13th November 2026

Friday, 13th November: After the first frost of the autumn, a bright and sunny, if rather cold, morning in a moderate northerly breeze.....

Selsey Bill: Two Redpolls went west and a Reed Bunting was along the front early on, but the sea was unsurprisingly quiet in the offshore breeze, though there were again a couple of Great Northern and Red-throated Divers about. Full log later. (SH/IP/AH/JA)

(0645-0900hrs) (N, F3)

Great Northern Diver - 1W, 1os

Red-throated diver - 2W

Great Crested Grebe - 1os

Gannet - 3E, 15W

Brent Goose - 5W

Shelduck - 5W

Wigeon - 1E

Teal - 5E

Common Scoter - 7E, 4W

Red-breasted Merganser - 2E, 2W

Oystercatcher - 1E, 2W

Sanderling - 1W

Mediterranean Gull - 1E, 1W

Great Black-backed Gull - 2os

Sandwich Tern - 1E, 1W

Razorbill - 3E, 10os

auk sp - 156E, 30W

Pied Wagtail - 2E

Meadow Pipit - 1E

Long-tailed Tit - 6

Redpoll - 2W

Reed Bunting - 1

Great Northern Diver at the Bill (AH)

Ferry Pool: Two Snipe and an Avocet were on the pool this morning, along with c250 Lapwings, four Shelducks, c60 Shovelers and c40 Wigeon and Teal. (AH)

Snipe (above), Shoveler & Wigeon at the Ferry (AH)

Church Norton: Two Dartford Warblers, two Stonechats, a Chiffchaff, half a dozen Linnets and a couple of Reed Buntings and Meadow Pipits  were along the front this morning, whilst a Redpoll was briefly between the Severals, along with a handful of Goldcrests and Long-tailed Tits and c30 Goldfinches.

The harbour was quiet, with just an Avocet, a Ringed Plover, c30 Grey Plovers and c100 Dunlin on the mud, along with the usual Curlews, Redshanks and Oystercatchers, plus a few Wigeon and Teal. (AH)

Dartford Warbler (above), Stonechat, Reed Bunting, Avocet & Grey Plover at Church Norton (AH)

North Wall: There were a Rock Pipit and one or two Yellowhammers and Reed Buntings and a Buzzard along the wall this morning, with a Little Grebe in the Breech Pool, whilst a couple of Black-tailed Godwits and a scattering of Brent Geese, Dunlin and Grey Plovers were in the harbour. (EB)

Rock Pipit (above), Yellowhammer, Buzzard, Little Grebe and Moorhen, Grey Plover, Black-tailed Godwits & Brent Geese at the North Wall (EB)

Medmerry: Easton Lane to the Stilt Pool - There were four Dartford Warblers, nine Stonechats, a Cetti's Warbler, a Yellowhammer and two Pied Wagtails along the banks this morning, whilst a Ringed Plover was on the Stilt Pool, a Snipe, c200 Lapwings and c300 Golden Plovers were on the reserve and a Peregrine, a Kestrel and two Buzzards went over. (S&SaH)

Drayton Pits: A flock of c15 Cattle Egrets were in the fields to the north, opposite the depot entrance, this afternoon. (AW)

Fishbourne Creek: A juvenile Spoonbill flew into the River Lavant outflow mid-morning and was later in the wader roost at the top of the creek, whilst earlier five Snipe and three Greenshanks were towards the top of the creek and five Red-breasted Mergansers were below Dell Quay. (RW)

Spoonbill at Fishbourne Creek (RW)

10th - 12th November 2026

Thursday, 12th November: A very bright and sunny morning, but distinctly cool in the brisk north-easterly breeze.........

