30th October,2010 Beachy Head, Clear WSW 3/4

Visited a number of sites on the Head with Doreen and we also met up with RJF, JWK, MK, RKH & RES. RDME was trapping in Whitbread Hollow. Birds ringed in brackets.

Merlin 1

Common Tern 1 (1st W) feeding close in off Birling.

Swallow 2

Black Redstart 1 male still at Birling Gap.

Blackbird 25

Redwing 2

Song Thrush (1 continental bird trapped)

Blackcap 3 (1)

Chiffchaff 1

Goldcrest 14+ (3)

Firecrest 4 all in Belle Tout wood.

Long Tailed Tit 5

Tree Creeper 1 Belle Tout wood

Raven 2

Goldfinch 60

Siskin 4

Lesser Redpoll 25 (15)

Brambling heard

Firecrests in Belle Tout wood.

Lesser Redpoll trapped Whitbread Hollow (Bob Edgar).

Wren in Shooters Bottom

29th October,2010 Beachy Head, Overcast S3-5

Went to Beachy with Doreen, Terry & Jill and did the usual sites on the Headland:

Sparrowhawk 1

Kestrel 1

Peregrine 1

Tawny Owl 2

Black Redstart 1 male at Birling

Blackbird 10

Chiffchaff 2

Goldcrest 16

Firecrest 4 (3 Belle Tout wood & 1 Birling).

Long Tailed Tit 6

Linnet 25

Firecrest in Belle Tout wood

Firecrest by the side of Belle Tout wood (Terry Cooper)

Tawny Owl

Tawny Owl (Terry Cooper)

Great Spotted Woodpecker trapped in the Hollow 24th Oct.(Bob Edgar)

Firecrest trapped in the Hollow on the 21st Oct. (Bob Edgar)

Sunrise from Whitbred Hollow on the 22nd Oct. (Bob Edgar)

28th October,2010. Beachy Head

RDME visited the Head and did the area from Birling Gap to Belle Tout in very windy conditions.

RHC did a brief sea-watch from Birling but saw very little.

Sparrowhawk 1

Raven 2

Redpoll 1

Chiffchaffs 2

Goldcrests 10

Long Tailed Tit 30 Belle Tout wood to Birling Gap.

26th October,2010 Beachy Head

Unfortunately, windy today and very little seen in the bushes and no diurnal migration. We met up with Bob and did a number of sites on the Headland:

Peregrine 1

Fieldfare 1

Goldcrest 15

Long Tailed Tit 15

Tree Creeper 1

Record shots of a Fieldfare in Shooters Bottom.

24th October,2010 Beachy Head, Clear NW 2-3

Doreen and myself did most of the Headland and met up with RKH, RES, SL, NG & GG.

Bob was ringing in the Hollow. The following is a combined list of species seen with birds ringed in brackets:

Kestrel 1

Peregrine 1

Stock Dove 13 NW

Woodpigeon 1,000 NW

Great Spotted Woodpecker 4 (1)

Swallow 16

Sand Martin 1W at Birling (SL)

Ring Ouzel 3 (1 female Shooters Bottom & 2 at Birling)

Blackbird 25

Fieldfare 6 W

Mistle Thrush 4 W

Song Thrush (1 continental bird trapped).

Blackcap 5 (3)

Chiffchaff 2 (1)

Goldcrest 2 (1)

Chaffinch 120 of which 100 moved W.

Brambling 7 W

Goldfinch 200

Siskin 5+

Linnet 100 W

Lesser Redpoll 90 (52)

Reed Bunting 1 departed high N.

Corn Bunting 1

Corn Bunting near Belle Tout wood.

Woodpigeons on the move

22nd October,2010 Beachy Head Clear NW 2

Doreen and myself covered most of the sites on the Head & Bob was ringing in the Hollow. Ringing numbers in brackets:

Sparrowhawk 1

Kestrel 1

Peregrine 1

Woodpigeon 600 SW

Collared Dove 1

Greater Spotted Woodpecker 1

Swallow 1

Robin 15

Black Redstart 1 at Birling

Blackbird 20

Redwing 5

Song Thrush 7 (2 continental birds trapped)

Chiffchaff 4 (1)

Goldcrest 5 (2)

Firecrest 1 (1)

Blue Tit 25

Jackdaw 60 W over the Hollow

Raven 1

Brambling 1

Siskin 1

Reed Bunting 1

Corn Bunting 1 Chat Vale & then departed high West (our first record since the 1st Aug.).

Black Redstart at Birling.

