23rd - 24th August 2026

 Sunday, 23rd August:  Winds from the south-east today, staying dry with occasional light cloud cover....

Selsey Bill: (0600-0830hrs) (SE F2-3) (SH/IP/BI)

There was some more vizmig this morning with another pulse of Yellow Wagtails through, two juveniles and an adult Great Spotted Woodpecker were present and an early returning Red-necked Grebe flew west. Full log below:

Teal - 6E 16W

Red-necked Grebe - 1W

Gannet - 6E 21W

Sparrowhawk - 1

Peregrine - 1E

Oystercatcher - 2E

Turnstone - 14

Mediterranean Gull - 2E 11W

Lesser Black-backed Gull - 1os

Great Black-backed Gull - 1W

Sandwich Tern - 11E 5W

Common Tern - 1E 1W

Swift - 2W

Great Spotted Woodpecker - 3

Sand Martin - 14E

Swallow - 4E

House Martin - 14

Tree Pipit - 3N

Pied Wagtail - 1E

Yellow Wagtail - 50E

Grey Wagtail - 1E

Bottle-nosed Dolphin - c.8 E

Turnstone, below, & Oystercatcher at the Bill (BI)

Ferry Pool/Long Pool: A Whinchat was in the field opposite the Long Pool and the Ruff seen earlier at Church Norton (see below) was on the Ferry Pool as were c.30 Lapwings. (PA)

North Wall:  A Whinchat and two Wheatears were at Halsey’s Farm, a Kingfisher was along the rife, and three Water Rail’s were in the reeds, a Marsh Harrier and a Sparrowhawk were high overhead, and three Yellow Wagtails flew over the fields.

A few Cattle Egrets and Little Egrets were about and four Lesser Whitethroat, two Willow Warblers, six Whitethroats and four Sedge Warblers were along the bushes and reeds.

A Pied Wagtail was on the Breech Pool and a Grey Wagtail was by the sluice, whilst out in the harbour a Pintail was on the water and a Lesser Black-backed Gull was out on the mud. A Spotted Redshank was also noted. (LP/HB/LT/MJa/PB/EB/SBr/KU)

Lapwing, above, Blackcap, Greenfinch with Whitethroat, Kingfisher, Grey Heron and Pied Wagtail at the North Wall (EB)

Church Norton: A Tree-creeper was again in the conservation by the concrete wall this morning as were a Coal Tit & two Firecrests. Up to two Spotted Flycatchers were noted, two Tree Pipits flew over, 66 Yellow Wagtails moved west, two Peregrines and a Raven were also seen. In the harbour were nine Knot, a juvenile male Ruff, a drake eclipse Pintail and a single Snipe. (IP/PA)

Mill Lane:  Around the mill pond this morning were three Sedge Warblers, six Reed Warblers, eight Willow Warblers, two Whitethroats, several Blackcaps and singles of Cetti's Warbler and Coal Tit. A Kingfisher was also seen here. (ML)

Pagham Beach: Two Clouded Yellows and three Painted Lady butterflies were again present this morning. (BI)

Painted Lady & Clouded Yellow at Pagham Beachfront (BI)

Pagham Harbour, East Side: There was a good selection of waders along the East Side at high tide including c80 Ringed Plovers, c60 Dunlin, 26 Grey Plovers, eight Sanderling, three Greenshank, a Spotted Redshank, c140 Redshanks, 18 Oystercatchers, four Whimbrel, ten Curlews and 12 Lapwing. (LP)

Ringed Plover, above, Ringed Plover, Sanderling & Dunlin; Curlew & Whimbrel; Greenshank and Grey Plover on the east side (LP) 

Easton Lane to the Stilt Pool: Eight Buzzards were drifting overhead today and other raptors included a Peregrine, a Kestrel, a Marsh Harrier and a Sparrowhawk. At least a hundred each of Swallows and Sand Martins were over the reserve and two Yellow Wagatils flew over too. Along the banks were eight Stonechats, two Wheatears, a Whinchat, a Reed Bunting, a Willow Warbler and five Yellowhammers. The only bird of note to be seen on the Stilt Pool was a Greenshank. (SH/SaH)

20th - 22nd August 2026

Saturday, 22nd August: A dry and sunny day to start but forecast to cloud over somewhat by mid-day...winds light & variable from north-east to south-west... 

