29th March 2026

Sunday, 29th March: A cool and mostly grey morning in a light to moderate, though freshening, south-westerly breeze......

Selsey Bill: It was another slow morning, with a Slavonian Grebe and 15 Sanderlings going east the only things beyond the usual. Full log below. (SH/BI/IP/JA/AH)

(0630-0900hrs) (SW, F3-4)

Great Northern Diver - 3os

Red-throated Diver - 3E, 1os

Slavonian Grebe - 1E

Great Crested Grebe - 1W

Gannet - 18W

Shag - 2E

Common Scoter - 4E, 2W

Red-breasted Merganser - 1E, 6W, 7os

Oystercatcher - 4E, 4W

Sanderling - 15E

Turnstone - 16

Mediterranean Gull - 2W

Common Gull - 1W

Great Black-backed Gull - 1W, 3os

Sandwich Tern - 7E, 3W

Chiffchaff - 1

Linnet - 1

This afternoon, the first Arctic Skua of the year - a dark-phase bird - was lingering offshore and a Bonxie went west, and, also, a Marsh Harrier came in off the sea. Full log below. (SH)

(1515-1645hrs) (SW, F7)

Great Northern Diver - 1os

Gannet - 2E

Shag - 1W

Brent Goose - 23E

Marsh Harrier - 1N

Arctic Skua - 1os

Great Skua - 1W

Great Black-backed Gull - 1E, 5os

Sandwich Tern - 3W, 5os

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

Ferry Pool: It was quieter around the pool and fields this morning, with two Avocets, four Lapwings and c50 Black-tailed Godwits the only waders present, together with a dozen Shelducks, eight Gadwall, c30 Wigeon and Teal and c50 Shovelers.

There were also a Blackcap and three Chiffchaffs around the Discovery Area. (AH)

Gadwall (above) & Black-tailed Godwits at the Ferry (AH)

North Wall: A pair pair of Grey Wagtails were in the paddocks, a Kingfisher was by the sluice and there were still c100 Teal in the harbour, but there were just eight Teal and three Pintail about, whilst out on the mud there were plenty of Redshank and more distant, a mixed group of c70 waders containing mostly Grey Plovers, with a handful of Dunlin, two Knot and a Bar-tailed Godwit.

The three White-fronted Geese flew over the Breech Pool early on, but on the water, there was just a Great Crested Grebe, a Little Grebe, the pair of Mute Swans and four Teal, with the last remaining Brent Goose, two Canada Geese, two Little Egrets and four Curlews in the fields.

Three Buzzards and both male and female Marsh Harriers were about, and there was the usual activity from the Grey Herons, Cattle Egrets and Little Egrets around Owl Copse, also two Little Grebes were nest building on Owl Water and at Halsey’s Farm, two Avocets were along the Rife and and a few Skylarks were over the fields. (MJa/LP/CT/AWr)

There were also three Willow Warblers singing along Mill Lane, towards Halsey's Farm early this morning. (ML)

Skylark (above), Brent Goose, Avocets (LP). Cattle Egret, Grey Wagtail & Seven-spotted Ladybird (EB) at the North Wall

Park Farm, Selsey: A Cetti's Warbler was calling again here, early this morning, a pair of Great Spotted Woodpeckers were in the treeline and a Buzzard was sat in the conifers. (IP)

Church Norton: The female Wheatear was around the concrete blocks again this morning, with a male moving west along the spit, and a Willow Warbler was singing nearby, but the hedges were generally quiet, though a Reed Bunting. a couple of Long-tailed Tits, a Green Woodpecker and a few Stock Doves were around the Severals, a pair of Red-legged Partridges flew out of Bluebell Wood and a female Marsh Harrier, a Kestrel and two Buzzards were in the vicinity.

A dozen Black-tailed Godwits were in the harbour, along with a Knot, three Grey Plovers and four Ringed Plovers, but there were few waders about on the rising tide, whilst seven Brent Geese were in the harbour mouth and a dozen or so Wigeon and two dozen Shelducks and Teal were present, too.

