1st - 3rd July 2026

Friday, 3rd July: After a cool but bright start in a light northerly breeze, an increasingly warm day as the wind switched round the south-west and freshened a little..........

Selsey Bill: There were exactly the same eight species as recorded yesterday, though with less Sandwich Terns about and an increase in House Martins, including a few juvenile birds. Full log below. (IP/AH)

(0635-0805hrs) (N, F2)

Gannet - 1W

Mediterranean Gull - 9W

Great Black-backed Gull - 1E, 2W

Sandwich Tern - 60os

Common Tern - 1os

Little Tern - 4os

Swift - 15

House Martin - 20

Sandwich Tern (above), House Martin & Swifts at the Bill (AH)

Ferry Pool: It was deja-vu here, too, with the families of Little Ringed Plovers, Shelducks and Oystercatchers still present, though the latter appeared to have only two chicks, and a dozen adult and 15 Avocets still dominating proceedings. (AH)

Oystercatcher chick (above), Avocet chick, Shelduck family & Avocet and Little Ringed Plover at the Ferry (AH)

Church Norton: There were still a lot of young Sandwich Terns and Black-headed Gulls about, with a few Little Terns busy on the far side, whilst waders comprised two Whimbrel, five Dunlin, eight Curlews, six Oystercatchers and c30 Black-tailed Godwits, and there was also a Mistle Thrush present. (AH/EB)

Whimbrel (above), Dunlin and Sandwich Terns (AH), Sandwich Tern & Mistle Thrush (EB)  at Church Norton

There were lots of young Sandwich Terns on the wing this evening, with mixed groups of adults and juveniles flying off over the spit as the tide dropped.

There wasn't too much else to report, though a first-summer Common Tern was in the harbour, along with half a dozen Little Terns. (AH)

Sandwich Terns (above), Little Tern, Common Tern and Sandwich Tern & Mediterranean Gull at Church Norton (AH)

North Wall: A Sandwich Tern, a Common Tern and a Little Tern were all fishing close to the sluice along White’s Creek this morning, the Mute Swan family, still with all six cygnets, were on the water, and there were a few Black-tailed Godwits, Redshanks, Lapwings and Curlews along the banks.
Shortly after, the Little Tern was over the Breech Pool and the Common Tern was sat on its favourite post, the two Spotted Redshanks were on the pool early on and 34 Black-tailed Godwits, eight Lapwings and an Avocet were about, also a Water Rail ran across the mud, and a pair of Teal and a Mallard with five ducklings were on what remains of the water.
Two House Sparrows were unusually along the wall as well as three Linnets, two Whitethroats, two Sedge Warblers, a Blackcap, a Great Spotted Woodpecker and a Reed Bunting, whilst a few Reed Warblers were in the reeds. (LP/MJa/TRH/IH/CT/SP)

This evening a Water Rail was by the rife at Halsey's Farm, a Spotted Redshank was in the harbour opposite Owl Copse and a Green Sandpiper and flagged Curlew 'A76' from Arundel were on the Breech Pool. (PB/MRB)

Reed Warbler (above), Sedge Warbler, Common Tern, Black-tailed Godwit, Lapwing, Teal & Mallard family at the North Wall (LP)

Medmerry: Easton Lane to the Stilt Pool - A Common Sandpiper, three Greenshanks, an Oystercatcher with a chick, a Little Egret and a Grey Heron were on the stilt Pool this morning, with a Common Tern dropping in to fish and two more going over.
There were also several Dartford Warblers along the banks, including a couple singing, and a pair of Stonechats on the banks. (JC)

Chichester GPs: The Red-crested Pochard family was still on New Lake, along with a female Pochard and two young, a female Tufted Duck and five young, two juvenile Little Grebes and a pair of Shovelers.
There was also a good selection of dragonflies present, including four Lesser Emperors, including a pair bonded and ovipositing, two Norfolk Hawkers and a male Red-veined Darter. (AB/M&LL)

Sidlesham: There were around 30 Swallows - mainly young ones - on the wires along Cow Lane this evening. (AH)

Swallows in Sidlesham (AH)

Thursday, 2nd July: A mostly grey and blustery morning in a brisk westerly, though warm in the brief sunny interludes......