Selsey Bill: The most unusual bird of a slightly better morning was a Snipe that shot through, heading east, whilst a couple of Great Northern and Red-throated Divers were about, too. full log below. (AH/IP/P&LH)

(0730-0900hrs) (NE, F4-5)

Great Northern Diver - 2os

Red-throated Diver - 1W, 1os

Gannet - 3E, 1os

Shag - 1E

Brent Goose - 1E, 1W

Oystercatcher - 1E

Snipe - 1E

Turnstone - 12

Mediterranean Gull - 1W

Common Gull - 1os

Great Black-backed Gull - 3os

Sandwich Tern - 3E

auk sp - 14E, 4W

Stock Dove - 30E

Meadow Pipit -  1N

Goldfinch - 35

Sandwich Tern at the Bill (AH)

Ferry Pool: A Green Sandpiper and a Snipe were on the roadside pool this morning, whilst an Avocet was on the main pool, along with c250 Lapwings, four Shelducks, c60 Shovelers, c40 Wigeon and c60 Teal. 

Also, a Black-tailed Godwit(, half a dozen Redshanks and a few more wigeon and Teal were in the channel opposite, and five Skylarks and two Buzzards went over the fields. (AH/P&LH)

Green Sandpiper (above), Green Sandpiper and Snipe, Wigeon & Shovelers and Lapwings at the Ferry (AH)

East Beach: A look around East Beach Pond this morning just produced a Grey Heron, three Turnstones, a Collared Dove, a Great Spotted Woodpecker and a couple of Pied Wagtails.

Then from Park Lane to Bluebell Wood, the best was a small flock of c15 Long-tailed Tits with a few Blue Tits, a Chiffchaff and a Goldcrest among them before they quickly departed inland, and there was also a female Sparrowhawk briefly over the sea clutching a Turnstone, which it left dead on the tideline. (CRJ)

Grey Heron (above), Pied Wagtail & Oystercatcher at East Beach (CRJ)

Church Norton: There wasn't much to report from the harbour this morning, with just 15 Brent geese, c20 Teal, c50 Wigeon, c25 Grey Plovers, a Ringed Plover, a Turnstone, eight Curlews and c200 Dunlin on the mud, and as couple of Chiffchaffs in the hedges. (P&LH)

North Wall: Highlight of the morning was a male Bullfinch that flew into Owl Copse, and there were plenty of Reed Buntings, Yellowhammers and Stonechats along the bushes, whilst a Raven flew over and a Peregrine, a Marsh Harrier, a Buzzard and a Kestrel were also about.

A Rock Pipit was along the wall, two Song Thrushes and two Pied Wagtails were in the paddock, also a Kingfisher was by the sluice, and the two Spotted Redshanks were still along White’s Creek. (LP/SP/KR/CT/DHi/KU/EB/TRH)

This afternoon, at least eight Cattle Egrets were in fields along Rookery Lane. (ML)

Kingfisher (above), Stonechat & Yellowhammer at the North Wall (LP)

East Side: There were still lots of waders along the East Side on the rising tide, including Redshanks, Curlews, Dunlin, Knot, Grey Plovers, Ringed Plovers, Golden Plovers, Avocets, Lapwings, Bar-tailed Godwits, Black-tailed Godwits and Turnstones.

The Barnacle Goose was still with the Brent Geese and there were Pintail, Wigeon, Teal, Shelduck and a Little Grebe on the water. (LP/SP/TRH)

Barnacle Goose and Brent Geese (above), Golden Plovers, Lapwings and Dunlin & Avocets and Teal along the East side (LP)

Wednesday, 11th November: A morning of drizzly rain and leaden skies in a fresh north-easterly breeze.........

Selsey Bill: It was absolutely dead this morning! Full log below. (AH)

(0730-0830hrs) (NE, F4-5)

Shag - 1W

Mediterranean Gull - 1E

Great Black-backed Gull - 1E

Razorbill - 1W

Goldfinch - 25

Ferry Pool: An Avocet was on the pool this morning, along with c400 Lapwings, four Shelducks, c75 Shovelers and c60 Teal. (AH)

Avocet (above) & Teal at the Ferry (AH)

Church Norton: A look around the Severals area this morning produced 11 Chiffchaffs, four Firecrests and 15 Goldcrests. (MRe)

North Wall: Around high tide this morning there were 50 Brent Geese, 30 Wigeon, 12 Teal, six Pintail, 62 Shelducks, two Shovelers, and a Little Grebe on the water, with a few waders around the edges including Redshanks, Curlews, Lapwings, six Avocets and a Greenshank, whilst 18 Snipe flew out from the harbour.