Selsey Bill: (0600-0830hrs) (NE F2-3) (SH/PB/IP)

There was some viz-mig this morning with twenty-four Yellow Wagtails moving west and seven Wheatears on the beach. Full log below:

Teal - 16W

Common Scoter - 2W

Gannet - 4E 78W

Oystercatcher - 3E

Turnstone - 3

Mediterranean Gull - 26W

Lesser Black-backed Gull - 1os

Great Black-backed Gull - 1W

Sandwich Tern - 2E 22W 2os

Common Tern - 2W 1os

Great Spotted Woodpecker - 1

Sand Martin - 18E

Swallow - 2

House Martin - 11

Meadow Pipit - 2N

Yellow Wagtail - 24W
Grey Wagtail - 3E

Wheatear - 7

Hummingbird hawk-moth - 1

Sidlesham: A Tree Pipit flew over Cow Lane this morning. (PA)

Yeoman's Field: A Tree Pipit was here today. (AS)

Mill Lane: c.150 Swallows were over the Crab & Lobster pub this evening. (SH)

Medmerry, Easton Lane to the Stilt Pool: There was a decent selection along the banks this morning including a Yellow Wagtail, a Stonechat, a Whinchat, two Wheatears, six Whitethroats and seven Yellowhammers. A Cattle Egret was in the fields and raptors noted were three Kestrels, two Sparrowhawks, a Marsh Harrier and a Common Buzzard. On the Stilt Pool were five Oystercatchers, six Redshanks and a Greenshanks whilst 14 Sandwich Tern were seen offshore. There were also at least 50 Swallows and 150 Sand Martins logged, the latter taking rather belated interest in the new nesting areas. (SH/PB)

Wheatear and Sand Martins at Medmerry (SH)

North Wall: A male Redstart was reported at Halsey’s Farm early on, but couldn’t be found later, and a Whinchat was on the fence posts at Owl Point but it was generally quiet along the bushes with just a few Whitethroats, a Lesser Whitethroat, two Willow Warblers, a Reed Bunting, and two Linnets seen. Six Sedge Warblers and a Water Rail were in the reeds and a Kingfisher was along Braemere Rife, where there were also nine Teal, a Little Grebe and three Little Egrets.

Two Wheatears were briefly on the dried up Breech Pool and a Yellow Wagtail flew over, whilst four Buzzards were soaring high overhead, and along White’s Creek there was a Spotted Redshank, a Whimbrel, two Curlews, 11 Lapwings and c75 Redshanks. (LP/MJa/JDW et al) This afternoon an Osprey was high over Halsey's Farm and then towards Marsh Farm drifting north, five Buzzards were thermalling and three Marsh Harriers, an adult female and two juveniles, were noted, as were a Kestrel, 11 Cattle Egrets, a Greenshank, eight Swallows, a Reed Warbler and a Yellow Wagtail. (SH)

Whimbrel, above, Sedge Warbler & Whitethroat at the North Wall (LP)

Friday, 21st August: A cooler, though bright morning in a light to moderate northerly breeze.....

Selsey Bill: There was very little moving this morning, but there was a massive feeding flock offshore again and a pod of Bottle-nosed Dolphins were moving east. Full log below. (AH/IP)

(0650-0805hrs) (N, F3)

Gannet - 40os

Oystercatcher - 2E, 1W

Turnstone - 19

Mediterranean Gull - 500os

Black-headed Gull - c500os

Common Gull - 1E

Herring Gull - c2000os

Sandwich Tern - 5E, 12W, 5os

Common Tern - 1W, 4os

House Martin - 1

Bottle-nosed Dolphin - 8E

Common Gull (above) & Mediterranean Gull at the Bill (AH)

A mixed flock of at least 30 hirundines were flying around the Bill late afternoon as were two Swifts. (AW)

Swifts, above, Swallow, Sand Martin & House Martin at the Bill (AW)

Ferry Pool: Two Pied Wagtails, a Greenshank and a Redshank dropped in on the pool, which now has a little water on it, whilst in the channel opposite there were a Whimbrel, an adult and a juvenile Avocet, four Lapwings, two Common Sandpipers, five Knot and three Redshanks. (AH/Rbe)

Greenshank (above), Lapwing & Avocets at the Ferry (AH)

More from the Ferry: Common Sandpiper, below, Redshank with Starling & Knot (RBe)

Mill Pond Marsh: Two Kingfishers, plus a Cormorant catching eels, were on the Mill Pond this morning. (M&LL)

Church Norton: A Spotted Flycatcher was in Bluebell Wood early this morning, but otherwise there were just two or three Whitethroats and Willow Warblers about, plus half a dozen Swallows over. At least half a dozen Whimbrel were in the harbour, along with a few Curlews, Redshanks and Oystercatchers and c150 Black-headed Gulls, but that was about it. (RBe/AH) A late morning visit to the churchyard produced a Redstart, a Willow Warbler and a few Chiffchaffs and Blackcaps with two Sand Martins overhead (JC)

