31 Aug 2014 Beachy Head Fine sunny and warm becoming cloudy pm. NW-W 1-2 increasing to 2-3

We met up with JK and covered all the main sites on the Headland. Also met up with GG and ASC who had covered a number of sites. RDME was ringing in Whitbread Hollow.
Good fall of Willow Warblers at Birling and Blackcaps in the Hollow. Reasonable totals of Common Redstarts, Wheatears, Reed Warblers and Whinchats. Good diurnal migration between 07.00-09.00 with the majority moving west, which included over 200 Yellow Wagtails, 16 Tree Pipits, and good numbers of hirundines. In fact it was like old Beachy, when falls of this size were regular on the Headland 30+ years ago.

The following totals are the combined totals of the observers with birds ringed are shown in brackets:

Little Egret 2
Sparrowhawk 5 (which included 3 together soaring over the cliffs at Birling)
Common Buzzard 1
Kestrel 2
Hobby 1
Collared Dove 1 W over Birling
Tawny Owl 2
Swift 9
Great-spotted Woodpecker 2
Sand Martin c150 W
Swallow c2,000 (c1,500 W)
House Martin c150 W
Tree Pipit 16 chiefly W
Yellow Wagtail 241 chiefly W
Grey Wagtail 1 W
Robin 20 (5)
Common Redstart 13
Whinchat 11
Wheatear 19
Sedge Warbler 2 (2)
Reed Warbler 14 (7)
Lesser Whitethroat 3 (1)
Common Whitethroat 56 (7)
Garden Warbler 5 (4)
Blackcap c480 (93)
Chiffchaff 4 (3)
Willow Warbler 134 (15)
Spotted Flycatcher 1
Pied Flycatcher 1
Raven 4
Goldfinch 20 W
Corn Bunting 12 ( party of 12 in one bush at the top of the lane at Birling and departed W)

Clouded Yellow 2
Migrant Hawker c20

Whinchat near Birling

 

 

Large numbers of Yellow Wagtails present today.

Good fall of Willow Warblers during the early morning at Birling.

Wheatear at Belle Tout

 

Reed Warbler at Shooters Bottom

 

Sparrowhawk hunting in the Old Trapping Area.

 

Swift over the Old Trapping Area.

A 1921 Grand Prix Morgan 3 wheeler car part of a small

rally of Morgan cars at Beachy today.

30 Aug 2014 Beachy Head Overcast W 5-6 decreasing

DC and BK did a 3 hour sea-watch from 07.00-10.00, with the highlight being a Balearic Shearwater. They then covered a number of sites on the Headland and also Whitbread Hollow. RJF and JK also covered virtually all the sites on the Head and also Whitbread Hollow area. RKH also visited several sites on the Headland.
Small numbers of a variety of night migrants were seen which included a Wryneck in Whitbread Hollow.

Balearic Shearwater 1W @ 09.32
Balearic/Manx Shearwater 3 W @7.20 (just to distant and brief for full i/d)
Little Egret 2 E
Shelduck 3 juvs E
Common Scoter 9 E and 4 W
Common Buzzard 1
Sparrowhawk 1
Arctic Skua 1 E
Sandwich Tern 10 W
Common Tern 16 W
Wryneck 1 Whitbread Hollow
Swift 2
Sand Martin 18 W
Swallow 102 W
Yellow Wagtail 6
Whinchat 7
Lesser Whitethroat 2
Common Whitethroat 28
Garden Warbler 1
Blackcap 11
Spotted Flycatcher 3
Yellowhammer 6

Clouded Yellow 3
Adonis Blue 1
Southern Hawker 6

(taken by Richard.Fairbank)

Male Redstart with a white-cap in Whitbread Hollow

(taken by Richard Fairbank)

(taken by David Cooper)

Wryneck in Whitbread Hollow

(taken by David Cooper)

Male Adonis Blue in Whitbread Hollow

27 Aug 2014 Beachy Head Overcast cool E 4 gusting to 5.

With interesting migrants appearing yesterday afternoon along the East coast, and an easterly wind this morning our hopes were high, but unfortunately when a number of observers arrived on the Headland night migrants were again in short supply and although all the sites were covered on the Head including the Cliff Path, and The Rides just low numbers of common migrants were seen. Diurnal passage was also disappointing.

