25th April 2026

Saturday, 25th April: After a cold and grey start, an increasingly warm and sunny morning in a light to moderate breeze, north-easterly before shifting to the south-east.....

Selsey Bill: It was a lot quieter this morning, though a fair mix of species were recorded, including seven Arctic Terns, an Eider west and an Arctic Skua, 22 Whimbrel and 19 Bar-tailed Godwits east. Full log below. 

(JA/SH/PB/MRB/PM/BI/PA/JFi/IP/RHa/AH/NM et al)

(0515-0900hrs) (NE, F2-3)

Great Northern Diver - 1E, 4os

diver sp - 2E

Fulmar - 1E

Gannet - 12E, 14W

Shag - 1E

Brent Goose - 4E

Shelduck - 5W

Eider - 1W

Common Scoter - 94E, 13os

falcon sp - 1N

Oystercatcher - 16E, 1W

Sanderling - 3E

Whimbrel - 22E

Curlew - 1E

Bar-tailed Godwit - 19E

Arctic Skua - 1E

Mediterranean Gull - 5E

Black-headed Gull - 29E

Common Gull - 7E

Great Black-backed Gull - 9E, 14os

Kittiwake - 2E

Sandwich Tern - 90E, 20os

Common Tern - 13E

Arctic Tern - 7E

'Commic' Tern - 89E

Little Tern - 3E, 1os

auk sp - 1W

Swallow - 4N

House Martin - 2

Yellow Wagtail - 1N

Pied Wagtail - 1N

Meadow Pipit - 1N

Wheatear - 4

Chaffinch - 1

Common Scoters (above) & Brent Geese at the Bill (AH)

This afternoon there were nine more Pomarine Skuas east, along with 46 Brent Geese, 11 Arctic Skuas and eight Black Terns. Full log below. (PB/JA/SH/BI/AH/JFi)

(1330-1830hrs)

Great Northern Diver - 1W, 6os

Red-throated Diver - 1E

Fulmar - 1W

Gannet - 4E, 8W

Shag - 1W

Brent Goose - 46E

Common Scoter - 21E, 10os

Red-breasted Merganser - 2W

Whimbrel - 25E

Bar-tailed Godwit - 2E

Pomarine Skua - 9E

Arctic Skua - 11E

Mediterranean Gull - 

Great Black-backed Gull - 3os

Kittiwake - 1W

Sandwich Tern - 34E, 20os

Common Tern - 7E, 4os

Little Tern - 19E, 2W, 10os

Black Tern - 8E

Little Tern (above), Sandwich Tern & Whimbrel at the Bill (AH)

Ferry Pool: A drake Garganey - the first seen anywhere other than the Bill this spring - was on the pool this morning, along with a Common Sandpiper, a Green Sandpiper, three Little Ringed Plovers, 11 Avocets, a drake Wigeon, seven Gadwall, eight Shovelers and 16 Shelducks, whilst two Spotted Redshanks, a Greenshank and three Whimbrel were in the channel opposite and a Red Kite went over the Discovery Area.. (MRB/PA/aH/GJa/GW et al)

Garganey (above), Common Sandpiper, Little Ringed Plovers & Spotted Redshank at the Ferry (AH)

North Wall: A male Cuckoos was displaying to a female along the wall this morning, with a Wheatear, two Yellowhammers, a Chiffchaff, four Lesser Whitethroats, five Whitethroats, four Blackcaps, five Reed Warblers, 12 Sedge Warblers, two Cettis Warblers, four Reed Buntings and four Swallows also noted, along with a singing Firecrest at Halsey's Farm and .two Song Thrushes, a Green Woodpecker, a Pied Wagtail, two Swallows and a Jay around the paddocks.

