1st - 2nd November 2026

Monday, 2nd November: A bright, but cool morning in a fresh north-easterly breeze..... 

Selsey Bill: It was very slow this morning, with the only things really moving were Wood Pigeons - 1486 east in total. Full log below. (IP/AH)

(0715-0845hrs) NNE, F4-5)

Great Crested Grebe - 1os

Gannet - 1W

Brent Goose - 5W

Common Scoter - 5W

Oystercatcher - 1E, 1W

Mediterranean Gull - 2W

Great Black-backed Gull - 1E, 1os

Sandwich Tern - 3E

Wood Pigeon - 1486E

Stock Dove - 43E

Great Spotted Woodpecker - 1

Pied Wagtail - 8E, 1W

Meadow Pipit - 4E

Jackdaw - 17

Magpie - 17

Linnet - 8E

Goldfinch - 30E

Sandwich Tern (above) & Wood Pigeons at the Bill (AH)

Ferry Pool: It was just the regular wintering birds again today - namely c75 Shovelers, c30 Wigeon, c100 Teal and c150 Lapwings - on the pool this morning. (AH)

Later, a Yellowhammer and a Reed Bunting were along the Tramway. (LL)

Shovelers and Lapwings on the Ferry (AH)

Mill Pond Marsh: A Redpoll flew north over Mill Lane this morning. (ML)

Church Norton: There was nothing but a mixed Long-tailed, Blue and Great Tit flock in the hedges this morning, and the only thing of note aro0und the horse field was a flock of c40 Stock Doves, with another c50 over among c300 Wood Pigeons being the only hint of migration.

A Greenshank, c30 Grey Plovers and c200 Dunlin were in the harbour, along with a handful of Pintail and a couple of dozen Wigeon and Teal, but that was about it. (AH)

This evening four Marsh Harriers came in to roost in the Severals. (S&SaH)

Greenshank (above), Grey Plover & Stock Doves at Church Norton (AH)

North Wall: A Redwing was in the paddocks this morning, along with two Pied Wagtails, a Meadow Pipit, a Green Woodpecker, a Great Spotted Woodpecker, a Jay, two Chiffchaffs and two Stonechats, with two Marsh Harriers further back over the reeds.
A Kingfisher was by the sluice, and a Spoonbill was along White’s Creek, as well as two Spotted Redshanks, two Bar-tailed Godwits, 22 Black-tailed Godwits, c100 Lapwings, c60 Redshank and increasing numbers of Wigeon, Teal, Pintail and Shelducks.
Along the wall, three Rock Pipits were on the rocks, and a couple of Reed Buntings were in the bushes, but otherwise there were just 12 Long-tailed Tits, four Greenfinches, a 'helice'-type Clouded Yellow, around the fields, and another Kingfisher by Owl Copse. (LP/CT/DHo et al)

Spoonbill (above), Redwing, Kingfisher, Green Woodpecker, Pied Wagtail, Meadow Pipit & 'helice' Clouded Yellow at the North Wall (LP)

East Side: Later the Spoonbill was further down the East side, and out on the mud were c120 Dunlin, 12 Ringed Plover, 36 Curlews, 18 Knot, 32 Grey Plovers, six Turnstones, c80 Lapwings, two Oystercatchers, a single Golden Plover, 58 Brent Geese, c200 Teal, c120 Wigeon, and c40 Pintail, also a Rock Pipit was along the edge and a Red Kite went distantly over Pagham Spit. (LP)

Golden Plover (above), Grey Plover & Knot along the East side (LP)

Sunday, 1st November: The morning remained largely grey and murky after a foggy start, though mild later in the light to moderate north-easterly breeze.....

