25th September 2025

Thursday, 25th September: Another fairly cool, if mostly bright, morning in a brisk northerly breeze.....

Selsey Bill: A few Wigeon and Teal were moving about well out to sea and a dozen Sandwich Terns were among the very large numbers of gulls offshore, but there was very little moving overhead. Full log below. (AH)

(0710-0825hrs) (NNE, F4)

Gannet - 3E, 32W

Shag - 7W, 2os

Wigeon - 23E, 34W

Teal - 1E, 6W

Oystercatcher - 1W

Turnstone - 4

Mediterranean Gull - c150os

Black-headed Gull - c500os

Lesser Black-backed Gull - 4os

Herring Gull - c1500os

Sandwich Tern - 12os

Swallow - 26E

Meadow Pipit - 14E

Goldfinch - 18E

This afternoon, three Brent Geese went west, and a Sanderling and a Clouded Yellow were along the beach. (S Gatley)

Sandwich Tern (above) & Goldfinches at the Bill (AH)

Ferry Pool: There were just a Black-tailed Godwit, a Redshank and 16 Teal on the pool early on. (AH)

Mill Pond Marsh: Four Shovelers among 27 Teal was the only interest this morning. (AH)

Shovelers and Teal at Mill Pond Marsh (AH)

Church Norton: A Spotted Flycatcher was by the concrete wall this morning, half a dozen Blackcaps and a dozen Chiffchaffs were around any bits of shelter and six Meadow Pipits and 15 Swallows went over, but the harbour was very quiet, with no small waders about and just c80 Wigeon and c40 Teal along the main channel. (AH/CRJ)

This afternoon, a Red-breasted Merganser - the first  back - and a Whimbrel were in the harbour. (S Gatley)

Spotted Flycatcher (above), Chiffchaff & Blackcaps at Church Norton (AH)

Marsh Farm, Sidlesham: The Glossy Ibis was around the fields near the farm again late this morning, before flying off some distance south-west, and a Marsh Harrier went over the churchyard, and there were also a Peregrine, seven Cattle Egrets, anda candidate for “fuscus” Lesser Black-backed Gull about (CRJ)

Glossy Ibis (above), Cattle Egret & 'fuscus-type Lesser Black-backed Gull at Marsh Farm, Sidlesham (CRJ)

Earlier, an adult Yellow-legged Gull was out in the fields, but only a dozen or so Cattle Egrets could be found, with little else to report, beyond a dozen Chiffchaffs in the hedges by the pond at Chalder Farm, and half a dozen Swallows over. (AH)

Yellow-legged Gull (above), Cattle Egret & Chiffchaff at Marsh Farm, Sidleshjam (AH)

Pagham Spit: An Osprey was fishing close inshore from the beach early this afternoon. (TG)

Osprey at Pagham Spit (TG)

North Wall: A Spoonbill, seven Curlew Sandpipers, two Greenshanks, two Spotted Redshanks, four Grey Plovers and eight Dunlin were along White’s Creek this morning along with all the regular species, and a Wheatear was along the wall.

A Little Stint was still by the rife at Halsey’s Farm, along with a Dunlin, with two Kingfishers also about, whilst overhead there were a few Meadow Pipits and Swallows. (TRH/MJa/SP/LP)

Later, in addition to the above, there were two Stonechats in the paddocks and a Hobby went over. (JC)

Spoonbill (above), Little Stint, Curlew Sandpipers, Dunlin and Grey Plovers & Wheatear at the North Wall (LP)

This evening, just after dusk, the Glossy Ibis dropped in again on Bremere Rife, at Halsey's Farm, before flying off to roost with at least 70 Cattle Egrets in Owl Copse.

Also, a female Marsh Harrier came in to roost behind the Breech Pool, the Little Stint was present still on the rife in the late afternoon, but not later, when a Greenshank flew in and back out and a Kingfisher flew through, whilst three different Tawny Owls were calling loudly from around Owl Copse and Halsey's Farm. (SH/IP/AH)

Glossy Ibis (above) & Cattle and Little Egrets at the North Wall (AH)