Wildlife

Chichester Harbour is internationally important for birds and for its coastal habitats. You might not think that harbour wildlife is unusual enough for that, but although in the southeast of England there are quite a lot of wet and muddy bits, over ...
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Green Guide

Respect the landscape, wildlife and heritage of Chichester Harbour When visiting the harbour, please keep to the designated footpaths. Walking off the paths can be very damaging to habitats. Keep you dog under control all the time, dogs can cause ...
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Bird Watching

With more than 55,000 either resident or passing through Chichester Harbour each year you are very likely to see some birds on any visit to the Harbour.
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Ed's Nature Notes

Ed's Nature Notes

Ed's Nature Notes

Thursday 10th May

The Cathedral Peregrines have hatched all four eggs, the parents are now busy feeding the chicks. And what parents they are successfully rearing chicks year on year! Other birds well into breeding include Starlings, Mute Swans and Mallard, all of which have chicks. The recent heavy rain has caused problems for ground nesting birds especially Lapwing, who are suffering flooded nests.

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Thursday 5th April

 

Chichester Harbour is a great place to get close to nature. Each month Ed Rowsell, Conservation Officer for Chichester Harbour Conservancy, gives a brief update on what you should be looking for as you explore the harbour by land or boat.

Birds

The harbour now seems eerily quiet as the bulk of the winter visitors have departed for their breeding grounds. The background cronking of Brent Geese and whistling of Wigeon, has yet to be replaced by the shrill call of Terns feeding in the harbour.

Away from the water it is a different story, listen for male birds are singing to attract mates and defend territories. Yellowhammers (now sadly a much rarer sight) will be singing from hedgerows with their 'little bit of bread and no cheese' call.

Some migrants such as Chiffchaffs have arrived in numbers, but others such as Wheatears seem to be late, particularly given the unseasonably warm weather.

 

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