Also,, Common Sandpiper, a Greenshank and three Whimbrel were in White's Creek, two Gadwall were in the Breech Pool, up to ten Cattle Egrets were on nests in Owl Copse and two Marsh Harriers, four Buzzards and three Kestrels went over. (DHo/S&SaH/GJa/LP/MJa/KU et al)

Cuckoos (above), Wheatear, Swallow, Yellowhammer (DHo), Common Sandpiper, Whitethroat, Lesser Whitethroat, Reed Warbler & Jay (LP) at the North Wall

Mill Pond Marsh: A Cuckoo was present again this morning, along with two Gadwall, a Swift and a Lesser Whitethroat. (LL/CN)

Church Norton: There were at least 35 Little Terns in the harbour this morning, along with at least five Common Terns and 200 Sandwich Terns among the many Mediterranean and Black-headed Gulls.

Also, two Bar-tailed Godwits, at least five Whimbrel and two Curlews and Turnstones were about, along with c25 Grey Plovers, a dozen Ringed Plovers and at least 40 Dunlin, but it was just the odd Chiffchaff and Blackcap in the hedges. (AH)

Common Tern (above), Common and Little Terns & Whimbrel at Church Norton (AH)

Runcton: South of the village this morning, there were a Pair of Mute Swans with a nest, five Shelducks, 14 Mallard, a Shoveler, five Gadwall, three Teal, 12 Tufted Ducks, three Pochard, a Little Grebe, a Grey Heron, four Cattle Egrets, two Buzzards, a Kestrel, 16 Coots, a Common Sandpiper, a Little Ringed Plover, two Green Woodpeckers, a Great Spotted Woodpecker, four Whitethroats, four Blackcaps, four Cetti’s Warblers three Chiffchaffs, a Reed Warbler, a Sedge Warbler, two Goldfinches and a male Reed Bunting. (CRJ)

Medmerry: Ham viewpoint - A Nightingale was reported as singing again near here this morning. (per GW)

Medmerry: Stilt Pool -- A male Ruff, just starting to get summer plumage, was on the Stilt Pool this morning, along with three Little Ringed Plovers, and a Yellow Wagtail went over. (AB)

22nd - 24th April 2026

Friday, 24th April: The spell of fine weather continues with another morning of more or less unbroken sun, though the wind remains cool and brisk and from the east............

Selsey Bill: It was another interesting morning for a good turnout of observers, topped off by a flock of seven Pomarine Skuas east, along with 108 Bar-tailed Godwits, 89 Whimbrel, 59 Sanderlings, 292 Sandwich Terns and 14 Little Gulls east, an Eider west and a little arrival of other species including a Redpoll and a Whinchat that both dropped briefly, four Yellow Wagtails, and, oddly, a Cattle Egret in the gardens. Full log below. (JA/SH/BI/MRe/PA/IP/MO-W/PM/PB/AB/IH/AH/OM/CRJ/JF et al)

(0515-1400hrs) (ENE, F4)

Great Northern Diver - 1E, 1W, 5os

Red-throated Diver - 1E

Great Crested Grebe - 2E

Fulmar - 1W

Gannet - 27E, 16W, 2os

Shag - 1E

Cattle Egret - 1

Little Egret - 2N

Shelduck - 4E

Teal - 4E

Eider - 1W

Common Scoter - 53E, 3W, 36os

Red-breasted Merganser - 2W

Peregrine - 1

Kestrel - 1N

Oystercatcher - 9E

Ringed Plover - 1E

Sanderling - 59E

Dunlin - 4E

Whimbrel - 89E

Curlew - 2E

Bar-tailed Godwit - 108E

Turnstone - 5E

Great Skua - 2E

Pomarine Skua - 7E (1046hrs)

