29th - 31st December 2025

Wednesday, 31st December: The year ended with a lovely, crisp and cold winter's morning in just a light northerly breeze.....

For anyone staying in tonight, the Review of the Year is available on the header above. It was a remarkable year, and let's hope 2026 is even better! (Eds)

Selsey Bill: A lot of very distant auks were heading east, and 11 Sandwich Terns and a few Red-throated Divers were about, but it was generally slow. Full log below. (JA/SH/BI/AH/PA)

(0730-0930hrs) (N, F2)

Great Northern Diver - 2E

Red-throated Diver - 13E, 15W, 2os

diver sp - 6W

Great Crested Grebe - 1E, 5os

Gannet - 2E, 4W

Shag - 10E

Cormorant - 62E

Brent Goose - 20W

Common Scoter - 1E, 29os

Red-breasted Merganser - 8E, 1W

Oystercatcher - 1E, 1W

Sanderling - 1

Turnstone - 3W

Great Black-backed Gull - 5E, 2os

Sandwich Tern - 10E, 1os

Guillemot - 1os

Razorbill - 47E, 4W, 1os

auk sp - 418E, 4W

Guillemot (above), Razorbill, Red-throated Diver & Red-breasted Mergansers at the Bill (AH)

Ferry Pool: There were vast numbers of birds around the pool this morning until they started shooting nearby, when the entire lot upped and dispersed, mainly to the harbour - rough totals were c1500 Lapwings, c80 Shovelers, c250 Teal, c400 Wigeon, eight Shelducks and c60 Canada Geese. (AH/RBe).

Shovelers and Teal (above), Shovelers, Wigeon and Teal & Shovelers, Wigeon, Teal and Lapwings at the Ferry (AH)

Late this afternoon, a Green Sandpiper dropped in from the Long Pool area - the first sighting here for several weeks. (AH)

Green Sandpiper at the Ferry (AH)

Pagham Lagoon: The Black-necked Grebe was still present late this morning. (PA)

East Head: Another Black-necked Grebe was in the harbour from East Head this morning, too. (BI)

Church Norton: The drake Long-tailed Duck was offshore again this morning, along with five Red-breasted Mergansers, a Razorbill, four Sandwich Terns, two Great Northern divers, six Red-throated Divers, plus a flock of nine that flew west together, and at least 25 Great Crested Grebes.

Also, a Marsh Harrier went over the harbour, which was full of birds, including good numbers of all the regular species. (AH/RBe)

Long-tailed Duck (above) & Red-throated Divers at Church Norton (AH)

North Wall: Three first-winter White-fronted Geese were in the fields at Halsey's Farm this morning, along with large numbers of Wigeon, with a couple of Snipe, a Rock Pipit and several Song Thushes around, too. (PA/EB)

White-fronted Goose and Wigeon (above), Wigeon, Snipe, Song Thrush & Rock Pipit at the North Wall (EB)

Medmerry: Easton Lane to the Stilt Pool - Two Dartford Warblers, three Goldcrests, three Stonechats, a Meadow Pipit, 11 Yellowhammers and half a dozen Skylarks were along the banks today, with a Water Rail in one of the path-side pools and two Dunlin and two Ringed Plovers on the Stilt Pool.

Also, at lest 500 Brent Geese, 300 Lapwings and 200 Golden Plovers were on the reserve and a Buzzard and a Kestrel went over. (S&SaH)

Tuesday, 30th December: A bright but cold morning in the moderate north-easterly breeze.....

Selsey Bill: A flock of seven White-fronted Geese went east this morning, as did the Red-necked Grebe and two Velvet Scoters, with four Slavonian Grebes around, too. Full log below. (JA/SH/PB/BI/AH)

(0735-0935hrs) (NE, F4)

Great Northern Diver - 1E, 3os

Red-throated Diver - 50E, 20W, 12os

Red-necked Grebe - 1E

Slavonian Grebe - 3E, 1os

Great Crested Grebe - 3E, 4os

Gannet - 23E, 3W, 3os

Shag - 15E

White-fronted Goose - 7E

Brent Goose - 1E, 3W

Velvet Scoter - 2E

Common Scoter - 2E, 36os

Red-breasted Merganser - 14E, 4W, 2os

Turnstone - 1E

Common Gull - 7E

Great-Black-backed Gull - 6E, 1W, 1os

Kittiwake - 3E

Sandwich Tern - 5os

Razorbill - 15E, 16os

auk sp - 110E, 35W

White-fronted Geese (above), Great Northern Diver & Shag at the Bill (AH)

Later in the morning, two Sanderlings dropped in on the beach. (AW)

Sanderlings at the Bill (AW)

Ferry Pool: There was a minimum of 1500 Lapwings around the pool and field this morning, along with c40 Black-tailed Godwits, c80 Shovelers, c200 Teal, c400 Wigeon, c100 Canada Geese and the lone Greylag Goose. (AH)

Lapwings, (above), Black-tailed Godwit, Shovelers and Greylag Goose at the Ferry (AH)

Mill Pond Marsh: Both a Kingfisher and a Water Rail were present this morning. (LL)

North Wall: Three White-fronted Geese were in Honer 2 this morning, and they were joined later by c300 Brent Geese, but it was generally quiet along the wall with just a Redshank and a Snipe on the Breech Pool.

All the usual species were out in the harbour, and there was a bit of activity in the paddock, with a Grey Wagtail, three Pied Wagtails, a Stonechat, a Stock Dove, a Reed Bunting and three Song Thrushes. (LP)

Also, three Fieldfares and eight Redwings were around Halsey's Farm, along with c100 Wigeon and a drumming Great Spotted Woodpecker, with two more of the latter, two Ravens, a female Sparrowhawk, a female Marsh Harrier and two Song Thrushes in the Honer fields. (IP)

White-fronted Geese with Brent Geese at the North Wall (LP)

Church Norton: At least 800 Brent Geese were in the harbour this morning, along with c100 Wigeon, c50 Teal and c25 Pintail, and there were large numbers of Knot, Grey Plovers and Dunlin out on the mud, but not much else beyond the usual species.

The hedges were very quiet and all that could be found offshore were a Great Northern Diver on the sea and two Red-throated Divers flying west. (AH)

Grey Plovers (above) & Brent Geese at Church Norton (AH)

Medmerry: Easton Lane to the Stilt Pool - There were three Dartford Warblers along the banks today, together with two Stonechats, a Pied Wagtail and ten Skylarks, with a Water Rail in one of the pools, five Dunlin and two Ringed Plovers on the Stilt Pool, and c100 Brent Geese, c100 Lapwings, a Marsh Harrier and three buzzards around the reserve. (S&SaH)

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, along with a drake Long-tailed Duck, up to 18 Red-throated Divers, three Great Crested Grebes and good numbers of Gannets. 

There were also 350 Brent Geese, 37 Shelducks, 171 Teal, two Avocets, a Ringed Plover, c30 Grey Plovers, 221 Knot and 551 Dunlin in the harbour., (MRe/MB/PA et al)

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.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, seven Snipe,  c800 Golden Plovers, c 200 Dunlin, c50 Knot, 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 Bremere Copse, and a Fieldfare was in the adjacent trees as well as 12 Redwings, whilst a lone Cattle Egret was in the fields and two Marsh Harriers went over..

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

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

Medmerry: A Barn Owl was seen along Ham Road after dusk this evening. (AH)

Sidlesham: The flock of 66 White-fronted Geese flew west over Cow Lane early this afternoon, and a big flock of Brent Geese and a Cattle Egret also went over. . (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)