Grey Heron 4 high W over Birling
Kestrel 1
Great-spotted Woodpecker 1
Sand Martin 10
Swallow 50 chiefly E-NE
Tree Pipit 1
Common Redstart 2
Whinchat 3
Wheatear 3
Reed Warbler 1
Lesser Whitethroat 2
Common Whitethroat 21
Garden Warbler 1
Blackcap 13
Willow Warbler 5
Raven 2
Goldfinch 60

Late news for the 23rd with a Wood Warbler in Hodcombe.

 

Willow Warbler-coming to the end of their passage period.

24 Aug 2014 Beachy Head Cool at first becoming sunny and warm with cloud in pm NW 3 at dawn decreasing to 1-2

We met up with JK at Birling and covered Birling lane and area, the Belle Tout loop and wood, and The Old Trapping area. We then did a 90 minute raptor watch and we were joined by several other observers. RKH, RES, covered Shooters Bottom and Birling area including the sewage plant. Tony Cook covered a number of sites on the Head including the Hotel Garden. Bob, Sarah and Martin were ringing in Whitbread Hollow.

A reasonable fall of common migrants chiefly Common Whitethroats and Blackcaps with a fair selection of other migrants. Diurnal migration was mainly concentrated with Yellow Wagtails, and Sand Martins.

The following are the combined totals of the main observers, with as usual birds ringed are included in these totals and are shown in brackets.

Grey Heron 1
Sparrowhawk 2
Common Buzzard 4
Kestrel 2
Hobby 1 S out to sea at 07.40
Collared Dove 2 Birling and the flew off W.
Tawny Owl
Swift 2
Great-spotted Woodpecker 1
Sand Martin c150 W
Swallow c250
Tree Pipit 3
Flava Wagtail 90 with at least 50 moved W.
Common Redstart 2
Whinchat 5
Wheatear 8
Grasshopper Warbler 2 (1)
Sedge Warbler 1 (1)
Reed Warbler 3
Lesser Whitethroat 9 (2)
Common Whitethroat 80 (16)
Garden Warbler 4 (3)
Blackcap 130 (34)
Chiffchaff 3 (1)
Willow Warbler 23
Spotted Flycatcher 1
Linnet Flock c80

Clouded Yellow 9
Adonis Blue 1

 

Male Wheatear at Birling

 

(taken by David Cooper)

A nicely marked Grasshopper Warbler in the Belle Tout Gully

 

Willow Warbler in Belle Tout Gully

(taken by D.Cooper)

Whinchat in the Old Trapping Area

Collared Dove - 2 seen at Birling departed West.

A blog tick pic.

Bumblebee Mimic Hoverfly - female Volucella zonaria

DC returning from photographing the Grasshopper Warbler.

23 Aug 2014 Beachy Head Cool at first becoming fine sunny and warm and then overcast. N 1 to W 2-3

We met up with RJF and JK at Birling and covered the majority sites on the Headland and also did a raptor watch for around an hour. A number of other birders including RB were also covering the Head.  RDME was ringing in Whitbread Hollow.
Just a small fall of common night migrants recorded, with a juv. Cuckoo being the best. Small westerly diurnal passage logged which included small numbers of Flava Wagtails and Sand Martins.

The following are the combined totals with birds ringed are shown in brackets.

