WEST ITCHENOR
A harbour walk for passage waders and terns
The popular sailing village of West Itchenor is situated on a tidal channel of Chichester Harbour, one of our most scenic south coast beauty spots and within a designated Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. Historically, the village and tidal reaches were used for ship building, a practice that continued until the middle of the 20th Century. More latterly, a seasonal ferry operates between Itchenor and Bosham Hoe to the north. This circular walk takes in the foreshore of the Manhood Peninsula complete with spectacular views across a complex of intertidal habitats of the Chichester Channel where the main attraction is a variety of shorebirds. Among the numerous Dunlins, look out for returning gems such as Little Stint and Curlew Sandpiper, of which many of the adults should still be in breeding plumage. Little Egret and Grey Heron also hunt the channels hereabouts. The walk follows the shoreline south, where there is a good chance of encountering terns and gulls loafing on sand bars at low tide. While the majority will be Sandwich and Common Terns carefully scrutiny may reveal a few Little Terns, or rarer still maybe a Roseate Tern. Mediterranean and Yellow-legged Gulls are often noted among commoner gull species, while raptors such as Peregrine and Marsh Harrier are likely to be responsible for flushing shorebirds as they hunt the saltings. Small patches of deciduous wood along the way add to the diversity of birds on offer and should be checked for early passerines on the move; Spotted Flycatcher, Wood Warbler and Redstart can occur within small flocks of
Willow Warblers and Whitethroats. Similarly, the farmland section can turn up Whinchat and Yellow Wagtail on the move. Visit on a still, sunny morning on a falling tide for passage waders, terns and early returning wildfowl.