Sunday 31 March 2002

31st March 2002 Beachy 6.15am - 12.30pm. Calm at first with SW wind developing. Cold and overcast

Fulmar c.15
Gannet c.5
Cormorant 1
Canada Goose 6 seen at birling with 2 on beach and 4 in flight. C.10 Cuckmere.
Brent Goose c.75E
Sparrowhawk 1
Kestrel 1 female
Peregrine 1
Pheasant 1
Black-headed Gull c.20E being mainly 1stw.
Herring Gull c.10
Stock Dove c.9
Wood Pigeon c.10
Tawny Owl h Belle Toute wood
Green Woodpecker 1
Skylark c.5
Swallow c.4
Meadow Pipit c.20 including a couple of small parties flushed perhaps suggesting passage birds
alba Wagtail h
Wren c.2
Dunnock c.3
Robin c.2
Common Redstart 1 male
Stonechat c.5
Blackbird c.2
Chiffchaff 1 + 2h
Goldcrest 1
Firecrest 1 female
Great Tit c.5
Magpie c.5
Jackdaw c.20
Carrion Crow c.10
Raven 1 different individual with a few missing secondaries from each wing. Flew west at to of Birling Lane calling a deep rumbling ‘kronk’. Arge size and wedge-shaped tail seen.
Starling c.15
House Sparrow c.5
Chaffinch c.8
Brambling h
Linnet c.50 including a few small parties flying east
Yellowhammer 1

Saturday 30 March 2002

30th March 2002 Beachy 6.15am - 1.30pm. Light southerly breeze being fine and warm

Red-throated Diver c.20E and 1 ad.w. sat on the sea off Birling
Fulmar c.15
Gannet c.2E
Cormorant c.3
Grey Heron 1 flew E along beach at Birling
Mute Swan 1 Cuckmere
Canada Goose c.10 Cuckmere
Brent Goose c.200E
Pintail1E
Shoveler c.2E
Scaup 6E including single drake
Eider c.25E
Common Scoter c.870E
Velvet Scoter c.10E
Red-breasted Merganser c.10E
Kestrel 1 ad female
Peregrine 2 (pair)
Pheasant 1 in Hollow
Black-headed Gull c.50E including many 1st. w.
Common Gull c.5 including a 1st.w.
Herring Gull c.10
Lesser Black-backed Gull c.5 graellsii
Little Gull c.19E
Kittiwake c.10
Sandwich Tern c.30E
Auk sp.1E
Wood Pigeon c.10
Collared Dove 1 Burgess Hill
Green Woodpecker 1 + 1h
Skylark c.10
Swallow 3
Rock Pipit 2
Meadow Pipit c.15
alba Wagtail h
Wren 1 in song
Dunnock c.10 with a few singing
Robin c.6
Black Redstart 2 both drab males in song
Stonechat c.6
Blackbird c.2
Blackcap h singing in Hollow
Chiffchaff 1 + 2h singing
Goldcrest 1
Firecrest 2 with at least 1 a female
Great Tit c.5
Magpie c.15 including 3 flying over high
Jackdaw c.20
Rook c.2
Carrion Crow c.5
Starling c.60
House Sparrow c.8
Chaffinch c.5
Linnet c.30 including many in song
Goldfinch 1

Friday 29 March 2002

29th March 2002 Beachy 6.15am - 2.45pm. Light SE breeze being clear blue skies and becoming warm


Red-throated Diver c.15E
Diver sp. c.10E
small Grebe sp. 1 on sea and then flew east. White trailing edge to secondaries and suggestion of white leading edge so probably Slavonian though white leading edge may have been a trick of the light.
Great Crested Grebe 1 ad. s. on sea
Fulmar c.15
Gannet c.2E
Cormorant c.2
Grey Heron 2 roadside
Brent Geese c.400E
Pintail c.6E
Shoveler c.20E
Teal c.8E
Pochard 1 probable female E
Scaup 1 fem E
Eider 3E
Scoter c.350E
Velvet Scoter c.16E
Red-breasted Merganser c.15E
Sparrowhawk 1 Burgess Hill
Peregrine 1
Pheasant c.6
Oystercatcher h
Avocet 5E
Black-headed Gull c.50E
Common Gull c.5
Herring Gull c.25
Lesser Black-backed Gull c.10 including both graellsii and intermedius
Great Black-backed Gull c.20
Kittiwake c.10
Sandwich Tern c.15E
Woodpigeon c.10
Green Woodpecker 1 + 1h
Skylark c.10 with many singing
Swallow 1 in off sea at Birling
Rock Pipit 2
Meadow Pipit c.12
Wren 1
Dunnock c.5
Robin c.3
Black Redstart 2 including an ad.m.
Wheatear c.10
Stonechat c.6
Song Thrush 2
Mistle Thrush 1
Blackcap h
Willow Warbler 2
Chiffchaff c.10
Goldcrest 2
Great Tit c.5
Blue Tit 1
Magpie c.5
Jackdaw c.20
Rook c.5
Carrion Crow c.15
Raven 1 flew along Chat Vale and over cliff edge. Large size immediately apparent. Hackles clearly visible. Long wedge-shaped tail.
House Sparrow c.6
Chaffinch c.8
Linnet c.10 with some in song
Corn Bunting 1

