14th - 16th March 2025

Monday, 16th March: A fairly cool and hazily grey morning in a moderate westerly breeze......

Selsey Bill: A total of 80 Brent Geese in three flocks, was the only indication of migration, though there were still six Great Northern Divers offshore. Full log below. (PA/IP/AH/AW)

(0645-0845hrs) (WSW, F5)

Great Northern Diver - 6os

Red-throated Diver - 1E

Great Crested Grebe - 1E

Gannet - 2E, 3W

Brent Goose - 80E

Common scoter - 1E, 1W

Red-breasted Merganser - 4W

Oystercatcher - 1E

Turnstone - 38

Common Gull - 1W

Great Black-backed Gull - 3E

Great Northern Divers (AH) (above), Red-breasted Merganser & Brent Geese (AW) at the Bill 

Later, the four Slavonian Grebes went east. Full log below. (AW)

(0930-1100hrs) (AW)

Great Northern Diver - 3os

Red-throated Diver - 1E

Slavonian Grebe - 4E

Red-breasted Merganser - 3E

Meadow Pipit - 5N

Slavonian Grebes (above), Great Northern Diver & Red-throated Diver at the Bill (AW)

Ferry Pool: The first Little Ringed Plover of the spring was in the flooded fields at the back early on this morning, though not later, along with the Ruff and the Green Sandpiper, a Golden Plover and 47 Black-tailed Godwits, whilst two Lapwings and five Avocets were around the pool and a Snipe went over..

There were less wildfowl today, though, with just c35 Shovelers, c40 Teal and c100 Wigeon present, along with eight Gadwall, ten Shelducks and a pair of Canada Geese, whilst there was also a Buzzard over, with c45 Meadow Pipits heading north and a distant flock of c100 Golden Plovers up over Medmerry. (PA/AH)

Ruff (above), Green Sandpiper & Avocet at the Ferry (AH)

Church Norton: There wasn't too much to report on the full tide this morning, though there were still ten Black-tailed Godwits present, along with eight Ringed Plovers, c25 Grey Plovers, c50 Knot and c150 Dunlin, plus three Red-breasted Mergansers, five Great Crested Grebes, just a few Wigeon and Teal and a lone Brent Goose, with three Chiffchaffs around the Mound the only land-birds beyond the usual. (AH)

Red-breasted Mergansers (above), Black-tailed Godwits & Knot, Dunlin and Grey Plovers at Church Norton (AH)

West Itchenor: There was a covey of ten Grey Partridges in the field by the Horse Pond along the path to Rookwood this morning. (GM)

West Wittering: A Red Kite went over, late this morning. (GM)

Medmerry: Easton Lane to the Stilt Pool - Two Reed Buntings, two Yellowhammers, two Greenfinches and six Cetti's Warblers were along the banks this morning, whilst ten Avocets, four Ringed Plovers and a Redshank were on the stilt Pool and six Brent Geese were on the pool opposite. (SaH)

Sunday, 15th March: The morning started bright and fairly still, after overnight frost, before slowly clouding up as the wind picked up from the south-west.......

Selsey Bill: It was another very slow morning, though seven Great Northern Divers were offshore. Full log below. (SH/BI/IP/AH)

(0615-0830hrs) (N1, veering to SW, F3-4)

Great Northern Diver - 1E, 7os

Great Crested Grebe - 4W

Gannet - 14W

Shag - 1E, 1W

Common Scoter - 9E, 2W, 7os

Red-breasted Merganser - 5E, 3W, 8os

Oystercatcher - 1

Turnstone - 2

Great Black-backed Gull - 2W, 1os

Sandwich Tern - 1os

(1500-1600hrs) (SH)

Great Northern Diver - 2os

Gannet - 1W

Shag - 1os

Red-breasted Merganser - 1W

Turnstone - 1

Great Black-backed Gull - 3os

Sandwich Tern - 2W

Red-breasted Mergansers (above) & Common Scoters at the Bill (AH)