Also, up to 20 Sandwich Terns and 60 Mediterranean Gulls were among the Black-headed Gulls on and around the islands, with another four Sandwich Terns, three Great Crested Grebes and a Gannet seen offshore. (AH/AB/IP)

Wheatear (above), Sandwich Tern, Black-tailed Godwits, Jay & Robin at Church Norton (AH)

Chichester GPs: Ivy Lake complex - The first Common Tern of the year was present this morning, along with an adult and a first-winter Little Gull and c20 Sand Martins.

There were also eight Chiffchaffs, four Cetti's Warblers, nine Egyptian Geese and 13 Pochard noted. (S&SaH/BI/AB)

26th -28th March 2026

Saturday, 28th March: A mostly bright and sunny morning, warm in the sun, but decidedly chill in the fresh and blustery north-westerly breeze.......

Are you a member of the Sussex Ornithological Society (SOS)? If so, this brief message is directed at you and apologies to other readers (though if a Sussex resident you surely are a member!) You will be receiving the quarterly SOS newsletter very shortly and you will find therein a questionnaire based around the Society's annual publication - the Sussex Bird Report - seeking your honest views as to how you would like the SOS to proceed in the future. All members are urged to respond and I hope you will take a little time to give your feedback, which will shape the SOS direction in the future. Many thanks. (OM/Eds)

Selsey Bill: A drake Long-tailed Duck dropped in on the sea early on, and a Mute Swan went west, well offshore, but, once again, there was no suggestion of passage occurring. Full log below. (SH/BI/Ja/IP/PB/MRB/AGB/JB/MO-W/AH/JFi)

(0530-0830hrs) (NW, F6)

Great Northern Diver - 2os

Red-throated Diver - 3E

diver sp - 1E, 1os

Great Crested Grebe - 1W

Gannet - 9E, 13W

Mute Swan - 1W

Mallard - 2

Long-tailed Duck - 1os

Common Scoter - 4E

Red-breasted Merganser - 2E, 3os

Oystercatcher - 1E, 2W, 1 present

Turnstone - 8

Mediterranean Gull - 2E, 4W

Common Gull - 2E

Great Black-backed Gull - 1E, 2W, 4os

Sandwich Tern - 3E, 1W

Carrion Crow - 20N

(1040-1140hrs) (P&LH)

Great Northern Diver - 2os

Sanderling - 1

Dunlin - 33

Turnstone - 8

Great Black-backed Gull - 2W

Sandwich Tern - 2E, 4W

(1300-1400hrs) (P&LH)

Great Northern Diver - 2os

Gannet - 3W, 5os

Dunlin - 33W

Turnstone - 19

Mediterranean Gull - 1W

Common Gull - 1W

Great Black-backed Gull - 4os

Sandwich Tern - 12os

Great Northern Diver (above) & Mute Swan at the Bill (AH)

Ferry Pool: There were four Little Ringed Plovers together on the fields at the back this morning, along with a Green Sandpiper, at least two Ruff, five Snipe four Curlews and four Redshanks, whilst two Avocets, four Lapwings and c60 Black-tailed Godwits were also present, along with a dozen Shelducks, a drake Pintail, eight Gadwall, c60 Shovelers and c40 Wigeon and Teal.

Also, early on, a female Red-breasted Merganser was in the channel opposite, and the Willow Warbler, a Blackcap, four Cetti's Warblers and five Chiffchaffs were around the Discovery area and a Raven went over. 

(P&LH/PB/MRB/AGB/JB/AH et al)

Ruff (above), Black-tailed Godwits, Avocets, Shovelers and Wigeon & Red-breasted Merganser at the Ferry (AH)

North Wall: It was very quiet along the wall this morning, with just a few Wigeon, Teal, Redshank, and a lone Brent Goose left in the harbour, and still no sign of any inward migration. The Honer fields are now drying out and contained just 28 Curlews, whilst early on there were a few Shovelers, Canada Geese, two Great Crested Grebes and a Little Grebe on the Breech Pool.

