24th March, 2012 Beachy Head Fine warm & sunny NE 0-1

Very few migrants present on the Head although the highlights were:

Red Kite 1 E @ 12.00 hrs
Great Grey Shrike 1 in Chat Vale
Brambling 1

22nd March, 2012 Beachy Head Cloudy cold NE 4

With a cold NE wind blowing hopes of migrants soon faded. We sea-watched from 06.30-08.00 and were joined by RHC. We then covered the lane at Birling with PN and also Belle Tout wood:

Great Crested Grebe 1 E
Gannet 160 E
Common Scoter 1 E
Auk Sp. 30 E & 10 on the sea.

21st March, 2012 Beachy Head Early mist becoming warm & sunny S 0-1

We sea-watched from 06.35-07.40 and were joined by RHC. We covered around the Birling area and also the field, Belle Tout wood and the Old Trapping Area. Briefly met up with PN & MN:

Red Throated Diver 6 E

Great Crested Grebe 3 E

Gannet 16 E

Common Scoter 5 E

Sparrowhawk 2

Collared Dove 2

Black Redstart 2 males

Stonechat 5

Wheatear 2

Long Tailed Tit 2

Brimstone 1
Small White 1

Late news from yesterday were 2 Spoonbills seen moving W. @ 13.50 from Hodcombe. This now becomes our 7th record since 1960, with the last being in 2009.

Early morning view of the Seven Sisters

Beachy Head Lighthouse in swirling mist

View of Seaford Head

  

Two Male Black Redstarts near Belle Tout wood

Meadow Pipit

Views before they demolish  part of the Birling Gap Hotel

20th March, 2012 Beachy Head Overcast clear mild WSW 0-1

We sea-watched from 06.35-07.05 and then met up with RHC & PN and we then covered most of the sites on the Headland and saw RKH at Shooters Bottom:

Red Throated Diver 2 W
Great Crested Grebe 2 on the sea
Gannet 6 E
Grey-lag Goose 3 W
Common Scoter 6 E
Sparrowhawk 1
Peregrine 1
Alba Wagtail 1 W
Black Redstart 2
Wheatear 4
Corn Bunting 1

19th March, 2012 Beachy Head Fine warm & sunny NW 1-2

PN & MN visited the Birling area covering the lane, then walked along coastal path to B/T. lighthouse, onto the wood and then back to Birling:

Common Buzzard 1 near Hodcombe
Tawny Owl 2 calling
Great Spotted Woodpecker 1
Meadow Pipit 6
Wheatear 9
Stonechat 2
Black Redstart 4
Chiffchaff 10
Firecrest 3
Tree Creeper 1

18th March, 2012 Beachy Head Fine sunny & warm WSW 1-2

A summers day in mid-March with migrants to go with it. We sea-watched from 06.55-07.25 and then slowly birded around virtually all the sites on the Headland:

Red Throated Diver 1 on the sea

Eider 2 drakes E.

Common Scoter 2 E & 1 W

Red Kite 1 drifted E @ 13.05

Peregrine 2-3

Mediterranean Gull 4 E & 1 flew inland

Black Headed Gull c300 many moving W.

Herring Gull approx. 400 coasting W many 1st.W's.

Sandwich Tern 3E & 3W

Auk Sp. 2 on the sea

Guillemot 1 on the sea

Tawny Owl 2

Great Spotted Woodpecker 1 drumming B/T wood

Pied Wagtail 2 in the field

Alba Wagtail 3 in off the sea

White Wagtail 1 in the field

Black Redstart 3 (1 superb male near B/T lighthouse & 2 Hodcombe)

Stonechat 8

Wheatear 8

Fieldfare 2

Redwing 2-3

Chiffchaff 1

Blackcap 1 singing B/T wood

Goldcrest 1

Firecrest 4 (1 B/T wood & 1 the Old Trapping Area, 2 Hodcombe)

Long Tailed Tit 2

Tree Creeper 1

Raven 2

Linnet 17 (9W)

Reed Bunting 1 W

 

Beachy Lighthouse

 

 

 

Male Black Redstart at Belle Tout

They don't get much better than this.

 

Male Peregrine over Birling

 

Male Wheatear in the field.

 

Adult Mediterranean Gull over Birling

 

Winter Plumage Guillemot off Birling.

 

Rufous Phase Tawny Owl in the wood.

 

Firecrest in the Old Trapping Area.

 

Tree Creeper in Belle Tout wood.

 

Red Kite drifting East over the Headland.

JFC on a twitch!!

17th March, 2012 Beachy Head Overcast, misty with rain later SW 2-3

We sea-watched from 06.20-07.50 and then covered most of the sites on the Head:

Red Throated Diver 2 E

Great Crested Grebe 2 on the sea.

Gannet 30 E

Brent Goose 219 E

Shelduck 1 E & 1 prospecting along the cliffs at Birling.

Common Scoter 5 E

Kestrel 1 came in high over the cliffs and headed off N.

Bonxie 1 E @ 06.25

Mediterranean Gull 2 E

Sandwich Tern 1 E

Auk Sp. 663 E & c50 on the sea. (90% were considered to be Guillemots).

Stock Dove 4

Great Spotted Woodpecker 1 drumming in B/T wood.

Pied Wagtail 8 in the field

Alba Wagtail 2 in off the sea.

White Wagtail 6 in the field

Stonechat 8

Black Redstart 2 in Hodcombe

Wheatear 11

Blackcap 1 singing in B/T wood (Our first for the year)

Chiffchaff 2

Linnet 37 in the field

Corn Bunting 2

Some of the 11 Wheatears seen this morning.

 Corn Bunting at Belle Tout