Selsey Bill: It was slow this morning, with 17 Brent Geese going west the only birds moving offshore, with a Fieldfare west, a Goldcrest in off the sea and three Swallows east the best of minimal visible migration. Full log below. (JA/SH/BI/AT/IP/AH)

(0630-0900hrs) (NNE, F3-4)

Great Crested Grebe - 1os

Shag - 2E

Brent Goose - 17W

Mallard - 2E

Sparrowhawk - 1

Oystercatcher - 1E, 3 present

Turnstone - 6

Mediterranean Gull - 14E

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

Sandwich Tern - 5E, 2W

Razorbill - 1E

Skylark - 1N

Swallow - 3E

Pied Wagtail - 2E, 2W, 2 present

Meadow Pipit - 3E, 1W

Fieldfare - 1W

Blackbird - 1N

Goldcrest - 1N

Chaffinch - 1

Greenfinch - 1E

Goldfinch - 7E, 50 present

Brent Geese (above), Goldcrest & Sandwich Tern at the Bill (AH)

Ferry Pool: There were just a Shelduck, c60 Shovelers, c40 Wigeon, c100 Teal and similar of Lapwings on the pool, with an Avocet, four Redshanks and c20 Teal and Mallards in the channel opposite. (AH)

This evening a Kingfisher was in the channel opposite the pool (IP) and a Barn Owl went over the road just north of the Ferry Yard industrial estate (S&SaH).

Avocet (above) & Teal at the Ferry (AH)

Mill Pond Marsh: A Grey Wagtail, a coal Tit, a Goldcrest and a Chiffchaff were along Mill Lane this morning. (ML)

Church Norton: Early this morning, a Redpoll, a Swallow, two Fieldfares,40 Skylarks, 16 Meadow Pipits, 13 Pied Wagtails,, six Reed Buntings, 45 Linnets, 35 Goldfinches, a Golden Plover and a Peregrine went over, whilst five Chiffchaffs, five Goldcrests, ten Song Thrushes and four Cetti's Warblers were in the bushes. (MRe)

Later, two Firecrests, two Chiffchaffs and a handful of Goldcrests were in the churchyard, with another Chiffchaff at Greenlease Farm, whilst four Stonechats, a Grey Wagtail, a couple of Pied Wagtails, 14 Stock Doves and three Mediterranean Gulls were around the horse field, but everywhere else was quiet.

The pair of Marsh Harriers were at the far end of the harbour, along with c250 Golden Plovers, whilst c50 Brent Geese were around the harbour, but waders were restricted to a Greenshank, a few Ringed Plovers and the usual Redshanks, Curlews and Oystercatchers. (IP/AT/AH)

This afternoon, the first returning Slavonian Grebe of the autumn was offshore. (AWi)

Greenshank (above), Brent Geese, Stonechat & Stock Doves at Church Norton (AH)

North Wall: Two Spotted Redshanks and a Bar-tailed Godwit were along White’s Creek, and a Grey Wagtail was by the sluice, together with two Pied Wagtails. A Pintail was with the Mallards on the Breech Pool and the male Marsh Harrier was further back over the reeds.

Two Rock Pipits were along the wall and six Yellowhammers, four Reed Buntings and c20 Long-tailed Tits were along the bushes.

At Halsey’s Farm a Kingfisher was along the rife, two Chaffinches and 12 more Long-tailed Tits were in the hedgerows, and three Mistle Thrushes were along Rookery Lane. (LP/MRi/DHi/JDW/KU)

Bar-tailed Godwit (above), Rock Pipit, Yellowhammer & Mistle Thrush at the North Wall (AH)

Sidlesham: A Barn Owl was briefly in our garden in Cow Lane well after dusk this evening. (AH)

Medmerry: Easton Lane to the Stilt Pool - This morning there were c400 Golden Plovers and c200 Lapwings on the reserve, along with a snipe and five Brent Geese, with a Raven, two Marsh Harriers, three Buzzards, a Sparrowhawk and two Kestrels over.

Also, the banks held five Dartford Warblers, two Chiffchaffs, five Cetti's Warblers, 11 Stonechats and three Yellowhammers. (SH)

This afternoon the Short-eared Owl was out hunting at dusk, with a Merlin and two Marsh Harriers out a bit earlier, whilst up to 500 Golden Plovers were on the reserve, along with 75 Lapwings, a Brent Goose, a Greylag Goose, 141 Canada Geese, 25 Teal, c70 Wigeon, a Pintail, eight Ringed Plovers and four Redshanks, with a Greenshank on the Stilt Pool, too, but a Goldcrest was the only bird along the banks not reported earlier. (IP/MT/AH/S&SaH)