24th July, 2011 Beachy Head. Clear & sunny W2

We met up with RJF & JK at Birling who had already performed a short sea-watch. We then visited the usual sites on the Headland meeting up with RKH & RES at Belle Tout wood.

Fulmar 2

Cormorant Flock of 13 W

Herring Gull 45 Juvs. moved W during the early morning.

Yellow Legged Gull 1 Juv. in rough field before flying off.

Swift 2

Sand Martin 4 W

Swallow 12

Meadow Pipit 25

Pied Wagtail 6 feeding in rough field

Lesser Whitethroat 1 in the Old Trapping Area per RES

Common Whitethroat 15

Blackcap 1

Willow Warbler 8

Goldfinch 15

Common Blue 4 (very fresh)

Small Copper 2

Small Skipper 6

Essex Skipper 1

Dark Green Fritillary 1

Painted Lady 1 (our first for the year).

Red Admiral 2

Migrant Hawker 4

RDME heard a Crossbill flying over Whitbread Hollow this morning.

Juvenile Yellow Legged Gull

Hefty black bill, large head, dark eye mask, whitish ground colour to head and underparts, streaked nape, long primary projection, plain-centred greater coverts, dark-centred tertials with narrow thumbnail-like pale edges, 'feint' pale inner primary window, pale rump, pale wedge extending up onto lower back, neatly demarcated tail-band, dark secondaries

Essex Skipper

Our first Painted Lady of the year.

Small Copper

Male Chalk Hill Blue