31st October, 2011. Beachy Head. Overcast mild, S 2

We met up with RMDE at Birling and covered most sites on the Headland. Later saw RB & GG in B/T wood. Highlight being our first record of a Glossy Ibis:

Glossy Ibis 1 E & then S over Belle Tout @ 07.50 at one time being mobbed by a Raven. Our first record for the Headland.

Sparrowhawk 1-2

Kestrel 1

Peregrine 3

Great Spotted Woodpecker 1

Skylark 50

Swallow 8

Willow Warbler 1 still in B/T wood for its 3rd day.

Goldcrest 12

Firecrest 4 (2 B/T wood & 2 Hotel Garden).

Tree Creeper 2

Raven 1

Goldfinch 150+ E

Linnet 300 (100 E)

Lesser Redpoll 3

Reed Bunting 1

Red Admiral 1

30th October, 2011 Beachy Head Overcast, SW 3

Generally less birds and birders present today. Most sites on the Headland were covered including the rough field and Cliff Path:

Sparrowhawk 1

Kestrel 2

Tawny Owl 1

Great Spotted Woodpecker 1

Skylark 70

Swallow 2

Alba Wagtail 7 W

Black Redstart 2

Stonechat 3

Wheatear 1

Ring Ouzel 1

Blackcap 2

Chiffchaff 2

Willow Warbler 1 still present in B/T wood.

Goldcrest 5

Firecrest 2

Tree Creeper 2 in B/T wood.

Goldfinch 15 E & 5 W

Linnet 200

Lesser Redpoll 8 E & 2 W

Willow Warbler in Belle Tout Wood

Despite the late date, the yellow suffusion to the underparts reveals this to be just a nominate trochilus.

29th October, 2011 Beachy Head. Cloudy with sunny periods SW/W 2-3

Good numbers of birders present on the Headland including a number of the locals and RDME & PF were ringing in Whitbread Hollow. The following are the combined totals with birds ringed in brackets:

Little Egret 1

Sparrowhawk 2

Kestrel 1

Peregrine 2

Little Gull 8 flew over the rough field & out to sea over Birling.

Arctic Tern 2 juvs.W.

Tawny Owl 3

Short Eared Owl 2

Great Spotted Woodpecker 3

Skylark 23 E

Swallow 14

Wren 8

Robin 25 (influx)

Black Redstart 4

Common Redstart 1

Wheatear 4

Blackbird 35 (influx)

Song Thrush 6 (1)

Blackcap 6 (5)

Chiffchaff 10 (4)

Willow Warbler 1 (Probably our latest record)

Goldcrest 18 (2)

Firecrest 12

Tree Creeper 2 both in B/T wood.

Raven 2

Greenfinch 20 W

Goldfinch 80 (30 E)

Linnet 75

Lesser Redpoll 4 (2)

Bullfinch 2

Red Admiral 5

A late Common Redstart in Hodcombe.

Black Redstart in Hodcombe

Wheatear near Cornish Farm.

Tawny Owl in Belle Tout wood.

28th October, 2011.Beachy Head. Overcast with drizzle. NE 2-3

We met up with PN at Birling and covered most of the sites on the Head. Good passage of Finches moving over. Saw RKH & RES in Shooters Bottom. RDME, SM & PF were ringing in Whitbread Hollow and the following are our combined totals with birds ringed in brackets:

Grey Heron 1 high over the Top fields.

Sparrowhawk 1

Kestrel 1

Tawny Owl 2

Skylark 70 in rough field.

Swallow 5

Meadow Pipit 60 (40 E)

Alba Wagtail 8 E

Wren 12 (4)

Wheatear 2

Blackbird 22 (7)

Fieldfare 2

Redwing 2

Song Thrush 7 (2 including 1 continental bird).

Blackcap 6 (5)

Yellow Browed Warbler still present at Birling but now in poor condition.

Chiffchaff 2 (1)

Goldcrest 20 (4)

Firecrest 5 (1)

Raven 2

Starling 100 (65 in Whitbread Hollow).

Brambling 3

Goldfinch 1,000 + E

Siskin 1

Linnet 700 (300 E & 400 in rough field).

Lesser Redpoll 40 (27)

Bullfinch 1

Fieldfare in Shooters Bottom

Perhaps the last of this year's Wheatears

Part of the flock of Linnets in the rough field.

Didn't realise that Chachalacas were in Belle Tout wood.

27th October, 2011 Beachy Head Overcast with light showers. SE 3 decreasing to 1-2

Met up with RDME & PE at Birling and covered the area. At Belle Tout wood, located a Pallas's Warbler which showed well at first then became very elusive, and we therefore spent 3 hours in the wood obtaining further views. RES had covered other sites on the Head.

Tuesday's Yellow Browed Warbler at Birling was now showing and JK and myself quickly made our way back up the lane and obtained some reasonable but brief views:

Grey Heron 4 high over the Top Fields.

Kestrel 1

Wren 10

Ring Ouzel 1

Blackcap 2

Pallas's Leaf Warbler 1 in Belle Tout wood

Yellow Browed Warbler 1 still present at Birling.