There was the usual activity from the Grey Herons, Little Egrets and Cattle Egrets in Owl Copse, but at Halsey’s Farm there were just a couple of Skylarks, two Linnets, a Kestrel and three Buzzards around the fields.

It was also quiet around the paddocks, with just a single Pied Wagtail and four Jackdaws about, while two Marsh Harriers were around their regular area over the reeds. (MJa/LP)

At lunchtime today, a pair of Little Ringed Plovers were in the first field west of the Breech Pool, and a Spotted Redshank was sheltering from the wind in Broad Rife. (AWi)

Cattle Egret (above) & Pied Wagtail at the North Wall (LP)

Park Farm, Selsey: A Great Spotted Woodpecker and a Kestrel were about this morning, along with a Pied Wagtail, a Skylark, three Stock Doves and two Buzzards. (IP)

Church Norton: A Wheatear was around the concrete blocks/beach area this morning, along with a few Linnets and a swallow came in off the sea, but that was it for passerines in the windy conditions, though a Buzzard and a Sparrowhawk went over

In the harbour there were four Sandwich Terns and c75 Mediterranean Gulls, along with a dozen Black-tailed Godwits, c20 Redshanks and Turnstones, a Ringed Plover and just a handful of Grey Plovers, with a pair of Red-breasted Mergansers in the harbour mouth, a single Brent Goose among c20 Shelducks in the main channel and c50 Teal and c200 Wigeon mainly on the far side. (PB/MRB/AGB/JB/AH/IP)

Wheatear (above), Black-tailed Godwit, Turnstone and Grey Plovers, Sandwich Terns & Mediterranean Gulls at Church Norton (AH)

Medmerry: Easton Lane to the Stilt Pool - There was a flock of 120 Fieldfares near the Easton Lane car park this morning, whilst on the Stilt Pools there were two Little Ringed Plovers and a Greenshank, and a Marsh Harrier, two Buzzards, a Kestrel and a Sparrowhawk went over the reserve. (HB)

Friday, 27th March: A cool and grey morning in a moderate to fresh south-westerly breeze.......

Selsey Bill: It was quality over quantity this morning, with general migration being almost non-existent, but livened up  by a Manx Shearwater and a Bonxie west early on, and other birds of note including a Merlin heading east, well offshore, a Swallow in off the sea and a flock of 11 Bar-tailed Godwits going east. Full log below. (BI/IP/AH/MO-W)

(0600-0830hrs) (SW, F4-5)

Great Northern Diver - 2os

Red-throated Diver - 4E

Great Crested Grebe - 1W

Manx Shearwater - 1W

Fulmar - 1E

Gannet - 2E, 12W

Shag - 1W

Brent Goose - 2E

Common Scoter - 4E

Merlin - 1E

Oystercatcher - 1E, 3W

Bar-tailed Godwit - 11E

Turnstone - 30

Great Skua - 1W

Great Black-backed Gull - 13os

Sandwich Tern - 5os

Razorbill - 1W

Swallow - 1N

Sandwich Tern (above) & Gannets at the Bill (AH)

Ferry Pool: There were three Ruff at the back this morning, along with c60 Black-tailed Godwits and four Lapwings, whilst two Avocets were on the pool, and wildfowl included eight Shelducks, eight Gadwall, c60 Shovelers, c40 Teal and c20 Wigeon. (LP/SP/IH/AH)

Black-tailed Godwits (above), Gadwall & Wigeon at the Ferry (AH)

Also, the first Willow Warbler of the spring was in the Discovery Area. (BI)

This evening the Willow Warbler was still present in the Discovery Area, along with two or three Chiffchaffs and a vocal Blackcap. (AH)

Willow Warbler at the Ferry (AH)

Church Norton: Around 25 Black-tailed Godwits were in the harbour this morning, but beyond half a dozen Ringed Plovers and c25 Redshanks, wader numbers were low, and there were only a handful of Wigeon and Teal about, along with c20 Shelducks.