Arctic Skua - 4E

Little Gull - 134E

Mediterranean Gull - 14E, 2os

Black-headed Gull - 24E

Common Gull - 21E

Lesser Black-backed Gull - 7E

Great Black-backed Gull - 51E

Herring Gull - 1200os

Kittiwake - 2E

Sandwich Tern - 292E, 40os

Common Tern - 44E, 15os

'Commic' Tern - 50E

Little Tern - 27E, 4os

auk sp - 2E

Swift - 1N

Swallow - 24N

Sand Martin - 11N

House Martin - 3N, 2 present

Yellow Wagtail - 4N

Wheatear - 3N

Whinchat - 1

Willow Warbler - 1N, 1 present

Redpoll - 1N

Linnet - 1N

Yellow Wagtail (above), Cattle Egret, Peregrine, Eider, Sanderlings, Bar-tailed Godwits, Whimbrel and Bar-tailed Godwits (AH), Little Tern, Sanderlings, Common Terns & Whimbrel (PM) at the Bill

There were more birds moving east this afternoon, including four Pomarine Skuas, six Arctic Skuas, four Manx Shearwaters and ten Little Gulls. Full log below. (SH/JA/AH/RHa)

(1530-1900hrs)

Great Northern Diver - 1os

Red-throated Diver - 1E

Manx Shearwater - 4E

Gannet - 11E, 15W, 3os

Shag - 1W

Common Scoter - 16E, 15os

Red-breasted Merganser - 2W

Whimbrel - 12E

Bar-tailed Godwit - 13E

Pomarine Skua - 4E

Arctic Skua - 6E, 2os

Little Gull - 10E

Mediterranean Gull - 4E

Lesser Black-backed Gull - 1E

Kittiwake - 1E

Sandwich Tern - 68E, 40os

Common Tern - 9E

'Commic' Tern - 5E

Little Tern - 7E, 1os

auk sp - 1E

Swallow - 1N

Arctic Skua (above) & Arctic skua and Herring Gulls at the Bill (AH)

Ferry Pool: A Common Sandpiper was on the pool this morning, along with ten Avocets, an Oystercatcher, eight Shovelers and Gadwall, a drake Teal and 22 Shelducks, whilst the Spotted Redshank was in the channel opposite, along with a Black-tailed Godwit and seven Whimbrel. (AH)

Common Sandpiper (above), Spotted Redshank, Whimbrel & Avocet and Gadwall at the Ferry (AH)

Church Norton: There were at least 25 Little Terns and 200 Sandwich Terns present this morning, but the only waders were three Bar-tailed Godwits, five Whimbrel, a Curlew, a Ringed Plover and a dozen Oystercatchers, whilst a couple of singing Blackcaps and Chiffchaffs were all that could be found in the bushes. (AH)

Little Terns (above), Sandwich Terns & Whimbrel at Church Norton (AH)

North Wall: There was a Cuckoo in the paddocks and good numbers of Whitethroats and Sedge Warblers along the hedgerows this morning, and a Lesser Whitethroat was heard but not seen, in the Breech Pool there were just nine Shelducks, a Wigeon, a Great Crested Grebe and two Tufted Ducks.

At the bottom of the wall there was a lone Brent Goose, with another in Honer 2 and a single Wheatear was at the western end of the rocks.

Also, the Grey Heron chick showed well, with five Cattle Egrets nearby, whilst the Marsh Harriers could be seen taking nesting material down in to the reeds, and at Halsey's Farm there were two Gadwall and two Whinchats in the nearby fields and two Kestrels flew though the area. (GHi/MJa)

Whinchats (above), Wheatear, Sedge Warbler, Whitethroat, Brent Goose, Gadwall, Grey Heron (GHi), Cuckoo & Orange-tip (MJa) at the North Wall 

Mill Pond Marsh: A Marsh Harrier was around again this evening, along with half a dozen Swallows, a Lesser Whitethroat and a Whitethroat. (AH)

Medmerry: Easton Lane to the Stilt Pool - An Avocet and two Greenshanks were on the Stilt Pool today, whilst two Common Terns were on the rafts on the pool opposite, with a Ringed Plover nearby and five Swallows, a Sparrowhawk, two Buzzards and three Kestrels over.

