RSPB Medmerry

Medmerry best time to visit and seasonal birds

January: January usually makes Teal and Shoveler at the Stilt Pools a useful first target. Use the public bank path and then scan from Earnley or Breach Viewpoint for Brent Geese across the broader marsh. A scope helps with distant flocks; avoid crossing exposed mud to shorten the viewing distance.

February: In February, check the Easton Lane bank approach for Yellowhammer, Linnet and Stonechat before scanning the freshwater Stilt Pools for Little Grebe and Teal. A brief stationary watch at Easton Viewpoint can add Buzzard or Kestrel. Choose a route length that leaves enough warmth for patient observation.

March: March typically brings a stronger Skylark soundtrack along the Easton bank and returning Avocets at the Stilt Pools. Yellowhammer may be easier to find by listening near the approach. The March 2023 group report is evidence of reserve occurrence, not a guarantee that a repeat visit will reproduce its list.

April: April usually rewards the public Stilt Pools bank for Avocet and the Easton approach for Skylark and Yellowhammer. Ham Viewpoint adds a different listening position for returning Sedge Warbler in the mapped reedbed. Stay on public rights of way and allow breeding birds to choose their own distance.

May: May is our choice for the combination of Avocet at the Stilt Pools, Skylark along the public bank and Sedge Warbler from Ham Viewpoint. Corn Bunting is another farmland possibility. Use the existing raised outlooks rather than searching through crop margins, reedbeds or nesting areas for a closer encounter.

June: In June, watch Avocet from the public Stilt Pools path and listen for Sedge Warbler from Ham Viewpoint. The Easton bank approach can add Yellowhammer and Skylark. Public viewpoints provide the watching position; they do not justify following adults carrying food or moving towards chicks beside the water.

July: July usually still offers Avocet at the Stilt Pools and Linnet or Skylark along the Easton bank. Ham Viewpoint gives another scan over farmland and reedbed. The open reserve can feel hot and exposed, so carry water and choose a shorter walk if comfortable observation becomes difficult.

August: August typically shifts attention to changing flocks and returning Lapwing. Try Earnley Viewpoint for the broad marsh and the Stilt Pools for birds using freshwater edges. Linnet and Stonechat remain useful targets along the Easton bank. Habitat water levels can matter more than the calendar for any particular pool.

September: September usually suits alternating field and wetland watches: Linnet and Stonechat from the Easton approach, Lapwing and returning Teal from the public Stilt Pools bank or Earnley Viewpoint. The circuit offers little indoor shelter. Check the forecast before committing to a long return along the exposed banks.

October: In October, Brent Geese typically return to the watching plan from Breach or Earnley Viewpoint, while Teal and Shoveler increase the interest of the Stilt Pools. Yellowhammer and Linnet can reward the Easton approach. A rising tide may move birds, but it never makes the breach safe to cross.

November: November usually favours a scope-led scan from the official viewpoints for Brent Geese, Shelduck and Lapwing, with Teal at the Stilt Pools. Easton Viewpoint offers a broad Buzzard and Kestrel watch. Raptors are reserve possibilities best watched from the public viewpoints, without seeking a roost or following a particular bird.

December: December is a month for a flexible out-and-back: Yellowhammer and Linnet from the Easton bank, then Teal or Shoveler from the Stilt Pools if conditions allow. The public reserve is open around the clock, but winter light, wind and water should decide the length of the visit.

Medmerry opening times, entry and facilities

Entry to Medmerry is free, checked 18 October 2026. The RSPB's charges table separately lists parking free for members and £3 for non-members for up to four hours or £4 for longer. Overnight parking and camping are prohibited . Earnley car park, postcode PO20 7JL, has 15 spaces; Easton Lane, PO20 7JY, has five. The official reserve address uses Pagham Harbour's PO20 7NE, so select your actual arrival point before navigating. The small parking areas can fill, and roadside verges or gateways must remain clear for residents and emergency vehicles. Medmerry’s RSPB charges page mentions paying at a visitor centre, while its facilities page says there is no centre. Arrange provisions around your chosen entrance. Check current reserve notices, payment instructions and the coastal forecast before travelling.

Medmerry trails, hides and visit length

Medmerry's visitor routes follow the new sea-defence landscape around open wetland. Use the reserve's trail guide to connect the four raised viewpoints and select a circuit of an appropriate length. The RSPB publishes a total trail network of 10 kilometres, which describes the available paths rather than a single compulsory circuit. Watch from the banks and public outlooks, leaving pools, mud and shingle to the wildlife. Two-hour plan, editorial suggestion: choose either Earnley or Easton Lane as your starting point, identify the nearest suitable wetland viewpoint on the official map and make that the main destination. Spend a sustained spell scanning before returning by the established route. Include a second outlook only if it fits comfortably. This avoids using most of a short visit simply walking between distant corners of the reserve. Full-day plan, editorial suggestion: begin with a Stilt Pools watch, then build a longer route linking contrasting views across the tidal area and inland margins. Pause for lunch away from sensitive feeding areas, and use the afternoon light to revisit the most productive water. An alternative is a morning at Medmerry followed by Pagham Harbour, using the marked connection and allowing time for the transfer. Do not treat the entire reserve network plus both reserves as an effortless short stroll. The bank-top public footpath is not a cycle route, and some paths in the Ham area are also excluded from cycling. Use the permitted bridleways when arriving by bicycle, slowing for walkers and horses. Water sports and unauthorised drone take-off or landing are prohibited. The public banks provide ample scope for a rewarding visit without entering the wetland basin.

Medmerry accessibility and step-free routes

The RSPB describes most of the reserve as flat, with compacted-stone bridleways, some mown grass sections and slight gradients reaching the seawall. These are useful surface descriptions, but the operator still asks wheelchair and pushchair users to contact the team for detailed advice. A long, exposed stone route may be tiring even when its gradient is modest. Explain your equipment, desired distance and need for rest stops before choosing an arrival point. The raised viewpoints have seats, while the published bridleway description says there are no gates or barriers around that track. Earnley parking has a height barrier, which may matter for an adapted van; confirm clearance rather than assuming the reserve's general accessibility information covers your vehicle. Car parks are unlit. If avoiding loose surfaces or inclines is important, ask which specific approach best suits you and whether recent weather has changed it. Plan for the same route on the return, when fatigue, an incoming headwind or reduced visibility may alter what initially looked like a comfortable distance.

Medmerry public transport and getting there

Chichester is the railway connection for Medmerry. Stagecoach's current Chichester network includes service 51 to Selsey via Pagham Harbour and the 52/53 Witterings circuit. For an Earnley approach, the RSPB identifies the Clappers Lane stop followed by the lane towards Earnley Church and the signed reserve entrance. Select the correct direction and return stop using the current operator timetable. Alternatively, service 51 stops at Pagham Harbour Visitor Centre, from which the RSPB describes a 1.8-mile public-path connection to Medmerry. Include that connecting walk in your day's distance rather than beginning the birding itinerary only on reaching the wetland. A station taxi to a chosen reserve car park is useful where the lane walk, limited daylight or mobility needs make the bus connection awkward. Confirm the pickup location for the return. Cycling visitors can use Route 88 towards Pagham Harbour and the Medmerry Cycle Link, observing the separate on-reserve restrictions described with the trails.