Pagham Harbour is one of the outstanding areas of Southern England for a variety of birds.  The harbour is a Local Nature Reserve managed by West Sussex County Council with paths running alongside the mudflats and saltings providing open views where hoards of waders and wildfowl feed.  On the mudflats redshank, curlew, dunlin and grey plover are common while other species of wader may be found near the harbour mouth.  Golden plover, black-tailed godwits and ruff feed on the surrounding fields.  These fields are also hunted by kestrel, sparrowhawk, hen harrier and the occasional short-eared owl or merlin.  The harbour in winter has great-crested grebe, little and Slavonian grebe and the occasional red-necked grebe,

Hen Harrier by John Busby

while little grebe are present all year in the dykes.  Water fowl to be found include pintail, teal, shoveller, wigeon and shelduck.  Brent geese can often be found on the mudflats or nearby grass.  Diving ducks, including goldeneye and smew, are best looked for on Pagham Lagoon.  Don't forget to look for reed bunting, yellowhammer, stonechat, winter thrushes and finches amongst the surrounding vegetation and fields. 
Pagham Harbour is one of those exciting places that always leaves you wanting to go back again and again--because you never know what you may see on your next visit. 
© Fred Twilley 2002