Goldcrest on Icky Ridge

Corn Bunting in Shooters Bottom

21st October,2010.Beachy Head ,Cold,bright NW2

RDME went ringing in Whitbread Hollow this morning and recorded the following with ringing numbers in brackets:

Common Buzzard 1

Wood Pigeon 100

Song Thrush (1 continental race trapped)

Blackcap 5 (4)

Chiffchaff 5 (3)

Firecrest 1 (1)

Goldcrest 2 (1)

Chaffinch 50

Goldfinch 60

Siskin 1

20th October,2010 Beachy Head, Clear NW2-3

Went with Doreen and spent 2-3 hours visiting a number of sites on the Head. We also saw Pete & Mim. Area was very quiet with virtually no diurnal migration and no sign of any Black Redstarts at Birling.

Sparrowhawk 2

Kestrel 2

Stock Dove 13 W

Wood Pigeon 400

Swallow 1

Pied Wagtail 15 E

Fieldfare 4

Redwing 3

Chiffchaff 7

Raven 2

Brambling 1

Linnet 40 E

Reed Bunting 2 E

Kestrel side of Belle Tout wood, taken on the 17th by Richard Fairbank

19th October,2010.Beachy Head Clear NW3 inc. 4

RDME visited several sites on the Headland and also walked the Hollow & Cow Gap. PN & RK also covered some other areas on the Headland. The following birds were seen:

Sparrowhawk 2

Woodpigeon 150

Swallow 12

House Martin 6

Black Redstart 3 all at Birling

Blackcap 2

Chiffchaff 13

Goldcrest 4

Firecrest 1

Tree Creeper 1 Belle Tout wood

Raven 2

Starling 250

Brambling 2

Siskin 2

18th October,2010 Beachy Head Wind N2 to NW

Doreen and myself visited most of the areas including Hodcombe on the Headland and Bob was ringing in the Hollow. Fine weather but very quiet with virtually no diurnal migration. Bird numbers ringed in brackets:

Brent Geese 9 W off Birling

Sparrowhawk 2

Kestrel 1

Woodpigeon 730 SE

Great Spotted Woodpecker 1

Swallow 1

Redwing 1

Song Thrush 6 (1 continental race trapped).

Blackcap 16 (11)

Chiffchaff 37 (21)

Goldcrest 19

Coal Tit 1 (not raced)

Raven 2

Redpoll 3

Others:

Small Copper 2

Red Admiral 2

Hummingbird Hawk Moth 1

Common Darter 1

Common Shrew 1

17thOctober, 2010 Beachy Head Mainly overcast N3.

RDME was trapping in the Hollow, and CB was watching at Holywell. I have shown the combined totals below although there may have been some overlap with Siskin numbers, and have also included the numbers seen at the seperate sites. Numbers ringed are shown in brackets.

RJF & JWK worked all the usual sites on the Headland, and there were no sightings of the Pallas's Leaf Warbler in Belle Tout wood.

Little Egret 9 off Holywell including a party of 8 East.

Grey Heron 4 West off Holywell

Brent Goose 1 juv. on the playing field in the Hollow.

Large Raptor (probable RedKite moved South going out to sea).

Hobby 1 at Holywell. (CB)

Peregrine 3

Golden Plover 2+

Common Tern 1 juv. off Holywell.

Stock Dove 210 moving over the Headland & Hollow.

Woodpigeon 4,600 (including 1 leucisitic bird).

Great Spotted Woodpecker 3 (1 Holywell & 2 on the Headland).

Skylark 31

Swallow 255

House Martin 50

Alba Wagtail 66

Dunnock 20 in the Hollow (8)

Wheatear 3

Ring Ouzel 3 (1 Holywell, 1 Chat Vale & 1 Cliff Path)

Song Thrush 15 (3) (1 Continental bird trapped in the Hollow).

Mistle Thrush 2 Hollow

Dartford Warbler 1 near Belle Tout wood.

Blackcap 2 (1)

Chiffchaff 36 (9)

Goldcrest 7 (2)

Firecrest 3 (1 male Holywell & 2 together Belle Tout wood).

Long Tailed Tit 21

Brambling 19 mainly East

Goldfinch 154

Siskin 107 mainly E. (40 Hollow, 51 Holywell, & 16+ with others heard over the Headland).

Redpoll 7

Raven 2

16th October,2010. Beachy Head. N to NE 2 to 4-5

Visited Beachy with Doreen and first stop was at Belle Tout wood. Long last we caught up with the Pallas's in the elderberry clump on the western side of the wood,and had some excellent views. At sunrise it called a few times probably as it was leaving its roost.

