4th February 2026

Wednesday, 4th February: A complete contrast this morning, with plenty of blue sky and some sun in a moderate south-south-easterly breeze....

Selsey Bill: It was slow this morning, despite the promising conditions, with just a few of the regulars about. Full log below. (AH/IP)

(0750-0905hrs) (SSE, F4-5)

Great Northern Diver - 1E, 1os

Red-throated Diver - 9E, 5W

Gannet - 4E

Common Scoter - 7os

Red-breasted Merganser - 1E, 2os

Oystercatcher - 1E, 3W

Mediterranean Gull - 3W

Common Gull - 3E

Great Black-backed Gull - 3E, 3os

Kittiwake - 1E

Razorbill - 7E

Great Northern Diver (above) & Common Gull at the Bill (AH)

Ferry Pool: At least 2000 Lapwings were spread around the fields, along with a single Avocet, but wildfowl numbers appeared lower, with c60 Shovelers, c100 Teal and c150 Wigeon on the flooded parts of the fields, and a pair of Mute Swans on the pool before they headed for the harbour. (AH)

Lapwings (above) & Mute Swan at the Ferry (AH)

Marsh Farm, Sidlesham: The three White-fronted Geese were in the fields just east of the dairy buildings this morning, with a total of 36 Cattle Egrets seen, along with a Snipe, Raven, a couple of Marsh Harriers, 15 Mediterranean Gulls, 205 Common Gulls and lots of the waders and Brent Geese coming up over the harbour.

There were also a Blackcap and a Firecrest in the churchyard, and a good selection of passerines around the hedges and fields, including.15 Skylarks, four Yellowhammers, three Stonechats, three Cetti's Warblers and two Mistle Thrushes (PA)

White-fronted Goose at Marsh Farm, Sidlesham (PA)

North Wall: There were a lot of birds in the flooded Honer fields today, including large flocks of Black-tailed Godwits, Lapwings and Brent Geese, with at least ten Grey Herons and a few Cattle Egrets about, too.

Also, a Grey Wagtail, a Rock Pipit and a Chiffchaff were present, and a Marsh Harrier went over. (EB)

Black-tailed Godwits (above), Brent Geese, Marsh Harrier, Grey Heron, Chiffchaff, Grey Wagtail & Rock Pipit at the North Wall (EB)

Medmerry: Breach area - Around 100 Ringed Plovers were roosting on the beach today, and c50 Golden Plovers and c200 Lapwings were on the reserve, whilst a Stonechat and a Pied Wagtail were at Toe End. (SH)

Fishbourne Creek: A pair of Peregrines were sat close together on the old mill remains at the top of the creek this morning, the later out on the saltmarsh. (MWr)

Peregrines in Fishbourne Creek (MWr)

West Itchenor: A look along the foreshore late this morning was pretty quiet for variety, though vast numbers of Dunlin and some Grey Plovers were flying around on the far side, but the near side just held c100 Brent Geese, a pair of Shelducks and a few Grey Plovers, Redshanks, Curlews and Oystercatchers, plus a Buzzard over and a couple of Rock Pipits. (AH)

Brent Geese (above), Shelducks, Grey Plover & Dunlin at West Itchenor (AH)

1st - 3rd February 2026

Tuesday, 3rd February: A really miserable morning, with persistent heavy rain in a cold and fresh easterly breeze.........

Selsey Bill: A Red-necked Grebe went west, as did two Fulmars, with a flock of 12 Wigeon going east, but it was otherwise it was slow. Full log below. (AH)

(0810-0925hrs) (E, F4-5)

Great Northern Diver - 1os

Red-throated Diver - 4E, 1os

Red-necked Grebe - 1W

Fulmar - 2W

Gannet - 2E

Wigeon - 12E

Red-breasted Merganser - 2W, 1os

Turnstone - 14

Common Gull - 3E

Great Black-backed Gull - 4E

Wigeon (above) & Gannets at the Bill (AH)

Ferry Pool: There were at least 2000 Lapwings on the fields this morning, with more birds dropping in from the harbour, but the only other waders seen were a couple of Redshank, whilst wildfowl comprised eight Shelducks, c60 Shovelers, c100 Teal and c250 Wigeon, all spread around the flooded fields. (AH)

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

Church Norton: A quick look at the harbour in the dire conditions this morning just produced an Avocet, c50 Grey Plovers, c500 Knot, c1200 Dunlin, 20 Shelducks and similar of Wigeon and Teal, plus c40 roosting Great Black-backed Gulls. (AH)

