18th August 2012 SW1 Clear

Virtually calm and clear at dawn grounded passerine migrants again proved at a premium, but as the temperatures soared to the highest temperatures so far recorded this Summer so did some diurnal migrants topped by a trio of large raptors species. The top of the headland was well-covered by many observers and RDME was ringing in the Hollow. Birds trapped for ringing in brackets below.

Low pressure remains stationary in the Atlantic to the west of Ireland, with an occlusion and a number of troughs rotating around it. A slow-moving waving front lies southwest to northeast across the UK, separating the very high temperatures to its southeast from the cooler air further northwest.

Canada Goose 20 in off the sea over Birling Gap and departing west towards Crowlink
Osprey 1 flew south out to sea at 10.10am
Common Buzzard 5
Honey Buzzard 1 ex. 12.25pm-12.35pm and again 1.20-1.35pm
Marsh Harrier 1 10.30am
Sparrowhawk c.3
Peregrine 1
Hobby 2+
Kestrel 3
Tawny Owl 2
Great Spotted Woodpecker 1
Swift c.60 west
Swallow c.50
House Martin c.200 chiefly west
Sand Martin 5
Black Redstart 2 juveniles
Wheatear 2
Whinchat 1
Tree Pipit 2
Yellow Wagtail 4W
Blackcap 3
Whitethroat 46 (5)
Lesser Whitethroat 2
Sedge Warbler 1
Reed Warbler 1 (1)
Willow Warbler 13
Chiffchaff 3
Long-tailed Tit 8 (7)
Bullfinch 2 (1)
Crossbill 21 NW ex. with RDME hearing another c.8 earlier in the morning heading east

Badger 1 ex.

Autumn Lady's Tresses c.60
Red Admiral 4
Small Tortoiseshell 12

Chiffchaff at Birling

Hornet Hoverfly at Birling

Whinchat at the Beachy Head Hotel

Osprey over the Old Trapping Area

Marsh Harrier over the Old Trapping Area

Sparrowhawk over the Old Trapping Area

 Honey Buzzard over the Top Fields (Matt Eade lower two images)