Saturday 16 October 2010

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.