Sunday 24 March 2002

24th March 2002 Beachy 6.30am - 1.30pm. Seawatched for 90 minutes then walked Birling and Belle Toute areas, Cow Gap & Hollow and Hotel Gardens. Cold with frost at dawn with light E wind


Red-throated Diver c.15E good light and close making them identifiable with single full s/p individual seen
Great Crested Grebe 1W
Fulmar c.15
Gannet c.15E adults
Cormorant 2
Mute Swan 6 in flight Cuckmere
Canada Goose c.10 including individual resembling Cackling Goose in Cuckmere
Brent Goose c.60E including single individual with albino head
Pintail 6E including 5 drakes
Wigeon c.16E
Teal 2E
Scoter c.80E
Red-breasted Merganser c.7E
Sparrowhawk 1
Kestrel c.3
Red-legged Partridge 2 roadside
Pheasant c.5
Dunlin 6E
Black-headed Gull c.40E including many 1st-w.
Common Gull c.50 Cuckmere
Herring Gull c.20
Kittiwake c.500E a good passage
Sandwich Tern c.12E
Auk sp. c.5E
Wood Pigeon c.10
Skylark c.15 including several singing
Meadow Pipit c.20 but no obvious passage
Wren c.1
Dunnock c.5
Robin c.2
Black Redstart 2 around Beachy Head Hotel  - dull individuals
Stonechat c.5
Chiffchaff 1h briefly singing
Great Tit c.2
Blue Tit c.4
Long-tailed Tit 2 Hollow
Magpie c.15 including a parliament of 12 in the Hollow
Jackdaw c.25
Rook c.10
Carrion Crow c.15
Starling c.60
House sparrow 1 Birling
Chaffinch c.5
Linnet c.20 with some apparently arriving and several singing birds
Goldfinch c.10
Corn Bunting 1

Saturday 23 March 2002

23rd March 2002 Beachy 6.30am - 1.30pm. Sea-watched for 30 minutes then walked Birling & Belle Toute areas, Cow Gap & Hollow and Chat Vale. Cold E light wind. Overcast

Fulmar c.5
Gannet c.5W
Cormorant 2
Little Egret 2 Upper Cuckmere
Grey Heron 1 in flight heading inland at Beachy
Mute swan 1 Cuckmere
Canada Geese c.15 Cuckmere including the 2 resembling Lessers. 2 flew E past Birling before heading inland over Birling Hotel
Shelduck 1E
Wigeon c.20 Cuckmere
Teal c.15 Cuckmere
Kestrel 2
Peregrine c.2
Pheasant c.6
Oystercatcher 2E
Avocet 1E
Herring Gull c.100 with 1st winters, 2nd winters and adults being seen. Adults very vocal including bird flying with very elastic wingbeats - display?
Great Black-backed gull c.12 flew E past Birling including immatures and adults
Stock Dove 3
Woodpigeon c.20 including party of 6 over sea which headed inland over Belle Toute lighthouse taking avoiding action against nearby Peregrine
Green Woodpecker h
Skylark c.20 no passage
alba Wagtail 3 flew over high
Meadow Pipit c.25 including some evidence of passage
Wren c.3 with a couple in song early in morning
Dunnock c.10 with relatively little song compared to previous weekends
Robin c.5 with a few singing
Black Redstart 2 around Beachy Head Hotel
Wheatear 1 male
Stonechat c.5
Redwing 1 Cuckmere
Blackbird 1
Chiffchaff 1 plus h singing Burgess Hill
Goldcrest 1
Firecrest 1
Great Tit c.4
Blue Tit c.4
Magpie c.10
Jackdaw c.15
Rook c.15 with partial albino individual - white patches in wing and on rump
Carrion Crow c.15 with a couple of individuals showing white in wing
House Sparrow c.8 Birling
Chaffinch c.10 with several flying quite high so possibly moving
Linnet c.4
Corn Bunting 3