Ferry Pool: A dozen Black-tailed Godwits and four Redshanks were the only waders about, with nine Shelducks, five Gadwall, c50 Teal, c75 Shovelers and c100 Wigeon also about. (AH)

Gadwall (above) & Black-tailed Godwits and Shovelers at the Ferry (AH)

Mill Pond Marsh: A female Sparrowhawk was seen taking a Collared Dove this morning. (M&LL)

Park Farm, Selsey: The fields are now much drier, and only half a dozen Meadow Pipits, two Pied Wagtails and a pair of Shelducks were present, but for the first time this year there were at least three different Skylarks singing and displaying. (IP)

Church Norton: Ten Black-tailed Godwits were notable, and a flock of c100 Dunlin flew into the harbour from the sea, but only seven Brent Geese were seen, though there were still over 200 Wigeon present and about 100 Teal;

The pair of Red breasted Mergansers were close to Tern Island with another male near the mouth, whilst other waders included four Ringed Plovers, 40 Grey Plovers, a few Knot and the usual Curlews, Oystercatchers and Redshank, but offshore it was choppy, with just a Great Crested Grebe, a Sandwich Tern and two Red breasted Mergansers seen..

Also, a pair of Great Spotted Woodpeckers in the wood between the Severals and a Green Woodpecker flew out of the first Several, whilst a Buzzard was over Priory Wood and the most interesting birds of the morning were a pair of Raven displaying over here with one bird (presumably the male) tumbling around the sky. (IP)

North Wall: There were just a few Wigeon, Teal, Redshank, along White’s Creek this morning, as well as two Black-tailed Godwits, whilst on the Breech Pool there were two Little Grebes and a Grey Heron. With the flood water on the fields decreasing, the only birds left were two Shelducks, nine Brent Geese, 33 Curlews, 18 Teal and 2 Gadwall, also a male and female Marsh Harrier were about and a Buzzard was high overhead.

At Halsey’s Farm, 21 Cattle Egrets were in the fields, a Linnet, six Meadow Pipits, and two Skylarks were on the fences, and two Oystercatchers were by the outfall as well as a Little Egret. (LP/MJa/DHi)

Cattle Egret (above), Little Egret, Black-headed Gull & Oystercatcher at the North Wall (LP)

Medmerry: Easton Lane to the Stilt Pool - A Dartford Warbler, seven Cetti's Warblers, a Chiffchaff, two Stonechats, two Reed Buntings, six Meadow Pipits, c30 Linnets and c40 Skylarks were along the banks this morning, with five Buzzards and a Kestrel over.

Also, two Greylag Geese and c100 Golden Plovers were on the reserve and 14 Avocets, seven Ringed Plovers, two Dunlin, to Mediterranean Gulls and two Pied Wagtails were on the Stilt Pool. (S&SaH)

Chichester Canal: A short walk north from Hunston produced a Bullfinch that flew over calling, four Chiffchaffs, three Cetti's Warblers and a handful of Chaffinches and Greenfinches, plus a Red Kite and two Mediterranean Gulls over. (AH)

Chiffchaff (above) & Red Kite at Chichester Canal (AH)

Saturday, 14th March: After an overnight frost, a cool but very bright and sunny morning in a moderate north-westerly breeze....

Selsey Bill: It was predictably quiet, given the wind direction, though two Slavonian Grebes and two Great Northern Divers were on the sea among a mix of the usual species. Full log below. (SH/BI/PB/IP/AH/JA/JFi)

(0615-0830hrs) (NW, F4)

Great Northern Diver - 1W, 2os

Slavonian Grebe - 2os

Great Crested Grebe - 3W 

Gannet - 2W

Shag - 4E, 3W

Brent Goose - 1E

Common Scoter - 2E, 1W

Red-breasted Merganser - 6E, 3W, 7os

Oystercatcher - 2W

Grey Plover - 5E

Turnstone - 6

Great Black-backed Gull - 3W

Sandwich Tern - 2E

Slavonian Grebes (above) & Shag at the Bill (AH)

Ferry Pool: A Ruff was on the fields among c50 Black-tailed Godwits, with the Green Sandpiper, a Snipe,two Avocets, two Curlews and half a dozen Redshank spread around the pools and fields, with wildfowl comprising 12 Shelducks, a drake Pintail, eight Gadwall, c80 Shovelers, c50 Teal and c100 Wigeon.

