10th March 2013 Beachy ENE2 Overcast & cold

We arrived to a cold northeasterly wind and seawatched from 7am to 9am with the passage mainly comprising of a distant westerly movement of Auks. A few alba Wagtails and Meadow Pipits and a single Wood Pigeon were seen arriving. Walking Birling & Belle Tout it was evident that Stonechats had doubled in number but otherwise just 2 Chiffchaffs were the only Summer migrants seen.

Red-throated Diver 47E, 68W
Great Crested Grebe 2E, 1W
Scoter 6E, 2 on sea
Wigeon 10E, 2W
Gannet 30E, 10W
Peregrine 1
Kestrel 1
Auk sp. 5E, 482W
Razorbill 22W, 1 on sea
Curlew 3W
Black-headed Gull 10E
Wood Pigeon 1 in off
Alba Wagtail 3 in off
Meadow Pipit 4
Rock Pipit 5
Stonechat 6
Chiffchaff 2
Raven 1

Robin at Belle Tout

9th March 2013 Beachy WNW1 Foggy

We were greeted by a striking male Stonechat but also thick fog at Birling so no early morning seawatching was possible. A walk up the lane at Birling produced a few grounded Thrushes and a Reed Bunting quickly followed by some mixed flocks of Blue and Great Tits departing high into the fog and the first two Chiffchaffs of the Spring. Walking the Belle Tout loop proved less productive although there was a steady trickle of incoming alba Wagatils and Meadow Pipits. Cornish Farm hosted small parties of Redwing and Corn Bunting and another Chiffchaff. The fog lifted at 11am allowing time for a brief seawatch from 11.25am to 11.55am but little was seen moving although a couple of vocal adult Mediterranean Gulls were found amongst a flock of Black-headed Gulls.

Red-throated Diver 6E, 18W
Brent c.10E
Red-breasted Merganser 5E
Scoter 4E
Peregrine 1
Kestrel 1-2
Mediterannean Gull 2 adults on sea with c.80 Black-headed Gulls
Stonechat 3
Robin 6
Blackbird 6
Song Thrush 4
Redwing 6
Fieldfare 2
Meadow Pipit 68N
Rock Pipit 2
Alba Wagtail 30N handful identified were all Pied
Chiffchaff 4
Starling 50
Corn Bunting 5
Reed Bunting 1
Chaffinch 6
Goldfinch 50
Linnet 7
Raven 1

Male Stonechat at Birling

A striking individual showing an extensive white belly extending to the centre of its lower breast, white flanks and large flared white neck patches all of which are considered characters of Continental Stonechat S.t. rubicola (Walker 2001). More here: http://birdingfrontiers.com/2011/07/12/continental-stonechats/

Male Chaffinch at Birling

Song Thrush at Birling

A real pea-souper greeted us at Beachy today but was presumably responsible for grounding some Thrushes

Same image as above after editing - amazing what can be salvaged in digital photography!

Fieldfare at Birling

Blue Tit and Great Tit at Birling

Three small mixed parties of Blue and Great Tits seen early in the foggy conditions today incuding this flock that departed high into the sky being lost to view into the fog.

Chiffchaff at Birling

Being the first, a welcome sight in the fog.

Redwings over Cornish Farm

As summer visitors start to arrive, winter visitors are departing.

Female Kestrel at Birling

Mediterranean Gull amongst Black-headed Gulls off Birling

Adult summer Mediterranean Gull off Birling

Two amongst c.80 Black-headed Gulls were constantly vocalising having previously been heard in the thick fog when it was impossible to see the sea from the top of the cliff!

Moulting Rock Pipit still present at Birling

6 March 2013 Beachy Head Overcast cool but murky out to sea. E 1-2

We  sea-watched from 06.45-09.00 and then birded several sites around Birling/Belle Tout area meeting up with PN. Sea-watch again produced good numbers of Divers but generally quieter than recent days and the only migrant passerines seen were 2 Skylarks arriving in off the sea.

The tenants at Cornish Farm have installed 3 bird scarier gas guns in one of their fields. I am not sure why as the Headland fields at the moment are almost bird-less. Perhaps its to annoy the local residents!!

