26th March 2026

Thursday, 26th March: A slowly improving morning, starting cold and bright in a fresh north-westerly that slowly eased as it warmed up.......

Selsey Bill: A pair of Ravens flew in from the west, circled around and departed back the same way, but it was otherwise very slow going this morning. Full log below. (AH)

(0705-0835hrs) (NW, 4-5)

Great Northern Diver - 1E, 3os

Red-throated Diver - 1E

Great Crested Grebe - 2W

Gannet - 1E

Brent Goose - 3W

Red-breasted Merganser - 1E

Oystercatcher - 3

Turnstone - 6

Common Gull - 3W

Great Black-backed Gull - 5os

Raven - 2W

Raven (above), Great Northern Diver & Brent Geese at the Bill (AH)

Ferry Pool: The long-staying Ruff was still at the back this morning, along with a Green Sandpiper and a couple of Redshanks, whilst four Avocets, four Lapwings, two Oystercatchers and c25 Black-tailed Godwits were around the pool, along with a Grey Heron, c60 Shovelers, c40 Teal, c100 Wigeon, eight Gadwall and nine Shelducks.

There were also half a dozen Black-tailed Godwits and three Redshanks in the channel opposite and a singing Blackcap, three Chiffchaffs and a Cetti's Warbler were in the adjacent hedges. (AH/JC)

Ruff (above), Lapwing, Shovelers & Black-tailed Godwits, Shovelers and Teal at the Ferry (AH)

Church Norton: There were still c20 Black-tailed Godwits in the harbour, along with c100 Knot and Dunlin, c20 Grey Plovers and similar of Wigeon, Teal and Shelduck, whilst a Sandwich Tern and c25 Mediterranean Gulls were among c100 B lack-headed Gulls. (AH)

Sandwich Tern (above) & Black-tailed Godwit at Church Norton (AH)

North Wall: A Swallow flew over the wall this morning, and out in the flooded fields there were the three White-fronted Geese, two Egyptian Geese, three Brent Geese, two Canada Geese, two Gadwall and four Shelducks.

Two Jays, a Linnet, a Chiffchaff, a Chaffinch, and a Sparrowhawk were around Owl Copse, as well as the usual Grey Herons, Little Egrets and Cattle Egrets, but it was quiet at Halsey’s Farm with just four Skylarks over the fields, and two Long-tailed Tits in the hedgerows.

A Spotted Redshank was along White’s Creek and eight Shovelers were out on the mud, but otherwise there were just a few Wigeon and Teal along the banks, whilst in the paddocks there were two Grey Wagtails, a Pied Wagtail, and a Reed Bunting as well as four Jackdaws who were collecting hair from the horses, and two Marsh Harriers were further back over the reeds. (SP/TRH/LP/IH/CT/GHi/EB)