26th - 28th July 2025

Monday, 28th July: A warm and muggy morning in hazy sunshine and a fairly light northerly breeze............

Selsey Bill: Half a dozen Little and Common Terns went west, half a dozen Bottle-nosed Dolphins went east and another Willow Warbler was about, though it was generally quiet. Full log below. (SH/PB/IP/AH/P&LH)

(0600-0830rs) ( N, F3)

Gannet - 4E, 12W

Oystercatcher - 2E, 2W

Sanderling - 1W

Curlew - 1W

Turnstone - 13E, 5 present

Mediterranean Gull - 3E, 28W

Sandwich Tern - 16E, 19W

Common Tern - 6W

Little Tern - 6W

Swift - 12

Green Woodpecker - 1

Swallow - 10

Sand Martin - 6

House Martin - 35

Pied Wagtail - 3

Willow Warbler - 1

Bottle-nosed Dolphin - 6E

Ferry Pool: There were ten Lapwings, two Oystercatchers, a Black-tailed Godwit and a Redshank on the pool this morning. (AH)

Lapwing on the Ferry (AH)

Park Farm, Selsey: A Yellow Wagtail went over late this morning. (MRe)

Mill Pond Marsh: A juvenile Little Ringed Plover and two Black-tailed Godwits were on the flooded field, along with two Teal and four Little Grebes, whilst a nice selection of warblers around the willows at the front comprised a Lesser Whitethroat, two Whitethroats, a Willow Warbler and three or four Reed and Sedge Warblers. (AH)

Lesser Whitethroat (above), Willow Warbler, Sedge Warbler, Little Ringed Plover, Teal & Little Grebe at Mill Pond Marsh (AH)

Church Norton:  A Crossbill went east/north over Greenlease Farm early this morning, whilst there was a fair selection of warblers scattered around the area, including 20+ whitethroats, five willow Warblers and Blackcaps and three Cetti's Warblers, with 15 Swifts, 40+ Swallows, a dozen Sand Martins and four House Martins over.

The harbour was quite quiet, though, with just c50 Sandwich Terns, 15 Mediterranean Gulls, three Whimbrel, four Turnstones and 25 Redshanks of note. (MRe/P&LH)

This afternoon there were still 60+ Sandwich Terns in the harbour, along with at least two Little Terns, a Common Tern, three Great crested Grebes, a Whimbrel, a Curlew, four Dunlin and 30-40 Redshanks, with a Skylark, a chiffchaff and a calling Cetti's warbler about, too. (JC)

North Wall: A Spotted Redshank and two Common Sandpipers were in White's Creek this morning, with another of the latter at Halsey's Farm and a Whimbrel was in the fields, as were c20 Cattle Egrets, with another c20 sat out in the harbour and ten or so in Owl Copse.

A Willow Warbler and a Lesser Whitethroat were along the wall, with a few Reed Warblers, Whitethroats and Reed Buntings about, too, whilst a Blackcap was singing at Halsey's Farm, and c50 Swallows went over.

Also, a Water Rail was in the Breech Pool, though not much else, and two Marsh Harriers were about - one over the harbour and one over the reeds. 

There were also a Clouded Yellow along the east side and another along the wall - the first of the year. Addditionally along the east side were at least six Willow Warblers, three Chiffchaffs,  and a Lesser Whitethroat in the tamarisk, an adult Yellow-legged Gull out on the mud and a Sparrowhawk along the path.  (AH/LP/YHu/GHi/BI et al)

Spotted Redshank (above), Water Rail, Common Sandpiper, Willow Warbler (LP), Lesser Whitethroat, Reed Warblers, Cattle Egrets & Clouded Yellow (AH) at the North Wall

Fishbourne Creek: With the tide well out there were six Turnstones, five Whimbrel, three Greenshanks, two Black-tailed Godwits and four Lapwings, as well as good numbers of Curlews, Redshanks and Oystercatchers, along the Creek.

The small birches by the sewage works held two Willow Warblers and a Kingfisher was heard at the Lavant outflow. (RW)

Medmerry: Easton Lane to the Stilt Pool - Eleven Yellow Wagtails were on the reserve this morning, along with a Cattle Egret and a Greenshank, with three more of the latter, five Common Sandpipers and a Redshank on the Stilt Pool and nine Common Terns around the rafts.