Good numbers of birders present looking for the Pallas's which then became very elusive again, owing to the strong wind picking up. Met up with RJF. RKH, RES etc also saw Chris Ball who had checked out Holywell where he had seen 30 Chiffchaffs which I have included in our totals below:

Sparrow Hawks 4

Common Buzzard 1 (RJF & JWK)

Peregrine 3 together over the cliffs at Belle Tout

Merlin 1+

Golden Plover 3

Wood Pigeon 180 S

Short Eared Owl 1

Swallow 50

House Martin 10

Wheatear 2 (PJ)

Ring Ouzel 2

Fieldfare 10

Redwing 20

Pallas's Leaf Warbler 1 Belle Tout wood

Chiffchaff 41

Goldcrest 12 (including 2 which arrived in off the sea and landed in the hotel guttering).

Tree Creeper 1 Belle Tout wood (RJF & PJ)

Raven 2

Reed Bunting 1

Chaffinch 60 E

Brambling 7 (5 dropped into Belle Tout wood RJF & PJ).

Goldfinch 100 E

Siskin 5

Goldcrests on Icky Ridge.

Record shot of Sort Eared Owl heading towards the cliff edge.

15th October,2010 Beachy Head Wind N 3-4

Went with Doreen to Beachy and covered most of the Top, and RDME was ringing in Whitbread Hollow. Good numbers of birders present looking for the Pallas's. It proved very elusive during the morning only being seen on one occasion, but finally showed well during the afternoon.

Following birds seen with the number of birds ringed in brackets.

Little Egret 3 off Birling

Sparrow Hawk 1

Kestrel 4 (an immature bird found dead, probably due to starvation)

Merlin 1 female type

Peregrine 1

Stock Dove 12 SE.

Short Eared Owl 1 (RES & KH)

Swallow 80

House Martin 15

Wheatear 1

Ring Ouzel 2

Blackcap 25 (10)

Pallas's Leaf Warbler 1 Belle Tout wood

Chiffchaff 37 (11)

Goldcrest 26

Treecreeper (1 Re-trap, ringed 27 Sept)

Raven 2+

Chaffinch 40

Brambling 1 Belle Tout wood

Goldfinch 100

Siskin 2

Pallas's Leaf Warbler Belle Tout wood (all taken by Roger Haggar)

14th October, 2010 Beachy Head Wind NNE3 to 4-5

Went to Beachy this morning with Doreen and also met up with Pete & Mim and Tony Quinn.

Not to many migrants in the bushes and only a small trickle moving over. Following were seen:

Sparrow Hawk 1

Kestrel 4

Merlin 1 (PN)

Peregrine 2-3

Swallow 130

House Martin 10

Pied Wagtail 15 (6 East)

Robin 7

Stonechat 9

Wheatear 4

Ring Ouzel 2

Blackbird 5

Song Thrush 2

Blackcap 1

Chiffchaff 21

Raven 2

Starling 700

Goldfinch 150 East

Siskin 2

Linnet 70 East

During the afternoon Tony Cook found a Pallas's Warbler in Belle Tout wood and was also seen by several other observers.

RHC had a Short Eared Owl in Shooters Bottom on the 13th.

Raven on the cliff edge fence at Birling

12th October, 2010 Beachy Head. Wind NE 3/4

RDME & RES visited the usual sites on the Head today and recorded the following:

Sparrowhawk 1

Kestrel 3

Merlin 1 (RES)

Stock Dove 20

Gtr. Spotted Woodpecker 1

Swallow 34

Meadow Pipit c100

Song Thrush 15

Ring Ouzel 4

Blackbird 10

Wheatear 2

Blackcap 2

Chiffchaff 24

Goldcrest 9

Firecrest 1

Goldfinch 50+

Brambling 4

Raven 1

Also Stoat 1 & Red Admiral 1

Records from the 11th October by PN: 1 Common Redstart, 4 Wheatears, 5 Siskins, 3 Goldcrests, 13 Chiffchaffs, 1 Common Buzzard, 2 Ravens, & 1 Grey Plover calling as it flew over Shooters Bottom.

