12th June, 2011 Beachy Head Overcast, cool W1-2 to S 3-4

Sea-watched from 06.45-07.40 & 10.10-10.30. We also walked the lane at Birling and the cliff path and looked over the Hollow. The following were seen:

Gannet 28 E

Common Scoter 39 (36 E & 3 on the sea).

Sparrow Hawk 1

Peregrine 1

Arctic Skua 1 d/p offshore chasing Kittiwakes at Birling.

Med. Gull 2 E (both 2nd Summer birds).

Sandwich Tern 6 E

Commic Tern 25 E (all appeared to be Arctics).

Lesser Whitethroat A new arrival seen at the top of the lane at Birling was in full song and often singing from the tops of the bushes, which the local breeding birds very rarely do. It lacked the usual dark ear-coverts (see pictures below), had a brownish back and the iris appeared pale grey.

Fox 1

Hare 1

Lesser Whitethroat at Birling

Hare one minute, gone the next!!

11th June, 2011 Beachy Head. Clear & sunny NW1 to SW1

Sea-watched from 06.50 - 07.30 and then covered all the usual sites on the Head.

Fulmar 6

Gannet 2 E

Grey Heron 1 off Birling.

Common Scoter 18 (11 E & 7 on the sea).

Sparrow Hawk 1

Auk sp. 1 E

Swift 2

Swallow 4

Lesser Whitethroat 2 singing

Common Whitethroat 15

Willow Warbler 2

Corn Bunting 1 singing

RHC had 2 Bee-Eaters flying over Hodcombe calling in the early part of this week.

Speckled Wood 4

Marbled White 1

Common Blue 8

Adonis Blue 3

Small Heath 15

Large Skipper 1

Small Skipper 1

Dark Green Fritillary 7

Meadow Brown 15

Bee Orchid 1

Lizard Orchid 1

Fox 4

Hare 2

Dark Green Fritillary

Large Skipper

My annual picture of the Lizard Orchid

7th June, 2011 Beachy Head

PN & MN had 1-2 Quail calling late afternoon from the field opposite the cliff edge car park just East of the old Belle Tout lighthouse.

4th June,2011. Beachy Head Overcast then suuny NNE 5.

Lapwing 2

Collared Dove 1

Swift 5 arriving

House Martin 3 arriving

Swallow 10

Stonechat 8

Reed Warbler h singing

Whitethroat 15

Lesser Whitethroat 7 singing males

Blackcap 1 male

Chiffchaff 2h

Crossbill 7W then N ex. landed briefly in Belle Tout Wood

Linnet 15

Goldfinch 8

Corn Bunting 1

Dark-green Fritillary 1

Small Tortoiseshell 2

Meadow Brown 1

Speckled Wood 6

Large Skipper 6

Small Heath 5

Common Swift arriving over Birling Gap.

Dark Green Fritillary

Bee Orchid

30th May, 2011 Beachy Head, Foggy & Overcast WSW 6

Sparrowhawk 1

Peregrine 2

Mediterranean Gull 2W ad summer off Cow Gap

Commic Tern 1E

Turtle Dove 1 heard purring in sothernmost bushes in gully below Cow Gap

Collared Dove 1 gully south of Belle Toute

Swallow 43

House Martin 2

Pied Wagtail 1

Stonechat 11 including 5 juvs

Robin 2 including 1 juv.

Whitethroat 58

Lesser Whitethroat 6h singing

Blackcap 4h

Reed Warbler 2h singing

Chiffchaff 5

Starling 15 including juvs
Linnet 38

Corn Bunting 2

Seal 1

Hare 1

Adonis Blue

29th May, 2011 Beachy Head Overcast WSW 6

Sea-watched from Birling Gap 07.00-09.40 & 12.00 & 12.30, and recorded the following:

Manx Shearwater 1E
Gannet c.75W
Little Egret 2W
Scoter 65E
Pomarine Skua 1E
Arctic Skua 3E
Mediterranean Gull 4E ad S
Lesser Black-backed Gull 2
Swallow 5 including 2 in off
Lesser Whitethroat h
Corn Bunting 2

28th May 2011 Birling Gap Seawatch 6.50am-8.50am 10am-10.30am 12.30pm-1.30pm WSW5-6

Manx Shearwater 1E at 10.20am

Gannet c.20E
Scoter 11E
Merganser 1W drake
Peregrine 2
Oystercatcher 4W
Arctic Skua 4E
Mediterranean Gull 2E ad s
Kittiwake c.20
Sandwich Tern 5W
Auk sp. 4E, 1 on sea
Racing Pigeons c.60 in off!
Swift 5
Skylark 10
Swallow 10 with a few in off
Whitethroat c.10h
Lesser Whitethroat c.3 h
Chiffchaff 2h
Linnet c.10
Goldfinch 2
Corn Bunting 1