10th December 2025

Wednesday, 10th December: An unseasonably mild morning of sun and cloud in a moderate south-westerly breeze.......

Selsey Bill: The first-winter Little Gull re-appeared offshore again this morning and six Sandwich Terns were feeding near the Mile Basket, but it remains slow.

Encouragingly, the beach around the Bill, at least, is looking much better, with most of the plastic having been removed, though a lot of black bananas remain. Full log below. (IP/AH)

(0800-0900hrs) (SW, F4)

Great Northern Diver - 1W

Great Crested Grebe - 1os

Gannet - 2E, 14W

Shag - 2E

Red-breasted Merganser - 2E

Turnstone - 1

Little Gull - 1os

Kittiwake - 2W

Sandwich Tern - 6os

auk sp - 1E, 1W

Little Gull at the Bill (AH)

Ferry Pool: The digger was in the field this morning, having laid shingle on the new islands, making it quiet, with just three Lapwings and c30 Teal present. (AH)

Teal (above), Lapwings, the digger and the new look at the Ferry (AH)

Pagham Lagoon: The Black-necked Grebe was still present at the south end of the lagoon early this afternoon. (MRe)

North Wall: It was busier along the hedgerows this morning, with 12 Yellowhammers, ten Reed Buntings, a Goldcrest, a Meadow Pipit, a Song Thrush, four Greenfinches and a few Goldfinches, Blue Tits and Great Tits about, whilst around the fields were 14 Snipe, 17 Curlews, including one tagged bird, A7, seven Skylarks, a Kestrel, and both male and female Marsh Harriers.

Two Rock Pipits were along the rocks, a Grey Wagtail was by the sluice, and in the paddock there were two Pied Wagtails and two Stonechats. whilst over the harbour c1000 Lapwings and c500 Brent Geese were moving between there and the fields.

Also, disappointingly, the container debris is now spread all around the harbour with lots of plastic crates and sheeting all along the wall, down the east side, and out on the saltmarsh. (LP/AW/MJa)

Snipe (above), Marsh Harrier, tagged Curlew (AW), Brent Geese, Kestrel, Meadow Pipit, Yellowhammer, Reed Bunting & Skylark (LP) at the North Wall

Medmerry: A Pale-bellied Brent Goose was among c250 Dark-bellied Brent Geese on the west side of the reserve this afternoon. (HB )

Medmerry: Easton Lane to Wilson's Farm - At least 60 Yellowhammers were in the cover crops by Wilson's Farm, along with a handful of Reed Buntings and Chaffinches, whilst there were c20 Linnets and Skylarks, half a dozen Meadow Pipits, a pair of Stonechats and c50 Stock Doves around the fields south of the bank, and a dozen Egyptian geese were in one of the flooded fields along Easton Lane. (AH)

Yellowhammers (above) & Skylark at Medmerry (AH)