20 August 2012 Beachy Head Overcast, cool with sea fog SW 1-2

Arrived at Birling in cool misty conditions. No sign of any new arrivals of night migrants around Birling with mainly left-overs from yesterday and the misty conditions prevailing prevented any diurnal migration. We covered the area around Birling and were joined by PN. With an improvement in the visibility, we decided to visit The Rides to try to see yesterdays Melodious. With the aid of tape play-back we had the good fortune to attract out the Melodious and the three of us all obtained some good views over the next 15 minutes before the mist returned and the Melodious was lost to view. We then returned to other sites on the Headland and were joined by Geoff & Mick. We all then tried our luck again for the Melodious but with no luck. We also met up with RHC who like us felt there had not been any new arrivals in Hodcombe this morning but just a few left-overs. RDME was ringing and birding in Whitbread Hollow and the birds ringed are included in brackets.

Met Office view

Low pressure remains almost stationary to the northwest of Ireland, with an occlusion wrapped around its centre. Troughs revolving around it indicate concentrations of showers. The decaying cold front across central UK and extending southwest across the Bay of Biscay marks the dividing line between warm air to the south and cooler air to the north:

Fulmar 1
Peregrine 1
Lesser Black Back Gull 25 of the race graellsii resting in a field before flying out to sea.
Tawny Owl 1
Great Spotted Woodpecker 1 (1 ad. female)
Swallow 35
Yellow Wagtail 1
Sedge Warbler 3
Reed Warbler 2 (2)
Melodious Warbler 1 still present in the Rides
Lesser Whitethroat 3 (1)
Common Whitethroat 35 (8)
Blackcap 4
Chiffchaff 4 (1)
Willow Warbler 60 (5)
Spotted Flycatcher 2
Raven 2

Sedge Warblers at Birling

Spotted Flycatcher in the Old Trapping Area

Further Pictures taken on the 18th August

Chiffchaff at Birling

Whinchat in the Hotel Garden

 

 

Osprey which headed out to Sea

19th August 2012 Beachy E2 Clear

For the second time in as many weeks a front straddling the UK prompted a fall of Willow Warblers enjoyed by the early risers as many Willow Warblers were seen quickly heading inland soon after dawn. The top was again well-covered including the Cliff Path and the rides above Whitbread Hollow with PN & MN and RHC kindly supplying numbers of migrants and Bob, Sarah and Jake were ringing in Whitbread Hollow. Birds ringed in brackets. Pied Flycatchers made a good showing but the best was saved to last in the form of an elusive Melodious Warbler found late in the afternoon.

Low pressure remains west of Ireland, with a series of showery troughs moving northwards across western parts of the UK in the flow. A waving front lies north-south across England marking the dividing line between the hot, humid air in the southeast and the fresher air to the north and west.

Peregrine 2
Hobby 1
Tawny Owl 1
Great Spotted Woodpecker 3
Swift 17
Swallow c.95
House Martin 50
Sand Martin 12W
Yellow Wagtail 15W
Tree Pipit 3
Wheatear 3
Whinchat 2
Redstart 4
Reed Warbler 5 (4)
Sedge Warbler 3
Whitethroat 320 (40)
Lesser Whitethroat 4
Garden Warbler 11 (11)
Blackcap 16 (6)
Grasshopper Warbler 1
Melodious Warbler 1 ex. very briefly at 3.45pm and again at 4.45pm but no further sign by 6pm
Willow Warbler 300 (30)
Chiffchaff 3 (2)
Pied Flycatcher 13
Spotted Flycatcher 5
Long-tailed Tit c.6
Crossbill 1 juv. S over rides
Bullfinch 1

Southern Hawker 1
Rush Veneer Moth 1
Dingy Footman 1
Autumn Ladies Tresses c.60

Pied Flycatcher at Birling

Chiffchaff at Birling

Willow Warblers at Birling

Pied Flycatcher at Birling

Holly Blue at Birling

Pied Flycatcher at Belle Tout

Pied Flycatcher trapped and ringed in Whitbread Hollow (pictures by Jake Everitt)

Swarm of insects at the Old Trapping Area

Emperor at Icky Ridge

Melodious Warbler above Whitbread Hollow

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)