CHURCH NORTON
Coastal walk for terns and waders
Church Norton is a renowned birding hotspot situated on the southern rim of Pagham Harbour, one of the finest natural harbours along the south coast of England. This walk covers the section from The Severals, around the church and the harbour mouth, via West Side, to Ferry Pond, a part of the adjacent RSPB reserve. Coastal habitats on offer include scrub, saltmarsh, reedbeds, freshwater pools, tidal creeks, shingle ridges and the open sea.
WHERE TO WATCH
1 The scrub and tree cover around the car park and church can attract post-breeding passerine flocks, with a chance of Redstart, Spotted and Pied Flycatchers, Goldcrest, Firecrest, Willow Warbler and Chiffchaff on the move. As autumn progresses a good spot for winter thrushes and rarities such as a Yellow-browed or Pallas’s Warblers.
2 The reed-fringed pools at The Severals are good for passage Reed, Sedge and Cetti’s Warblers, Little Egret, Grey Heron and a chance of Little Ringed Plover, Snipe and Green Sandpiper. Check dry scrub for Whitethroat and Lesser Whitethroats, Ring Ouzel and Whinchat, while the beach often attracts grounded Yellow Wagtail, Wheatear and Meadow Pipit. Listen for Tree Pipit and Grey Wagtail passing overhead. Dead trees can harbour a perched Hobby or Turtle Dove and sometimes an Osprey. Typical sub-rarities to have occurred here in the past include Wryneck, Red-backed Shrike and Lapland Bunting. Barn Owl hunt here at dusk.
3 From the shingle spit, scan across the harbour towards Tern Island where Common, Sandwich and Little Terns should all be present. Waders forage the strandline, along with pipits, wagtails and Wheatear. Scan the sea for fishing terns and gulls, plus the chance of passing seabirds given an onshore blow.
4 From the hide on an incoming tide, good numbers of passage waders can include Curlew, Dunlin, Sanderling, Knot, Grey Plover and Whimbrel, plus a few summering Avocets and Black-tailed Godwits. Flocks of gulls often include hundreds of Yellow-legged and Mediterranean Gulls. At high tide, search for ducks such as Shelduck, Wigeon and Pintail, while Peregrine often hunt the wader flocks.
5 The hide overlooking Ferry Pond is a good spot for freshwater passage waders, typically Lapwing, Snipe, Golden and Little Ringed Plovers, Greenshank, Common, Green and Wood Sandpipers, the occasional Ruff and Spotted Redshank and scarcer still, Curlew Sandpiper and Little Stint. Ducks can include Garganey. Marsh Harrier, Buzzard and Kestrel hunt the fields inland; and large flocks of Swallows, Sand and House Martins hawk insects over the wetlands. Check surrounding scrub for passage warblers, chats and flycatchers and flocks of finches along the harbour shore.