27th - 28th February 2026

Saturday, 28th February: After some overnight rain, a drier morning of scattered cloud and some sunny interludes, with a fairly cool and moderate W/NW breeze, on the last day of meteorological winter....

Selsey Bill: Another fairly quiet morning, the highlights being a Red-necked Grebe flying west and a Long-tailed Duck going east. Full log below: (SH/IP/P&LH)
(0645-0830hrs) (WNW, F4)

Great Northern Diver - 1E, 4os

Red-throated Diver - 1E

Great Crested Grebe - 1W

Red-necked Grebe - 1W

Fulmar - 11W

Gannet - 1E, 2W, 3os

Shag - 1W

Brent Goose - 5W

Common Scoter - 2W

Red-breasted Merganser - 2E, 3os

Long-tailed Duck - 1E

Oystercatcher - 1W

Common Gull - 1E

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

Sandwich Tern - 3os

North Wall: There were just c100 Brent Geese, c200 Lapwings and 75 Golden Plover around the fields this morning, but three Marsh Harriers were of note, whilst a Buzzard and two Cetti's Warblers were also present. A Kingfisher was by the sluice and a Spotted Redshank was along White’s Creek along with 12 Black-tailed Godwits, a Knot, six Grey Plovers and a few Redshanks. Ten Tufted Ducks, a Great Crested Grebe and a pair of Mute Swans were on the Breech Pool  but with the flood water receding, there were just four Gadwall, a Little Grebe and a few Black-headed Gulls in the fields.

It was quiet along the hedgerows with only two Greenfinches and two Reed Buntings seen, whilst in the Paddock there were two Grey Wagtails and two Pied Wagtails. (S&SH/MJa/LP)

At the North Wall this morning: Grey Wagtail (above) and Spotted Redshank, Brent Geese, pair of Tufted Ducks and a Great Crested Grebe. (LP)

Chi GPs: New Lake - Peckham Copse area - At least four Sand Martins were present this afternoon - the first February record this century for the Peninsula! (C.Jupp/GJ/PA)

Ella Nore - Itchenor: A Slavonian Grebe and a Great Northern Diver were in the channel and a Black-throated Diver was also present opposite the small wooden bridge at the end of Birch Copse, whilst nearby were five Grey Partridges (SMa). 

Friday, 27th February: After overnight rain, another grey and murky morning in a near gale-force south-westerly.....

Selsey Bill: It was very quiet again, with just a Great Northern Diver, a Red-throated Diver, a Fulmar and five Gannets west of note. Full log below. (IP./AH)

(0715-0845hrs) (SW, F6-7)

Great Northern Diver - 1W

Red-throated Diver - 1W

Great Crested Grebe - 2W

Fulmar - 1W

Gannet - 5W

Common Scoter - 5E

Red-breasted Merganser - 1E

Dunlin - 3W

Mediterranean Gull - 2E

Great Black-backed Gull - 7W

Great Northern Diver (above), Red-throated Diver & Gannet at the Bill (AH)

Ferry Pool: The Green Sandpiper was on the main pool this morning, along with just an Avocet and a handful of Lapwings, whilst a reduced number of wildfowl comprised c50 Shovelers and Teal, c100 Wigeon, four Gadwall and 11 Shelducks, and there were also up to a dozen Mediterranean Gulls among the Black-headed Gulls. (AH)

Late this afternoon there were two Avocets and c40 Lapwings on the pool. (AH)

Green Sandpiper (above), Avocet & Mediterranean and Black-headed Gulls at the Ferry (AH)

Mill Pond Marsh: A Raven was being mobbed by crows over Mill Lane this morning and there was also a Coal Tit in the vicinity. (LL)

Selsey: A Coal Tit has been seen regularly through the winter (and, on occasions, two birds) in our garden in Paddock Lane. (JWo)

Birdham: A Coal Tit has been regular in our Birdham garden, too. (AB)

East Head: There were a Black-throated Diver and two Great Northern Divers on the water this afternoon, whilst a Greenshank, 25 Avocets and 31 Snipe were in Snowhill Creek and c1750 Brent Geese were on the grass. (PA)

Church Norton: A Greenshank, two Bar-tailed Godwits, a Black-tailed Godwit and a dozen Turnstones were in the harbour this morning, along with the usual mix of c100 Grey Plovers, c500 Knot and c1000 Dunlin, whilst wildfowl included c200 Brent Geese, c30 Shelducks, c75 Wigeon and a dozen Teal.

