Description
This sheltered inlet is an internationally important wetland site for wildlife. Roughly half of the reserve is intertidal saltmarsh and mudflats, with the remainder of the reserve consisting of farmland, copses, lagoons, reedbeds and shingle beaches. You can see birds like sepelhanhi, jouhisorsa, pikkutiira, mustapyrstökuiri and silkkihaikara. In winter large numbers of sepelhanhi, töyhtöhyyppä and mustapyrstökuiri use the harbour or surrounding fields, with a supporting cast which includes tundrakurmitsa, kapustarinta and suosirri. mustakurkku-uikku are seen offshore and tukkakoskelo in the harbour. Waders and wildfowl linger well into spring, including kuovi, tundrakurmitsa, punakuiri and mustapyrstökuiri, suosirri, jouhisorsa, haapana, tavi and sepelhanhi. Smaller migrants arrive, such as ruokokerttunen, rytikerttunen and pajulintu, mustapääkerttu and tiltaltti sing in the bushes and kivitasku hop about the beach. In summer pikkutiira and kalatiira can be seen fishing in the harbour.
Details
Access
By train: The nearest train station is Chichester, 5.5 miles away. There is a taxi rank outside Chichester station - ask to be taken to Pagham Harbour Visitor Centre, Selsey Road, Sidlesham.
By bus: The 51 Link service from Chichester Bus Station to Selsey stops outside the Visitor Centre. The bus station is 2 minutes' walk from the train station. The journey takes 20 minutes.
By road: From the A27 at Chichester, take the B2145 south towards Selsey. After half a mile at the first roundabout, turn right continuing on the B2145 to Selsey (do NOT take the B2166 to Pagham village - the Visitor Centre is on the opposite side of the Harbour). Remain on the B2145 for 6 miles. The turning into the Visitor Centre car park is half a mile on from Sidlesham on the left-hand side.