The banks were fairly slow, with just five Willow Warblers, two Reed Warblers, 15 Whitethroats, a dozen Stonechats, three Meadow Pipits and half a dozen Yellowhammers about, whilst four Swifts, c30 Sand Martins and Swallows, three Buzzards and four Kestrels went over.

The was also a Jersey Tiger moth along the banks. (S&SaH/PB)

Sunday, 27th July: An overcast and surprisingly cool start in the fresh northerly breeze, slowly warming up, but remaining grey throughout.....

Selsey Bill: A few Common and Sandwich Terns were going west and two Little Terns and two Shovelers went east this morning, and there was also a Willow Warbler in the vegetation at the front of the Oval Field. Full log below. (SH/BI/IP/AH)

(0600-830hrs) (N, F3)

Gannet - 23E, 32W

Shelduck - 5E

Shoveler - 2E

Oystercatcher - 1E, 1W, 1 present

Black-tailed Godwit - 1W

Turnstone - 4

Mediterranean Gull - 14E, 11W

Lesser Black-backed Gull - 2os

Sandwich Tern - 13E, 28W

Common Tern - 5E, 9W

Little Tern - 2E, 3W

Swift - 11

House Martin - 8

Willow Warbler - 1

Linnet - 1W

Willow Warbler (above) & Gannet at the Bill (AH)

Ferry Pool: Early on, there were just a Black-tailed Godwit and two Redshanks on the pool, whilst later there were two juvenile Little Ringed Plovers and a Lapwing present. 

There wasn't much around the Tramway, with just a handful of Whitethroats and a couple of Chiffchaffs seen. (AH/PA et al)

Little Ringed Plovers (above), Lapwing & Chiffchaff at the Ferry (AH)

Park Farm, Selsey: A Sand Martin was amongst c50 House Martins and half a dozen Swallows, with four Swifts over the northern end of the village. Over the fields a Yellow Wagtail flew east at the far eastern end, where a Stoat was on the path and also a Buzzard was present, which was then seen on and off all morning. (IP)

Stoat at Park Farm, Selsey (IP)

Mill Pond Marsh: A Kingfisher was around this afternoon, along with 15 Black-tailed Godwits, whilst earlier there were an adult and a juvenile Coal Tit, with a few Swallows and Reed Warblers present, too. (S&SaH/PA et al)

adult (above) & juvenile Coal Tit at Mill Pond Marsh (PA)

Church Norton: There were a Common Tern and c50 Sandwich Terns in the harbour, and at least that many again around the island, though three Knot and c20 Turnstones that flew around the harbour mouth, three Whimbrel, a Black-tailed Godwit, five Curlews and c40 Redshanks were the only waders seen.

Also, a Wheatear was on the beach, a Garden Warbler and a Willow Warbler were in Bluebell wood, a couple of Blackcaps were in the churchyard and a dozen Whitethroats were scattered about, whilst a handful of Swallows and a couple of Sand Martins went over. (AH/IP)

Blackcap (above), Whitethroat & Whimbrel at Church Norton (AH)

North Wall: It was busy along White’s Creek this morning, with a Spotted Redshank, a Greenshank, c150 Redshank, 28 Black-tailed Godwits, a Common Sandpiper, two Lapwings, two Dunlin and a Kingfisher, while three Green Sandpipers flew over the wall and a Raven passed high overhead.

Twelve Cattle Egrets were in the trees at Owl Copse, including four well grown youngsters, with 18 more out by their island, and a Willow Warbler and two recently fledged Whitethroats were along the bushes, while at Halsey’s Farm a Green Sandpiper and a Common Sandpiper were along the rife, and another Willow Warbler was still in the tamarisk around the field. (LP/MJa/SP)

Later, there were 31 Cattle Egrets about, along with two Common Terns, a Sedge Warbler and a Reed Bunting, with a Peregrine, eight Swifts, c20 Swallows, c50 Sand Martins, a Peregrine, a Kestrel, a Sparrowhawk and a Buzzard over. (S&SaH)

Green and Common Sandpipers (above), Common Sandpiper, Greenshank and Black-tailed Godwit, Redshanks, Dunlin, juvenile Cattle Egret & Whitethroat at the North Wall (LP)

Medmerry: Easton Lane to the Stilt Pool - A Hobby and an immature Marsh Harrier were over the reserve today, along with a Sparrowhawk, two Kestrels, ten Buzzards, two Ravens, 16 Swifts, three Yellow Wagtails and c75 swallows and Sand Martins.

