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

(1140-1240hrs) (P&LH)

Great Northern Diver - 2os

Sanderling - 1

Dunlin - 33

Turnstone - 8

Great Black-backed Gull - 2W

Sandwich Tern - 2E, 4W

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)

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)

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)

23rd - 25th March 2026

Wednesday, 25th March: A cold and windy morning in a near gale-force north-westerly, grey and with some rain early on, brighter later..........

Selsey Bill: It was as quiet as expected in the unfavourable conditions, with just a few off the regulars seen, including three Great Northern Divers and seven Sandwich Terns offshore. Full log below. (SH/PB/AH)

(0600-0830hrs) (NW, F7)

Great Northern Diver - 3os

Red-throated Diver - 2E

Gannet - 3E

Common scoter - 4E

Red-breasted Merganser - 4W

Oystercatcher - 1

Ringed Plover - 1W

Turnstone - 30

Common Gull - 1os

Great Black-backed Gull - 4E, 1W, 3os

Kittiwake - 1os

Sandwich Tern - 7os

Pied Wagtail - 1

Turnstone (above) & Great Black-backed Gulls at the Bill (AH)

Ferry Pool: There were ten Avocets on the pool this morning, but six Black-tailed Godwits, four Lapwings and a Curlew were the only other waders noted, though wildfowl numbers had gone back up, including eight Shelducks, ten Gadwall, c50 Teal, c60 Shovelers and c100 Wigeon.

Also, two Black-0tailed Godwits and half a dozen Redshanks were in the channel opposite and at least three Chiffchaffs were calling from the hedges. (AH)

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

Church Norton: There were still 15 Bar-tailed Godwits in the harbour this morning, along with 33 Black-tailed Godwits, four Ringed Plovers, c20 Grey Plovers, c25 Dunlin and c40 Knot, plus a dozen or so Wigeon and Teal and c75 Mediterranean Gulls, but there was nothing in the hedges at all. (AH)

Bar-tailed Godwits and Grey Plovers (above), Black-tailed Godwits, Knot & Ringed Plover at Church Norton (AH)

North Wall: There was not a lot to report today, with just a Chiffchaff, a Brent Goose, eight Cattle Egrets, a Kestrel and two Marsh Harriers noted. (S&SaH)

Chichester GPs: Ivy Lake complex - An adult Little Gull was on East Trout Lake this afternoon, with at least 100 Sand Martins and four Swallows over the adjacent pits and another 20 Sand Martins over Vinnetrow Lake, with a pair of Greylag Geese and a dozen Pochard and Tufted Ducks also about. (AH)

Little Gull (above), Sand Martins & Pochard at Chichester GPs (AH)

Tuesday, 24th March: A change in the weather this morning, with it grey and overcast in an increasingly blustery south-westerly......

Selsey Bill: It was generally very slow this morning, but 151 Brent Geese went east and two Wheatears came in off the sea. Full log below. (IP/AH/P&LH)

(0650-0850hrs) (SW, F5)

Great Northern Diver - 1os

Red-throated Diver - 1E

Brent Goose - 151E, 2os

Common Scoter - 2E

Oystercatcher - 1E

Turnstone - 2

Great Black-backed Gull - 2E, 5os

Sandwich Tern - 6os

Meadow Pipit - 1N

Pied Wagtail - 1N

Wheatear - 2N

Later, two House Martins were seen coming in off the sea. (KJ  et al)

Wheatears (above), Great Northern Diver, Sandwich Tern & Brent Geese (AH)

This afternoon a distant Black-throated Diver went east, while two Red-breasted Mergansers, two Gannets, and a Shag went west.

Also, two Wheatears were working their way east along the garden walls and two House Martins went north high over the housing estate. Full log below. (AW)

(1400-1500hrs) (AW)

Black-throated Diver - 1E

Gannet - 2W

Shag - 1W

Red-breasted Merganser - 2W

House Martin - 2N

Wheatear - 2

Black-throated Diver (above), Gannet & Red-breasted Mergansers at the Bill (AH)

Ferry Pool: Three Sand Martins went over and two Ruff were still present this morning, along with three Avocets, five Lapwings, 15 Redshanks, a Curlew and up to 50 Black-tailed Godwits, including 23 in Ferry Channel, but wildfowl were much reduced, comprising 20 shelducks, four Gadwall, c20 Wigeon, c25 Shovelers and c30 Teal.

Also, a Cattle Egret was in the fields again and five Chiffchaffs and two Cetti's Warblers were in the hedges. (AH/P&LH)

Late this afternoon there were still two Ruff and three Avocets about, along with four Lapwings, a Curlew, a Redshank, two Oystercatchers, six Gadwall, 32 Wigeon and 13 Shelducks, with a Cetti's Warbler calling from the hedges. (JC)

Black-tailed Godwits (above), Cattle Egret, Lapwing & Teal at the Ferry (AH)

North Wall: There wasn’t much happening in the cold and windy conditions this morning, although two House Martins flew over the fields, and a Spotted Redshank was along White’s Creek, whilst the three White-fronted Geese were by the rife at Halsey’s Farm, and four Brent Geese were in the harbour.

