1st - 3rd July 2025

Thursday, 3rd July: A return to the hot and sunny weather under blue skies, in a moderate south-westerly breeze......

The Selsey Bill Spring Summary 2025: The annual spring summary for this year, compiled by our Log-keeper JA, is now available. Find out what sort of spring it was by clicking the link on the title bar. (OM/Eds)

Selsey Bill: A Hobby came in off the sea and a few Swifts and House Martins were about, but it was again very quiet offshore. Full log below. (AW/AH/SR/MO-W)

(0650-0820hrs) (SW, F2-3)

Gannet - 1W

Hobby - 1N

Mediterranean Gull - 14W, 20os

Sandwich Tern - 10E, 9W, 5os

Common Tern - 1E, 2os

Swift - 12

House Martin - 20

Ferry Pool: A Greenshank was on the pool early on, together with the juvenile Avocet, a Lapwing and two Black-tailed Godwits. (AH/PA)

East Beach: The count of active House Martin nests in the East Beach Walk estate came to 11 this morning but considering 40 or so birds were flying around the true number may be higher. (SR)

Mill Pond Marsh: The two Green Sandpipers were still present on the flooded field early this morning, and there were also seven Teal, a family of Gadwall, 15 Tufted Ducks and four Little Grebes about. (MRe/PA)

Pagham Spit and East side: There were c30 Little Terns, a dozen Common Terns and c80 Sandwich Terns in the harbour from the spit, along with c350 Mediterranean Gulls and a couple of Common Gulls, whilst waders viewable from there and the east side included 45 Curlews, a Whimbrel,, seven Grey Plovers, five Ringed Plovers, nine Dunlin, nine Turnstones and c25 Redshanks.

Also along the East side hedges there were a Lesser Whitethroat, four Whitethroats, two Reed Warblers, three Chiffchaffs and a Blackcap, plus three Sand Martins and five Swallows over. (PA)

Church Norton: There were still plenty of Little and Sandwich Terns, plus a few Common Terns bringing in fish to the islands, and there were up to 500 Mediterranean Gulls and 50 Sandwich Terns sat out in the harbour, too, though waders were confined to a handful of Ringed Plovers and Turnstones and a dozen Curlews.

Also, two or three Lesser Whitethroats and a few more Whitethroats were along the hedges, with a couple of Sedge Warblers at the start of the Severals and a couple of Skylarks and Linnets along the beach. (AH/AW)

Little Terns (above), Common Tern, Sandwich Tern, Mediterranean Gull, Ringed Plover, Sedge Warbler & whitethroat at Church Norton (AH)

This evening there was a freshly fledged juvenile Sandwich Tern in the harbour, hopefully the first of many, with an apparent second-summer Common Tern also among the many terns present, whilst there were also a Whimbrel, two or three Dunlin and a dozen Turnstones and Redshanks present. (AH)

juvenile Sandwich Tern (above), second-summer Common Tern & Little Tern at Church Norton (AH)

Wednesday, 2nd July: After quite heavy overnight rain, a cooler, very grey morning, with the odd spell of drizzly rain, in a moderate westerly breeze......

The Selsey Bill Spring Summary 2025: The annual spring summary for this year, compiled by our Log-keeper JA, is now available. Find out what sort of spring it was by clicking the link on the title bar. (OM/Eds)

Selsey Bill: There was just a selection of regular species this morning, including a Common Scoter and a Razorbill east and 21 Swifts were about. Full log below. (SH/AH)

(0630-0845hrs) (WNW, F4)

Gannet - 2E, 3W

Common Scoter - 1E

Oystercatcher - 1W

Curlew - 2W

Mediterranean Gull - 3E, 15W

Sandwich Tern - 20W, 12os

Common Tern - 2W

Little Tern - 1E

Razorbill - 1E

auk sp - 1E

Swift - 21

House Martin - 25

(1415-1515hrs) (SH)

Gannet - 1W

Curlew - 1W

Mediterranean Gull - 3W

Sandwich Tern - 2E, 10W

Common Tern - 1E, 5W, 2os

Little Tern - 1E

Swift - 2

House Martin - 4

Sandwich Tern at the Bill (AH)

Ferry Pool: Just the juvenile Avocet and four Black-tailed Godwits were on what remains of the pool this morning. (AH)

Black-tailed Godwit & Avocet on the Ferry (AH)

Mill Pond Marsh: The two Green Sandpipers were on the flooded field again this morning, along with two Redshanks, a Shelduck, three Teal and what looked like two pairs of Little Grebes chasing each other off. (AH)

Green Sandpiper and Redshanks on Mill Pond Marsh (AH)

Park Farm, Selsey: There were c40 Swifts over the north of Selsey this morning, with three Swallows and c20 House Martins at Park Farm, where there were also a Buzzard, a Chiffchaff, a Blackcap, a Pied Wagtail and c30 Mediterranean Gulls. (S&SaH)

Church Norton: There was a lot of activity around the islands this morning, with plenty of terns bringing in fish, whilst there were still at least 200 Mediterranean Gulls and 80 Sandwich Terns sat out on the mud, along with a few Common and Little Terns, with more of all three species feeding offshore.

