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, with wildfowl comprising six Shelducks, c100 Shovelers and Teal and c300 Wigeon. (AH)

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

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)

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)

23rd - 25th January 2026

Sunday, 25th January:  After a fairly bright start in a lighter south-easterly breeze, it slowly clouded up, with drizzly rain by midday.......

Selsey Bill: Two adult Little Gulls, a Fulmar and Black-throated Diver went east this morning, along with a Slavonian Grebe, nine Pintail and over 150 Red-throated Divers. Full log below. (SH/PB/P&LH/IP/AH)

(0730-0915hrs) (SE, F4)

Great Northern Diver - 1E, 2os

Black-throated Diver - 1E

Red-throated Diver - 155E, 3W, 1os

Slavonian Grebe - 1os

Great Crested Grebe - 5os

Fulmar - 1E

Gannet - 

Shag - 10E

Brent Goose - 4W

Shelduck - 1E

Pintail - 9E

Common Scoter - 2E, 2os

Red-breasted Merganser - 9E, 3W, 4os

Oystercatcher - 1E

Sanderling - 5E

Turnstone - 7E

Little Gull - 2E

Mediterranean Gull - 1E

Common Gull - 13E

Great Black-backed Gull - 5os

Kittiwake - 3E

Sandwich Tern - 6os

Razorbill - 2E

(1030-1130hrs) (P&LH)

Red-throated Diver - 1os

Great Crested Grebe - 1E

Gannet - 1W

Shag - 2os

Wigeon - 20os

Red-breasted Merganser - 1E, 1W, 2os

Oystercatcher - 1E

Mediterranean Gull - 1E

Common Gull - 3E

Great Black-backed Gull - 2os

Kittiwake - 1W

Sandwich Tern - 2E

(1445-1545hrs) (SH)

Great Northern Diver - 2os

Slavonian Grebe - 1os

Gannet - 18E

Common Scoter - 21os

Red-breasted Merganser - 8E, 2W, 4os

Mediterranean Gull - 1E

Common Gull - 4E

Great Black-backed Gull - 2E

Sandwich Tern - 6os

Razorbill - 1E

Little Gull (above), Fulmar, Red-throated Divers, Shags & Pintail at the Bill (AH)

Ferry Pool: There were still at least 750 Lapwings around the field and pool, with at least 100 Shovelers, 150 Teal and 400 Wigeon spread around, whilst a Kingfisher was along the channel opposite. (AH)

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

North Wall: A Spotted Redshank was in White's Creek this morning, with two more further down, along with a Kingfisher, c200 Golden Plovers, c1000 Lapwings, c100 Wigeon and a Little Grebe,.

Also, three Rock Pipits were along the wall, a Water Rail was showing well in the paddocks, the male and female Marsh Harriers were over the reeds and a Sparrowhawk went into Owl Copse, whilst c500 Brent Geese and 28 Curlews were in the fields, with a few more at Halsey's Farm, where a Peregrine was sat out at Owl Point. (PB/JDW/LP/MJa)

Spotted Redshank (above), Water Rail, Rock Pipit & Peregrine at the North Wall (LP)

Church Norton: A pair of Red-breasted Mergansers and a few Pintail were in the harbour this morning, along with a couple of Little Egrets, Grey Herons and Great Black-backed Gulls, plus the usual Dunlin and Grey Plovers. (EB)

Red-breasted Mergansers (above), Pintail, Grey Heron, Little Egrets, Great Black-backed Gulls & Dunlin at Church Norton (EB)

Chichester Marina: A Tree-creeper was in the small copse by the entrance barrier early this  afternoon. (GM)

Tree-creeper at Chichester Marina (GM)

Medmerry: Chainbridge to Toe End - A Stonechat, six Skylarks, eight Meadow Pipits and 20 Linnets were along the banks today, with c30 Ringed Plovers and c30 Brent Geese in the tidal area. (S&aH)

Chichester GPs: Ivy Lake complex - There were very few birds around the whole Ivy Lake complex, wit totals of roughly 40 Greylag Geese, 20 Canada Geese, two pairs of Egyptian Geese, five Great Crested Grebes, four Teal and 20 or so Pochard and Tufted Ducks.

There were proportionately more birds on New Lake, where there were c20 Shovelers, another 20 or so Pochard, a dozen Tufted Ducks and six Teal, but there was nothing in the hedges. (AH)

Egyptian Geese (above), Greylag Geese & Pochard and Shovelers at Chichester GPs (AH)

Saturday, 24th January: Another very windy day, with a near gale-force south-easterly blowing throughout, though it was mostly bright, if cool.......