Friday 22 March 2002

22nd March Burgess Hill

Mistle Thrush 1

Sunday 17 March 2002

17th March 2002 Beachy 7.00 - 10.45am. Pagham Lagoon 12.15pm - 2.30pm. Wind SE being cloudy

Red-throated Diver 1E
Little Grebe 1w/p Pagham Lagoon 
Great Crested Grebe 1 Pagham Lagoon
Fulmar c.20 with most seen sat on sea off Birling
Grey Heron 1 roadside
Brent Goose c.100E Beachy
Shelduck 1E Birling accompanying a flock of Brent Geese
Mallard c.5 Pagham Lagoon
Wigeon c.25 Cuckmere
Teal c.15 Cuckmere
Eider c.26E
Scoter c.15E
Sparrowhawk 1 Beachy, 1 Pagham Lagoon
Peregrine 3
Pheasant c.10 Beachy including some very dark almost black males
Coot c.5 Pagham Lagoon
Black-headed Gull c.25 Birling c.40 Pagham Lagoon
Bonaparte’s Gull 1 ad.w. Pagham Lagoon. Noticeably smaller than accompanying Black-headed Gulls being more delicate-looking. In flight very white underwings with black trailing edge to primaries. Whiteness of underwings almost recalled Meditteranean Gull. Mantle and upperwings rather dark grey. Primaries black with small white mirrors. Upperwings grey with white wedge formed by white outer primaries with dark trailing edge to primaries. Small all black bill. Black eye. Black spot on ear coverts with dusky grey area across crown. Legs pale pink. Sussex addition.
Herring Gull c.50 Birling
Wood Pigeon c.5 Beachy
Green Woodpecker 1
Skylark c.10 with some singing
Meadow Pipit c.10 but no sign of any moving
alba Wagtail c.5 moving over high
Dunnock c.5 with some song
Robin c.2
Black Redstart 1 dull male in song up the Birling lane
Wheatear 2
Stonechat 4
Fieldfare 1 up Birling Lane. Ex.
Blackbird c.2
Chiffchaff 4 including a couple in song
Goldcrest 1
Firecrest 4
Great Tit c.4
Blue Tit 2
Magpie c.4
Jackdaw c.10
Rook c.10
Starling c.40
House Sparrow c.6
Chaffinch c.6
Linnet 1
Goldfinch c.8
Yellowhammer 1
Corn Bunting h

Saturday 16 March 2002

16th March 2002 Beachy 7.00 - 2.00pm. Pagham Lagoon & Harbour 4pm - 6.30pm. Wind moderate SE and cloudy at Beachy but raining whilst at Pagham

Diver sp. c.25E probably mainly Red-throated but too distant to be sure.
Red-throated Diver 2 on sea off Birling 
small Grebe sp. 2 on sea off Birling. Slavonian/Black-necked but very distant and sea too rough making views indaquate to identitfy them.
Fulmar c.5
Gannet c.5
Little Egret 1 Pagham Harbour
Canada Goose c.10 Cuckmere
Brent Goose c.100E Beachy, c.600 Pagham Harbour
Shoveler c.15E Birling
Wigeon c.15 Cuckmere
Teal c.15 Cuckmere
Scoter c.80E
Merganser 2 Pagham
Kestrel 1
Peregrine c.3
Pheasant c.5
Grey Plover c.2 Pagham Harbour
Redshank c.3 Pagham Harbour
Bar-tailed Godwit c.10 Pagham Harbour
Curlew 3E Birling
Black-headed Gull c.50 Birling, c.2,000 Pagham Harbour roost
Common Gull c.200 roadside just south of Friston Forest
Herring Gull c.50 Birling. C.50 Pagham
Lesser Black-backed Gull c.10 graellsii Pagham Harbour
Sandwich Tern 1E Birling
Auk sp. 1E Birling
Wood Pigeon c.10 Beachy
Green Woodpecker 1
Skylark c.15 with many singing although a party of 6 moved E along cliff near lighthouse
Meadow Pipit c.20 with a few moving over but some in parachuting display
alba Wagtail c.2 moving over high
Wren 1
Dunnock c.15 with some in song
Robin c.3
Black Redstart c.3 including a superb ad.m. with white wing patches
Wheatear 2
Stonechat 2
Mistle Thrush 2
Blackbird c.4
Chiffchaff 7
Goldcrest 2
Firecrest c.6 all possibly males
Great Tit c.6
Blue Tit c.4
Magpie c.10
Jackdaw c.35
Rook c.15
Carrion Crow c.5
Starling c.15
House Sparrow c.6
Chaffinch c.6
Linnet c.4
Goldfinch c.18
Yellowhammer 1
Corn Bunting h

