19th June 2011 Birling Seawatch 7am-9am 4.30pm-5.30pm WNW5-6 Clear

Manx Shearwater 7E, 5W

Whimbrel 4W

Guillemot 1E, 1 on sea

Sandwich Tern c.10

Crossbill 3W ex.

Hummingbird Hawk Moth 1

Dark Green Fritillary 10

Marbled White 5

RHC had a Serin briefly in Hodcombe and a fly over Red Kite heading East.

Seaford Head from Birling Gap

A Skylark's nest

Snapdragons

18th June 2011 Birling Gap Seawatch WSW6 7am - 7pm

Gannet c.150

Manx Shearwater 6E, 7W

Scoter 10E

Peregrine 1

Sparrowhawk 1

Auk sp. 4E

Sandwich Tern c.45E, c.15W

Commic Tern 1W

Mediterranean Gull 12E (11ad 1 2s)

Arctic Skua 3E

Bonxie 6E

RHC had a female Serin in Hodcombe during the early part of the week.

PN & MN had 25 Dark Green Fritillaries & 7 Marbled White butterflies also during the early part of the week.

12th June, 2011 Beachy Head Overcast, cool W1-2 to S 3-4

Sea-watched from 06.45-07.40 & 10.10-10.30. We also walked the lane at Birling and the cliff path and looked over the Hollow. The following were seen:

Gannet 28 E

Common Scoter 39 (36 E & 3 on the sea).

Sparrow Hawk 1

Peregrine 1

Arctic Skua 1 d/p offshore chasing Kittiwakes at Birling.

Med. Gull 2 E (both 2nd Summer birds).

Sandwich Tern 6 E

Commic Tern 25 E (all appeared to be Arctics).

Lesser Whitethroat A new arrival seen at the top of the lane at Birling was in full song and often singing from the tops of the bushes, which the local breeding birds very rarely do. It lacked the usual dark ear-coverts (see pictures below), had a brownish back and the iris appeared pale grey.

Fox 1

Hare 1

Lesser Whitethroat at Birling

Hare one minute, gone the next!!

11th June, 2011 Beachy Head. Clear & sunny NW1 to SW1

Sea-watched from 06.50 - 07.30 and then covered all the usual sites on the Head.

Fulmar 6

Gannet 2 E

Grey Heron 1 off Birling.

Common Scoter 18 (11 E & 7 on the sea).

Sparrow Hawk 1

Auk sp. 1 E

Swift 2

Swallow 4

Lesser Whitethroat 2 singing

Common Whitethroat 15

Willow Warbler 2

Corn Bunting 1 singing

RHC had 2 Bee-Eaters flying over Hodcombe calling in the early part of this week.

Speckled Wood 4

Marbled White 1

Common Blue 8

Adonis Blue 3

Small Heath 15

Large Skipper 1

Small Skipper 1

Dark Green Fritillary 7

Meadow Brown 15

Bee Orchid 1

Lizard Orchid 1

Fox 4

Hare 2

Dark Green Fritillary

Large Skipper

My annual picture of the Lizard Orchid

7th June, 2011 Beachy Head

PN & MN had 1-2 Quail calling late afternoon from the field opposite the cliff edge car park just East of the old Belle Tout lighthouse.

4th June,2011. Beachy Head Overcast then suuny NNE 5.

Lapwing 2

Collared Dove 1

Swift 5 arriving

House Martin 3 arriving

Swallow 10

Stonechat 8

Reed Warbler h singing

Whitethroat 15

Lesser Whitethroat 7 singing males

Blackcap 1 male

Chiffchaff 2h

Crossbill 7W then N ex. landed briefly in Belle Tout Wood

Linnet 15

Goldfinch 8

Corn Bunting 1

Dark-green Fritillary 1

Small Tortoiseshell 2

Meadow Brown 1

Speckled Wood 6

Large Skipper 6

Small Heath 5

Common Swift arriving over Birling Gap.

Dark Green Fritillary

Bee Orchid