25th February 2026

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 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 and a Mistle Thrush was along Rectory Lane. (PA/AH)

Greenshank (above) & Dunlin at Church Norton (AH)

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)

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)

22nd - 24th February 2026

Tuesday, 24th February: An almost spring-like morning, with some quite warm sunny spells in just a moderate south-westerly breeze....

Selsey Bill: There was almost nothing on the move this morning, though a Slavonian Grebe and three Great Northern Divers were on the sea. Full log below. (IP/AH)

(0740-0855hrs) (SW, F3-4)

Great Northern Diver - 3os

Slavonian Grebe - 1os

Great Crested Grebe - 1W, 1os

Fulmar - 1W

Brent Goose - 13E

Common Scoter - 2W

Red-breasted Merganser - 1E

Oystercatcher - 1E

Turnstone - 3

Mediterranean Gull - 2E, 1W

Great Black-backed Gull - 4os

Razorbill - 1W

Great Northern Diver (above), Fulmar, Common Scoters & Great Crested Grebe at the Bill (AH)

Ferry Pool: There were no Lapwings on the pool again this morning, with two Avocets the only waders present, whilst all the wildfowl widely spread, comprising two Mute Swans, eight Shelducks, c80 Shovelers, c109 Teal and C200 Wigeon. (AH)

Shovelers, Teal and Wigeon at the Ferry (AH)

Church Norton: A Black Redstart - the first of the spring - was in the field opposite Greenlease Farm this morning. (TS)

North Wall: Four Barnacle Geese were in Honer 1 field late this morning and the three White-fronted Geese were in the field behind the Breech Pool, whilst also around the flooded fields were 42 Shovelers, four Gadwall, a Cattle Egret, a Little Egret, eight Grey Herons and 76 Curlews.

Two Spotted Redshanks were along White’s Creek and a Grey Wagtail, two Pied Wagtails, a Stonechat and a Chiffchaff were in the Paddock. (EB/LP/GR/GW)

Barnacle Geese (above), White-fronted Geese, Spotted Redshank &Y Grey Wagtail at the North Wall (LP)

Pagham Lagoon: A male Blackcap was in the bushes by the boardwalk on the Lagoon and the female Pochard was on the water, along with 11 Tufted Ducks and nine Little Grebes, whilst at the harbour end a Fox was enjoying the sun on the banks. (LP)

Pochard (above) & Fox at Pagham Lagoon (LP)

Pagham Spit: On the shale banks off the old car park there were 78 Mediterranean Gulls and four Sandwich Terns, whilst four Barnacle Geese flew in and across the harbour.

In the gorse along the Spit, there were two Stonechats and six Skylarks, whilst two Rock Pipits and a group of 16 Linnets were bathing in the puddles.

Looking into the harbour from the old hide pad, there was a fine selection of birds, including three Red Breasted Mergansers, a Great Crested Grebe, a Greenshank, a Bar-tailed Godwit, eight Ringed Plovers, 32 Grey Plovers, 48 Dunlin, 36 Turnstones, six Curlews, eight Oystercatchers, 1000 Lapwings, 800 Golden Plovers, 1500 Brent Geese, 200 Wigeon, 100 Teal, 20 Pintail, 30 Shelduck, 50 Common Gulls, and 40 Great Black-backed Gulls, with three Common Seals hauled out on the mud. (LP)

Red-breasted Mergansers (above), Greenshank, Dunlin, Ringed Plover, Turnstone and Dunlin, Linnet and Meadow Pipit, Sandwich Tern and Mediterranean Gulls & Common Seals at Pagham Spit (LP)

East Head: A Red Kite went over, early this afternoon. (PH)

Chichester Marina: The Nuthatch was showing well again in the southern end of Salterns Copse, with a Tree-creeper and two busy pairs of Great Spotted Woodpeckers also present.

Out in the harbour there were at least 1000 Black-tailed Godwits and Brent Geese, with six Red-breasted Mergansers, four Great Crested Grebes, a Little Grebe, 200 Wigeon, c500 Dunlin, c50 Grey Plovers and c250 Common Gulls also present. 

There were also a Brimstone and a Peacock on the wing. (AH)

. 

Nuthatch (above), Tree-creeper, Red-breasted Mergansers, Brent Geese, Black-tailed Godwits & Brimstone at Chichester Marina (AH)

Monday, 23rd February: A dry and occasionally hazily sunny morning, tempered by the fresh south-westerly breeze....

Selsey Bill: The first Eider of the year - a drake - dropped in offshore, where there was also a Slavonian Grebe, whilst an Avocet and five Fulmars went west, 35 Brent Geese went east and six Skylarks came in off the sea. Full log below. (PM/PB/P&LH/PA/AH/IP)

(0705-0935hrs) (SW, F5)

Great Northern Diver - 1os

Red-throated Diver - 2E, 2W

diver sp - 1W

Slavonian Grebe - 1os

Great Crested Grebe - 1os

Fulmar - 5W

Gannet - 1E, 1W

Brent Goose - 35E, 12W

Eider - 1os

Common Scoter - 1os

Red-breasted Merganser - 5os

Oystercatcher - 1E, 1W

Avocet - 1W

Dunlin - 10W

Curlew - 2E, 2W

Turnstone - 50W

Mediterranean Gull - 6W, 1os

Common Gull - 2W

Great Black-backed Gull - 3W, 2os

Sandwich Tern - 3W

Razorbill - 1W

auk sp - 2W

Skylark - 6N

Meadow Pipit - 1

Pied Wagtail - 1N

Rook - 3W

(1245-1345hrs) (P&LH)