Four Sandwich Terns and a dozen Mediterranean Gulls were among c50 Black-headed Gulls, but a couple of sandwich Terns were all that could be seen offshore and the land-side were very quiet beyond a few Linnets along the beach. (LP/SP/IH/AH)

Sandwich Terns (above), Black-tailed Godwits & Mediterranean and Black-headed Gulls at Church Norton (AH)

Thursday, 26th March: A slowly improving morning, starting cold and bright in a fresh north-westerly that slowly eased as it warmed up.......

Selsey Bill: A pair of Ravens flew in from the west, circled around and departed back the same way, but it was otherwise very slow going this morning. Full log below. (AH)

(0705-0835hrs) (NW, 4-5)

Great Northern Diver - 1E, 3os

Red-throated Diver - 1E

Great Crested Grebe - 2W

Gannet - 1E

Brent Goose - 3W

Red-breasted Merganser - 1E

Oystercatcher - 3

Turnstone - 6

Common Gull - 3W

Great Black-backed Gull - 5os

Raven - 2W

Raven (above), Great Northern Diver & Brent Geese at the Bill (AH)

Ferry Pool: The long-staying Ruff was still at the back this morning, along with a Green Sandpiper and a couple of Redshanks, whilst four Avocets, four Lapwings, two Oystercatchers and c25 Black-tailed Godwits were around the pool, along with a Grey Heron, c60 Shovelers, c40 Teal, c100 Wigeon, eight Gadwall and nine Shelducks.

There were also half a dozen Black-tailed Godwits and three Redshanks in the channel opposite and a singing Blackcap, three Chiffchaffs and a Cetti's Warbler were in the adjacent hedges. (AH/JC)

Ruff (above), Lapwing, Shovelers & Black-tailed Godwits, Shovelers and Teal at the Ferry (AH)

Church Norton: There were still c20 Black-tailed Godwits in the harbour, along with c100 Knot and Dunlin, c20 Grey Plovers and similar of Wigeon, Teal and Shelduck, whilst a Sandwich Tern and c25 Mediterranean Gulls were among c100 B lack-headed Gulls. (AH)

Sandwich Tern (above) & Black-tailed Godwit at Church Norton (AH)

North Wall: A Swallow flew over the wall this morning, and out in the flooded fields there were the three White-fronted Geese, two Egyptian Geese, three Brent Geese, two Canada Geese, two Gadwall and four Shelducks.

Two Jays, a Linnet, a Chiffchaff, a Chaffinch, and a Sparrowhawk were around Owl Copse, as well as the usual Grey Herons, Little Egrets and Cattle Egrets, but it was quiet at Halsey’s Farm with just four Skylarks over the fields, and two Long-tailed Tits in the hedgerows.

A Spotted Redshank was along White’s Creek and eight Shovelers were out on the mud, but otherwise there were just a few Wigeon and Teal along the banks, whilst in the paddocks there were two Grey Wagtails, a White Wagtail, and a Reed Bunting as well as four Jackdaws who were collecting hair from the horses, and two Marsh Harriers were further back over the reeds. (SP/TRH/LP/IH/CT/GHi/EB)

The three White-fronted Geese were in the field behind the Breech Pool this afternoon, whilst the two Egyptian Geese were in Honer 2 field and the male Marsh Harrier was over the reedbeds. (CRJ)

White-fronted Geese (above), Egyptian Geese, Brent Geese, White Wagtail, Grey Wagtail, Linnet & Jackdaw at the North Wall (LP)

Chichester GPs: What are presumably the returning pair of Red-crested Pochards have been seen around the fairly inaccessible fishing lakes on the north side of the A27 in recent days. (GWh per SM)