Also, along the banks there were a Lesser Whitethroat, 24 Whitethroats,, seven Reed Warblers, three Sedge Warblers, a Blackcap, three Chiffchaffs, eight Cetti's Warblers, two Yellowhammers and ten Reed Buntings. (S&SaH)

Chichester GPs: Having not been seen at all this spring, the female Red-crested Pochard appeared at Quarry Lake today with ducklings in tow.

There were also families of Egyptian Geese and Greylag Geese there, too. (K Heather)

Red-crested Pochard family (above), Greylag Goose family & Egyptian Goose gosling at Chichester GPs (K Heather)

Thursday, 23rd April: Another bright morning, and a bit warmer as the still fresh breeze eased a little and tilted towards the east........

Selsey Bill: It was another morning with a wide range of species seen, though volume was fairly modest, with highlights being a Pomarine Skua and 65 Whimbrel east, a splendid pair of Eider sat close offshore and a bit of visible migration including a Tree Pipit, three Yellow Wagtails and all three hirundine species. Full log below. (SH/BI/PA/MO-W/AH/CRJ et al)

(0535-1120hrs) (ENE, F4-5)

Great Northern Diver - 2os

Red-throated Diver - 1E

Gannet - 23E, 49W

Shag - 1E

Shelduck - 7E

Teal -  5E

Shoveler - 3E

Mallard - 1E

Eider - 2os

Common Scoter - 25E, 6os

Red-breasted Merganser - 2W, 2os

Oystercatcher - 4E, 2W

Ringed Plover - 2E

Sanderling - 8E

Whimbrel - 65E

Bar-tailed Godwit - 2E

Turnstone - 10E

Great Skua - 1os

Pomarine Skua - 1E (1113hrs)

Arctic Skua - 2E

Little Gull - 4E

Mediterranean Gull - 9E

Common Gull - 5E

Lesser Black-backed Gull - 1os

Great Black-backed Gull - 10os

Kittiwake - 1E

Sandwich Tern - 231E, 9W, 40os

Common Tern - 75E, 2os

'Commic' Tern - 35E

Little Tern - 6os

auk sp - 3E

Swift - 6N

Skylark - 1N

Swallow - 62N

Sand Martin - 7N

House Martin - 6N, 2 present

Yellow Wagtail - 3N

Tree Pipit - 1N

Meadow Pipit - 1N

Willow Warbler - 4

Linnet - 10W

There was more activity this afternoon, including a flock of 11 Black Terns and 3000 Herring Gulls going east. Full log below. (SH/JA)

(1615-1800hrs)

Red-throated Diver - 2E

Gannet - 1E

Shag - 1W

Oystercatcher - 1E

Grey Plover - 5E

Common Gull - 2E

Herring Gull - 3000E

Sandwich Tern - 44E, 30os

Common Tern - 6E, 1os

'Commic' Tern - 17E, 30os

Black Tern - 11E (in one flock)

Swallow - 2N

Eider (above), Whimbrel, Common Scoters, Swallow (AH) & Sanderlings (AW) at the Bill

Ferry Pool: There were at least 60 Whimbrel spread around the harbour off the Tramway this morning, with a Greenshank in the main channel and another and a Black-tailed Godwit in Ferry Channel, and there were more waders further out, including c25 probable Bar-tailed Godwits.

The pool was much the same as recent days, though, with a Green Sandpiper in the meanders at the back and a total of eight Avocets present, along with ten Shovelers, eight Gadwall and 47 Shelducks, plus seven Swallows over.