There were also a Spotted Redshank, a Greenshank, four Redshank, a Red-breasted Merganser, a pair of Gadwall and six Teal in Ferry Channel, withy five Buzzards thermalling overhead and a couple of Chiffchaffs in the hedges. (PA/AH et al)

Ruff (above), Green Sandpiper, Avocets, Black-tailed Godwits, Pintail & Buzzard at the Ferry (AH)

Park Farm, Selsey: A Chiffchaff was singing south of the farm this morning, whilst a male Sparrowhawk was harassing a Buzzard over the north of the village and the fields (now starting to dry out) held three Pied Wagtails and a dozen Meadow Pipits. (IP)

Also, three Buzzards were over the west of the village this morning. (S Watson)

North Wall: At least three Marsh Harriers, ten Buzzards, a Sparrowhawk, a Peregrine and two Kestrels were up this morning, with two Egyptian Geese and ten Cattle Egrets in the fields, but three Chiffchaffs, three Cetti's Warblers and a Reed Bunting was it along the wall.

Also, of note, ten Common Seals were hauled out in the harbour. (SH/PB)

Church Norton: First thing this morning, a Wheatear was along the spit along with six Skylarks, and there were also two Ravens over the car park and a Marsh Harrier at the back of the Severals. (AW)

Later on, another Wheatear was by the concrete blocks, with half a dozen Skylarks, a couple of Meadow Pipits, a Reed Bunting and two singing Chiffchaffs along the front, whilst at least three different Marsh Harriers were seen, along with a Peregrine, a Sparrowhawk and several Buzzards.

A flock of four Slavonian Grebes were offshore, but the only other bird see was a Great Crested Grebe, whilst in the harbour there were two Red-breasted Mergansers, three Pintail, c50 Brent Geese, c20 Wigeon and Teal, two Mediterranean Gulls, two Bar-tailed Godwits, a Black-tailed Godwit, 23 Turnstones, eight Ringed Plovers, c50 Grey Plovers, c75 Knot and c100 Dunlin. (PM/IP/AH/AB)

Wheatears (AW, top, PM lower three) (above), Marsh Harrier & Mediterranean Gull (AH) at Church Norton

This afternoon the Wheatear was still around the concrete blocks, whilst a Raven was being very vocal in the Priory, the four Slavonian Grebes were still offshore, along with a Red-throated Diver and four Red-breasted Mergansers and ten Black-tailed Godwits were among the birds in the harbour. (PA/AH et al)

Wheatear (above), Black-tailed Godwit and Wigeon (AH) & Raven (PA) at Church Norton

Medmerry: Easton Lane to the Stilt Pool - Along the banks this afternoon there were two Dartford Warblers, three Cetti's Warblers, a Chiffchaff, a Stonechat, two Greenfinches, three Reed Buntings and c20 Linnets and Skylarks, plus two Buzzards and a Kestrel over.

Also, seven Avocets, five Ringed Plovers, three Snipe and two Redshanks were on the Stilt Pool, whilst two Egyptian Geese and four Brown Hares were on the reserve and the Marsh Frogs could be heard in the path-side pools.. (S&SAaH)

West Itchenor: Two Grey Partridges were in the Horse Pond field and two Red-legged Partridges were in Rookwood Lane today, with the best on the water in the harbour being a few lingering Brent Geese and two Great Crested Grebes. (BI)