Wildlife around Selsey

Birds, marine life and coastal habitats

Selsey and the Manhood Peninsula support a remarkable diversity of wildlife, thanks to the combination of coastal habitats, nature reserves and agricultural land that surround the town. The proximity of Pagham Harbour and the Medmerry reserve, both managed by the RSPB, gives Selsey access to two of the most important wildlife sites on the south coast of England.

Birds are the headline attraction. The variety and abundance of bird species around Selsey are exceptional for any location in southern England. Pagham Harbour supports tens of thousands of wintering waterfowl and waders, including dark-bellied brent geese, wigeon, teal, dunlin, grey plover and curlew. Little terns breed on the shingle at Church Norton in summer. Medmerry has attracted breeding avocets, lapwings and marsh harriers to its newly created wetland. Selsey Bill is a migration watchpoint, with visible passage of hirundines, pipits, wagtails and finches in spring and autumn, and offshore seabird movement during storms.

Marine life around the coast is varied. The rocky foreshore at Selsey Bill supports rock pools rich in crabs, blennies, anemones, shrimps and seaweed. Offshore, the waters support the crab and lobster that sustain the commercial fleet, alongside bass, mackerel, sole, rays and a range of other fish species. Grey seals are occasionally seen offshore, continuing the connection with the seals that gave Selsey its name. Dolphins are rare visitors but not unknown in the waters of the eastern Channel.

The agricultural fields of the Manhood Peninsula support farmland birds that have declined nationally but persist in this area. Grey partridge, corn bunting, yellowhammer, skylark and linnet can be found in the arable fields and hedgerows. Barn owls hunt along the field margins and ditches, and brown hares are seen across the open farmland.

Insects and plants add further layers to the biodiversity. The shingle habitats support specialist plants including yellow horned poppy, sea kale and sea beet. The salt marshes have glasswort, sea lavender and sea purslane. Butterflies, including the painted lady and clouded yellow on migration, are seen in the coastal scrub and gardens. The Medmerry reserve has attracted dragonflies and damselflies to its new wetland pools.

The wildlife around Selsey is not confined to the nature reserves. Gardens, hedgerows, the foreshore and the open sea all contribute to the ecological richness of the area. For residents and visitors who take the time to look, Selsey offers a quality of wildlife experience that is genuinely outstanding.