap was along the west side path and two Chiffchaffs and two Goldcrests were in the trees around the pond early this afternoon. (OM)

Chiffchaffs at East beach Pond (OM)

Church Norton: There plenty of birds in the harbour this morning, including a Bar-tailed Godwit, 17 Avocets, c400 Golden Plovers and Lapwings, numerous Knot and Dunlin, c40 Brent Geese, two Great Crested Grebes, a few Wigeon and Teal and a female Marsh Harrier. (PB/PM)

Pagham Lagoon: The Black-necked Grebe was showing well again at the southern end this morning, and a Black Redstart was in the vicinity, too. (PA)

Black-necked Grebe (above) & Black Redstart at Pagham Lagoon (PA)

Marsh Farm, Sidlesham: There was a minimum of 70 Cattle Egrets in the fields adjacent to the dairy unit this morning, but there wasn't much else to report, with a Stonechat and a handful of Chaffinches and Pied Wagtails just about the only small birds seen all the way round, with a Marsh Harrier, a Buzzard, a dozen Curlews and 20 Stock Doves over and c85 Collared Doves in the hedge by the dairy about it, otherwise. (AH)

Cattle Egrets (above), Stonechat, Marsh Harrier and Collared Doves at Marsh Fam, Sidlesham (AH)

Chi GPs: Ivy lake complex - I looked at several lakes but concentrated on New Lake and Runcton Lake. The former held a small number of the regular diving ducks and also c35 Shoveler, whilst the latter held the most interest, with c,20 Pochard and c.45 Tufted Ducks the most prominent. Once again, the female Tufted showing some Scaup features was present; again quite distant and un-photogenic, diving frequently and at some angles inviting the belief it could perhaps be the scarcer species, before that band and extensive dark bill-tip dashed any hopes! (OM)

Tufted Ducks on Runcton lake. The female appears to show quite a large rounded head, compared to the male, and no obvious hint of a tuft, whilst the white blaze around the whole bill is fairly extensive (though doesn't show it well here). However, it is not bulkier than the male, there is no pale cheek colouration, it is rather brown overall and the bill tip seems extensively black with a hint of a pale band too. (OM)

Thursday, 11th December: Another fairly warm and pleasant morning of sunshine and white cloud in a moderate south-westerly, though clouding up later on.....

Selsey Bill: The first-winter Little Gull was about again this morning, and a dozen Sandwich Terns were seen, but otherwise it was just small numbers of a reasonable spread of species seen. Full log below. (SH/PB/AH/IP/RJS/MG)

(0730-1000hrs) (SW, F4)

Great Northern Diver - 1W, 1os

Red-throated Diver - 3E, 3W

Great Crested Grebe - 1W, 1os

Gannet - 1W

Shag - 1E, 2os

Brent Goose - 2W

Common Scoter - 3W, 60os

Red-breasted Merganser - 4W

Oystercatcher - 1E

Turnstone - 4

Little Gull - 1os

Mediterranean Gull - 2W, 1os

Common Gull - 1W

Great Black-backed Gull - 2W, 1os

Kittiwake - 7E, 8W

Sandwich Tern - 12W

Razorbill - 11W, 1os

auk sp - 28E, 1W

Pied Wagtail - 1

Little Gull at the Bill (AH)

Ferry Pool: There was not a bird on the pool, with the digger active in the field behind, though a Greenshank dropped in on the creek opposite, where there were half a dozen Redshanks and c30 Teal. (AH)

Greenshank and Redshank in Ferry Channel (AH)

North Wall: There were still at least 15 Yellowhammers along the bushes this morning, together with eight Reed Buntings and a few Greenfinches, a Marsh Harrier was in the trees behind the Breech Pool, and a Rock Pipit was along the wall.

All the usual species were out in the harbour, but the main focus of the morning was in clearing a large amount of the plastic debris that had accumulated along the rocks. (LP/SP/IH/CT/TRH)

And well done to the above for their efforts in clearing up some more of this terrible mess! (Eds)

Yellowhammer (above) & Reed Bunting at the North Wall (LP)

The North Wall crew doing there bit to help clear the debris in the harbour (LP)

Pagham Lagoon: The Black-necked Grebe was showing well again this morning, along with at least 15 Little Grebes, a Great Crested Grebe, two Pochard, half a dozen Tufted Ducks and 50+ Coots, plus a Kingfisher. 