Selsey Bill: Nothing was moving this morning, but a feeding flock of Sandwich Terns slowly built up offshore. Full log below. (AH)

(0710-0825hrs) (W, F5-6)

Gannet - 1E, 3W

Mediterranean Gull - 8W

Great Black-backed Gull - 2W

Sandwich Tern - 120os

Common Tern - 1os

Little Tern - 4os

Swift - 12

House Martin - 8

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

Ferry Pool: The pair of Little Ringed Plovers and two chicks were still present, as was the shelduck family, but Avocet numbers had dropped to a dozen adults and 15 youngsters, with most of those now fledged having moved off. (AH)

Also, a Whimbrel went over the Visitor Centre. (AS)

Little Ringed Plovers (above) & Avocets at the Ferry (AH)

Church Norton: There were still large numbers of Sandwich Terns, Mediterranean and Black-headed Gulls about, plus c20 Little Terns, with waders comprising a Whimbrel, a couple of Ringed Plovers, a dozen Curlews and Redshanks and c40 Black-tailed Godwits, and there were also four Swifts and two Swallows over. (AH)

At lunchtime, on the rising tide, two Roseate Terns were among the many birds sat out on the mud and having a wash and brush-up. (AWi)

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

Medmerry: Earnley Car-park to Marsh Barn - A Grey Partridge was in the fields along the track from the Earnley car-park late this afternoon - in a very similar location to where one was seen last summer. (AS)

Wednesday, 1st July: A bright and increasingly warm morning in a moderate north-westerly breeze......

Selsey Bill: A feeding flock of a dozen Little Terns off Hillfield Road and a flock of 16 Swifts going west were the highlights of another quiet morning. Full log below. (AH)

(0645-0800hrs) (NW, F4)

Mediterranean Gull - 2W

Great Black-backed Gull - 4os

Sandwich Tern - 30os

Little Tern - 12os

Swift - 16W

House Martin - 8

Little Terns (above) at the Bill (AH)

Ferry Pool: There were still the families of Little Ringed Plovers, Oystercatchers and Shelducks around the pool, along with 15 adult and 25 young Avocets. (AH)

Little Ringed Plovers (above), Avocets & Oystercatcher chick at the Ferry (AH)

Church Norton: A Greenshank was in the harbour this morning, along with the usual mass of terns and gulls. (JC)

North Wall: It was pretty quiet along the wall this morning, with a Little Ringed Plover early on, an Avocet, a Lapwing and a Common Tern on the Breech Pool, plus a Spotted Redshank in White's Creek and a Whimbrel in the harbour being the most noteworthy.

Otherwise, there were just the odd Whitethroat, Reed and Sedge Warblers and Linnets along the wall, plus a couple of Swifts and half a dozen Swallows over, with a few Grey Herons, Cattle and Little Egrets around Owl Copse and the adjacent harbour. (AH/LP/MJa et al)

Common Tern (above), Lapwing, Whitethroat & Linnet at the North Wall (AH)

Medmerry: Easton Lane to the Stilt Pool - Two Greenshanks, an Avocet, two Lapwings, two pairs of Oystercatchers and two chicks and three Common Terns were on the Stilt Pool, with nine more of the latter around the rafts, whilst a Sandwich Tern was offshore and five Swifts, nine Swallows, a Kestrel and a Buzzard going over.

Also, along the banks there were a Stonechat, two Pied Wagtails, a Sedge Warbler, five Reed Warblers, a good count of c30 Whitethroats, two Reed Buntings and c20 Yellowhammers. (S&SaH)

28th - 30th June 2026

Tuesday, 30th June: A distinctly cool and grey start, with the temperature barely half what it was a week ago, and with some drizzly rain in the moderate westerly breeze, though slowly brightening up later.....

Selsey Bill: A feeding flock of 16 Little Terns off Hillfield Road was the best of a quiet morning. Full log below. (AH)

(0645-0800hrs) (W, F4)

Mediterranean Gull - 1W

Great Black-backed Gull - 4os

Sandwich Tern - 40os

Common Tern - 1os

Little Tern - 16os

Swift - 1

House Martin - 6

Little Terns (above), Common Tern & Sandwich Tern at the Bill (AH)

Ferry Pool: The Oystercatcher family, the Shelduck family and c20 adult and c30 young Avocets was it for the pool this morning. (AH)

Oystercatcher family (above) & Avocet family at the Ferry (AH)

Long Pool: There was very little along the path this morning in the grey conditions, with a Yellowhammer, a couple of Reed Buntings, Whitethroats, Reed and Sedge Warblers and half a dozen Linnets present, plus a couple of Skylarks in the fields.

