10th - 12th November 2025

Wednesday, 12th November: The wind remains fresh and from the south, leaving a very mild morning of sun and fast moving cloud...........

Selsey Bill: There was a bit of activity this morning, including three Velvet Scoters and 126 Kittiwakes west, plus a dozen Common Scoters on the sea. Full log below. (SH/AH/IP)

(0710-0910hrs) (SW, F5-6)

Great Northern Diver - 1E

Red-throated Diver - 4E, 1W, 1os

Gannet - 3E, 18W, 20os

Shag - 16E

Brent Goose - 2W

Velvet Scoter - 3W

Common Scoter - 2E, 3W, 12os

Red-breasted Merganser - 1W

Grey Plover - 8E

Mediterranean Gull - 25E

Common Gull - 1E

Kittiwake - 14E, 126W

Sandwich Tern - 1E

Razorbill - 2E, 10W

auk sp - 56E, 33W

Skylark - 1E

Pied Wagtail - 3

Meadow Pipit - 5E

Linnet - 4E

Goldfinch - 25

Shag (above) & Grey Plovers at the Bill (AH)

Ferry Pool: There were just three Shelducks and an Oystercatcher on the pool this morning, plus a Grey Wagtail flying over. (AH/TG-P)

Shelduck on the Ferry (AH)

Church Norton: A look around the Severals this morning produced four Firecrests, seven Goldcrests, three Chiffchaffs, three Cetti's Warblers and a calling Water Rail, with a Merlin, a Marsh Harrier, a Grey Wagtail, ten Redpolls and 65 Goldfinches going over. (MRe)

A quick look this afternoon produced two Firecrests and three or four Goldcrests around the churchyard/hide area, whilst c200 Brent Geese were in the harbour, along with c40 Pintail, c20 Teal, c100 Wigeon and just a few Grey Plovers and Dunlin. (AH)

Firecrests (above), Pintail & Brent Geese at Church Norton (AH)

Medmerry: Easton Lane to the Stilt Pool - With the wind dropping, there was plenty of activity along the banks this afternoon, including a Black Redstart on the sea-defence rocks, flock of nine Redpolls in the dead elms, a Dartford Warbler, three Chiffchaffs,, a Cetti's Warbler, five Goldcrests, 17 Stonechats, four Reed Buntings, c25 Yellowhammers, five Skylarks, five Greenfinches, a Pied Wagtail, and c30Linnets and Meadow Pipits.

There were also 53 Ringed Plovers, four Dunlin, a Redshank and nine Snipe on the Stilt Pool, 25 Brent Geese, 36 Egyptian Geese and c100 Golden Plovers and Lapwings around the reserve, with a Merlin, a Peregrine, three Kestrels,, a Marsh Harrier, a Buzzard and a Sparrowhawk going over. (SH)

Tuesday, 11th November: A brisk and blustery south-westerly breeze persisted throughout, and it was mostly overcast, though very mild........

The Birding History of Selsey Bill - a personal review: I have now updated this feature to cover from 1959 up to the present time, with the inclusion of additional photos and data. To view, click the link on the title bar. (In due course it will be transferred to the Blog Archive section). (OM/Eds)

Some observers may also notice that a number of the information pages that were available on the title bar have now been tempoarily removed, to allow for review and updating in due course, so they are currently a work in progress. (OM/Eds)

Selsey Bill: It was fairly quiet again, though with a few birds heading west, including a Sanderling and a Guillemot Full log below. (AH/IP/P&LH)

(0715-0915hrs) (SSW, F5-6)

Great Northern Diver - 1os

Red-throated Diver - 1W

Great Crested Grebe - 1os

Gannet - 41W, 10os

Shag - 5E

Brent Goose - 1W

Teal - 2E

Oystercatcher - 1

Sanderling - 1W

Turnstone - 7

Mediterranean Gull - 3W

Kittiwake - 7W

Guillemot - 1W

Razorbill - 84W

auk sp - 158W

Pied Wagtail - 2

Linnet - 4W

Red-throated Diver (above), Sanderling, Guillemot & Gannet at the Bill (AH)

(1145-1245hrs) (P&LH)