A Peregrine and two Marsh Harriers were over the fields, and along the wall there were two Rock Pipits, 22 Reed Buntings, a Yellowhammer, a Chaffinch, six Song Thrushes and a Redwing, also a Kingfisher was by the outfall at Halsey’s Farm. (LP/JDW/KR)

Avocets and Lapwings (above), Rock Pipit, Song Thrush & Curlew and Redshank at the North Wall (LP)

Medmerry: Easton Lane to the Stilt Pool - There were c300 Golden Plovers and c250 Lapwings on the reserve today, with two Marsh Harriers and a Raven going over, but half a dozen Yellowhammers were the only birds in the bushes. (SaH)

Medmerry: Windmill to the Breach - The male Black Redstart was still present, though further towards the breach this morning, with a pair of Stonechats and half a dozen Meadow Pipits at each end the only other passerines about, save a few Pied Wagtails among the caravans.

There were also still c60 Common Scoters - presumably mostly first-autumn birds - offshore, with two Razorbills, a Red-breasted Merganser, a Sandwich Tern, three Great Crested Grebes and two distant feeding Gannets also present, but the breach just held c20 Brent Geese, a handful of Teal and a few Curlews and Oystercatchers. (AH)

Black Redstart (above), Stonechat, Meadow Pipit, Razorbill, Sandwich Tern, Common Scoters & Brent Geese at Medmerry (AH)

Tuesday, 10th November: Another cool and grey morning in a fresh easterly breeze, with rain slowly setting in later on.....

Selsey Bill: It was just the regular species in small numbers this morning. Full log below. (AH)

(0715-0845hrs) (E, F4-5)

Great Northern Diver - 1E

Great Crested Grebe - 2W, 1os

Gannet - 2E, 1W

Shag - 2E

Common Scoter - 2E, 4os

Mediterranean Gull - 1E

Great Black-backed Gull - 2E

Sandwich Tern - 3E

Razorbill - 1E

Pied Wagtail - 1E

Goldfinch - 20

Shags (above), Common Scoters & Sandwich Tern at the Bill (AH)

Ferry Pool: There were at least 300 Lapwings present this morning, along with c30 Wigeon, c60 Shovelers and c100 Teal. (AH)

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

North Wall: The Barnacle Goose was out in the harbour among the Brent Geese again this morning, and there were also six Avocets, a dozen Snipe, up to 400 Golden Plovers and similar of Lapwings around White's Creek and the adjacent harbour, together with a Spotted Redshank, two Bar-tailed Godwits, c50 Black-tailed Godwits and plenty of Wigeon and Teal.

There were also at least two Marsh Harriers, a Buzzard, a Little Grebe, a couple of Rock Pipits and a Kingfisher about, whilst a Water Rail and a Chiffchaff were around the paddocks. (JC/AH/SP et al)

Spotted Redshank (above), Barnacle Goose and Brent Geese & Golden Plovers and Lapwings at the North Wall (AH)

East side: There were up to 300 Brent geese in the harbour this morning, along with c40 Pintail and innumerable Wigeon and Teal, whilst eight Bar-tailed Godwits, c20 Ringed Plovers, c50 Grey Plovers and Turnstones, c2100 Knot and c500 Dunlin were moving about as the tide rose.

There were also c70 Great Black-backed Gulls in the harbour, a Grey Wagtail, a Reed Bunting and a couple of Chiffchaff along the sides and a Peregrine went over. (AH)

Peregrine (above), Grey Wagtail, Knot and Grey Plovers & Pintails along the East side (AH)

Medmerry: Windmill area - A cracking male Black Redstart was along the beach, halfway towards the Oasis centre this morning, with a Rock Pipit and half a dozen Stonechats and Meadow Pipits nearby, and a good handful of Common Scoters were offshore. (T Taylor).