Great Northern Diver - 1os

Red-breasted Merganser - 2W

Turnstone - 2

Mediterranean Gull - 5os

Common Gull - 4W

Great Black-backed Gull - 2W

Fulmars (above), Avocet & Mediterranean Gull at the Bill (AH)

Ferry Pool: There were no Lapwings on the pool this morning, though there were still six Shelducks, six Gadwall, c80 Shovelers, c100 Teal and similar of Wigeon about, along with four Canada Geese, whilst the gull roost contained a couple each of Mediterranean, Common and Lesser Black-backed Gulls, with another six of the latter going over, heading north. (PA/AH)

Lesser Black-backed Gulls (above), Mediterranean Gull and Black-headed Gulls & Wigeon at the Ferry (AH)

Church Norton: There wasn't a lot to report from the harbour this morning, though a pair of Red-breasted Mergansers, a Greenshank, a Mediterranean Gull and ten Ringed Plovers were about, along with c150 Grey Plovers, c400 Knot and c800 Dunlin.

Also, at least 400 Golden Plovers and 1000 Lapwings came up from the far end. (P&LH/AH)

Dunlin (above) & Grey Plovers at Church Norton (AH)

North Wall: Two Spotted Redshanks were by the sluice and a Grey Plover was along White’s Creek, as well as a Black-tailed Godwit and lots of Wigeon and Teal, whilst further out on the mud were the regular Lapwings and Brent Geese.
A Kingfisher flew over the Breech Pool and 14 Tufted Ducks were on the water, and on the flooded fields there were 16 Shovelers, four Gadwall, 23 Canada Geese, six Brent Geese and an Egyptian Goose.
Three Little Egrets were with 15 Grey Herons around Owl Copse, but the only small birds along the bushes were eight Goldfinches, a Chaffinch, a Chiffchaff, three Cetti’s Warblers, a Long-tailed Tit, a Linnet and a few Blue Tits and Great Tits. (LP/GHi/MJa/CT)

Spotted Redshanks and Teal (above), Teal, Brent Goose, Teal and Canada Goose, Tufted Duck & Little Egrets and Grey Herons at the North Wall (LP)

East side: A look from White's Creek to Pagham Spit produced a Ruff, two Spotted Redshanks, a Greenshank, a clear increase in Pintail to c200 birds and a Stonechat.

There were still about 1000 Black-tailed Godwits and 450 Golden Plovers present, but seemingly a decrease in Lapwing and Brent Goose numbers. (PA)

Ruff, Spotted Redshank, Redshank and Teal (above), Knot & Stonechat along the East side (PA)

Sunday, 22nd February: Another fairly miserable morning, though fairly mild,, with persistent drizzle interspersed with spells of heavier rain in a brisk and blustery westerly....

Selsey Bill: A total of 141 Brent Geese heading east, including a flock of 48, was the clear highlight, with two Fulmars west the only other thing of note on a morning of very poor visibility. Full log below. (SH/IP/AH)

(0710-0925hrs) (W, F5-6)

Fulmar - 2W

Gannet - 3W

Brent Goose - 141E (inc a flock of 48)

Red-breasted Merganser - 1E

Turnstone - 4

Mediterranean Gull - 2E, 3os

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

Sandwich Tern - 1W

Pied Wagtail - 1

(1315-1415hrs) (SH)

Turnstone - 1W

Mediterranean Gull - 1E

Great Black-backed Gull - 1E, 2W

Goldfinch - 3

Brent Geese (above) & Mediterranean Gull at the Bill (AH)

Ferry Pool: There were only c300 Lapwings around the pool this morning, along with eight Shelducks, c50 Shovelers and Teal and c100 Wigeon. (AH)

Wigeon at the Ferry (AH)

Church Norton: There were plenty of birds around this morning, though nothing very rare, with two Marsh Harriers, two Bar-tailed Godwits and six Avocets the most notable, whilst c120 Brent Geese flew in from offshore and may have been migrating birds, though at least another 800 were up at the far end of the harbour.

There were at least 100 Grey Plovers, 500 Knot and 1000 Dunlin out on the mud, whilst c2000 Lapwings, c600 Golden Plovers and c800 Black-tailed Godwits flew up several times from the far end, but a Jay, a pair of Great Spotted Woodpeckers and c20 Long-tailed Tits were the only land-birds noted. (AH et al)

Marsh Harrier (above), Avocet, Bar-tailed Godwit, Black-tailed Godwits, Golden Plovers and Lapwings & Long-tailed Tit at Church Norton (AH)

Medmerry: Easton Lane to Marsh Barn - Around 100 Fieldfares were in the fields by the Easton Lane car-park this morning, whilst two Stonechats, four Goldcrests, three Cetti's Warblers, a Reed Bunting and two Yellowhammers were along the banks.

Also, a Water Rail was in one of the pools, c100 Brent Geese were on the reserve and a Buzzard went over. (S&SaH)

West Wittering: A large flock of up to 1000 Mediterranean Gulls were in the fields this afternoon. 

Also a Raven went over and a curiosity - a flock of ten Helmeted Guinea Fowl, scrubbing about in the hedgerow - obviously feral, but not obviously in captivity. (GM)

Long Pool: A look along the pool late this afternoon produced four Yellowhammers, two Reed Buntings, five Linnets and a calling Cetti's Warbler, whilst a Greenshank, a female Red-breasted Merganser and a drake Gadwall were in Ferry Channel and 51 Avocets were roosting out in the harbour, along with innumerable Golden Plovers and Lapwings. (AH)

Red-breasted Merganser (above), Avocets, Yellowhammer, Reed Bunting & Linnet along the Long Pool. (AH)