Selsey Bill: A Sooty Shearwater went east this morning at 0754hrs, fairly distant but seen well, whilst a winter's best of 136 Red-throated Divers went east, too, but there wasn't too much else on the move. Full log below. (SH/BI/AH/IP)

(0730-0900hrs) (SE, F7)

Red-throated Diver - 136E, 3W, 3os

Great Crested Grebe - 2os

Sooty Shearwater - 1E (0754hrs)

Gannet - 19E, 8W

Shag - 1E

Brent Goose - 13E

Common Scoter - 5E

Red-breasted Merganser - 4E, 1W, 4os

Mediterranean Gull - 2E

Common Gull - 1E, 1W

Great Black-backed Gull - 2E, 8os

Kittiwake - 5E, 2W

Sandwich Tern - 6os

Razorbill - 1E

auk sp - 8E

Pied Wagtail - 1

Red-throated Diver (above), Shag & Mediterranean Gull at the Bill (AH)

Ferry Pool: There were still 500+ Lapwings on the pool this morning, but no other waders, though there were plenty of wildfowl - namely six Shelducks, c80 Shovelers, c60 Mallards, c150 Teal and at least 400 Wigeon. (AH)

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

North Wall: Two Spotted Redshanks were along White’s Creek this morning, together with the regular Redshanks, Wigeon, Teal, Pintail and Lapwings, whilst the Brent Geese were regularly moving out from the harbour and onto the now flooded Honer 1 field, where at one point there were over 2000 present.

A dozen Redwings were moving along the hedgerows and three Yellowhammers and a Reed Bunting were also about, while in the paddock there were a Water Rail, two Song Thrushes, two Jays, a Grey Wagtail and two Pied Wagtails, with four Marsh Harriers over the reeds further back. (LP/CT/M-OW/EB/SBr et al)

Spotted Redshank (above), Grey Wagtail, Redwing, Song Thrush, Brent Geese (LP), Marsh Harriers, Curlews & Dunnock (EB) at the North Wall

Medmerry: Easton Lane to the Stilt Pool - Nine Fieldfares were about this afternoon, along with c50 Linnets and a single Meadow Pipit, whilst an Avocet and a Snipe were on the stilt Pool,, c500 Brent Geese, c50 Golden Plovers and c1000 Lapwings were on the reserve and a Raven and two Marsh Harriers went over. (S&SaH)

Friday, 23rd January: After more overnight rain spilling into the dawn, an improving morning, ending up bright and breezy, though the breeze - south-easterly early on, southerly later - remained very fresh and blustery.....

Selsey Bill: Over 60 Red-throated Divers went east, a Fulmar went west and a Slavonian Grebe was offshore, though, otherwise it was just a mix of the usual species. Full log below. (SH/AH)

(0745-0915hrs) (SE, F6)

Great Northern Diver - 1E, 1os

Red-throated Diver - 65E, 6W, 4os

Slavonian Grebe - 1os

Great Crested Grebe - 1E

Fulmar - 1W

Gannet - 10E

Common Scoter - 3E, 8os

Red-breasted Merganser - 4E, 3W, 11os

Mediterranean Gull - 1E

Great Black-backed Gull - 1W, 3os

Kittiwake - 3E

Sandwich Tern - 5os

Razorbill - 2E, 8os

auk sp - 6E, 1W

This afternoon, a Little Gull was offshore from Hillfield Road. (RHa)

Red-throated Divers at the Bill (AH)

Ferry Pool: Two Avocets and at least 80 Black-tailed Godwits and 500 Lapwings were around the pool and fields this morning, along with two pairs of Gadwall, six Shelducks, c50 Shovelers, c100 Teal and c250 Wigeon. (AH)

Avocets (above), Gadwall & Black-tailed Godwits on the Ferry (AH)

Long Pool: A Spotted Redshank and an Avocet were at the far end of Ferry Channel this morning, along with 25 Redshanks, whilst a vast flock of c500 Golden Plovers and c2000 Lapwings came up from further out in the harbour.

A Water Rail was calling noisily from the pool and a Buzzard went over, but a Reed Bunting and a handful of Linnets were all that could be found along the path. (AH)

Spotted Redshank (above), Avocet, Buzzard, Golden Plovers & Lapwings and Golden Plovers along the Long Pool (AH)

North Wall: There were at least 1000 Brent Geese, 1000 Lapwings and 200 Golden Plovers over Halsey's Farm at one point this afternoon, along with a Snipe, eight Grey Plovers, c30 Black-tailed Godwits, two Buzzards and two Marsh Harriers.

Also, half a dozen Redwings were in the hedges there, whilst a Rock Pipit was along the wall and another Marsh Harrier was behind it. (S&SaH)

East Head: The Snow Bunting showed nicely for a while at around 0900hrs this morning (BI), but there was no sign in a late morning visit, with an Avocet the meagre highlight (JC).

Snow Bunting video: HERE

Snow Bunting at East Head (BI)

Fishbourne Creek: Highlights on the rising tide this morning included 79 Coot and a Greenshank in the River Lavant outflow, with a second further down the creek, whilst along the main channel there were an Avocet, a Bar-tailed Godwit, 58 Black-tailed Godwits, 28 Ringed Plover, two Pintail, 100+ Wigeon, a drake Goldeneye and a Little Grebe. (RW)