Red-throated Diver 105 E & 5 on the sea.
Black-throated Diver 1 E with Red-throat's.
Great-crested Grebe 5 on the sea.
(Possible Red-necked Grebe E with 2 Auks, but just too far out to be certain of i/d).
Gannet 28 E
Brent Goose 20 E
Shelduck 2 E
Wigeon 11 E
Mallard 2 E
Common Scoter 9 E
Kestrel 1
Curlew 11 E with others heard only.
Mediterranean Gull 2 E
Kittiwake 23 E
Auk Sp. 179 E
Skylark 2 arrived in off the sea.
Rock Pipit 1
Robin 8
Stonechat 2
Song Thrush 1

5 March 2013 Beachy Head Sunny, mild E 1

Bob joined us for a sea-watch from 06.50-09.20 and we also met up with PN. We covered virtually all the sites on the Head after the sea-watch allthough no sign of any Spring migrants in the area, and we also called briefly into nearby Princes Park but again no sign of the Bonapartes Gull.

Red-throated Diver 106 E & 1 W
Great crested Grebe 2 E & 1 on the sea.
Gannet 11 E
Brent Goose 627 E
Shelduck 1 E
Wigeon 2 E
Teal 24 E
Mallard 3 E
Eider 9 E (6 drakes)
Common Scoter 67 E
Red-breasted Merganser 6 E
Smew 1 Red-head E with a single Scoter (Just our 3rd Record since 1960).
Curlew 5 E
Mediterranean Gull 5 E
Kittiwake 112 E
Auk Sp. 55 E
Razorbill 4 E

Rock Pipit 1
Robin 15
Raven 2

4 March 2013 Beachy Head Fine with haze at sea, cool. ENE 1 to 2

Again visited Birling and sea-watched from 06.50-09.35. We were joined briefly by RHC and PN.

Red-throated Diver 41 E & 2 on the sea.
Great Northern Diver 2 One was in w/p and the second bird in transitional plumage. (Both on the sea with one departing E with Red-throated's @ 09.15, the second bird still present when we left).
Great-crested Grebe 3 on the sea.
Gannet 37 E
Brent Goose 81 E
Shelduck 1 E
Wigeon 45 E
Gadwall 8 E
Mallard 2 E with Pintail
Pintail 20 E
Tufted Duck 6 E
Common Scoter 23 E
Curlew 12 E
Mediterranean Gull 1 ad. s/p E.
Black-headed Gull 60 E
Kittiwake 20 E
Auk Sp. 110 E with 20+ on the sea.
Guillemot 1 on the sea.

3 March 2013 Beachy Head Overcast, cold NE 2

Another overcast day with a cold NE wind. Visited Birling for a sea-watch from 06.55-09.10. 

Red-throated Diver 83 (77 E, 4 W & 2 on the sea).

Great Northern Diver 1 w/p E with Red-Throated Divers @ 08.40. (Our first record since 2008).

Great-crested Grebe 4 (1 on sea and 3 E). 

Gannet 22 E

Shelduck 4 E

Common Scoter 13 E

Curlew 2 E

Bonxie 1 E

Black-headed Gull 70 E

Yellow-legged Gull 1 ad. s/p on beach. (Our 18th record).

Lesser Black Back Gull 10

Kittiwake 36 E

Auk Sp. 126 E & 8 W

Razorbill 43 E

Adult summer plumage Yellow-legged Gull with Common, Herring

and Lesser Black-Backed Gulls

Adult summer plumage Yellow-legged Gull on the beach at Birling.

2 March 2013 Beachy Head Overcast, cool and clear NE 2

With the NE wind still blowing, we had little expectations with a sea-watch or birding around the sites. We sea-watched from 07.25-08.45 and then covered the usual sites  in the Birling Gap and Belle Tout area including walking the field:

Red-throated Diver 54 E
Great-crested Grebe 2 on the sea.
Gannet 16 E
Common Scoter 2 E
Kestrel 2
Peregrine 2
Bar-tailed Godwit 1 W then E
Common Gull 300 in fields.
Lesser Black-Backed Gull 11
Kittiwake 12 E
Auk Sp. 125 E
Guillemot 2 on the sea
Razorbill 36 E
Skylark 60 in B/T field
Meadow Pipit 1
Rock Pipit 5 (1 Birling & 4 B/T gully)
Robin 6
Stonechat 2 (pair) Birling
Song Thrush 4
Goldfinch 20

Rock Pipit at Birling.

Some of the 11 Lesser Black-Backed Gulls on the beach at Birling.

These are often one of the first Spring migrants seen at Beachy.