17th - 18th December 2025

Thursday, 18th December: A dismal morning of persistent drizzly rain and the odd heavier shower in a fresh and blustery south-westerly....

Selsey Bill: Eight Great Northern Divers and over 100 Gannets went west this morning, and a couple of Guillemots were about, too. Full log below. (SH/LP/SP)

(0750-0920hrs) (SSW, F6)

Great Northern Diver - 1E, 8W, 1os

Red-throated Diver - 1E, 2W

Gannet - 2E, 133W

Brent Goose - 17E, 5W

Common Scoter - 6W

Red-breasted Merganser - 11W

Turnstone - 10

Great Black-backed Gull - 2E, 7W

Guillemot - 1W, 1os

auk sp - 4W

Ferry Pool: There were c60 Shovelers, c100 Lapwings, four Shelducks and c40 Teal on the pool this morning. (AH)

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

Church Norton: There wasn't much to see in the harbour on the high tide this morning, though the three Greenshanks were among a dozen Redshanks again, with a handful of Curlews, Wigeon and Teal also about, all of which were put up by a low-flying Marsh Harrier. (AH)

Marsh Harrier (above) & Greenshank, Teal & Wigeon at Church Norton (AH)

Wednesday, 17th December: A fairly cool, but pleasant morning of light cloud and a fairly light south-westerly breeze...

From the RSPB - The plan is in place to begin removing the containers from Church Norton beach from tomorrow and continuing over the following three days with it finished by the end of the weekend. To do this, part of the car park at Church Norton will need to be closed off as access for the recovery vehicles will be via the car park.

Some overhanging branches along the path to the shore will also need to be cut back and the knee rail fencing at the end of the footpath will also be removed and reinstated later. It is probably an idea to avoid the beach area while recovery is in process but the spit will be accessible.

Selsey Bill: There was a bit of activity this morning, with a few Great Northern and Red-throated Divers moving about, along with lots of distant auks and Gannets. Full log below. (P&LH/AH)

(0745-0915hrs) (SW, F3-4)

Great Northern Diver - 3E, 4W, 2os

Red-throated Diver - 15W

Gannet - 78os

Shag - 4E

Brent Goose - 3W

Common Scoter - 2E

Red-breasted Merganser - 6E, 4W, 2os

Turnstone - 2

Great Black-backed Gull - 1W, 8os

Sandwich Tern - 1os

Guillemot - 1W

Razorbill - 13E, 2W

auk sp - 34E, 103W

Guillemot (above), Great Northern Diver (AH) & sunrise (LH) at the Bill

Ferry Pool: There were just three Avocets, c40 Lapwings, two Shelducks and c120 Canada Geese on the pool this morning. (AH)

Avocets (above) & Lapwings and Canada Geese at the Ferry (AH)

Mill Pond Marsh: A Coal Tit was around today, along with a Goldcrest, a Reed Bunting and a Squealing Water Rail, whilst 20 Shovelers and ten Teal were on the flooded field. (M&LL)

Church Norton: There were a Great Northern Diver, a Red-throated Diver and a couple of Red-breasted Mergansers on the sea this morning, with c20 Gannets feeding well offshore, and also five Red-throated Divers flew west.

The harbour was quiet on the high tide, though the three Greenshanks were with a dozen Redshanks on the concrete blocks, a mix of Knot, Dunlin and Grey Plovers were roosting on the metalwork and a few Teal and Wigeon were scattered about, and there was also a Mistle Thrush in he car-park. (AH/DC et al)

Gannet (above), Greenshanks and Redshanks, Teal and Mistle Thrush at Church Norton (AH)

North Wall: A Goldcrest was along the lane and a Water Rail was in the paddock, but it was generally quiet along the wall with just a few Yellowhammers, Reed Buntings and Greenfinches in the hedgerows, along with a Green Woodpecker, two Song Thrushes and a Jay, whilst four Rock Pipits were along the wall.

There were plenty of birds out in the harbour, but it was just the usual mix of Lapwings, Golden Plover, Grey Plover, Knot, Dunlin, Redshanks and Curlews, as well as Brent Geese, Wigeon, Teal, Pintail and Shelducks. (LP/MJa)

Rock Pipit (above), Green Woodpecker & song Thrush along the North Wall (LP)

Pagham Lagoon and Spit: The Black-necked Grebe was still on the Lagoon this afternoon, as well as five Pochard, eight Tufted Ducks, 14 Little Grebes and numerous Coots.

It was quiet along the spit in the windy conditions, with just a pair of Stonechats and six Linnets, whilst a Peregrine was out on Breech Island. (LP)

Black-necked Grebe (above), Pochard & Little Grebe on Pagham Lagoon & Peregrine from Pagham Spit (LP)

Fishbourne Creek: At Dell Quay this morning, just after high tide, there were six Little Grebes, six Great Crested Grebes, four Red-breasted Mergansers, five Greenshanks and a Kingfisher, with a male Pintail further up the creek. (RW)

Chichester Canal: A look along the canal from Donnington this morning produced 30 Redwings, 20 Blackbirds and four Song Thrushes in the hedges, along with a couple of Jays and Goldcrests, with a Grey Heron, a couple of Gadwall and a couple of Little Grebes on the canal itself. (P&LH)

14th - 16th December 2025

Tuesday, 16th December: The morning started grey and with some spitty drizzle in a moderate south-westerly, but the wind eased later and there was some hazy sun, too..............

Selsey Bill: Around 40 Gannets were feeding round the Mile Basket, ut not too much else was going on. Full log below. (AH/IP)

(0800-0915hrs) (SSW, F4)

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

Red-throated Diver - 4W

Gannet - 40os

Brent Goose - 2W

Common Scoter - 2E

Red-breasted Merganser - 1W

Turnstone - 3

Mediterranean Gull - 2os

Great Black-backed Gull - 7W

Sandwich Tern - 3W

Razorbill - 3W

Great Northern Diver (above) & Gannet at the Bill (AH)

Ferry Pool: A dozen Avocets were roosting on the pool this morning, with c75 Shovelers and c100 Teal also present, with c125 Canada geese on the fields at the back. (AH)

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

North Wall: There were plenty of birds out in the harbour around high tide, but mostly just the regular species, with c1200 Lapwing, c800 Golden Plover, c500 Brent Geese, c150 Black-tailed Godwits, as well as the usual Wigeon, Teal, Pintail and Shelducks.

A Kingfisher and two Little Grebes were by the sluice, and three Rock Pipits were along the wall, with the usual flock of c30 Yellowhammers and Reed Buntings moving along the bushes.

Both male and female Marsh Harriers were over the reeds, and it was busy in the lane by the stables with two Goldcrests, a Song Thrush, a Great Spotted Woodpecker, a Jay, a Dunnock, and 12 Long-tailed Tits. (MJa/LP/CT)

Yellowhammer (above), Rock Pipit, Brent Geese & Golden Plovers at the North Wall (LP)

East Head: There was no sign of the Snow Bunting again, and generally very few small birds present, at all, with just four Stonechats, a dozen Skylarks and half a dozen Meadow Pipits and Linnets noted on look along the shore and back through the dunes.

It was also quiet on the water, with just a Great Northern Diver and a couple of Great Crested Grebe and Red-breasted Mergansers seen, though c40 Sanderlings were along the beach and c1500 Brent Geese were spread between the fields and the harbour. (AH)

Skylark (above), Linnet, Stonechat, Sanderlings & Brent Geese at East Head (AH)

Monday, 15th 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)