A flock of seven Teal went west offshore, then later re-appeared and flew up through the harbour, whilst out on the mud there were three Dunlin, a Ringed Plover, three Black-tailed Godwits, six Curlews and c20 Redshanks.

The bushes were very quiet, though, oddly, a Sedge Warbler was with a couple of Whitethroats in a bramble clump on the beach. (AH)

This evening there were still lots of Little and Sandwich Terns, plus  a few Common Terns, bringing in fish to the islands, and there were also five Sanderlings and five Sand Martins about. (S&SaH)

Little Terns (above), Common Tern, Sandwich Tern, Tern Island, Teal, Sedge warbler & Whitethroat at Church Norton (AH)

Tuesday, 1st July: An even warmer morning, and muggy, too, in a mix of sun and light cloud and just a light north-westerly breeze.....

Selsey Bill: There was nothing happening offshore, but a few hirundines and Swifts were around, along with a Hummingbird Hawk-moth. Full log below. (AH/IP)

(0645-0800hrs) (NW, F2)

Mediterranean Gull - 7E, 10os

Sandwich Tern - 3E, 5W, 6os

Little Tern - 2W

Swift - 6

Great Spotted Woodpecker - 1

Swallow - 15

Sand Martin - 4

House Martin - 20

Hummingbird Hawk-moth - 1

Swift (above), House Martin, Mediterranean Gull & Hummingbird Hawk-moth at the Bill (AH)

Ferry Pool: There were just five Black-tailed Godwits, two Redshanks and a Shelduck on the pool this morning. (AH)

Black-tailed Godwits on the Ferry (AH)

Mill Pond Marsh: There were two Green Sandpipers on the flooded field this morning, along with five Teal, c50 Mallards, including at least three families, a Little Grebe with two chicks and several Reed Warblers. (AH)

This evening the two Green Sandpipers were still present, whilst another one flew over, as did four Sand Martins, whilst there were also a Teal, a Shelduck, a female Tufted Duck and six ducklings, a Grey Heron, a calling Water Rail and a singing Reed Warbler present. (MRe)

Green Sandpipers (above) & Little Grebe and chick at Mill Pond Marsh (AH)

North Wall: A Green Sandpiper flew over the wall and across the harbour and there was a noticeable increase in Redshanks, Lapwings and Curlews as well as a Greenshank and a Grey Plover spread out on the mud at low tide early this morning, whilst three Sandwich Terns flew over the wall before heading back towards their islands and a Swift was also over the harbour.

The four juvenile Marsh Harriers were again in the bushes behind the Breech Pool, all taking to the skies when the adult male returned with food, and with the water level dropping on the pool there were 31 Little Egrets and eight Black-tailed Godwits there early on, plus a Kingfisher, but just a single Tufted Duck was on the water with the c40 Mallards.

At Owl Copse, the two juvenile Grey Herons were still being fed by the adults and 14 Cattle Egrets were along the tops of the trees, with 25 more in the cattle fields behind, the Little Grebe was still on her nest, and along the bushes there was a Great Spotted Woodpecker, four Chiffchaffs, three Linnets, a House Sparrow, numerous Reed Warblers and Sedge Warblers and a couple of Reed Buntings, with four Swallows and a Green Woodpecker in the paddock.

 Also about were at least three Lesser Whitethroats and half a dozen Chiffchaffs, and a dozen of Swallows were in Mill Lane. (LP/MJa/CT/AH)

Late in the morning, there was a probable female Garganey on the Breech Pool, but it could not be relocated as the ducks moved to the channel at the back. (JDW)

Marsh Harriers (above), Black-tailed Godwits, Greenshank, Cattle Egrets, Grey Herons, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Green Woodpecker (LP), Reed Warbler, Sedge Warbler, Chiffchaff, Reed Bunting & Swallow (AH) at the North Wall

Medmerry: Easton Lane to the Stilt Pool - A sub-adult male and a female marsh Harrier were over the reserve this evening, along with a Buzzard, two Swifts, c30 Swallows and c50 Sand Martins, whilst three Common Terns were around the rafts, a Sandwich Tern was offshore and just a Ringed Plover and five Oystercatchers were on the Stilt Pool.

Along the banks there was the usual selection, including a Dartford Warbler, a Stonechat, four Chiffchaffs, six Reed Warblers, c20 whitethroats, four Reed Buntings and c20 Yellowhammers. (S&SaH)