31st March, 2012 Beachy Head Light cloud misty at sea cool NE 0-2

Sea-watched from 07.10-08.10. Met up with PN and we covered the whole of the Headland including the field and Cliff Path. Briefly met up with RHC at Birling:

Red Throated Diver 3 E

Gannet 13 E

Grey-lag Goose 6 flew E over the Head and then veered off N. 

Brent Goose 20 E

Shelduck 4 E

Common Scoter 10 E

Red Breasted Merganser 1 W

Sparrowhawk 3 

Kestrel 1 W out to sea

Peregrine 1

Whimbrel 1 E (our first for the year)

Curlew 4 E

Arctic Skua 1 adult d/p E

Sandwich Tern 6 lingering off Birling

Auk Sp. 21 E & 3 W

Stonechat 6

Blackcap 1

Chiffchaff 8

Willow Warbler 4 (our first for the year)

Raven 2

Lesser Redpoll 1

Bottle Nosed Dolphin 2 off Birling

On the 29th March RHC had the following:

4 Red Kites (3 high over Hodcombe & 1 over Whitbread Hollow).

Black Redstart 1 female type in Hodcombe

Blackcap 2 in Hodcombe

Chiffchaff 15 in Hodcombe

Our first Willow Warbler for this year

Ringed Singing Chiffchaff along the Cliff Path

Female Sparrowhawk at Icky Ridge, one of three being seen today.

Six Grey-lags moving NE over the old Belle Tout lighthouse

30th March, 2012 Beachy Head Sunny, cool sea-haze.NE 2-3

We sea-watched from 07.20 - 08.20 and were joined by RDME. All the Headland sites were covered including the Cliff Path and RDME also covered the Hollow, Cow Gap and the Gully. With the cool NE wind  

both the sea and the area were very quiet:

Red Throated Diver 3 (1 E & 2 on the sea)

Gannet 26 E

Brent Goose 84 E

Peregrine 1

Oystercatcher 10 W some way out to sea and were probably moving

Black Headed Gull 50 E

Sandwich Tern 2 E

Great Spotted Woodpecker 1

Stonechat 3

Chiffchaff 6

Long Tailed Tit 1

Linnet 60

Lesser Redpoll 1 W

Small Tortoiseshell 1

Small Tortoiseshell along the Cliff Path

29th March, 2012 Beachy Head Fine & Sunny N 0 increasing to 3-4

RDME visited Birling lane, to Belle Tout lighthouse and back through the wood, Shooters Bottom and Whitbread Hollow RHC in Hodcombe: PN and MN also covered a number of sites around Birling.

Great Crested Grebe 1
Red Kite 4 (3 over Hodcombe & 1 over Whitbread Hollow)
Tawny Owl 2 heard calling
Sand Martin 1 in off the sea (our first for the year).
Black Redstart 1 female type Hodcombe
Wheatear 1
Stonechat 2
Blackcap 4
Chiffchaff 23 (15 in Hodcombe)
Lesser Redpoll 1

28th March, 2012 Beachy Head Sunny, clear becoming hot N 1-2

We sea-watched from 06.40-08.10 and we then covered virtually all the sites on the Headland including the field & Cliff Path:

Red Throated Diver 1 E

Gannet 17 E

Grey-lag Goose 2 in off the sea

Brent Goose 147 E

Shelduck 1 E

Teal 5 E

Common Scoter 18 E

Red Breasted Merganser 7 E

Kestrel 2

Curlew 7 E

Black Headed Gull 37 E

Sandwich Tern 1 E

Black Redstart 2 female types

Wheatear 2

Stonechat 10

Tree Creeper 2 B/T wood

Linnet 62

Corn Bunting 1

Beachy Head Lighthouse with the Peregrine Stack

Just 2 Wheatears seen today

Increase in Linnet numbers seen today

Pair of Tree Creepers still in Belle Tout wood

25th March, 2012 Beachy Head Sunny cool with sea Haze NE 3-4

Sea-watched from 07.50-10.20 and then covered the more sheltered areas on the Headland:

Red Throated Diver 8 E
Great Crested Grebe 2 on the sea
Gannet 9 E
Brent Goose 33 E
Shelduck 3 E
Goldeneye 1 drake E @ 08.10 (Our 17th record since 1960)
Common Scoter 66 E
Red Breasted Merganser 8 E
Avocet 3 E
Med. Gull 2 E
Sandwich Tern 42 E
Commic Tern 3 E (ties with our previous earliest record on the 25 March, 1972)
Auk Sp. 8 E & 7 on the sea
Chiffchaff 2
Raven 1
Goldfinch 7
Linnet 12

 

One of three Avocets seen moving past Birling today.