Avocet (above) & Knot and Dunlin at Church Norton (AH)

East Side: On the rising tide this morning there were good numbers of Lapwings, Black-tailed Godwits, Knot, Dunlin and Grey Plovers, as well as Wigeon, Pintail, Teal and Shelducks, whilst two Red-breasted Mergansers were out towards the harbour entrance, and a Mediterranean Gull was with lots of Black-headed Gulls, Herring Gulls, Great Black-backed Gulls, Common Gulls, and a Lesser Black-backed Gull. (LP)

Knot (above), Mediterranean Gull & Black-tailed Godwits and Pintail along the East side (LP)

North Wall: It was quiet at high tide in the persistent rain, with just three Rock Pipits along the wall, whilst out in the flooded fields, 12 Shovelers, a Single Brent Goose and a Little Grebe were with plenty of Teal and Wigeon on the water, and a Spotted Redshank, 110 Redshank, c500 Black-tailed Godwits and c500 Lapwings were on the higher ground.
Elsewhere, a Song Thrush, a Jay and a few Blackbirds were in the Paddock and a couple of Snipe flew over from the harbour. (LP)

Rock Pipit (above) & Wood Pigeon at the North Wall (LP)

Monday, 2nd February: After another night of very heavy rainfall, a grey, but fairly mild morning in a moderate easterly breeze.........

Selsey Bill: There was another good westward movement of 167 Red-throated Divers, meaning over 500 have gone west in the last two days, but not too much else was moving, though a loose flock of 35 Mediterranean Gulls went east, a Velvet Scoter dropped in offshore and a Common Seal was hauled out on the beach until the tide reached it. Full log below. (PA/AH/P&LH/IP)

(0745-0930hrs) (E, F4)

Great Northern Diver - 3W

Red-throated Diver - 7E, 167W, 3os

Gannet - 5E, 18W, 8os

Shag - 1E

Brent Goose - 2E

Velvet Scoter - 1os

Common Scoter - 3E, 3W, 11os

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

Turnstone - 2

Mediterranean Gull - 35E

Common Gull - 1E

Great Black-backed Gull - 3E

Sandwich Tern - 2os

Razorbill - 3W

auk sp - 8W

(1130-1240hrs) (P&LH/M&L Barry)

Great Northern Diver - 4E, 1os

Red-throated Diver - 6E, 3W, 1os

Great Crested Grebe - 2E

Pintail - 5E

Common Scoter - 5os

Red-breasted Merganser - 7E, 7os

Mediterranean Gull - 2E

Great Black-backed Gull - 2E

Red-throated Diver (above), Mediterranean Gulls & Common Seal at the Bill (AH)

Ferry Pool: The pool and fields were very flooded this morning, with the new shingle islands completely submerged, and consequently all that was present - c1500 Lapwings, a drake Gadwall, five Shelducks, c100 Shovelers, c50 Teal and c200 Wigeon - were on the fields. (AH)

Also, at high tide, among the many waders over the harbour, viewed from the Tramway, there were 57 Avocets and 1000 Black-tailed Godwits. (*PA)

Lapwings (above) & a very flooded pool at the Ferry (AH)

Church Norton: A pair of Mistle Thrushes were in the car-park late this afternoon. (EB)

Mistle Thrush at Church Norton (EB)

North Wall: An Avocet was along White’s Creek this morning, together with the large flocks of Lapwings, Black-tailed Godwits, and Brent Geese, with plenty of Teal, Wigeon and Pintail on the water.
Three Rock Pipits were along the wall and six Cetti’s Warblers were singing noisily from the reeds, a Shoveler was on the Breech Pool, and three more were on the now flooded Honer fields, together with 18 Teal, six Shelducks, 26 Curlews, a Cattle Egret, 120 Lapwings, four Redshanks and a Spotted Redshank.
Nine Grey Herons were in and around Owl Copse, as well as a Chaffinch, whilst at Halsey’s Farm, 20 Canada Geese were on the rife, and six Cattle Egrets were in the fields. The three White-fronted Geese were in the fields by Bremere Copse, and another 10 Cattle Egrets were also present, along with several hundred Black-headed Gulls and 42 Common Gulls. (LP)

White-fronted Geese (above), Avocet, Cattle Egret, Grey Heron, Shoveler, Rock Pipit & Chaffinch at the North Wall (LP)

Medmerry: Windmill to the Breach - There were just a Meadow Pipit and a pair of Stonechats around the old go-kart track this morning, with a single Brent Goose in the nearby field. (AW)

