10th April, 2012 Beachy Head Part Overcast, clear & cool WSW 4

We sea-watched from 06.30 - 09.00 and were joined by RDME & RHC. We then covered some of the sites on the Headland including the Cliff Path and met up with RB, RKH & RES in B/T wood:

Red Throated Diver 2 E

Great Crested Grebe 1 E

Gannet 54 E

Brent Goose 39 E

Common Scoter 30 E & 5 W

Curlew 7 W

Arctic Skua 1 d/p E

Bonxie 2 E

Mediterranean Gull 4 E

Sandwich Tern 34 E

Auk Sp. 2 E

Wheatear 2

Chiffchaff 5

Willow Warbler 2

Firecrest 1 B/T wood

Tree Creeper 2

Long Tailed Tit 2

Raven 1

RHC sea-watched on the 9th April from 07.15-08.45 and his highlights were:

Manx Shearwater 1

Arctic Skua 2 E

Bonxie 2 E

Mediterranean Gull 14 E

Firecrest in Belle Tout wood.

Male Blackbird with white feathers on the head in the Hotel Garden

8th April, 2012 Beachy Head Overcast, rain & sea-mist W1-2

We sea-watched with RHC in poor conditions from 07.00-08.15. After a break for the rain to ease, we covered the Birling Gap/Belle Tout areas and also the Old Trapping Area:

Brent Goose 49 E
Shelduck 3 W
Common Scoter 12 E
Peregrine 2
Curlew 1 E
Bonxie 1 E
Sandwich Tern 1 E
Meadow Pipit 16 in off the sea
Black Redstart 1 female type Birling
Wheatear 3
Willow Warbler 16
Long Tailed Tit 1
Tree Creeper 1
Siskin 2 W

RHC also had 2 Black Redstarts at Hodcombe on the 3/4

7th April, 2012 Beachy Head Overcast cool & clear NE 1-2

We sea-watched from 07.00-08.05 and then covered all the Headland sites including the field and Cliff Path. Met up briefly with RDME who also had covered many of the sites including Whitbread Hollow/Cow Gap area. Another small fall of migrants recorded:

Red Throated Diver 1 E

Gannet 4 E

Brent Goose 35 E

Shelduck 2 E

Common Scoter 15 E & 6 W

Common Snipe 1 flushed from field.

Mediterranean Gull 2 E

Tawny Owl 1 calling

Great Spotted Woodpecker 1 Whitbread Hollow

Swallow 4

Common Redstart 1 male (our first for the year)

Stonechat 12

Wheatear 3

Ring Ouzel 1 male (our first for the year)

Song Thrush 3

Blackcap 3

Chiffchaff 12

Willow Warbler 23

Carrion Crow 1 in off the sea

Raven 1

Linnet 70 (19 W)

Corn Bunting 1 left the field and departed high E until out of sight.

Chiffchaff at Birling

Willow Warbler at Belle Tout

Meadow Pipit at Birling

Greater Black Back Gull with ring no. JA551 on Birling beach

Third-summer Scandinavian Lesser Black-backed Gull L.f. intermedius at Birling

The extensive dark subterminal band to the bill ages this individual as did its dark-stained central tail feathers that were best appreciated in flight but just discernible here.

Stonechat at Birling

Stonechat at Belle Tout

Cowslips now in flower

4th April, 2012 Beachy Head Sunny, cool and very clear W 2-3

We joined RDME at the sea-watch between 06.45-07.45 and then covered a number of sites on the Headland including the Cliff Path and met up with RB at Belle Tout. RDME also covered Whitbread Hollow. Generally very quiet:

Red Throated Diver 2 E
Gannet 26 E & 2 W
Brent Goose 13 E
Common Scoter 7 E & 1 W
Mediterranean Gull 2 E
Sandwich Tern 1 E
Auk Sp. 6 E
Great Spotted Woodpecker 1
Stonechat 3
Blackcap 2
Chiffchaff 5
Raven 3

3rd April, 2012 Beachy Head Sunny with sea-mist becoming warm Wind 0-1

We sea-watched from 07.05 - 08.05 and then met up with PN and covered the whole of the Headland sites including the field and Cliff Path. Small fall of common migrants:

Great Crested Grebe 2 on the sea

Gannet 13 E

Brent Goose 70 E

Wigeon 2 E

Common Scoter 9 E

Curlew 1 E

Common Snipe 1 flushed from Old Trapping Area.

Mediterranean Gull 2 E

Sandwich Tern 16 E

Commic Tern 1 E

Tawny Owl 1 calling

Stonechat 4

Black Redstart 2 at Hodcombe

Wheatear 25

Song Thrush 2

Blackcap 1

Chiffchaff 20

Willow Warbler 18

Tree Creeper 1

Some of today's 23 Wheatears on the Head

2nd April, 2012 Beachy Head cloud cover 1/8th Light NW

RDME covered the Lane, Birling to Belle Tout, the track to Cornish, back through the Wood, back to Birling.
Met up with RHC briefly:

Tawny Owl calling
Swallow 1 N over Birling (Our first for the year).
Black Redstart 1 heard singing at Birling
Stonechat 2
Tree Creeper 1
Linnet 12

1st April, 2012 Beachy Head Sunny, very clear & cool. N 0-1

A very short sea-watch from 07.15-07.45 in very clear sunny conditions. We then covered virtually the whole of the Headland including the field and Cliff Path:

Gannet 7 E
Brent Goose 8 E
Common Buzzard 1
Peregrine 1 flying very low down over the sea.
Sandwich Tern 2
Auk Sp. 2
Short Eared Owl 1 flushed from the cliff Gully behind B/T wood.
Stonechat 4
Wheatear 10
Blackcap 1 female
Chiffchaff 3
Carrion Crow 4 in off the sea.
Raven 1
Linnet 50

Record shots of today's Short Eared Owl.

One of today's 10 Wheatears 

Male Chaffinch posing nicely for the camera in Shooters Bottom