Pagham Harbour Nature Reserve

A nationally important coastal wildlife site

Pagham Harbour is a tidal inlet on the eastern side of Selsey, designated as a Local Nature Reserve and a Site of Special Scientific Interest. The harbour is managed by the RSPB and is one of the most important coastal wildlife sites in the south of England. For Selsey residents, it is a natural treasure on the doorstep.

The harbour covers approximately 600 hectares of intertidal mudflats, salt marsh, shingle, farmland and freshwater pools. The tidal channels fill and empty with each tide, creating a constantly changing landscape that supports an exceptional diversity of birds, plants and marine life. The harbour is sheltered from the open sea by shingle spits at its mouth, one of which extends from Church Norton on the Selsey side.

Wintering birds are the main draw for visitors. From October to March, the harbour supports thousands of dark-bellied brent geese that migrate from Arctic Russia, alongside large flocks of wigeon, teal, pintail and shoveler. Wading birds including dunlin, grey plover, knot, bar-tailed godwit, curlew and redshank feed on the mudflats at low tide. The sheer numbers of birds, and the sound of their calls echoing across the harbour, create a spectacle that rivals any wildlife site in southern England.

In summer, the harbour supports breeding little terns on the shingle at Church Norton, as well as ringed plovers, oystercatchers and reed warblers in the reedbed margins. The salt marsh supports specialist plants, and the shingle flora includes yellow horned poppy and sea kale.

The RSPB visitor centre near Sidlesham provides information, maps, guided walks and access to hides overlooking the harbour. The hides allow close observation of the birds without disturbance. Walking trails run around the harbour from Sidlesham and from Church Norton, with the circuit of the entire harbour taking approximately three to four hours on foot.

For Selsey residents, Pagham Harbour is a daily resource rather than an occasional destination. Dog walkers, joggers, birdwatchers and families use the paths year-round. The changing seasons bring different species, different light and different moods to the harbour, ensuring that no two visits are the same.

The harbour faces pressures from coastal change, rising sea levels and recreational disturbance. The RSPB works with volunteers and partner organisations to manage the site, protect nesting birds and maintain the delicate balance between public access and wildlife conservation.