Also, at Toe End there were another Stonechat and a Pied Wagtail, with c200 Lapwings,c300 Golden Plovers, c150 Dunlin and c100 Brent Geese in the tidal area and a Marsh Harrier over. (SH)

Stonechat (above) & Meadow Pipit at Medmerry (AW)

East Head: It was very quiet here this morning on the high tide, with no birds on the water and few waders, though a couple of Sanderlings were about, together with a few Grey Plovers and Dunlin, and up to 2000 Brent Geese were on the fields.
The only birds noted in the dunes were half a dozen Skylarks and c20 Meadow Pipits. (AH)

Later on, after the tide had dropped, there were two Slavonian Grebes, three Great Northern Divers, five Great Crested Grebes and six Red-breasted Mergansers on the water.

Also, a flock of 74 Avocets were on Snowhill Creek, along with four Greenshank, whilst 124 Sanderling were along the strand-line and 80 Bar-tailed Godwits were flying around among the many waders over towards Pilsey Island. (PA)

Sanderling (above), Dunlin, Skylarks & Brent Geese at East Head (AH)

Sunday, 1st February: The heavy overnight rain continued into the early morning, slowly giving way to persistent drizzle and the odd brighter interlude, though quite mild in the light to moderate south-westerly breeze....

Selsey Bill: There was a huge westward movement of 335 Red-throated Divers going west this morning, with a good selection of other species heading west, too, including three Red-necked Grebes together, early on, four Slavonian Grebes, a Velvet Scoter and two Fulmars. Full log below. (SH/BI/AH)

(0730-1000hrs) (SW, F3-4)

Great Northern Diver - 2os

Red-throated Diver - 3E, 335W, 2os

Red-necked Grebe - 3W (together!)

Slavonian Grebe - 4W

Great Crested Grebe - 2W

Fulmar - 2W

Gannet - 74W

Velvet Scoter - 1W

Common Scoter - 14W, 20os

Red-breasted Merganser - 5W, 2os

Oystercatcher - 1E

Turnstone - 12

Mediterranean Gull - 3W

Great Black-backed Gull - 1E, 2W

Sandwich Tern - 6os

Guillemot - 1W

Razorbill - 1W

auk sp - 2W

(1415-1515hrs) (SH)

Great Northern Diver - 4os

Red-throated Diver - 2E, 1W, 3os

Great Crested Grebe -1os

Gannet - 6E, 7W, 5os

Common Scoter - 10os

Red-breasted Merganser - 1W, 8os

Great Black-backed Gull - 3E, 1os

Red-throated Divers (above), Great Northern Diver, Slavonian Grebes, Velvet Scoter, Fulmar & Gannets at the Bill (AH)

Ferry Pool: The Green Sandpiper was on the road-side pool and two Avocets were roosting on the main pool, whilst at least 2000 Lapwings were on the pool and fields, along with eight Shelducks, a pair of Gadwall, c60 Shovelers, c100 Teal and c300 Wigeon. (AH)

Green Sandpiper (above), Gadwall & Lapwings at the Ferry (AH)

Long Pool: Two Ravens went over, with one settling in nearby trees, but a Cetti's Warbler and a dozen Linnets were the only birds along the hedges.

There were plenty of birds at the far end of Ferry Channel on the full tide, including c30 roosting Avocets, plenty of Redshanks and Curlews and another 500 Lapwings, with c40 Shelducks , c100 Brent Geese and similar of Wigeon and Teal on the water. (AH/GW)

Ravens (above), Linnets & Avocets at the Long Pool (AH)

North Wall: A look at Halsey's Farm late this afternoon produced a Spotted Redshank in the creek, along with half a dozen Redshanks, c30 Black-tailed Godwits and c60 Wigeon, plus c30 Curlews on the field, until they were all put up by a Marsh Harrier. (AH)

Drayton Pits: Two White-fronted Geese were among a flock of Greylag Geese in the adjacent fields this morning before they flew back into the pits.

Also, a female Bullfinch was in the hedges there. (BI)

Medmerry: Chainbridge to Ham - Just two Stonechats, a Reed Bunting, a Grey Wagtail and six Skylarks were seen along the banks today, with c50 Lapwings and c300 Golden Plovers on the reserve and c50 Knot and Grey Plovers and c200 Dunlin on the tidal areas. (S&SaH)

West Wittering: There was lots of activity on my Crab-apple tree this morning, with a small flock of Goldfinches joined by a Chiffchaff, a Blackbird and a couple of Goldcrests, which were too quick for the camera! (GM)

Chifchaff (above), Goldfinch & Blackbird in a West Wittering garden (GM)