A mother Tufted duck and three ducklings were the only things of note on the pool whilst at the far end of Ferry Channel there were c40 Lapwings, a dozen Redshanks and eight Curlews. (AH)

Reed Warbler (above), Reed Bunting, Linnet & Tufted Duck family at the Long Pool (AH)

North Wall: A Green Sandpiper was flying around over the Breech Pool very early this morning, but there wasn't much else of note about. (SH)

Later, an adult and a juvenile Little Ringed Plover, were on the Breech Pool, along with two Avocets and a dozen Black-tailed Godwits, plus one flying over, a couple of Little Terns were fishing in the adjacent harbour, a Spotted Redshank was in the channel by Heron Island, with ten Cattle Egrets, four Little Egrets and three Grey Herons roosting on the saltmarsh nearby, the pair of Mute Swans and six cygnets were in White's Creek and increasing numbers of Redshanks, Lapwings and Curlews were scattered over the mud

There wasn't much else, though, beyond a singing Reed Bunting, ten Linnets, and the odd Whitethroat, Reed, Sedge and Cetti's Warbler along the wall, plus a Blackcap, a Chiffchaff and a Jay in the paddocks. (JC/LP/JDW/CT/EB)

Little Ringed Plover (above), Spotted Redshank, Avocet, Black-tailed Godwits, Linnet & Reed Warbler at the North Wall (LP)

Church Norton: The harbour was still full of young Sandwich Terns and Black-headed Gulls this morning, though seemingly no Mediterranean Gulls yet, with a few feeding Little Terns and a family of Shelducks about, too, whilst waders included two Whimbrel, six Curlews, c20 Redshanks and c40 Black-tailed Godwits, but the hedges were very quiet. (AH)

Whimbrel (above), Mediterranean Gulls & Sandwich Terns at Church Norton (AH)

Monday, 29th June: A fairly typical English summer morning of sunshine and white cloud in a moderate westerly breeze.....

Selsey Bill: A flock of eight Common Scoters went west and there were a few more Little Terns and Swifts about than usual. Full log below. (IP/AH)

(0655-0825hrs) (WNW, F3)

Common Scoter - 8W

Kestrel - 1

Oystercatcher - 1W

Great Black-backed Gull - 1W

Sandwich Tern - 45os

L:ittle Tern - 14os

Swift - 22

House Martin - 12

Little Terns (above) & Sandwich Tern at the Bill (AH)

Ferry Pool: The pair of Little Ringed Plovers, still with three chicks, were at the front this morning, with the Oystercatcher family, the Shelduck family and at least 25 young and 20 adult Avocets still present, too, and a Kingfisher flew along the channel opposite. (AH/PA)

Little Ringed Plovers (above), Avocet chick & Shelduck family at the Ferry (AH)

Church Norton: There were a number of Little Tern chicks seen that are approaching fledging, and the islands and adjacent mud were full of young Sandwich Terns and Black-headed Gulls  this morning, but a handful of Black-tailed Godwits, Redshanks, curlews and Oystercatchers were the only other things in the harbour.

Also, a Mistle Thrush was along Rectory Lane and a Whitethroat, a Blackcap and a few young Long-tailed, Blue and Great Tits were around the Mound and car park. (GR/AH)

Later in the day there were pretty good numbers of waders in the high tide roosts, including 55 Grey Plovers, five Lapwings, three Whimbrel, 35 Curlews, nine Bar-tailed Godwits, at least 40 Black-tailed Godwits, 35 Redshanks, three Knot, nine Turnstones, three Dunlin, a Ringed Plover and a Common Sandpiper. (PA)

Sandwich Terns at Church Norton (AH)

North Wall: It was fairly quite along the wall this morning, though on the Breech Pool there were two Avocets and 21 Black-tailed Godwits, and there was a bit more activity around the Halsey's Farm area, where there were two Kestrels, two Linnets and singles of Lapwing, Little Egret, Cormorant, Avocet and Whitethroat, plus a Yellowhammer carrying food and a very active Sedge Warbler. (GHi)

An early afternoon visit produced three Avocets, ten Black-tailed Godwits, two Cattle Egrets and three Little Egrets on the Breech Pool, with a Common Tern, a Lapwing and a Curlew over, plus two Little Terns fishing in the adjacent harbour.

