17 Sept 2014 Beachy Head Overcast at first becoming sunny. NE 5 gusting to 6

Arriving at Birling to a strong NE breeze which made birding difficult. Covered Birling lane, Shooters Bottom, The Old Trapping Area, Hotel Garden, Icky Ridge and finished in Belle Tout wood, meeting up with LP and NP in Shooters Bottom. LP also covered Sardine Valley.
Just a few migrants were seen in the area, and the strong breeze kept diurnal migration to a minimum with only small numbers of hirundines and 60 Meadow Pipits all moving E.

Grey Heron 1
Sparrowhawk 2
Merlin 1
Kestrel 3
Golden Plover 1
Sand Martin 2 E
Swallow 250 E
House Martin 150 E
Tree Pipit 1
Meadow Pipit 60 E
Grey Wagtail 1 W
Pied Wagtail 2 W
Common Redstart 1
Whinchat 2
Wheatear 4
Sedge Warbler 1
Common Whitethroat 4
Blackcap 3
Chiffchaff 3
Goldcrest 1

Late news for yesterday: LP visited Shooters Bottom area during the evening and saw 2 juv. Yellow-legged Gulls on the cliff edge above Shooters Bottom, also a female type Merlin.

(taken by Laurence Pitcher)

Juvenile Yellow-legged Gull on cliff top above Shooters Bottom.