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Pagham Harbour Local Nature Reserve

West Sussex  >  United Kingdom

Pagham Harbour is a glorious and peaceful nature reserve, one of the few undeveloped stretches of the Sussex coast.

Added* by Epsomsalt
Most recent update 9 april 2020

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 Ringgås, Stjertand, Dvergterne, Svarthalespove and Silkehegre. In winter large numbers of Ringgås, Vipe and Svarthalespove use the harbour or surrounding fields, with a supporting cast which includes Tundralo, Heilo and Myrsnipe. Horndykker are seen offshore and Siland in the harbour. Waders and wildfowl linger well into spring, including Storspove, Tundralo, Lappspove and Svarthalespove, Myrsnipe, Stjertand, Brunnakke, Krikkand and Ringgås. Smaller migrants arrive, such as Sivsanger, Rørsanger and Løvsanger, Munk and Gransanger sing in the bushes and Steinskvett hop about the beach. In summer Dvergterne and Makrellterne 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.

Terrain and Habitat

Sea , Lake , Mud flats , Wetland , Reedbeds

Conditions

Flat

Circular trail

No

Is a telescope useful?

Yes

Good birding season

All year round

Best time to visit

Spring , Autumn migration

Route

Wide path

Difficulty walking trail

Easy

Accessible by

Foot , Bicycle

Birdwatching hide / platform

Yes

Links

View other birding spots in the area that are published on Birdingplaces

Map

Top 5 birds

Other birds you can see here

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