26th - 28th October 2025

Tuesday, 28th October: Another very windy morning, with it still from the west, overcast and cool early on before brightening up slowly.........

If anyone is interested in revisiting past glories, the Reviews of the Year for 2013 to 2023, plus information on the Pom-King trophy, and more to follow, can be accessed from the 'Blog Archive' on the toolbar above. (Eds)

Selsey Bill: There were a few birds about this morning, including a Red-throated and a Great Northern Diver, a Guillemot and a couple of Red-basted Mergansers, with 21 Redpolls west the most notable overhead migrants. Full log below. (SH/IP/AH)

(0630-0900hrs) (W, F5-6)

Great Northern Diver - 1os

Red-throated Diver - 1W

Gannet - 20E, 10W, 4os

Shag - 1E

Brent Goose - 6W

Shelduck - 1W

Common Scoter - 2E

Red-breasted Merganser - 2W

Kestrel - 1

Oystercatcher - 1W, 1 present

Grey Plover - 1W

Curlew - 2W

Turnstone - 32

Mediterranean Gull - 8W

Kittiwake - 2W

Sandwich Tern - 2W

Guillemot - 1os

Razorbill - 17E, 72W

auk sp - 107E, 36W

Pied Wagtail - 8

Meadow Pipit - 1W

Redpoll - 21W

Linnet - 35N

Goldfinch - 40W

Red-throated Diver (above), Red-breasted Merganser & Shag at the Bill (AH)

Ferry Pool: There were just four Lapwings and 18 Shovelers present this morning. (AH)

Lapwing and Shovelers on the Ferry (AH)

Church Norton: There were a few more waders in the harbour this morning, including a dozen Knot and Turnstones, c25 Grey Plovers and c50 Dunlin, as well as 22 Shelducks, but not much else of note.

A single Swallow was overhead, and three small flocks totalling c30 Redpolls and a flock of 45 Stock Doves went over west, but a couple of Jays and Chiffchaffs and a dozen Goldcrests was about it on another quiet this morning. (AHu/AH/IH)

North Wall: A Kingfisher was by the sluice, and three Spotted Redshanks were along White’s Creek, with 32 Brent Geese further out.

A Wheatear and a Rock Pipit were along the rocks and on the Breech Pool there were 23 Black-tailed Godwits, a Snipe, three Shovelers and a Grey Wagtail, but it was quiet elsewhere with just a few Reed Buntings, Long-tailed Tits and two Stonechats along the bushes, and four Pied Wagtails in the paddocks. (MJa/LP)

A brief late afternoon visit to the Breech Pool yielded two Snipe, a Water Rail, a Kingfisher, a Grey Wagtail and a Little Egret, plus a Mediterranean Gull over. (JC)

Shoveler (above), Grey Wagtail & Pied Wagtail at the North Wall (LP)

Medmerry: Easton Lane to the Stilt Pool - A Dartford Warbler, three Goldcrests, Cetti's Warblers, two Stonechats, ten Yellowhammers, three Skylarks, two Meadow Pipits, c20 Goldfinches and c30 Linnets along the banks today, with a Kingfisher, a Greenshank, c100 Golden Plovers and Lapwings, 11 Egyptian Geese on the reserve, with subadult male and two female Marsh Harriers, three Buzzards and four Kestrels going over.

Also, a good count of 89 Ringed Plovers, along with seven Snipe and five Dunlin, were on the Stilt Pool. (S&SaH)

Monday, 27th October: The breeze remains very brisk and rom the north-west, leaving another bright, but cool and blustery morning.........

If anyone is interested in revisiting past glories, the Reviews of the Year for 2013 to 2023, plus information on the Pom-King trophy, and more to follow, can be accessed from the 'Blog Archive' on the toolbar above. (Eds)

Selsey Bill: A Merlin that hung around for a minute or two before heading off east and 235 Razorbills west were the highlights of a fairly slow morning. Full log below. (IP/AH)

(0710-0840hrs) (NW, F6)

Gannet - 36W, 20os

Brent Goose - 1W

Merlin - 1E

Oystercatcher - 2

Turnstone - 25

Mediterranean Gull - 10W

Common Gull - 2W

Razorbill - 235W

auk sp - 3E, 64W

Wood Pigeon - 200W

Pied Wagtail - 2

Meadow Pipit - 2E

Goldfinch - 7

Merlin (above), Razorbills & Mediterranean Gull at the Bill (AH)

Ferry Pool: There were just a Lapwing, a Great Black-backed Gull and c25 Black-headed Gulls present this morning. (AH)

Church Norton: It was very quiet this morning, with a dozen Turnstones, c20 Grey Plovers and Dunlin and a scattering of Redshanks, Curlews and Oystercatchers the only waders in the harbour, and just a handful of Shelducks and a few Wigeon and Teal the only wildfowl.

Two Firecrests were in Bluebell Wood early on, and two Swallows were feeding over the sheltered hedges, but the hedges themselves were very quiet, with a couple of Chiffchaffs among a roving flock of Blue and Long-tailed Tits, two or three Jays and a Green Woodpecker about it.

The most unusual thing seen this morning was a Muntjac deer behind the hide, before it ran back into the undergrowth. (AH/MRe)

Grey Plover (above), Long-tailed Tit & Muntjac at Church Norton (AH)

Medmerry: Easton Lane to the Stilt Pool - There wasn't too much to report in the windy conditions today, though a Dartford Warbler, four Goldcrests, three Stonechats and four Yellowhammers were along the banks and a Grey Plover, three Egyptian Geese, a Marsh Harrier and two Kestrels were on/over the reserve. (SaH)

Sunday, 26th October: Another bright and breezy morning, warm in the sun and chill in the shade, with the fresh and blustery westerly persisting.....