 

Chiffchaff in Chat Vale

24th March, 2012 Beachy Head Fine warm & sunny NE 0-1

Very few migrants present on the Head although the highlights were:

Red Kite 1 E @ 12.00 hrs
Great Grey Shrike 1 in Chat Vale
Brambling 1

22nd March, 2012 Beachy Head Cloudy cold NE 4

With a cold NE wind blowing hopes of migrants soon faded. We sea-watched from 06.30-08.00 and were joined by RHC. We then covered the lane at Birling with PN and also Belle Tout wood:

Great Crested Grebe 1 E
Gannet 160 E
Common Scoter 1 E
Auk Sp. 30 E & 10 on the sea.

21st March, 2012 Beachy Head Early mist becoming warm & sunny S 0-1

We sea-watched from 06.35-07.40 and were joined by RHC. We covered around the Birling area and also the field, Belle Tout wood and the Old Trapping Area. Briefly met up with PN & MN:

Red Throated Diver 6 E

Great Crested Grebe 3 E

Gannet 16 E

Common Scoter 5 E

Sparrowhawk 2

Collared Dove 2

Black Redstart 2 males

Stonechat 5

Wheatear 2

Long Tailed Tit 2

Brimstone 1
Small White 1

Late news from yesterday were 2 Spoonbills seen moving W. @ 13.50 from Hodcombe. This now becomes our 7th record since 1960, with the last being in 2009.

Early morning view of the Seven Sisters

Beachy Head Lighthouse in swirling mist

View of Seaford Head

  

Two Male Black Redstarts near Belle Tout wood

Meadow Pipit

Views before they demolish  part of the Birling Gap Hotel

20th March, 2012 Beachy Head Overcast clear mild WSW 0-1

We sea-watched from 06.35-07.05 and then met up with RHC & PN and we then covered most of the sites on the Headland and saw RKH at Shooters Bottom:

Red Throated Diver 2 W
Great Crested Grebe 2 on the sea
Gannet 6 E
Grey-lag Goose 3 W
Common Scoter 6 E
Sparrowhawk 1
Peregrine 1
Alba Wagtail 1 W
Black Redstart 2
Wheatear 4
Corn Bunting 1

19th March, 2012 Beachy Head Fine warm & sunny NW 1-2

PN & MN visited the Birling area covering the lane, then walked along coastal path to B/T. lighthouse, onto the wood and then back to Birling:

Common Buzzard 1 near Hodcombe
Tawny Owl 2 calling
Great Spotted Woodpecker 1
Meadow Pipit 6
Wheatear 9
Stonechat 2
Black Redstart 4
Chiffchaff 10
Firecrest 3
Tree Creeper 1

18th March, 2012 Beachy Head Fine sunny & warm WSW 1-2

A summers day in mid-March with migrants to go with it. We sea-watched from 06.55-07.25 and then slowly birded around virtually all the sites on the Headland:

Red Throated Diver 1 on the sea

Eider 2 drakes E.

Common Scoter 2 E & 1 W

Red Kite 1 drifted E @ 13.05

Peregrine 2-3

Mediterranean Gull 4 E & 1 flew inland

Black Headed Gull c300 many moving W.

Herring Gull approx. 400 coasting W many 1st.W's.

Sandwich Tern 3E & 3W

Auk Sp. 2 on the sea

Guillemot 1 on the sea

Tawny Owl 2

Great Spotted Woodpecker 1 drumming B/T wood

Pied Wagtail 2 in the field

Alba Wagtail 3 in off the sea

White Wagtail 1 in the field

Black Redstart 3 (1 superb male near B/T lighthouse & 2 Hodcombe)

Stonechat 8

Wheatear 8

Fieldfare 2

Redwing 2-3

Chiffchaff 1

Blackcap 1 singing B/T wood

Goldcrest 1

Firecrest 4 (1 B/T wood & 1 the Old Trapping Area, 2 Hodcombe)

Long Tailed Tit 2

Tree Creeper 1

Raven 2

Linnet 17 (9W)

Reed Bunting 1 W

 

Beachy Lighthouse

 

 

 

Male Black Redstart at Belle Tout

They don't get much better than this.

 

Male Peregrine over Birling

 

Male Wheatear in the field.

 

Adult Mediterranean Gull over Birling

 

Winter Plumage Guillemot off Birling.

 

Rufous Phase Tawny Owl in the wood.

 

Firecrest in the Old Trapping Area.

 

Tree Creeper in Belle Tout wood.

 

Red Kite drifting East over the Headland.

JFC on a twitch!!