13th March,2011. Beachy Head.Overcast, dull S2.

We sea-watched from 06.30-08.15, then walked the lane at Birling, did the area from Birling to B/T lighthouse and onto the wood and walked the rough field back to Birling. Then did Chat Vale, Old Trapping Area and Hotel Garden. Met up with RKH & RES who were doing several areas on the Headland.

Red Throated Diver 48 E (all were identified).

Slavonian/Black Necked Grebe 2 w/p E and then landed on sea, but to far to i/d.

Great Crested Grebe 5 (1 E & 4 on sea).

Brent Goose 30 E

Mallard 5 E

Goldeneye 3 W (close in off Birling).

Common Scoter 23 E

Sparrowhawk 1

Med Gull 1 ad. E.

Common Gull 250 in fields at Birling.

Tawny Owl 1

Stonechat 6

Firecrest 4 (1 B/T wood, 1 Shooters Bottom & 2 Hotel Garden) Per RKH & RES.

Corn Bunting 5

Bottle Nosed Dolphin type 1 still off Birling.

12th March,2011.Beachy Head. Fine, mild.SSE 1

We sea-watched from 06.30 - 09.20 and RDME & PN joined us. We also covered Belle Tout wood, the rough field, Shooters Bottom, The Old Trapping Area and Hotel Garden. Both Bob & Pete also covered areas on the Headland. Following birds were logged:

Red Throated Diver 13 E

Great Crested Grebe 2 on sea also 1E & 1 W

Black Necked Grebe 2 in partial s/p off Birling.

Brent Goose 270 E

Shelduck 6 (4 E & 2 W)

Gadwall 1 E

Teal 34 E

Mallard 2 E

Shoveler 5 E

Common Scoter 232 E

Red Br. Merganser 4 E

Peregrine 1

Curlew 5 E

Med. Gull 3 Ad. s/p E.

Black Headed Gull 54 (12 E & 42 sat on sea off Birling).

Sandwich Tern 3 E

Auk sp. c10 E

Tawny Owl 1

Skylark c25

Alba Wagtail 3 (2 in off the sea & 1 N over fields).

Black Redstart 1 female type Hotel Garden.

Stonechat 1 pair Shooters Bottom.

Firecrest 4 (1 Birling, 1 B/T wood & 2 Shooters Bottom).

Long Tailed Tit 3 Shooters Bottom

Raven 1

Corn Bunting 2

Also

2 Bottle Nosed Dolphins types off Birling.

Firecrest in front of the sea-watch site at Birling.

Record shot of the 2 Black Necked Grebes off Birling.

Common Dog Violets are now fully out in flower.

11th March, 2011.Beachy Head.Clear, fine & mild. WSW 0-1

Doreen and myself did a sea-watch for almost 2 hours from 07.00-08.45 hrs. We then birded in Belle Tout wood, walked the rough field and then walked Shooters Bottom. RDME covered most of the Headland including the Cliff Path. PN also covered the Birling/Belle Tout area and RKH & RES also covered a lot of the Headland. The following are the combined totals of birds seen:

Red Throated Diver 20 E

Great Crested Grebe 4 on the sea.

Brent Goose 44 E

Common Scoter 6 E

Med Gull 1 ad. E

Common Gull 150 in the Birling area

Tawny Owl 1

Great Spotted Woodpecker 1 drumming in Whitbread Hollow.

Skylark 25

Stonechat 6 (small arrival).

Firecrest 1 singing & displaying in B/T wood.

Long Tailed Tit 8+

Carrion Crow 3 came in high from the sea.

Raven 2

Starling Flock of 150 in the Top fields.

Brimstone 1 Shooters Bottom

Bottle Nosed Dolphin again seen off Birling.

Brimstone in Shooters Bottom

9th March, 2011. Beachy Head. Overcast cool. WSW 4

We first did a 30 minute sea-watch from 09.00-09.30. Little of interest seen: 3 Divers & a Kestrel which came in off the sea @ 09.30. We then did a number of the more sheltered areas on the Headland looking for early migrants, but everywhere very quiet with a male Stonechat at Birling was probably a new migrant and we located the Tawny Owl in the wood.

8th March, 2011 Beachy Head. Fine, sunny mist to sea. SE to WSW 1-2

RDME arrived at 06.45 and sea-watched until 08.30, he then walked the Birling Gap to Belle Tout area looking for migrants. Doreen & myself sea-watched from 10.00 - 12.00 before checking Belle Tout wood and walking the rough field. PN & MN also covered the Birling/Belle Tout area. Combined sea-watch totals etc as follows:

Diver 46 E (about 15 were identified as R/T).

Great Crested Grebe 4 on sea.

Gannet 10 E

Brent Goose 202 E (including a leuicistic bird).

Gadwall 4 E

Teal 20 E

Tufted Duck 3 E

Eider 4 drakes E

Common Scoter 100 E

Red Kite 1 South out to sea @ 12.40 hrs.

Tawny Owl 1

Curlew 7 E

Common Gull 60 Birling area.

Kittiwake 130 E

Skylark 25

Meadow Pipit 4

Long Tailed Tit 12

Corn Bunting.

Also 1 large all black Cetacean considered to be a possible Bottle Nosed Dolphin off Birling for 15 minutes.

Red Kite which came from East Dean heading South, it then soared

over the cliffs gaining height, before going out to sea

7th March, 2011. Beachy Head. Fine & Sunny ENE 2.

We did a short 35 minute sea-watch and then walked the lane at Birling Gap, looked in Belle Tout wood and then spent almost 90 minutes in the rough field near Belle Tout but couldn't re-locate the Lapland Bunting seen yesterday. The following are our sightings:

Red Throated Diver 9 (4 E & 5 on the sea).

Great Crested Grebe 4 on sea.

Teal 1 E

Common Scoter 7 E

Peregrine 1 right low down over our heads at Birling.

Med. Gull 1 ad. s/p in the fields at Birling.

Stock Dove 13 (including a flock of 10 E)

Skylark c40

Long Tailed Tit 11

Corn Bunting 3

Hare 1

Fox 1

Adult Peregrine over the lane at Birling Gap.

Adult summer plumage Med. Gull flying over the fields at Birling.

6th March 2011 Beachy Head NE3

Grey Heron 1 SE

Brent Goose 19E

Peregrine 1

Lesser Black-backed Gull 6 adults on Birling beach

Red-legged Partridge 1

Skylark c.30

Meadow Pipit 6

Lapland Bunting 1 ex.

Corn Bunting 9

Raven 2

Chalk cliffs south of Birling Gap

Birling Gap Hotel

The most-recent cliff fall at Beachy Head

Birling Gap from the top of the lane

Common, Lesser Black-backed and Great Black-backed Gulls at Birling Gap beach

Green Woodpecker at Birling

Grey Heron over Belle Tout

An acrobatic Raven