26th October 2025

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 waas 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)