7 September 2012 Beachy Head Fine sunny & hot SW 1

A fine sunny calm morning. First visited Shooters Bottoms and good numbers of Whitethroats and Blackcaps feeding on the berries. Otherwise just small numbers of migrants at the other sites. Met up with PN and covered a number of sites and briefly met up with GG and RES at the Old Trapping Area. Called in and saw Roger & Liz, but not to many migrants in their garden. Very little moving overhead. With the high pressure system which has now been present for several days, bird migration has become static.

Met Office view

High pressure remains installed over southern UK, with light winds and clear skies here leading to some mist and fog patches. Further north, systems of fronts are moving in from the Atlantic on southwesterly winds, with milder but cloudier conditions here, as well as a little rain towards the west.

Sparrowhawk 3
Peregrine 2
Great Spotted Woodpecker 3
Sand Martin 10
Swallow 100
House Martin 20
Common Redstart 3
Whinchat 4
Wheatear 3
Lesser Whitethroat 7
Common Whitethroat 65
Blackcap 23
Chiffchaff 1
Willow Warbler 6
Spotted Flycatcher 1

Common Whitethroat, good numbers feeding on the berries in Shooters Bottom

Spotted Flycatcher in Shooters Bottom

Adult type Whinchat near Birling

Autumn Ladies Tresses at Birling

6 September 2012 Beachy Head Fine & sunny. Cool at first becoming warm. NE to SW 1-2

Fine sunny day with less wind then yesterday. Fewer migrants seen today and we covered all the sites on the Headland. Briefly met up with Pete & Mim who were also covering the sites and a number of birders were also raptor watching. Also saw Roger C. who mentioned that Hodcombe was a lot quieter today.

Met Office view

The area of high pressure centred just south of Ireland responsible for the generally settled weather over the last few day will continue to bring fine, dry weather to southern parts of the UK today. Meanwhile, the series of fronts west of Scotland will bring cloud and rain to northern areas.

Cormorant Flock of 18 E
Marsh Harrier 1 male over the Top Fields
Sparrowhawk 1
Common Buzzard 2
Swift 3
Wryneck 1 seen briefly in private area
Great Spotted Woodpecker 1
Sand Martin 20
Swallow 300+
House Martin 30
Tree Pipit 1
Yellow Wagtail 20
Common Redstart 2
Whinchat 1
Wheatear 5
Grasshopper Warbler 1
Sedge Warbler 1
Reed Warbler 1
Lesser Whitethroat 2
Common Whitethroat 23
Blackcap 7
Chiffchaff 2
Willow Warbler 10
Spotted Flycatcher 3
Pied Flycatcher 1
Raven 1

Clouded Yellow
Autumn Ladies Tresses 60
Silver Y Moth 60

 

Wheatear at Belle Tout

 

Common Darter at Belle Tout

Spotted Flycatcher in The Old Trapping Area on the 4th (Taken by Roger Haggar)

 

Lesser Whitethroat in the Old Trapping Area on the 4th (Taken by Roger Haggar)

Emperor Dragonfly in Shooters Bottom on the 4th (Taken by Roger Haggar).

5 September 2012 Beachy Head Fine suuny cool at first becoming warm Wind N 5 decreasing to 3

Arrived to a fine sunny but cold morning with a strong N wind. Little seen during the first 2 hours, but then as the day warmed up night migrants became more in evidence. We covered most of the Headland sites including the rough field and also met up with Geoff who had been doing a raptor watch for an hour and we also called into Hodcombe to see Roger & Liz and Hodcombe was very active with migrants. Good numbers of hirundines were feeding over the Head.

Met Office View:

The low pressure that brought strong winds to Scotland yesterday is now centred just off the coast of Norway. A cold front extends from this low pressure along the south coast of England as a weakening feature. High pressure is located west of the UK, with further low pressure systems in the central Atlantic to its west.

Marsh Harrier 1 over the Top Fields

Sparrowhawk 1

Common Buzzard 1 over the Top Field

Kestrel 1

Curlew party of 8 over the Top Fields and appear to land

Cuckoo 1 seen over the cliff edge on the 4th.

Wryneck 1 (for its 2nd day)

Great Spotted Woodpecker 1

Sand Martin 80

Swallow 700+

House Martin 150 (60 W)

Yellow Wagtail 400+  (25+ during the morning, but this afternoon Roger & Liz had a large movement with at one time there were 275 feeding on the lawn and probably another 100 were seen flying over).