Grey Heron 1 W off Birling
Sparrowhawk 2
Common Buzzard 3
Kestrel 1
Whimbrel 2 W
Turnstone 1 W over the Old Trapping Area with a party of feral pigeons.
Curlew 6 W
Cuckoo 1 juv at Birling
Tawny Owl 1 Hollow
Swift 1 S
Sand Martin 50 W
Swallow 50 W
House Martin 24 W
Tree Pipit 2 W
Flava Wagtail 9 W
Common Redstart 2
Whinchat 4
Wheatear 3
Grasshopper Warbler 1
Sedge Warbler 2
Reed Warbler 3 (3)
Lesser Whitethroat 6 (1)
Common Whitethroat 67 (7)
Garden Warbler 6 (4)
Blackcap 32 (10)
Chiffchaff 1
Willow Warbler 21

Brimstone 1
Clouded Yellow 2
Painted Lady 1
Common Darter 1

 

 Juvenile Cuckoo at Birling

Common Buzzard over Belle Tout

Brimstone at Belle Tout

Female Common Darter at Belle Tout.

21 Aug 2014 Beachy Head, cool at first (first morning below 50 deg F), cloud 1/8 to 3/8 WNW 2/3 inc 3/4

Several members of the BHRG were ringing in Whitbread Hollow this morning, RKH and RES covered The Old Trapping Area, Shooters Bottom and Birling. Generally a quieter morning with a reasonable selection of common migrants, with the highlight being a Melodious Warbler in Hodcombe.
Combined totals with birds ringed are shown in brackets:

Common Buzzard 1
Sparrowhawk 4 soaring together
Tawny Owl 2
Great-spotted Woodpecker 1
Swallow 4
Tree Pipit 1
Flava Wagtail 6
Redstart 3
Blackbird 10 (4)
Grasshopper Warbler 1
Reed Warbler 3 (1)
Melodious Warbler 1 Hodcombe
Lesser Whitethroat 2 (1)
Common Whitethroat 51 (14)
Garden Warbler 6 (3)
Blackcap 80 (27)
Chiffchaff 1 (1)
Willow Warbler 21 (7)
Spotted Flycatcher 3
Bullfinch 3 (2)

Red Admiral 3
Clouded Yellow 2
Painted Lady 2
Adonis Blue 1
Hummingbird Hawkmoth 1

20 Aug 2014 Beachy Head Cool at first becoming fine and sunny, NW 1-2 to W 1

We met up with JK at Birling and covered all the main sites on the Headland including Icky Ridge. Also met up with RB who was also covering Shooters Bottom to Birling areas. RDME was ringing in Whitbread Hollow during the morning. LP also covered Whitbread Hollow/Cow Gap areas during the morning.
Another reasonable fall of common night migrants, with Blackcap numbers beginning to build up in Whitbread Hollow and good numbers of Garden Warblers also present. Small increase in hirundine numbers but otherwise diurnal migration still pretty stagnate.
Combined totals with birds ringed shown in brackets:

Little Egret 12 E Cow Gap
Sparrowhawk 2
Kestrel 2
Hobby 1 (caught a hirundine over the Top Fields).
Tawny Owl 2
Swift 3
Sand Martin 55
Swallow c100
House Martin 20
Yellow Wagtail 1
Tree Pipit 4
Common Redstart 3
Whinchat 4
Wheatear 20-Our best day so far this year.
Grasshopper Warbler 1 (1)
Sedge Warbler 2 (2)
Reed Warbler 3 (1)
Lesser Whitethroat 5 (2)
Common Whitethroat 130 (31)
Garden Warbler 30 (13)
Blackcap 80 (27)
Chiffchaff 2 (1)
Willow Warbler 53 (5)
Raven 2

Clouded Yellow 7 including pale variety helice.
Brown Argus 2
Hummingbird Hawk Moth 1
Weasle 1
Fox 1

Willow Warbler at Birling.

Wheatears at Belle Tout

Hobby over the Top Fields.

 

Hummingbird Hawk Moth in Shooters Bottom.

 

Brown Argus in the Hotel Garden