A Sandwich Tern was feeding offshore, whilst a flock of nine Gannets heading west was unexpected, given how few have been around recently, but there was nothing on the sea, and the sheltered hedges were quiet, too. (AH)

Greenshank (above), Bar-tailed Godwit, Black-tailed Godwit, Knot, Sandwich Tern & Gannets at Church Norton (AH)

25th - 26th February 2026

Thursday, 26th February: A return to grey skies and even a bit of drizzly rain this morning in a moderate to fresh southerly breeze.....

Selsey Bill: There was absolutely nothing moving this morning, with five Great Northern Divers on the sea the only thing of note. Full log below. (AH)

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

Great Northern Diver - 5os

Red-throated Diver - 1os

Oystercatcher - 1W

Mediterranean Gull - 2os

Common Gull - 1E

Great Black-backed Gull - 3W

Sandwich Tern - 1W

Great Northern Divers at the Bill (AH)

Ferry Pool: The Green Sandpiper and two Avocets were on the roadside pool this morning, whilst there were still c80 Shovelers and c120 Teal and Wigeon around the flooded fields, along with a pair of Gadwall and 18 shelducks.

Also, of note, a Firecrest was in the Discovery Area. (AH/PA)

Green Sandpiper (above), Firecrest (PA), Avocets, Gadwall, Wigeon and Teal (AH) at the Ferry

Church Norton: The Spoonbill re-appeared in the main channel this morning, whilst a good number of waders included four Bar-tailed Godwits, a dozen Avocets, c100 Grey Plovers, c500 Knot and at least 1000 Dunlin, with three Red-breasted Mergansers, eight Pintail, c80 Wigeon, c30 Shelducks and c200 Brent Geese around, too.

There were also up to six Goldcrests around the car-park and Mound, but not much else in the hedges beyond a few Long-tailed and Blue Tits and a noisy pair of Jays. (AH)

Spoonbill (above), Red-breasted Merganser, Bar-tailed Godwit, Knot, Goldcrest & Jay at Church Norton (AH)

North Wall: A Redwing was in the paddocks, along with a Chaffinch, a Grey Wagtail, and three Pied Wagtails, with a Goldcrest and a Long-tailed Tit in the surrounding trees, whilst three Marsh Harriers were up over the reeds.
Eight Tufted Ducks were on the Breech Pool, and in the flooded fields there were 24 Shovelers, and four Gadwall, but it was quiet along the wall with just two Rock Pipits along the rocks.
Out in the harbour, the number of birds has reduced considerably, but there were still 300 Brent Geese, 50 Black-tailed Godwits and 60 Golden Plovers on the mud, and two Spotted Redshanks along White’s Creek, but for the first time this year there were no Lapwings to be seen anywhere in the harbour or the surrounding fields. (LP/IH/SP/MJa/CT)

Redwing (above), Grey Wagtail & Pied Wagtail at the North Wall (LP)

Wednesday, 25th February: A very pleasant morning of warm sunshine and blue skies in just a light to moderate southerly breeze.....

Selsey Bill: There was a bit of variety this morning, including a Black-throated Diver west, a Slavonian Grebe and 18 Shovelers east and a first-winter Little Gull that lingered well offshore for a while. Full log below. (SH/PB/PA/AH/P&LH)

(0640-0910hrs) (S, F3-4)

Great Northern Diver - 1E, 4os

Black-throated Diver - 1W

Red-throated Diver - 10E, 2W

Slavonian Grebe - 1E

Shag - 6E

Brent Goose - 2E

Shoveler - 18E

Common Scoter - 21E

Red-breasted Merganser - 6E, 1W, 2os

Oystercatcher - 2E, 3W

Curlew - 4E

Turnstone - 20W

Little Gull - 1os

Mediterranean Gull - 1E, 2os

Black-headed Gull - 147E

Common Gull - 2E

Great Black-backed Gull - 3E

Kittiwake - 1E

Sandwich Tern - 13E

auk sp - 1E

(1250-1350hrs) (P&LH)