Grey Wagtail 2 W

Common Redstart 5

Whinchat 1

Wheatear 16

Grasshopper Warbler 1

Lesser Whitethroat 4

Common Whitethroat 30

Blackcap 6

Chiffchaff 5

Willow Warbler 8

Spotted Flycatcher 4

Pied Flycatcher 1

Red Admiral 10

Clouded Yellow 1 seen on the 3rd.

Migrant Hawker 25+

Silver Y Moth 30

One of 16 Wheatears seen today

Spotted Flycatcher in Hodcombe 

25 August to 3 September 2012 Beachy Head

Have been away for 10 days to the Bridges of Ross and Pete Mim and Bob have kindly sent me their records during this period and I have also included RJF's records for the 26th and 27th. and also the 1st Sept.

Pete had a Marsh Harrier at Birling on the 24th.

From 25/8 to the 31/8, the weather was unsettled and at times very wet and windy and therefore only low numbers of migrants were generally recorded. RJF and JK covered virtually the whole area on the 26th recording 2 Grasshopper Warblers, 16 Wheatears, 4 Whinchats, 3 Redstarts, 3 Spotted Flycatchers with small numbers of Yellow Wagtails. Bob carried out a short sea-watch on the 25th but mainly Gannets were moving.
On the 27th RJF and JK covered most of the sites on the Head and had a nice selection of migrants and RDME also covered several sites. 1 Greenshank was seen being chased by 2 Peregrines, also 2 Reed Warblers, 6 Swifts, 140 Sand Martins, 54 Yellow Wagtails and 2 Tree Pipits. 6 Redstarts, 9 Wheatears, 1 Pied Flycatcher and a Crossbill.

1st September: With calmer more settled weather Bob and Martin were able to ring in Whitbread Hollow with birds ringed in brackets, while Pete and Mim covered most of the sites on the Head and RJF and JK also birded the Headland included the Cornish Farm area:

Sparrowhawk 2
Hobby 2-3
Swallow 400+
Tree Pipit 3
Yellow Wagtail 100+
Robin 20 (7)
Common Redstart 4
Whinchat 20
Wheatear 6
Grasshopper Warbler 1 (1)
Reed Warbler 1
Lesser Whitethroat 3 (1)
Common Whitethroat 65 (13)
Garden Warbler 2 (2)
Blackcap 100 (50)
Chiffchaff 70 (24)
Willow Warbler 45 (16)
Spotted Flycatcher 7
Pied Flycatcher 1

Adonis Blue 1
Red Admiral 2
Painted Lady 1
Otherwise just small numbers of common butterflies

2nd September

Cool cloudy with SW breeze. Pete & Mim with other observers covered the Head with Bob, Sarah, Martin and Paul were ringing in Whitbread Hollow. Birds ringed included in brackets:

Sparrowhawk 2
Yellow Wagtail 8 W
Common Redstart 1
Grasshopper Warbler 1
Reed Warbler 2 (2)
Lesser Whitethroat 11 (6)
Common Whitethroat 70 (24)
Garden Warbler 6 (5)
Blackcap 125 (57)
Chiffchaff 40 (16)
Willow Warbler 50 (20 of which 6 were Northern types)
Spotted Flycatcher 3 (1)
Firecrest 1 in the Hotel Garden

3rd September:

Cloudy warm humid day with light W-NW breeze. Still fair numbers of night migrants but few observers birding today. Bob was ringing on his own in Whitbread Hollow and Pete worked the Old Trapping Area down to Birling Lane. Birds ringed in brackets:

Sparrowhawk 2
Common Buzzard 2
Hobby 1
Swallow 40+
Redstart 2 (1)
Wheatear 8
Song Thrush 1
Reed Warbler 2 (1)
Sedge Warbler (1)
Lesser Whitethroat 6 (2)
Common Whitethroat 60 (16)
Garden Warbler 4 (3)
Blackcap 70 (20)
Chiffchaff 30 (5)
Willow Warbler 55 (11, no Northern types today)
Long tailed Tit 1
Spotted Flycatcher 3
Raven 1

Red Admirals 15

24 August 2012 Beachy Head

Bob went ringing in Whitbread Hollow this morning and a small fall of migrants with birds ringed in brackets.

