16th-18th October 2026

Friday, 16th October:  A wet start to the day in F4 NNW winds, forecast to dry up from 1000hrs onward...

Selsey Bill: There wasn't a great deal going on for the lone observer in inclement conditions this morning! (BI) Log below:

(0730-0930hrs) (NNW F4)

Common Scoter - 2E 2os

Shag - 1E 1os

Gannet - 11E

Turnstone - 7ob

Mediterranean Gull - 1E

Lesser Black-backed Gull - 1ob

Great Black-backed Gull - 1W 3os

Rock Pipit - 1p

Meadow Pipit - 8N

Pied Wagatil - 2W

Grey Wagtail - 1W

Goldfinch - 80p

Rock Pipit, above, & Shag at the Bill (BI)

Ferry Pool: There were 27 Teal, five Shelduck, c.30 Black-headed Gulls and c.70 Lapwings on the pool this morning. A surprise was a Jack Snipe flushed from the road end and which dived down into the reedbed. (BI) Later on, an Avocet was on the pool along with three Greenshank, and a Chiffchaff and a Cetti's Warbler were in the nearby hedges. (E.Horsley)

North Wall: A Kingfisher was by the sluice and White’s Creek was full of Wigeon, Pintail, Teal, Shelducks and Mallards, with a spotted Redshank, 24 Black-tailed Godwits, a Grey Plover and c80 Redshanks along the banks.

Six Snipe were on the Breech Pool, as well as a Water Rail, five Lapwings, a Curlew, a Redshank, four Pied Wagtails and two Stonechats, while two Marsh Harriers were over the reeds and a Rock Pipit was along the rocks.

Another Water Rail was along Owl Water, and at Halsey’s Farm, five Stonechats, 12 Meadow Pipits and three Skylarks were around the fields. (LP/SP)  

Pintail, above, Curlew, Water Rail, Snipe, Pied Wagtail & Meadow Pipit at the North Wall (LP)

Church Norton: The Whimbrel and a few Curlews were along the saltmarsh and a c.5 Chiffchaffs and a Jay were in the churchyard. Thirty Wigeon were out in the harbour along with five Little Egrets and a Greenshank, and two Great Crested Grebes were in the channels. From the Severals could be seen 20 Pintail, ten Skylarks, three Stonechats and 71 Goldfinches.  (BI/E.Horsley)

Chiffchaff, above, & Curlew at Church Norton (BI)

Mill Lane: A Blackcap was near the pumping station and two Chiffchaffs and c.10 Goldfinches  were in the conifers today. (BI)