23rd December 2025

Tuesday, 23rd December: A cold and very grey morning in a moderate north-easterly breeze.......

Selsey Bill: There was a bit of variety again this morning, including the Long-tailed Duck and three Slavonian Grebes on the sea and all three diver species. Full log below. (SH/PB/AH/B Hayward)

(0750-0935hrs) (NE, F4)

Great Northern Diver - 1E, 6os

Black-throated Diver - 1W

Red-throated Diver - 5E, 2W, 2os

Slavonian Grebe - 3os

Great Crested Grebe - 3os

Gannet - 5E, 4W

Shag - 1E

Brent Goose - 6E, 66W

Shelduck - 4E

Wigeon - 5E, 2W

Long-tailed Duck - 10s

Common Scoter - 1E, 20os

Red-breasted Merganser - 4E, 2W

Oystercatcher - 2E

Grey Plover - 5W

Turnstone - 5

Mediterranean Gull - 2E

Common Gull - 2W

Great Black-backed Gull -

Kittiwake - 2E

Guillemot - 2E

Razorbill - 1E

auk sp - 21E

Slavonian Grebes (above) & Red-breasted Merganser at the Bill (AH)

Ferry Pool: There were c250 Lapwings around the pool late this morning, along with c60 Shovelers, c50 Teal and c80 Wigeon, with c80 Canada Geese on the field. 

Also, c300 Brent Geese flew over and c200 Golden Plovers and c40 Curlews in he channel opposite. (AH/B Hayward)

Lapwings and Shovelers on the Ferry (AH)

Church Norton: There wasn't much to see in a quick look on the rising tide this morning, with two Greenshanks, c50 Grey Plovers and Knot and c300 Dunlin on the mud, and c50 Wigeon and 20 Teal on the water, plus c40 Brent Geese flying over. (AH)

Greenshanks (above) & Grey Plovers and Dunlin at Church Norton (AH)

North Wall: With a team of contractors cleaning along the wall this morning meant there wasn’t much to see, though a large flock of c1500 Lapwing were up over the harbour and both male and female Marsh Harriers were over the reeds, but apart from 300 Brent Geese in Honer 2, and two Shovelers and a Little Grebe on Owl Water, that was about it. (MJa/CT/LP)

At dusk this evening, a ringtail Hen Harrier was hunting over the wall and surrounding harbour. (B Hayward)

East Side: There was a large number of birds along the East side, with 1000 Brent Geese, 1500 Lapwing, 500 Dunlin, 200 Knot, 100 Black-tailed Godwits, 100 Grey Plovers, two Bar-tailed Godwits, five Common Gulls, 80 Great Black-backed Gulls, 50 Pintail, 300 Wigeon, 200 Teal, 40 Shelducks, five Little Grebes and a Rock Pipit. (LP)

Bar-tailed Godwit (above), Rock Pipit, Grey Plover, Knot, Black-tailed Godwits and Brent Goose & Dunlin along the East side (LP)

Pagham Lagoon and Spit: A Dartford Warbler was in the gorse at the end of the lagoon, but there was no sign of the Black-necked Grebe, with just two Pochard, two Tufted Ducks and 12 Little Grebes on the water.

It was quiet along the spit with only a Kingfisher, four Mediterranean Gulls and 14 Linnets about, although two Red-throated Divers were offshore by the harbour entrance. (LP)

The Black-necked Grebe was back on the lagoon late in the afternoon. (B Hayward)

Fishbourne Creek: A pair of Goldeneye were along the creek today, together with two Sandwich Terns and a Jack Snipe. (AWi)

Medmerry: Easton Lane to the Stilt Pool - Three Marsh Harriers were together from the flint barn view point today, and they were bombed by both a Peregrine and then a Merlin, which was seen again later at the Stilt Pool, with a Buzzard and four Kestrels completing the set of raptors.

There wasn't too much else about, though, with a Dartford Warbler, two Stonechats and three Meadow Pipits about it along the banks, with a Raven, a Brent Goose, c20 Golden Plovers and c700 Lapwings on the reserve and c30 Dunlin and c40 Ringe Plovers on the Stilt Pools. (S&SaH/B Hayward)