(AH/LP/SP/IH/TRH/CT/AWi et al)

Black-necked Grebe (above) & Little Grebe on Pagham Lagoon (AH)

East side: There were vast numbers of birds along the side of the harbour this morning, including two Spotted Redshanks in White's Creek and c300 Black-tailed Godwits, c100 Grey Plovers, c500 Knot, c100 Dunlin and c150 Lapwings out on the mud, along with c400 Brent Geese, c80 Pintail, c150 Teal c300 Wigeon and a dozen Common Gulls. (AH/AWi et al)

Pintail (above), Common Gull and Wigeon, Knot & Brent Geese, Pintail and Black-tailed Godwits along the Est side (AH)

Medmerry: Easton Lane to the Stilt Pool - Two Dartford Warblers, two Cetti's Warblers, nine Stonechats, a Reed Bunting, 14 Yellowhammers, c20 Skylarks, c30 Linnets and c40 Meadow Pipits were along the banks this morning, with a Greenshank and c500 Brent Geese on the reserve and two Marsh Harriers, a Buzzard and a Kestrel over. (SH/PB)

Wednesday, 10th December: An unseasonably mild morning of sun and cloud in a moderate south-westerly breeze.......

Selsey Bill: The first-winter Little Gull re-appeared offshore again this morning and six Sandwich Terns were feeding near the Mile Basket, but it remains slow.

Encouragingly, the beach around the Bill, at least, is looking much better, with most of the plastic having been removed, though a lot of black bananas remain. Full log below. (IP/AH)

(0800-0900hrs) (SW, F4)

Great Northern Diver - 1W

Great Crested Grebe - 1os

Gannet - 2E, 14W

Shag - 2E

Red-breasted Merganser - 2E

Turnstone - 1

Little Gull - 1os

Kittiwake - 2W

Sandwich Tern - 6os

auk sp - 1E, 1W

Little Gull at the Bill (AH)

Ferry Pool: The digger was in the field this morning, having laid shingle on the new islands, making it quiet, with just three Lapwings and c30 Teal present. (AH)

Teal (above), Lapwings, the digger and the new look at the Ferry (AH)

Pagham Lagoon: The Black-necked Grebe was still present and showing well at the south end of the lagoon early this afternoon. (MRe/LP)

Black-necked Grebe on Pagham Lagoon (LP)

North Wall: It was busier along the hedgerows this morning, with 12 Yellowhammers, ten Reed Buntings, a Goldcrest, a Meadow Pipit, a Song Thrush, four Greenfinches and a few Goldfinches, Blue Tits and Great Tits about, whilst around the fields were 14 Snipe, 17 Curlews, including one tagged bird, A7, seven Skylarks, a Kestrel, and both male and female Marsh Harriers.

Two Rock Pipits were along the rocks, a Grey Wagtail was by the sluice, and in the paddock there were two Pied Wagtails and two Stonechats. whilst over the harbour c1000 Lapwings and c500 Brent Geese were moving between there and the fields.

Also, disappointingly, the container debris is now spread all around the harbour with lots of plastic crates and sheeting all along the wall, down the east side, and out on the saltmarsh. (LP/AW/MJa)

Snipe (above), Marsh Harrier, tagged Curlew (AW), Brent Geese, Kestrel, Meadow Pipit, Yellowhammer, Reed Bunting & Skylark (LP) at the North Wall

Medmerry: A Pale-bellied Brent Goose was among c250 Dark-bellied Brent Geese on the west side of the reserve this afternoon. (HB )

Medmerry: Easton Lane to Wilson's Farm - At least 60 Yellowhammers were in the cover crops by Wilson's Farm, along with a handful of Reed Buntings and Chaffinches, whilst there were c20 Linnets and Skylarks, half a dozen Meadow Pipits, a pair of Stonechats and c50 Stock Doves around the fields south of the bank, and a dozen Egyptian Geese were in one of the flooded fields along Easton Lane. (AH)

Yellowhammers (above) & Skylark at Medmerry (AH)