Selsey Bill: A flock of four Velvet Scoters and an Arctic Skua west were the highlights offshore, whilst there was again a bit of visible migration, including two Bramblings and a few Redpolls, Siskins and Skylarks. Full log later. (SH/JA/BI/PB/MRB/IP/AH)

(0630-0900hrs) (WNW, F4-5)

Great Northern Diver - 1os

Gannet - 104W

Shag - 2E

Little Egret - 4W

Brent Goose - 29W

Shelduck - 3W

Shoveler - 1W

Velvet Scoter - 4W

Common Scoter - 2E

Red-breasted Merganser - 3W

Sparrowhawk - 1

Sanderling - 1W

Turnstone - 15

Arctic Skua - 1W

Mediterranean Gull - 4W, 1os

Common Gull - 1W

Razorbill - 177W

auk sp - 19E, 957W

Wood Pigeon - 565W

Stock Dove - 9W

Skylark - 3E, 9W

Swallow - 1

Grey Wagtail - 1W

Pied Wagtail - 11W

Meadow Pipit - 7N

Brambling - 2N

Redpoll - 3N

Siskin - 14W

Goldfinch - 45W

Velvet Scoters (above), Swallow & Mediterranean Gull at the Bill (AH)

Ferry Pool: There were just 22 Lapwings, 16 Shovelers and c40 Teal on the pool this morning. (AH)

Shovelers on the Ferry (AH)

Mill Pond Marsh: There were seven Snipe on the flooded field this morning, along with five Gadwall, two Shovelers and c60 Teal. (AH)

Snipe and Teal (above) & Gadwall, Shovelers and Teal at Mill Pond Marsh (AH)

Park Farm, Selsey: Two Crossbills went over early this morning. (MRe)

Later there were three Swallows around the Stables and a Great Spotted Woodpecker flew towards the village, whilst in the fields were a few Pied Wagtails, Skylarks and Meadow Pipits, plus a lone Grey Wagtail, along with a pair of Stonechats. 

Also, a Jay flew along the treeline and both a Sparrowhawk and Common Buzzard were seen here. (IP)

Sidlesham: Early this morning four Redwings, two Fieldfares, two Mistle Thrushes, a Siskin and 24 Redpolls went over Cow Lane, with 15 or so still around the garden, and there was also a Tawny Owl  calling. (PA)

Redpoll in a Sidlesham garden (PA)

Church Norton: The Black-necked Grebe re-appeared this morning, half a mile offshore from the Severals. 

In the harbour a flock of 75 Dunlin were flying around with at least two Knot within, with, otherwise a sprinkling of Grey Plovers, six Turnstones, a Ringed Plover, c150 Lapwing in flight over the North Wall and the usual Redshanks, Curlews and Oystercatchers.

Wildfowl included a flock of 75 Brent Geese near the harbour mouth, c100 Teal and Wigeon and c30 Shelducks and Pintails, and both a Lesser Black-backed Gull and a Common Gull were present, roo,

Also, a female Stonechat was seen in the first Several and a Peregrine, three Kestrels and a female Marsh Harrier were about. (IP)

This afternoon a Brambling was seen coming in off the sea by Bluebell Wood among a flock of Chaffinches (MRe), whilst seven Swallows were over the harbour and four Stonechats were along Rectory Lane (AH).

North Wall: Two Spotted Redshanks and c30 Black-tailed Godwits were in White's Creek this morning, along with c30 Teal, c50 Wigeon and c100 Lapwings, whilst a Grey Wagtail and a couple of Rock Pipits were also in the vicinity and a Wheatear was further along the wall.

A Water Rail and a couple of Kingfishers and Marsh Harriers were about, too, a Fieldfare was present early on and a couple of Siskins went over, but otherwise there were just half a dozen Chiffchaffs and Stonechats, a Yellowhammer and a dozen Reed Buntings about the hedges, plus c50 stock Doves and c200 Wood Pigeons over.

Also of note were a Clouded Yellow towards Marsh Farm and a Hummingbird Hawk-moth in a Church Lane garden. (LP/JDW/MRi/CT/DHi/MJa/AH et al)

This evening four Marsh Harriers came in to roost, including the adult male, whilst the Wheatear and a Rock Pipit were still along the wall, along with our Reed Buntings and a couple of Cetti's Warblers, with a Kingfisher, two Snipe, a Greenshank, four Avocets, three Water Rails, six Brent Geese and two Kestrels also seen. (S&SaH)

Spotted Redshanks (AH top, LP lower) (above), Wheatear (LP), Grey Wagtail (AH top, LP lower) , Rock Pipit, Kingfisher (AH), Water Rail (LP), Stock Doves & Chiffchaff (AH) at the North Wall

Medmerry: Easton Lane to the Stilt Pool - Three female-type Marsh Harriers were up together this morning, along with a Red Kite, a Peregrine, a Buzzard and five Kestrels, with 13 Egyptian Geese, c100 Lapwings and c200 Golden Plovers on the reserve.
Also, along the banks and fields there were a Dartford Warbler, a Chiffchaff, two Goldcrests, four Cetti's Warblers, 11 Stonechats, c20 Yellowhammers, c30 Linnets and Skylarks and c50 Meadow Pipits and Goldfinches. (S&SaH)