Met Office view

Low pressure is centred to the west of southern Ireland with a cold front stretching many hundreds of km southwest into the mid-Atlantic. An upper warm front lies across northern Scotland and an upper occlusion lies across western areas of the UK.

Tawny Owl 1
Tree Pipit 1 (1)
Song Thrush 2 (2)
Grasshopper Warbler 1 (1)
Reed Warbler 7 (7)
Lesser Whitethroat 3 (3)
Common Whitethroat 20 (9)
Garden Warbler 6 (6)
Blackcap 10 (6)
Chiffchaff 4 (2)
Willow Warbler 40 (32)

Common Blue 6
Meadow Brown 25
Red Admiral 1

23 August 2012 Beachy Head Sunny periods cool at first SW 1-2

Much cooler start to the day with small numbers of night migrants were well scattered all over the area.

We covered all the sites on the Headland from Birling to Icky Ridge. PN also covered most of the sites and kindly sent me his totals. Met up with RB in  Shooters Bottom who also provided me with his sightings and a number of birders were raptor watching, and their sightings are also included in the totals. RDME was ringing in Whitbread Hollow and the birds ringed are included in brackets. Small numbers of hirundines were present with 3 Swifts but otherwise diurnal migration was minimal.

Met Office view

A ridge of high pressure extending from the Azores lies through the English Channel and will amplify across the south of the UK. Low pressure in the Atlantic will track east and deepen to affect all parts this weekend bringing rain and strong winds.

Marsh Harrier 1 over the Top Fields
Sparrowhawk 3-4
Common Buzzard 3 soaring over the Top Fields
Osprey 1 departed S out to sea @ 11.10
Hobby 1
Peregrine 1
Swift 3
Great Spotted Woodpecker 1-2
Sand Martin 20 W
Swallow c50
Nightingale 1 Shooters Bottom
Common Redstart 2
Wheatear 1
Sedge Warbler 1 (1)
Reed Warbler 3 (1)
Lesser Whitethroat 6 (1)
Common Whitethroat 80 (22)
Garden Warbler 8 (7)
Blackcap 16 (7)
Willow Warbler 85 (29)
Spotted Flycatcher 3
Starling 1,000 in the Top Fields
Bullfinch 1

Small Tortoiseshell 4
Common Blue 50
Chalk Hill Blue 40
Small Copper 1
Comma 1
Red Admiral 15
Speckled Wood 4

Sparrowhawk at Birling

 Some of today's Willow Warblers at Birling

First for the blog

15 Red Admirals seen today

Good numbers of Common Blues present

21 August 2012 Beachy Head Cloudy & humid Wind SW 0-1

Arrived at Birling in cloudy humid conditions and completely calm. Felt ideal conditions for a fall of migrants but after walking the lane at Birling it was virtually birdless. We then covered all the areas on the Head and just small numbers of night migrants were found. We also walked the rough field and also The Rides (no sign of the Melodious Warbler). Met up with various birders included RKH, RES & PN who were also birding the Headland. Bob was ringing and birding in Whitbread Hollow and like us had only a few new migrants. Other than a few hirundines, there was no sign of any diurnal migration although 5 Tree Pipits had been grounded. Birds ringed are included in brackets.

Met Office view

Low pressure is centred to the south of Iceland, with an associated occlusion just to the west of Ireland. High pressure lies over northeast Europe. Near the bottom of the chart is marked the system that passed over the Azores yesterday as Hurricane Gordon.

Sparrowhawk 2
Kestrel 1
Peregrine 1
Sand Martin 2
Swallow 35
Tree Pipit 5
Common Redstart 2
Wheatear 2
Sedge Warbler 1 (1)
Reed Warbler 1
Lesser Whitethroat 2
Common Whitethroat 35 (3)
Garden Warbler 1
Blackcap 13 (3)
Chiffchaff 7 (2)
Willow Warbler 58 (7)
Spotted Flycatcher 2
Raven 2
Goldfinch 50

Red Admiral 6

Banded Snail hundreds & hundreds and probably thousands in the rough field.

Kestrel near Birling

 Tree Pipit in the Rides

 

 

 

 

Common Redstart in the Old Trapping Area

Autumn Ladies Tresses at Birling

Small Tortoiseshell 1 of 12 seen on the 18th.

Adult Female Greater Spotted Woodpecker trapped in Whitbread

Hollow on the 20th. (pictures taken by Bob Edgar)