A total of 13 Common Terns were around the rafts, a Cattle Egret, a Whimbrel and a Greenshank were on the reserve, with four more of the latter, three Common Sandpipers and a Redshank were on the stilt Pool.

Along the banks there were three Lesser Whitethroats, 15 Whitethroats, five willow Warblers, three Reed Warblers, a Cetti's Warbler, a Dartford Warbler, 13 Stonechats, four Meadow Pipits, a Reed Bunting and 15 Yellowhammers. (S&SaH)

Saturday, 26th July: The morning started fairly brightly in a light to moderate westerly breeze before a huge bank of drizzly rain slowly moved through, eventually clearing to leave a bright and breezy day......

Selsey Bill: Two Roseate Terns dropped in to feed offshore for about ten minutes this morning before drifting off west, as did eight Little Terns, and five juvenile Common Terns together went east. Full log below. (SH/PB/AH/IP/BI)

(0600-0830hrs) (W, F3)

Gannet - 5E, 22W

Common Scoter - 1E, 1W

Oystercatcher - 2E, 6W

Turnstone - 3

Mediterranean Gull - 2E, 28W

Sandwich Tern - 27E,62W

Roseate Tern - 2os, then W (0740hrs)

Common Tern - 8E, 10W

Little Tern - 8os, then W

Swift - 1

Swallow - 3W

Sand Martin - 8W

House Martin - 6

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

Ferry Pool: There were just a Black-tailed Godwit and two Redshanks on the pool this morning, with a couple of Chiffchaffs in the adjacent hedges. (AH)

Black-tailed Godwit (above) & Chiffchaff at the Ferry (AH)

Mill Pond Marsh: There were two Green Sandpipers on the flooded field this morning and later on two Common Sandpipers and seven Black-tailed Godwits were present. (BI/S&SaH)

Honer Reservoir: A Green Sandpiper was on the reservoir this morning, along with a Greylag Goose, 81 Canada Geese and 63 Mallards. (JDW)

Church Norton: There was still a lot of activity around Tern Island, with another c80 Sandwich Terns and a couple of Little Terns around the harbour, but waders were restricted to a handful of Whimbrel and Curlews, a couple of Ringed Plovers and c25 Redshanks.

The bushes were quiet, apart from half a dozen Whitethroats and Linnets, plus a couple of Sand Martins over. (AH)

Sandwich Tern (above), Whimbrel, Whitethroat & Linnets at Church Norton (AH)

Pagham Spit: There were still a few Little Terns around the creeks this morning but the breach islands seem to be now deserted, though there were, however, still plenty of Sandwich Terns and Black-headed Gulls around Tern Island. 

Along the spit itself were c.150 Starlings, a few Greenfinches and Linnets whilst a Kingfisher and a young Pied Wagtail were on the metal work. The harbour held three Ringed Plovers, a Whimbrel, a scattering of Curlews and a Lesser Black-backed Gull of note. (BI)

Pagham Lagoon: A Little Grebe, two Great Crested Grebes, a Moorhen, six Coots and 24 Mallards were here today and three Swifts flew over. (BI)

North Wall: At Halsey's Farm there were still a number of warblers around the hedges and reeds this morning including Cetti's Warblers, Reed Warblers, Sedge Warblers, Willow Warblers and Whitethroats. 

Two Great Spotted Woodpeckers were about, as was a Green Woodpecker, a Kestrel was out hunting and the mud at the rife held two Lapwings. (BI) 

This afternoon, four Common Sandpipers were found, a Willow Warbler was seen in the scrub, seven Cattle Egret were noted and five Swallows and c.20 Sand Martins went over. (Sa&SH)

Medmerry: Easton Lane to the Stilt Pool - Three Greenshanks, five Common Sandpipers, two Dunlin and two Redshanks were on the Stilt Pool this morning, with another Common Sandpiper, a Whimbrel and a Kingfisher around the reserve, with 11 Common erns around the rafts and a Sandwich Tern offshore.

A Corn Bunting was the highlight along the banks, with a Willow Warbler, 17 Whitethroats, two Reed Warblers, four Stonechats and seven Yellowhammers also about, with four Swifts, four Sand Martins, nine swallows, three Buzzards and a Kestrel going over. (Sa&SH/PB)