10th October 2010 Beachy Head ENE5 Clear

Little Egret 1

Brent Geese 5E

Sparrowhawk 2

Peregrine 1

Kestrel 5

Golden Plover 2E

Curlew 2E

Woodpigeon c.80

Stock Dove 750E

Swallow 300E

House Martin 35E

Sand Martin 1E

Woodlark 2E ex. over Belle Tout

Skylark 50

Meadow Pipit 10W, 60E

Yellow Wagtail 2 (PN)

Grey Wagtail 1E

Pied Wagtail 61W

Starling 115W

Mistle Thrush 3E

Song Thrush 18

Ring Ouzel 6

Robin 10

Redstart 1 Birling

Wheatear 5

Whinchat 2

Stonechat 6

Chiffchaff 31

Goldcrest 1

Firecrest 2 Old Trapping Area

Tree Sparrow 3W

Chaffinch 75E

Brambling 2W

Redpoll 2W

Siskin 40E

Goldfinch 1,280E

Linnet 40E, 50

Reed Bunting 1

Raven 2

Alan Kitson also had a Black Redstart and a single Lapland Bunting between Birling and Crowlink.

Woodlark overflying Belle Tout

Firecrest in the Old Trapping Area

Stock Doves over the Old Trapping Area

Goldfinch in the Beachy Head Hotel Garden

9th October 2010 Beachy Head ENE5 Thick fog for first hour

Buzzard 2

Sparrowhawk 2 (1 trapped)

Kestrel 7

Dunlin 1W

Stock Dove 7E

Red-legged Partridge 2

Skylark 50

Swallow 175E

House Martin 5E

Pied Wagtail 17E

Yellow Wagtail 1E

Meadow Pipit 60E

Stonechat 10

Redstart 1

Whinchat 2

Wheatear 3

Robin 10

Song Thrush 16

Redwing 1 (RHC) 2 (RDME)

Blackbird 5

Starling 12E, 500

Blackcap 1

Chiffchaff 12

Goldcrest 6

Spotted Flycatcher 1

Goldfinch 405E

Siskin 8W

Linnet 100

Brambling 9W

Lapland Bunting 2E Birling Gap

Comma 1

First-year male Sparrowhawk trapped in the Hollow (Jacob Everitt)

8th October,2010 Beachy Head

RDME visited the Head, generally quiet with a Golden Plover & 2 Ravens flew over the Hollow, and in the Old Trapping Area 2 Firecrests & 3 Goldcrests were present.

7thOctober,2010. Whitbread Hollow.

RDME was ringing in the Hollow today and recorded the following, with ringing numbers in brackets:

Wind: E 1-2 becoming SE 3-4.

Sparrowhawk 2

Song Thrush 5

Reed Warbler 1

Blackcap 50 (17)

Chiffchaff 50 (30)

Goldcrest 6

Long-tailed Tit 17

Chaffinch 20

Siskin 20

Redpoll 2

Raven 1

Paul James had 2 Honey Buzzards fly South out to sea from Holywell shortly before 08.00 hrs.

On the 6th October Alan Kitson had a Honey Buzzard fly out to sea from Birling at 10.54 hrs.

5th October,2010 Beachy Head

Very Cloudy, Wind S/SW force 5.

RDME visited the Head in windy conditions and did most of the usual sites before the rain came.

Migrants seen: 150 Swallows, 150 Meadow Pipits, 1 Ring Ouzel in Shooters Bottom, 3 Chiffchaffs, 1 Goldcrest, also seen 1 Peregrine and 2 Kestrels.

4th October, 2010 Beachy Head.

RKH visited the Head today and did several of the sites. Migrants seen included good numbers of Chiffchaffs & Blackcaps, also 4 Ring Ouzels, 2 Spotted Flycatchers, 2 Redstarts, 2 Common Whitethroats, 1 Willow Warbler, and a Grasshopper Warbler seen by G. Gowlett.

Ring Ouzel in the Old Trapping Area (RKH)

Spotted Flycatcher in the Old Trapping Area (RKH)

2nd October 2010 Beachy Head Calm & Overcast

Sparrowhawk 2

Kestrel 4

Short-eared Owl 1 ex.

Collared Dove 2W

Great Spotted Woodpecker 1W, 1

Skylark 7E, 100

Swallow 125

Pied Wagtail 12

Meadow Pipit 40W, 150

Tree Pipit 5

Blackbird 2

Ring Ouzel c.4 (RJF, RES)

Robin 15

Redstart 1

Wheatear 4

Stonechat 8

Whinchat 1

Blackcap 5

Chiffchaff 30

Goldcrest 1

Blue Tit 5W, 5

Lapland Bunting 1 fvo

Reed Bunting 1

Chaffinch 3E

Greenfinch 10

Linnet 300

Siskin 20W

Raven 1

Comma 1

Short-eared Owl over Belle Tout

Whinchat at Belle Tout

Chiffchaff at Belle Tout