Chiffchaff 4

Goldcrest 10

Firecrest 8

Tree Creeper 1

Goldfinch 60 E

Linnet 130 E

Yellow Browed Warbler at Birling taken by Mick Davis

Yellow Browed Warbler at Birling taken by Matt Eade.

26th October, 2011 Beachy Head. Cloud3/8 with showers S 5-6

RDME, PN, MN & RKH birded the Head visiting several of the usual sites and also Sardine Valley, but the strong wind made recording difficult:

Tawny Owl 2

Great Spotted Woodpecker 1

Tree Creeper 1

Chiffchaff 2

Goldcrest 1

Firecrest 4 (1 Birling & 3 Belle Tout area).

Linnet 40

Redpolls heard calling

Two Tawny Owls in Belle Tout wood today, taken by Mick Davis

25th October, 2011 Beachy Head. Cloudy with sunny periods.WSW4 becoming S 3/4

PN MN & RDME were birding the Headland and covered most of the usual sites. A Yellow Browed Warbler was found by a visiting birder at Birling and was seen by the other observers present.:

Peregrine 2

Great Spotted Woodpecker 2

Swallow 3

Wren 7

Ring Ouzel 1 Birling

Blackbird 20 (small influx noted)

Yellow Browed Warbler 1 Birling

Chiffchaff 7

Goldcrest 5

Firecrest 7

Raven 1

Goldfinch 30 E

Linnet 80 E

Red Admiral 2

Migrant Hawker 1

24th October, 2011. Beachy Head Clear fine & warm ESE 3-4

Doreen & myself sea-watched from 07.30 - 09.00 and were joined for some of the time by RHC & PN. RHC left for home & we then covered a number of sites on the Headland with PN and also Holywell with RB to have a further look for yesterdays Pallas Warbler but again with no joy. Highlight of the day was our first sighting for the Headland of a Grey Phalarope which past E close in only to turn around and fly past us again even nearer going W. superb!!

Great Crested Grebe 3 E

Gannet 222 E

Common Scoter 5 E

Kestrel 1-2

Grey Phalarope 1 E & then returned W. @ 08.30. First record for the Headland!!

Arctic Skua 1 E

Bonxie 1 E

Greater Black Back Gull 60 E (mainly adults).

Auk Sp. 20 E

Razorbill 8 E

Tawny Owl 1

Swallow 2

House Martin 1

Chiffchaff 2

Goldcrest 4

Firecrest 2-3 (1-2 B/T wood & 1 Old Trapping Area).

Tree Creeper 1

Raven 2

Greenfinch 5 E

Goldfinch 200 E

Peacock 1

Red Admiral 2

Firecrest in the Old Trapping Area

Grey phase Tawny Owl showing in Belle Tout wood

Drone Hoverfly type (probably Eristalis tenax) taken yesterday near Birling

23rd October, 2011 Beachy Head. Overcast becoming sunny & warm S 3

We met up with RJF & JK at Birling and sea-watched from 07.30-0845. Did the lane at Birling and then received a telephone call from CB who had seen a Pallas's Warbler at Holywell. We therefore drove there but unfortunately Chris had lost the warbler. We spent the next hour or so trying to re-locate it but with no joy. Chris stayed on and did obtain a further brief view of it.

We then covered most the the Headland and also met up with RES who had been birding the Head with RKH. The following are our combined totals which includes CB sightings from Holywell:

Great Crested Grebe 2E

Gannet 80 (65 E)

Common Scoter 2

Sparrowhawk 1

Kestrel 1

Peregrine 3-4

Pomarine Skua 1 E (Very dark almost black juv) JFC

Arctic Skua 5 E + 2 on sea.

Bonxie 1 E

Kittiwake approx. 120 E

Auk sp. 80 E

Swallow 30

House Martin 4

Wren 10

Stonechat 3

Dartford Warbler 1 male Shooters Bottom

Pallas's Leaf Warbler 1 Holywell CB

Chiffchaff 3

Goldcrest 16

Firecrest 2 (1 B/T wood & 1 Holywell)

Tree Creeper 1

Goldfinch 170 (108 W)

Siskin 13 W

Lesser Redpoll 8 W

Crossbill 5 W

Red Admiral 2

Male Dartford Warbler in Shooters Bottom.

Still the odd Stonechats are lingering at Beachy

22nd October, 2011 Beachy Head. Fine & clear SE 4-5

 covered most of the sites including the Cliff Path & Rough field & performed an hours sea-watch with RDME who also covered several sites on the Head:

Common Scoter 1 E

Merlin 1

Arctic Skua 4 W

Bonxie 4 (2 E & 2 W)

Auk sp. 61 E

Guillemot 4 E

Tawny Owl 1

Great Spotted Woodpecker 1

Swallow 1

Wheatear 1

Redwing 1

Chiffchaff 2

Goldcrest 6

Firecrest 2 (1 in the Old Trapping Area & 1 above Whitbread Hollow).

Long Tailed Tit c12

Tree Creeper 1 in B/T wood.

Raven 2

Goldfinch 50 (16 E)

Lesser Redpoll 5

Reed Bunting 1

Grey Phase Tawny Owl in B/T wood.

Firecrest in the Old Trapping Area

Redwing in the Old Trapping Area

Long Tailed Tits above Whitbread Hollow

Firecrest above Whitbread Hollow.