2011: No records were logged during the Spring.
Autumn: On the Headland, the first record was on the 15/8. It was not recorded after this until the 3/10 and then recorded regularly until mid-Nov, with 5 seen on the 10/12. Maximum numbers seen: 23/10 (10), 27/10 (10), 28/12 (12 with 4 being trapped), & 5/11 (8). . Per B.H.Log.
( In the early 1970’s the Autumn daily maximum was around 100 with 150 recorded on the 30/9/1974, and shows how this species has declined at Beachy Head in the interveining years).
MISTLE THRUSH
2011: 12/2 (1) Autumn: Recorded on 4 dates 1/10 (4 N), 17/10 (3), 6/11 (3 W), & 26/11 (4). Winter: 10/12 to 30/12 1 was feeding in the Belle Tout wood area. Per B.H. Log.
(In the 1960's it was estimated that 7 pairs bred in the area and our daily maximum was 60 which occurred on the 14/10/72, but by the 1990's it was considered rare in Whitbread Hollow).
FIELDFARE
2011: 12/2 (1), 20/2 (1), 20/2 (1), Autumn: 13/10 (32), 21/10 (2 E), 28/10 (2), 6/11 (6) & 12/11 (1). Per B.H. Log.
(No exceptional movements recorded since 2001, when 735 were counted moving SE in one hour on the 28/10).
SONG THRUSH
2011: Only recorded on 28 dates during the year in very low numbers. Daily maximum was only 8 on the 13/10. Several Continental migrants were trapped in Whitbread Hollow. Per B.H. Log.
(Numbers of Song Thrushes have been in sharp decline during the last decade or so. In the 1960's 30 breeding pairs were estimated in the area although a decrease in numbers were noted after the severe winter of 1962/63 although by 1967/68 numbers seen during the Autumns had recovered with 250 logged on the 19/10/68 and 220 logged on the 14/10/69. Autumn daily maximums during the 70's were around the 100 mark but by the 80's onwards a rapid decline in numbers was noted and our daily maximum logged this year was just 8).
REDWING
2011: Autumn: Recorded on 9 dates from 6/8 when an adult female was trapped in Whitbread Hollow), to 15/11 (1) with a daily maximum of 70 on the 9/10.
(The 6/8 record is the earliest Autumn record for Sussex). Per B.H. Log.
(Redwing numbers do fluctuate from year to year, and our last large movement logged was way back in 1991 when 1,000 moved W. on the 19/10. A huge cold weather movement occurred on the 16/2/69 when an incredible 40,000 were estimated moving W).
RING OUZEL
2011: Autumn: Recorded on 17 dates from 16/9 (3) to 16/11 (1). A total of 36 bird-days with a daily maximum of 7 on the 9/10. Per B.H.Log.
(None recorded in the Spring and a poor Autumn. Our last good year was in 2005 with a daily maximum of 53 on the 18/10 with a flock of 40 feeding on the side of Whitbread Hollow).
BLACKBIRD
2011: Daily maximums: 20/2 (10), 6/4 Probably only 10 in the whole area, 28/10 (22 with 7 ringed), 29/10 & 1/11 (35), 8/11 (56 with 11 ringed). 12/11 (37 with 11 ringed), 22/11 (40 mainly in the Cow Gap/Hollow area). 30 July (1 re-trapped in the Hollow was first ringed in 2003). Per B.H. Log.
(Yet another species in decline. In the 1960's it was considered to be one of our commonest resident with up to 40 breeding pairs. It suffered during the severe winter of 1962/63 and the breeding population fell to just 10 pairs,but numbers recovered in just a few years. During the 1970's and into the 80's daily maximum numbers were around the 100 mark, although since then the daily maximum is now only about 50).
