17 Oct 2014 Beachy Head Overcast mild SW 4

Our first visit for almost 3 weeks, great to be out birding again. We covered all the main sites on the Headland including Icky Ridge and the Cliff Path. We also met up with SL who birded the Birling to Shooters bottom area and also walked towards Crowlink. Diurnal migration was poor but still a number of migrants present on the Head with the highlights being 25 Ring Ouzels, 2 Dartford Warblers, juv.Merlin  and a Short-eared Owl.

Sparrowhawk 1
Kestrel 1
Merlin 1 juv.
Peregrine 3
Curlew 2
Collared Dove 1
Short-eared Owl 1 (over fields near Shooters Bottom)
Great-spotted Woodpecker 1
Swallow 14
Meadow Pipit 50 W
Wheatear 4
Ring Ouzel 25 (5 Shooters Bottom, 8 Old Trapping Area, 4 Cow Gap, 8 B/T scrub)
Blackbird 6
Song Thrush 2
Dartford Warbler 2 Shooters Bottom
Blackcap 1
Chiffchaff 11
Jay 5 (1 E and party of 4 B/T area)
Raven 2 +
Goldfinch 200 (100 W)
Linnet 50
Yellowhammer 2
Corn Bunting 5

Clouded Yellow 2
Wall Brown 2
Migrant Hawker 5

Late news from yesterday (per the SOS web-site) was 26 Ring Ouzels and 2 Dartford Warblers.

Autumnal colours showing in Belle Tout wood

Short-eared Owl over Shooters Bottom

Some of today's Ring Ouzels in Shooters Bottom.

Confiding Dartford Warbler in Shooters Bottom.

The 2nd Dartford Warbler was not quite so confiding.

A late Wall Brown along the Cliff Path