Pagham Harbour with the East Grinstead RSPB Group

 Trip Report

Saturday 21^st February 2026

Pagham Harbour, Sussex

East Grinstead RSPB Local Group

(11 members present)

Overview

A day of dramatic tides and widespread flooding at Pagham Harbour turned what looked like unpromising conditions into a surprisingly rewarding outing for the East Grinstead RSPB Local Group. With water levels unusually high across both the western and eastern sides of the harbour, birds were pushed into smaller pockets of habitat, often giving excellent—if sometimes distant—views.

Morning: Western Side of the Harbour

The group began at Sidlesham Ferry Pool, where ducks and waders were active despite most of the recent excavation work being submerged. Golden plovers mingling with lapwings provided an early highlight, followed by a marsh harrier resting on the ground.

Golden Plover and Lapwings - courtesy of Phil Aylen

Marsh Harrier - courtesy of Phil Aylen

Along the Ferry Channel, the exposed mud offered the best birding of the morning. A brief kingfisher sighting was quickly overshadowed by superb views of grey plover, redshank, avocet, curlew, and especially a beautifully obliging greenshank that fed close to the group. Brent geese, dunlin, meadow pipits, reed bunting, and little egret rounded off a productive session before lunch.

Grey Plover - courtesy of Andrew Burns

Avocet - courtesy of Andrew Burns

Greenshank - courtesy of Patrick Sullivan

Greenshank - courtesy of Andrew Burns

Afternoon: North Wall and the Flooded East Side

By early afternoon the tide had reached an exceptional height, with the sea lapping at the path and the Breech Pool completely flooded. Despite the dramatic conditions, bird activity remained strong. Song thrush, linnets, tufted ducks, wigeon, teal, rock pipit, black‑tailed godwits, chiffchaff, and Mediterranean gulls were all recorded.

The standout moment came when a distant pale wader was photographed and confirmed as a spotted redshank—soon joined by a second bird. With the usual channels underwater, these were pushed onto the last scraps of vegetation, giving the group memorable telescope views and securing the day’s top highlight.

Rock Pipit - courtesy of Chris Harries

Spotted Redshanks - courtesy of Martin Jeffree

Closing Thoughts

Although the landscape looked almost unrecognisable at times, the group’s persistence paid off. The final tally reached an impressive 66 species, helped by sharp eyes, teamwork, and some excellent long‑range photography. The golden plover flock, the feeding greenshank, and the elusive spotted redshanks stood out as the day’s most memorable encounters.

New species for the 2026 Year List:

113  Linnet

114  Mediterranean Gull

115  Spotted Redshank