30th January, 2011 Beachy Head. Sunny, frosty & cold.NE2-3

We sea-watched 07.45-08.45, but far less activity than yesterday. We then visited Belle Tout wood and the field opposite. We recorded the following:

Red Throated Diver 1 E

Diver Sp. 3 W

Great Crested Grebe 1 E & 1 on sea

Fulmar 4

Gannet 9 E & 25 off shore.

Cormorant 11 E & 52 W

Brent Goose 25 E

Wigeon 1 E

Common Gull 100 in fields

Auk sp. 51 E & 48 W

Razorbill 62 E & c50 on sea.

Skylark 40

Rock Pipit 1

Long Tailed Tit 8

29th January, 2011 Birling Gap. Overcast NE2

We sea-watched from 07.35-10.05. Lots of activity and again the majority of Auks i/d proved to be Razorbills. We recorded the following:

Red Throated Diver 70 E & 25 on the sea.

Great Crested Grebe 1 W & 9 on the sea.

Slavonian Grebe 2-3 on the sea.

Fulmar 5

Gannet 5 E & 50 loafing off shore.

Cormorant 140 (10 E & 130 flew in from the E. and settled on the sea in one raft (Beachy record).

Brent Goose 45 E

Shelduck 1 on sea.

Wigeon 2 E & 6 W

Gadwall 1 E

Teal 5 E

Common Scoter 4 E

Oystercatcher 25

Curlew 5 E

Common Gull 400 in fields

Lesser Black Back Gull 1 (English race).

Kittiwake c20

Auk sp 5 E & 150 W.

Guillemot 5 on sea.

Razorbill 22 E & 200+ on Sea

Rock Pipit 1

Just part (of the record flock of 130 for Beachy) of Cormorants off Birling Gap.

2-3 Slavonian digi-scoped off Birling by DC.

Jackdaw.

27 January, 2011. Birling Gap, Overcast cold, NE2 to 4.

Did a sea watch with Doreen between 07.45 to 09.30 and recorded the following:

Red Throated Diver 14 E, 4W & 3 on sea.

Fulmar 4

Gannet 40 feeding of shore

Shelduck 1E

Curlew 11 E & 2 W

Bonxie 1 lingering around the Gannets between 09.00 to 09.15

Black Headed Gull 70

Common Gull 400 in the fields.

Kittiwake 20

Auk sp: 300 W & 100+ on the sea. (All birds i/d were Razorbills)

Razorbill 150 either on the sea or moving W. Quite a few now in full s/p.

23rd January, 2011 Beachy Head, Overcast N1

Sea Watch 07.45-09.15

Red Throated Diver 12 E & 8 W

Great Crested Grebe 1 W & 5 on the sea.

Fulmar 8

Gannet 120 feeding off shore

Cormorant 20 E & 2 W

Peregrine 1 male hunting over the sea and attacked a Fulmar.

Curlew 2

Kittiwake 15 W chiefly juvs.

Auk sp. 41 E & 60 W

Razorbill 442 E & 40 W

Other sightings:

Skylark 25

Raven 1

22nd January, 2011. Birling Gap

Sea-watched from 07.45-09.15, Overcast cold with N2 wind:

Red-throated Diver 5E, 1 on sea
Great Crested Grebe 1E, 1W, 2 on sea
Fulmar c.8
Gannet 10E, 5W, c.40 on sea
Cormorant 7W
Teal 3E
Razorbill 296E, 210W, 5 on sea
Guillemot 3E, 3W
Auk sp. 50E, 20W
Lesser Black-backed Gull 3 adult intermedius
Greater Black-backed Gull c.100
Common Gull c.800
Black-headed Gull 35W, c.30 on beach
Kittiwake 4E, 5W
Curlew 1E, 2W

Greater Black Back, Common & Black Headed Gulls on the beach.

2 Adults & 1 1st W. Greater Black Back Gulls.

1st W Greater Black Back Gull.

Greater Black-backed Gulls at Birling

Great Crested Grebes off Birling

19 January, 2011 Beachy Head. Sunny with frost Light winds.

Went with Doreen and did a 90 minute sea-watch, we then walked the area from Birling to B/T lighthouse onto the wood and walked the field opposite. Also visited Shooters Bottom, Old Trapping Area & Hotel Garden. Again no sign of any Dartfords above B/T wood or in Shooters Bottom and no sign of any Black Redstarts or the Tawny Owls.

Red Throated Diver 5 (4 W & 1 on sea)

Great Crested Grebe 1 on sea

Fulmar 7

Gannet 60+ feeding off Birling

Cormorant 31 W

Common Gull 800+ off Birling

Kittiwake 25 W

Auks c500 of which 70 were i/d as Razorbills, 300 on the sea & 130 W.

Skylark 40 in usual field

Peacock Butterfly 1 in fine sunshine flying around the gorse above B/T wood.

15th January, 2011 Beachy Head Overcast cold SW6-8

RDME sea-watched between 08.00-09.00 from Birling and recorded the following:

Diver sp. 19 E (probably all Red Throats)

Gannet 4 E & 20 W

Brent Geese 5 E

Auk sp. 1