Also, the Tramway circuit produced a scattering of singing Blackcaps, Whitethroats and Chiffchaffs and a Mistle Thrush flying over with food, but not too much else. (PA/AH)

Avocet (above), Whimbrel, Mistle Thrush, Whitethroat & Chiffchaff at the Ferry (AH)

North Wall: A Whinchat was on the fence at Halsey’s Farm, and a pair of Gadwall were along the rife, while in Owl Copse the Grey Heron chick in the visible nest was showing well. The two remaining Brent Geese were still in the fields and a Wigeon was on the Breech Pool along with two Great Crested Grebes and eight Shelducks, with the Marsh Harriers in their usual area and a Peregrine high overhead.
Out in the harbour, a Greenshank was by Heron Island, but the only other waders about were four Whimbrels, three Curlews and an Oystercatcher, whilst along the wall there were a few Linnets, Whitethroats and Sedge Warblers, with two Swallows around the paddock, as well as two Pied Wagtails, and a Greenfinch. (LP/MJa/TRH/JDW)

Whinchat (above), Swallow, Whitethroat, Grey Herons, Wigeon, Greenfinch, Linnet & Pied Wagtail at the North Wall (LP)

Church Norton: Five Bar-tailed Godwits and c25 Oystercatchers were the only waders visible at high tide this evening, though the colony on and around Tern Island was as busy as ever. (AH)

Bar-tailed Godwits (above) & Tern Island at Church Norton (AH)

Wednesday, 22nd April: A bright and sunny morning, but kept quite cool by the brisk easterly, freshening towards gale-force by midday......

Selsey Bill: A Pomarine Skua went east, fairly close in this morning, with two Bonxies, 17 Bar-tailed Godwits, 68 Whimbrel, 43 Common Terns and 201 Sandwich Terns also going east, whilst a dark-phase Arctic Skua and four Fulmars went west, and seven Swifts and 28 Swallows came in off the sea. Full log below.

(SH/PA/KT/LP/TR/MO-W/AH/OM/JDa/AWi)

(0545-1215hrs) (E, F6-7)

Great Northern Diver - 2os

Red-throated Diver - 1E

Fulmar - 4W

Gannet - 6E, 50W

Common Scoter - 10E, 1W, 1os

Red-breasted Merganser - 1os

Kestrel - 1N

Oystercatcher - 4E, 4W

Grey Plover - 1E

Whimbrel - 68E

Bar-tailed Godwit - 17E

Turnstone - 7

Pomarine Skua - 1E (0757hrs)

Great Skua - 2E

Arctic Skua - 1W

Little Gull - 3E

Mediterranean Gull - 2E

Common Gull - 9E

Great Black-backed Gull - 2E

Sandwich Tern - 201E

Common Tern - 43E

Little Tern - 2E, 5os

auk sp - 3W

Swift - 7N

Swallow - 28N

Meadow Pipit - 4N

House Martin - 2

Willow Warbler - 1

Linnet - 2

Pomarine Skua (above), Bonxie, Whimbrel, Little Tern & Swift at the Bill (AH)

At 1520hrs, a little group of waders went past the Bill, comprising of four Whimbrels, a Dunlin and a Knot. (AW)

Later in the afternoon there was more interest, with three Black Terns heading east and an unexpected Balearic Shearwater and three Eider heading west. Full log below. (SH/AW/AT/AH)

(1615-1800hrs)

Balearic Shearwater - 1W (1715hrs)

Gannet - 1E, 3W

Eider - 3W

Red-breasted Merganser - 4E

Kittiwake - 2E

Sandwich Tern - 13E

Common Tern - 115E

Black Tern - 3E

Swallow - 4N

House Martin - 1

Whimbrel, Knot & Dunlin at the Bill (AW)

Ferry Pool: The Spotted Redshank and Greenshank were both in Ferry Channel again this morning, but a fairly quiet pool just held seven Avocets, four Black-tailed Godwits, four Gadwall, four Shovelers, 22 Mallard and a good count of 54 Shelducks. (OM/AH)

Spotted Redshank (AH top two, OM lower)(above) & Greenshank (AH top & OM lower) at the Ferry

This afternoon a male Ring Ouzel was along the bank beyond the back of the pool, showing well, albeit distantly, into the evening, and there were also a Wheatear and a Green Sandpiper in the vicinity. (GRAB/PA/BI/AH/NM et al)

Ring Ouzel at the Ferry (AH)

Church Norton: A Swift went over this morning. (GR)