Friday 21st November 2025: Pagham Harbour

After an arduous shopping trip to Chichester today, we sought some nature therapy at the always rewarding Pagham Harbour, taking a walk at North Wall. White’s Creek was bathed in low light, making viewing difficult unless you were positioned to view birds away from the sun. Redshanks and Wigeon were dominant here, whilst on Breach Pool there were a number of Snipe, unusually feeding right out in the open, presumably due to the cold weather. 

Wigeon

Continuing along the path, a few Curlew and Grey Plover were feeding, and a single Dunlin drilled into the mud amongst the Redshanks. In the stream, we noted a Water Rail give its distinctive squeal, then shimmy across, red legs trailing behind, as if walking on the water.

On the fields and rife near Halsey Farm, there were good numbers of Curlew and Black-tailed Godwits feeding, a single Brent Goose drifted lazily up the rife, and a flock of whistling Wigeon rested on the water and adjacent grassy bank.

But the highlight, was a magnificent spectacle of thousands of Brent Geese fly overhead, gently calling to each other as they passed. That was very special.

Brent Geese

We retraced our steps, with the sun setting, casting a glorious golden glow over the landscape, and highlighting the creamy-buff undertails of a gathering of Teal. The evocative calls of Curlew and Redshank, added to the soundscape and we watched clusters of Lapwings fly towards the harbour, and noted several Cattle Egrets drop into the fields where the cows were feeding.

Overall, it was incredibly atmospheric, and the perfect antidote to our day in town.

Pagham Harbour