Great Northern Diver - 1W

Red-throated Diver - 1W

Turnstone - 1

Mediterranean Gull - 2os

Kittiwake - 1W

auk sp - 12W

Kittiwake at the Bill (LH)

Ferry Pool: There were again c30 Shovelers and c50 Teal present early, but not later, with, otherwise just a Shelduck, two Lapwings and a few Black-headed Gulls on the pool. (AH)

Later on, a pair of Kingfishers were in Red Barn Ditch and a Grey Wagtail was on the pond in the Discovery Area. (RBe)

Lapwings at the Ferry (AH)

Church Norton: There were 325 Brent Geese present this morning, initially in the harbour before most relocated to the fields behind the churchyard, whilst 25 Shelducks, four Pintail, six Teal and c75 Wigeon were also about.

The Greenshank was present again, with other waders seen including c60 Knot, c200 Dunlin,, c20 Grey Plovers, eight Ringed Plovers and six Turnstones, but two Mistle Thrushes, two Goldcrests and three Pied Wagtails were about it for passerines. (AH/P&LH)

Brent Geese (above), Wigeon, Knot, Pied Wagtails (Ah), Greenshank, Green woodpecker & Brent Geese (LH) at Church Norton 

Medmerry: Ham Farm - Large numbers of Stock Doves were in the Ham area of Medmerry today - at least 300 in the main flock, with other smaller groups nearby, and there were small numbers of Meadow Pipits and Stonechats about, but not much else of note in the strong breeze. (RBe)

Stock Doves at Medmerry (RBe)

Monday, 10th November: A mostly very grey and gloomy morning, of intermittent rain and drizzle and the odd brighter spell in a fresh south-westerly breeze.....

The Birding History of Selsey Bill - a personal review: I have now updated this feature to cover from 1959 up to the present time, with the inclusion of additional photos and data. To view, click the link on the title bar. (In due course it will be transferred to the Blog Archive section). (OM/Eds)

Selsey Bill: It was pretty slow this morning, though three Sandwich Terns were around again. Full log below. (AH/IP)

(0720-0850hrs) (SW, F5)

Red-throated Diver - 1E

Gannet - 1E, 38W, 10os

Shag - 4E

Brent Goose - 2W

Common Scoter - 6E, 6W

Oystercatcher - 1W

Turnstone - 1

Mediterranean Gull - 7W,

Kittiwake - 3W

Sandwich Tern - 3W

Razorbill - 4W, 2os

Pied Wagtail - 1

Later, between 1000hrs and 1100hrs, a flock of seven Velvet Scoters went east, and three Great Northern Divers and a Brent Goose went west. (AW)

Velvet Scoters at the Bill (AW)

Ferry Pool: Early this morning, c30 Shovelers and c50 Teal were on the pool, but they weren't there later, when the Green Sandpiper was on the roadside pool and just four Shelducks were on the main pool, along with a Grey Wagtail, whilst, again without obvious reason, ten Snipe  flew up from the reeds and out into the harbour. (AH)

Green Sandpiper (above), Snipe & Grey Wagtail at the Ferry (AH)

Selsey: A male Black Redstart was in the gardens behind Asda this morning. (MRe)

East Beach: A Grey Wagtail was in the garden this morning, but there have been no further sightings of the Turtle Dove since the 6th. (SR)

Medmerry: Windmill area - A Merlin was in the vicinity early this afternoon. (GR)

Fishbourne Creek: Four Greenshanks and two Little Grebes were about all the creek had to offer at high tide today. (JC)

Church Norton: At least 500 Brent Geese were coming and going from the harbour this morning, with half a dozen Shelducks, c50 Teal and c100 Wigeon also about, whilst a Greenshank was the only wader beyond the expected c100 Dunlin, c25 Grey Plovers and the usual Redshanks, Curlews and Oystercatchers.

A Mistle Thrush and a couple of Goldcrests were in the car-park and a small, mixed flock of Siskins and Goldfinches dropped in briefly  to the churchyard, but there was very little else to see in the sheltered hedges. (AH)

Greenshank (above), Grey Plover, Mistle Thrush & Siskin and Goldfinch at Church Norton (AH)