Saturday 22 May 1999

22nd May 1999 Beachy 6.45am - 11.00am. Sunny and virtually calm.

Montagu’s Harrier 1 ex. hunting fields in vicinity of Chat Vale. Prob first year male.

Sunday 16 May 1999

16th May 1999 Beachy 6.45am - 11.00am. Sunny and calm.

Black Kite 1 ex. In heavy moult so presumably a 1s. Found whilst walking opposite Hotel Gardens flying in from west and out to sea until lost to view still heading SE. Seen from 9.02 - 9.10am.

Saturday 15 May 1999

15th May 1999 Cuckmere 5.30pm - 8pm.

Cape Teal 1 superficially similar to Marbled Duck but with red bill.
Red-footed Falcon 1 adult male in set aside field.

15/5/99 Beachy 6.45am - 12.00. Light northeasterly.


Sparrowhawk 3
Kestrel 1
Hobby 1
Swift 3
Swallow c.40
House Martin c.10
Spotted Flycatcher 8
Long-tailed Tit 2

Sunday 9 May 1999

9/5/99 Beachy 6.45am - 12.00. Light northeasterly. Rye(R) 7.30pm - 8.30pm


Ruddy Duck 2 R
Cuckoo 2 R
Whinchat 1
Sedge Warbler 2R

Saturday 8 May 1999

8/5/99 Beachy 6.45am - 12.00. Light northeasterly.

Manx Shearwater 3E
Mediterranean Gull 1E
Arctic Skua c.5
Spotted Flycatcher 1

Wednesday 5 May 1999

5/5/99 Grove Ferry 12.15pm - 1pm. Sunny with light easterly wind.

Hobby c.8 in the air together
Ruff c.15 including some impressive plumaged males.
Greenshank 1
Common Sandpiper 2
Black-headed Gull c.5
SLENDER-BILLED GULL 1 ex. UK456 Adult summer. Long red bill, red eye, white head contrasting with pinkish bloom to breast and grey mantle and wings. White at base of primaries visible at rest. Primaries dark brown. Red legs.
Common Tern 1
Yellow Wagtail c.5

Slender-billed Gull at Grove Ferry (Alan Tate http://www.aabirdpix.com/ )
A quick departure from work I dashed across Kent with JK and met my parents already there.

Monday 3 May 1999

3/5/99 Beachy 5.45am - 11.45am. Sunny with light northeasterly wind.


Manx Shearwater 2E
Scoter c.10
Sparrowhawk 1
Kestrel 1
Bar-tailed Godwit c.150E
Pomarine Skua 11E ex. party of 9 included a couple of dark phase birds.
Sandwich Tern c.10E
Commic Tern c.10E
Razorbill 2 ex. sat on sea close inshore. White line extending along top of large bill easily visible.
Green Woodpecker 1
Swallow c.20
House Martin c.4
Tree Pipit 1
Yellow Wagtail 2
Redstart 1 male
Lesser Whitethroat 1
Whitethroat c.20
Chiffchaff h
Willow Warbler h
Tree Sparrow 1
Serin 1 male ex. Noticed on the lane in close vicinity of the Tree Sparrow ! Bright yellow rump, yellow breast becoming white below with dark streaking on flanks. Bright yellow rump. Yellow forehead and supercilium encasing green crown.

Sunday 2 May 1999

2/5/99 Beachy 6.45am - 12.30pm, Pevensey Pool (P) 12.30pm - 1pm. Sunny with light northeasterly.


Greylag Goose 1 P
Brent Goose c.18E
Scoter c.4E
Ruff 1 P
Cuckoo 1h
Swift 1
Swallow c.10
House Martin c.5
Tree Pipit 1
Yellow Wagtail 1 Beachy, c.5P
Sedge Warbler 1 Beachy, c.3P
Subalpine Warbler 1 female or 1s male in oil seed rape field at top of lane. Brownish grey upperparts, red throat and breast with no obvious moustacial stripes. Red eye-ring and white outer tail feathers seen. Poorish views as very skulking.
Whitethroat c.10
Chiffchaff h
Willow Warbler h

Saturday 1 May 1999

1/5/99 Beachy 6.45am - 11.45am. Sunny warm and virtually calm.

Diver sp. 5E
Scoter c.100E
Red Kite 1 over Chat Vale. Very faded individual with pale wing panel on upperparts and faded tail. White patches at base of primaries noticeable contrasting with dark carpal patches and secondaries. Pale head.
Sparrowhawk 1 flying with Red Kite.
Kestrel 1
Oystercatcher c.15 Birling Gap beach
Bar-tailed Godwit c.10
Whimbrel 2 on beach at Cow Gap
Arctic Skua 1E dark phase
Cuckoo 2
Sand Martin c.5
Swallow c.10
House Martin 1
Wheatear 1
Lesser Whitethroat 2
Whitethroat c.10
Blackcap 1
Corn Bunting 1