29th December 2025

Monday, 29th December: Another grey and fairly cool morning in the persisting moderate north-easterly breeze.....

Selsey Bill: A Red-necked Grebe dropped in offshore, along with a Slavonian Grebe and a Long-tailed Duck, and there were good numbers of Red-throated Divers going through and settling on the sea. Full log below. (SH/BI/IP/AH)

(0740-0940hrs) (NE, F4-5)

Red-throated Diver - 78E, 16os

Red-necked Grebe - 1os

Slavonian Grebe - 1os

Great Crested Grebe - 1E, 4os

Gannet - 56E, 7W, 12os

Shag - 2E

Long-tailed Duck - 1os

Common Scoter - 30os

Red-breasted Merganser - 2E

Sparrowhawk - 1

Turnstone - 1

Great black-backed Gull - 1E, 1os

Sandwich Tern - 8os

Guillemot - 1E, 1os

Razorbill - 21E, 5os

auk sp - 32E, 3W

Pied Wagtail - 1

(1330-1430hrs) (SH)

Great Northern Diver - 1W

Red-throated Diver - 8E, 1W, 5os

Gannet - 34E, 12W

Wigeon - 1os

Shoveler - 1E

Common Scoter - 30os

Red-breasted Merganser - 1W

Common Gull - 1E

Sandwich Tern - 2os

Razorbill - 2E, 1W

auk sp - 9E, 1W

Pied Wagtail - 1

Red-throated Divers (above), Shags, Sandwich Tern & Gannets at the Bill (AH)

Ferry Pool: At least 1000 Lapwings were on the pool and fields again this morning, along with a pair of Gadwall, a dozen Shelducks, c75 Shovelers, c150 Teal and c400 Wigeon, plus a Greylag Goose and c70 Canada Geese in the fields at the back, (AH)

There were another 1500 Lapwings in the harbour off the Tramway, too, along with c800 Golden Plovers, a Peregrine and a Raven. (PA)

Gadwall (above) & Lapwings at the Ferry (AH)

Marsh Farm, Sidlesham: There were still at least 68 White-fronted Geese in the fields between Chalder and Bramber Farms this morning, with a Grey Wagtail about, too. (BI/AW et al)

White-fronted Geese (above) & Grey Wagtail at Marsh Farm, Sidlesham (AW)

Church Norton: A Red-necked Grebe was offshore from the Severals late this morning. (MRe)

North Wall: The flock of White-fronted Geese were seen going west over Halsey's Farm, presumably disturbed by the shooting going on in the fields to the north. (S&SaH)

Also, an Avocet was along White’s Creek, as well as 16 Black-tailed Godwits, 12 Redshank, four Grey Plovers, a Little Grebe, a Great Crested Grebe, 80 Teal, 120 Wigeon, 16 Pintail, whilst further out there were c1500 Lapwing, c800 Golden Plovers, c 200 Dunlin and c1000 Brent Geese.

A Rock Pipit was along the wall, but the bushes were quiet with just a couple of Reed Buntings seen, two Shovelers were on Owl Water, and at Halsey’s Farm a Kingfisher was along the rife.

A Goldcrest was in Braemere Copse, and a Fieldfare was in the adjacent trees as well as 12 Redwings, whilst a lone Cattle Egret was in the fields.

Three Song Thrushes were around the Paddock along with a Grey Wagtail, two Pied Wagtails, a Great Spotted Woodpecker, and a Chiffchaff. (LP/CT)

Fieldfare (above), Redwing, Rock Pipit, Grey Wagtail & Song Thrush at the North Wall (LP)

Sidlesham: The flock of 66 White-fronted Geese flew west over Cow Lane early this afternoon. (PA)

Runcton: South of the village this morning there were 25 Mallard, 18 Shovelers, 21 Teal, two Gadwall, two Tufted Ducks, a Grey Heron, a Little Egret, a Cattle Egret, a Common Buzzard, a Kestrel, 17 Coots, six Moorhens, a Common Gull, two Herring Gulls, a Green Woodpecker, a Great Spotted Woodpecker, a Stonechat and six Starlings, as well as five Roe Deer. (CRJ)

Chichester Canal: A look between the Birdham Road and the Donnington Road this morning produced at least a dozen widely spread Redwings, whilst c25 Fieldfares flew in briefly and then off away again.

There wasn't too much else, though a pair of Ravens flew over and a handful of Goldcrests were along the hedges, whilst six Gadwall, four Mallard an cd40 Coots was it on the water. (AH)

Redwings (above), Fieldfares, Raven & Gadwall at Chichester Canal (AH)