In the flooded fields there were Wigeon, Teal, Shovelers, Gadwall, Shelduck, Canada Geese and a pair of Pintail, whilst two Marsh Harriers, a Sparrowhawk and a Kestrel were also about. (MJa/LP et al)

Church Norton: A House Martin came in this morning, whilst a male Wheatear was on the beach and a Sandwich Tern was offshore, but a quiet harbour just held five Black-tailed godwits, eight Grey Plovers, two Dunlin and five Ringed Plovers, whilst there were two Blackcaps and five Chiffchaffs in the churchyard/Mound area. (KJ/NR/P&LH)

East Head: A male Wheatear was on the east side of the spit, around the roped area, this morning, and there were also a roost of 80+ Golden Plovers present and an active group of 38 Sanderlings were on the harbour entrance side. (RA)

Wheatear at East Head (RA)

Monday, 23rd March: A pleasant morning of hazy sun and a light breeze, initially from the north, before veering right round to the south-west......

Selsey Bill: Another slow morning, though a flock of 26 Brent Geese went east and five Great Northern Divers were on the sea. Full log below. (IP/LP/AH)

(0645-0845hrs) (N, F2)

Great Northern Diver - 5os

Shag - 1os

Brent Goose - 26E

Shelduck - 3W

Common Scoter - 2E

Red-breasted Merganser - 5os

Oystercatcher - 4E, 1W

Turnstone - 2W

Mediterranean Gull - 7E

Great Black-backed Gull - 4os

Sandwich Tern - 2E, 2W, 1os

Meadow Pipit - 1N

Chiffchaff - 1

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

Midmorning, the first  House Martin of the year was briefly over the Oval Field, whilst five Sandwich Terns were offshore, along with a Great Northern Diver, and five Pintail flew west and four Common Scoters went east. Full log below. (AW)

(1000-1100hrs)

Great Northern Diver - 1os

Pintail - 5W

Common Scoter - 4E

Sandwich Tern - 5os

House Martin - 1N

Common Scoters (above) & Sandwich Tern at the Bill (AW)

This afternoon a Red-throated Diver flew, west along with three Common Scoters, while two Red-breasted Mergansers went east and three Sandwich Terns were offshore, but there was no further sign of the earlier House Martin. Full log below. (AW)

(1400-1500hrs)

Red-throated Diver - 1W

Common Scoter - 3W

Red-breasted Merganser - 2E

Sandwich Tern - 3os

Red-throated Diver at the Bill (AW)

Ferry Pool: It was another busy morning, with two Ruff, a Green Sandpiper, a Snipe, two Avocets, a Curlew, an Oystercatcher, six Redshanks, six Lapwings, c20 Black-tailed Godwits, a Cattle Egret, a Little Egret, a Grey Heron, 18 Shelducks, eight Gadwall, 27 Teal, 64 Shovelers and 82 Wigeon around the pool and fields.

Also, a Common Gull and half a dozen Mediterranean Gulls were about, a Spotted Redshank and 23 Black-tailed Godwits were in Ferry Channel, a Raven and three Buzzards went over, as did two Sand Martins, whilst a Blackcap, three Chiffchaffs and two Cetti's Warblers were in the adjacent hedges. (JC/AH/AW)

Spotted Redshank (above), Black-tailed Godwits (AW), Cattle Egret & Avocets (AH) at the Ferry

Church Norton: There were three Wheatears on the beach this morning, moving steadily east along the spit, with a few Linnets and Skylarks in the vicinity, too, but a couple of half-heartedly singing Chiffchaffs were it for the hedges.

Two Slavonian Grebes were offshore again, along with a Sandwich Tern and a Red-breasted Merganser, with a pair of the latter in the harbour, along with c25 Wigeon and Teal, half a dozen Black-tailed Godwits, two Ringed Plovers and just a few Knot, Dunlin and Grey Plovers, whilst at least 100 Mediterranean Gulls were among the burgeoning number of Black-headed Gulls. (AH)

Wheatears (above), Linnet, Red-breasted Mergansers & Knot, Dunlin and Grey Plovers at Church Norton (AH)

West Itchenor: A Nuthatch was heard calling in the Park Copse/Birch Copse area today, and a Marsh Harrier went over. (PH)

Medmerry: Windmill area - A Wheatear was along the beach this morning, along with a single Meadow Pipit, whilst offshore there were two Great Northern Divers and seven Red-breasted Mergansers. (AH)

Wheatear (above), Meadow Pipit & Great Northern Diver at Medmerry (AH)