Whimbrel,top, (AH) & Spotted Flycatcher (RBe) at Church Norton

North Wall: A Whinchat was on the fence posts in Owl Point field this morning, and a Willow Warbler, six Long-tailed Tits and eight Whitethroats were along the bushes, whilst at Braemere Rife there was a Water Rail, a Snipe, a Lapwing, 32 Cattle Egrets, three Little Egrets, nine Teal and a Little Grebe. Also around the fields was a good selection of butterflies including two Small Coppers, two Common Blues, three Clouded Yellows and a Painted Lady.

Two Kingfishers were again sat together along Owl Water and the last of the young Cattle Egrets and Little Egrets were still in the trees, with a Blackcap and another Willow Warbler in the large Oak tree. Two Wheatears were briefly along the rocks and a Yellow Wagtail passed overhead, with four Buzzards much higher up.

A Spotted Redshank, five Dunlin, a Whimbrel, three Greenshanks, and 11 Black-tailed Godwits were along White’s Creek with the usual Redshanks, lapwings and Curlews, whilst in the paddock a Lesser Whitethroat was in the bushes along with a few Whitethroats and Greenfinches. Also, two Great Spotted Woodpeckers flew over and two flocks of Starlings numbering c.500 birds in total were noted. (TRH/CRJ/LP/GHi/IP/CT/TS et al)

Cattle Egrets, above, Kingfishers, Small Copper & Greenshanks with a Spotted Redshank  (LP); Black-tailed Godwits & Whimbrel (CRJ) at the North Wall

Thursday, 20th August: After heavy overnight rain, a quite warm morning of sunshine, white cloud and the odd shower in a blustery westerly breeze.....

Selsey Bill: There were good numbers of Gannets again this morning, flying into the massive offshore feeding flock from the east and then slowly drifting off west, with a few Common and sandwich Terns going west, too. Full log below. (AH/IP)

(0650-0820hrs) (W, F5)

Gannet - 425W

Oystercatcher - 6W

Dunlin - 1W

Mediterranean Gull - 500os

Common Gull - 2W, 1os

Lesser Black-backed Gull - 2os

Great Black-backed Gull - 5os

Sandwich Tern - 2E, 20W

Common Tern - 29W

Swallow - 9W

House Martin - 3

Common Tern (above), Sandwich Tern, Mediterranean Gull & Gannets at the Bill (AH)

Ferry Pool: There were just an Avocet on the pool and four Redshanks in the channel, with more interest in the vicinity in the form of a Glossy Ibis over the Visitor Centre mid-morning, three or Willow Warblers near the hide and two Cattle Egrets in the field south of the pool. (RP/AH)

This evening there were three Ringed Plovers on the pool. (AH)

Willow Warbler (above) & Cattle Egret at the Ferry (AH)

Church Norton: A juvenile/female Redstart was showing well behind the hide this morning, a Spotted Flycatcher was in the bushes around the horse field and a couple of Willow Warblers were around the churchyard, but, otherwise the hedges were very quiet.

Also, a Green sandpiper flew over the Severals, an immature Marsh Harrier was hunting over the harbour and a few Swallows flew through, but two or three Whimbrel, half a dozen juvenile Shelducks and the usual Curlews, Redshanks and Oystercatchers was it for the harbour. (CRJ/KB/AH/KT/EB et al)

Redstart (CRJ top, AH middle, EB lower) (above), Whimbrel (AH), Kestrel (EB) & an abandoned yacht on the beach (CRJ) at Church Norton

North Wall: Two Willow Warblers and two Jays were down the lane by the stables, but elsewhere it was very quiet, with just a Spotted Redshank and a few Redshanks along White’s Creek, and nothing on the Breech Pool or along the wall.

At Halsey’s Farm, two Kingfishers were along the rife and six Teal, a Little Grebe, a Lapwing, two Black-tailed Godwits and two Snipe were on the mud, while a few Reed and Sedge Warblers were in the reeds, and a Sparrowhawk, four Buzzards and a Kestrel passed overhead. (LP/SP/KU)

Sidlesham: A Reed Warbler was in the hedges today, and at least 11 Yellow Wagtails were in the cow field. (PA)

Medmerry: Easton Lane to Marsh Barn - A look along the banks this evening produced a Dartford Warbler, a Whitethroat, a Willow/Chiff, two Yellowhammers and 154 Yellow Wagtails, plus c20 Sand Martins and two Kestrels over. (S&SaH)