Also, the pair of Mute Swans and their six cygnets were in White's Creek, where a Cormorant appeared to catch an eel. (JC)

Sedge Warbler (above), Yellowhammer, Whitethroat & Lapwing, Little Egret and Cormorant at the North Wall (GHi)

Sunday, 28th June: A slightly cooler and greyer morning in a moderate to brisk south-westerly breeze.....

Selsey Bill: Another quiet morning, though nine Common Scoters went east and the first Hummingbird Hawk-moth of the summer was seen. Full log below. (SH/AH/IP/P&LH)

(0600-0830hrs) (SW, F5)

Gannet - 1E, 7W

Common Scoter - 9E, 1W

Mediterranean Gull - 9W

Great Black-backed Gull - 14os

Sandwich Tern - 200os

Common Tern - 2os

Little Tern - 4os

Swift - 5

House Martin - 2

Hummingbird Hawk-moth - 1

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

Ferry Pool: The pair of Oystercatchers still had all three chicks this morning and the Shelducks still had five ducklings, though some of the fledged Avocets and presumably their parents had moved off, though at least 20 youngsters and 15 adults remain. 

Also, a family of Whitethroats were in the adjacent hedges, a Sedge Warbler was in the Small Pool. and two Swallows went over. (AH)

Later, in addition to the above, a look round the Tramway produced a Chiffchaff, a couple of whitethroats, a Reed warbler and a Skylark, plus a two Swallows over and a Common Tern and a Sandwich Tern in the harbour. (P&LH) 

Oystercatcher chick (above), Avocet family & Shelduck family at the Ferry (AH)

Church Norton: There were six Little Terns and seven Common Terns among the many Sandwich terns, Black-headed and Mediterranean gulls in the harbour this morning, with waders present  including a Whimbrel, eight Curlews, two Ringed Plovers and 31 Black-tailed Godwits, and there were alsoi three swifts and 18 Swallows over. (P&LH)

North Wall: The Wood Sandpiper was on the Breech Pool early on, before flying off and dropping into the saltmarsh, but c40 Black-tailed Godwits and a handful of Redshanks and Curlews in the harbour and up to five Avocets between the Breech Pool and the rife at Halsey's Farm were the only other waders about.

Also, a Common Tern was on the Breech Pool, a Sandwich Tern went over the wall and two or three Little Terns were feeding in the adjacent areas of the harbour and a Cormorant was wrestling with a sizeable Eel in White's Creek.

There was just the odd Whitethroat, Reed and Sedge Warbler along the wall, plus a couple of Swallows over, whilst at Halsey's Farm there were a Chaffinch, a Chiffchaff, a Blackcap and a Great Spotted Woodpecker in the trees and a Sparrowhawk flew over, and there were lots of butterflies along the hedgerows including Gatekeepers, Meadow Browns, Marbled Whites and Painted Ladies as well as a Comma. (LP/MJa/MRi/DHi/GHi/AH et al)

Later, the Avocet count had risen to nine, and five Lapwings were also about, with eight Cattle Egrets, 14 Little Egrets and ten Grey Herons mainly roosting in the harbour. (P&LH)

Common Tern (above), Sandwich Tern, Black-tailed Godwits (AH), Cormorant (GHi), Avocet, Chaffinch & Comma (LP) at the North Wall

Medmerry: Easton Lane to the Stilt Pool - A Common Sandpiper was on the Stilt Pool this morning, along with three Greenshanks, nine Lapwings, five Black-tailed Godwits, four Oystercatchers and four Common Terns, with another eight of the latter around the rafts, the first returning Kingfisher and a Whimbrel on the reserve and a Sandwich Tern offshore.

Small birds were keeping low in the breeze, but there were still a dozen Whitethroats, five Reed Warblers, two Sedge Warblers, a Cetti's Warbler, a Pied Wagtail, three Reed Buntings and c20 Yellowhammers noted, plus a Sand Martin, 19 Swallows and 11 Swifts over. (S&SaH)