Great Northern Diver - 2os

Red-throated Diver - 3E, 1os

diver sp - 2E

Slavonian Grebe - 2os

Common Scoter - 2W

Red-breasted Merganser - 1W

Turnstone - 5

auk sp - 1E

Common Scoter (above), Shag & Red-throated Divers at the Bill (AH)

Ferry Pool: Two Avocets and a Redshank were on the roadside pool and a Black-tailed Godwit and a handful of Curlews were on the fields this morning, whilst there were still c80 Shovelers, c100 Teal, c200 Wigeon and a dozen Shelducks, plus a drake Tufted Duck,  spread around the flooded areas.

There were also a few Common and Mediterranean Gulls among the roosting gulls, and a Kingfisher was in the channel opposite.. (AH/TG-P)

Later on, the Green Sandpiper re-appeared. (R Trueman)

This evening a flock of c300 Brent Geese went east, high over, the field, looking like they were on the move. (S&SaH)

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

Church Norton: At least one Slavonian Grebe was offshore this morning, whilst eight Linnets, a Meadow Pipit and a dozen Skylarks were along the beach

In the harbour there were a Greenshank, a Snipe, 55 Ringed Plovers, a single Knot, six Grey Plovers, c40 Turnstones and 300 Dunlin, along with c350 Brent Geese, 25 Shelducks, 15 Wigeon and 20 Teal. (P&LH/R Trueman et al)

Later a Spoonbill was in the harbour, seen from Tern Island. (TG-P et al)

The Spoonbill was seen again later, heading off north, whilst in the harbour there were a Greenshank, c100 Knot and Grey Plovers and c200 Dunlin, plus a few Wigeon and Shelducks.

Also, a small flock of Siskins was between the Severals and a Mistle Thrush and a Red-legged Partridge were along Rectory Lane. (PA/AH)

Siskin (PA) (above), Greenshank & Dunlin (AH) at Church Norton

North Wall: It was quiet along the wall and fields this morning, with just 44 Shovelers and four Gadwall in Honer 1 field and c40 Curlews in Honer 3, plus a few Lapwings in the fields behind.

Both the male and female Marsh Harriers came up briefly, along with half a dozen Buzzards and a couple of Sparrowhawks, and c40 Cattle Egrets flew in to Owl Copse, where the Grey Herons were busy tidying up their nests.

A Blackcap and a couple of Reed Buntings and Greenfinches were about it along the wall, whilst a Grey Wagtail was in the paddocks and distantly viewable in the harbour there were c1000 Brent Geese and c400 Golden Plovers that flew up, though not with any Lapwings. (LP/CT/NR/EB/AH et al)

Cattle Egrets (AH top, EB lower two) (above), Grey Herons, Gadwall, Teal (AH) & Buzzard (EB) at the North Wall (AH)

This evening the Spoonbill went over high to the north, before returning to the harbour, whilst c50 Cattle Egrets flew in to roost in Owl Copse, a Buzzard and a Marsh Harrier were about, too, as were three Cetti's Warblers, three Reed Buntings and four Chiffchaffs, one of which was singing. (S&SaH)

Spoonbill at the North Wall (SaH)

Sidlesham: A Red Kite went over Cow Lane early this afternoon. (PA)

Red Kite over Sidlesham (PA)

Medmerry: Easton Lane to the Stilt Pool - There was a good selection of birds on the stilt Pool this morning, including two Avocets, a Greenshank, eight Snipe, three Common Gulls, c20 Mediterranean Gulls and two Pied Wagtails, whilst c100 Brent Geese and another c20 Mediterranean Gulls were on the reserve and up to ten Buzzards were on the wing.

Also, three Dartford Warblers, four Stonechats, four Cetti's Warblers, half a dozen Yellowhammers and Reed Buntings, three Meadow Pipits and c20 Skylarks and Meadow Pipits were along the banks. (S&SaH/PB)

Dartford Warbler (above) & Yellowhammer at Medmerry (SaH)