Sunday 10 March 2002

10th March 2002 Beachy 7.15am - 11.00am. Strong SW wind, cloudy and cold. Unpleasant. Sea-watch for c.30 minutes and walked Belle Toute area

Fulmar c.5
Gannet 3 ad. W
Cormorant 2E
Canada Geese c.15 Cuckmere
Shelduck 2 Cuckmere
Wigeon c.20 Cuckmere
Teal c.5 Cuckmere
Eider 1 fem E
Scoter 10E 2W
Peregrine 1
Black-headed Gull c.30
Common Gull c.5 including 3 1st-w.
Herring Gull c.100 many in newly sewn field
Yellow-legged Gull 1 ad. s. Cuckmere stood alongside Herring and LBBG’s. Mantle blue-grey and noticeably darker than Herring. Small amount of white seen on primaries when it flew briefly. Legs bright yellow.
Lesser Black-backed Gull c.15 graellsii stood in fields at Cuckmere - adults.
Great Black-backed Gull c.20 in fields at Cuckmere 3rd-w. and adults.
Kittiwake c.20E
Wood Pigeon 5
Green Woodpecker 1
Skylark 5 + others heard singing
Meadow Pipit 5 including 1 performing parachute display
Dunnock c.2 + a couple heard singing
Robin c.3
Great Tit c.5
Blue Tit c.3
Magpie c.2
Jackdaw c.50
Rook c.50
Carrion Crow c.15
Starling c.5
House Sparrow 3
Chaffinch c.5
Goldfinch 5
Corn Bunting h singing

Saturday 9 March 2002

9th March 2002 Beachy 7.15am - 12.15pm. Brief sea-watch followed by walk around Belle Toute area then cow Gap and Hollow. Calm and sunny at dawn becoming very strong W Force 6 and cloudy


Fulmar 1
Cormorant 2W and 4E
Little Egret 2 Upper Cuckmere chasing one another in flight
Grey Heron 1 roadside
Canada Goose c.15 Cuckmere including 2 resembling Lesser
Brent Goose c.15E
Mallard 2 Cuckmere
Wigeon c.20 Cuckmere
Teal c.15 Cuckmere
Kestrel 1
Peregrine 2
Pheasant c.8
Oystercatcher h
Black-headed Gull c.50 including a single V formation of c.20 moving E
Common Gull c.50 mainly adults
Herring Gull c.35 including mainly adults but a single 3rd-w. and a few 1st-w.
Stock Dove 1
Wood Pigeon c.5
Green Woodpecker 1
Skylark c.20 with many singing. No passage.
Rock Pipit c.3 petrosus
Meadow Pipit c.15 but only a couple seen possibly moving
alba Wagtail sp. 2 heard moving over but failed to see them against blue skies
Wren 2
Dunnock c.12 with a few singing
Robin c.3
Stonechat 2
Redwing 7 - calling bird in bushes just west of Belle Toute attracted down a flock of 6 from the North which briefly landed in trees before departing to the west.
Mistle Thrush 3 rides above Hollow
Blackbird c.5
Great Tit c.3
Long-tailed Tit 1 Cow Gap with probable second bird heard alongside it
Magpie c.8
Jackdaw c.30
Rook c.5
Carrion Crow c.15
Starling c.10
House Sparrow c.6
Chaffinch c.8
Linnet 2
Goldfinch 8
Greenfinch 1
Corn Bunting 1 plus 1h - both in song

Thursday 7 March 2002

7th March 2002 Burgess Hill

Tawny Owl h calling at 4am

Sunday 3 March 2002

3rd March 2002 Beachy 7.35am - 1.45pm. Brief sea-watch and then walked Birling, Belle Toute area, Cow Gap and Hollow, Hotel Gardens and Chat Vate. Mild with bright blue skies though with strengthening southerly breeze

Diver sp. 5E
Fulmar c.25
Cormorant c.3
Little Egret 1 in off the sea at Birling flying firstly towards Long Down but then switching direction and lost from view heading south over Belle Toute wood. 2 Upper Cuckmere Valley.
Mute Swan 1 Cuckmere
Canada Goose c.25 Cuckmere
Wigeon c.15 Cuckmere
Common Scoter c.8E
Kestrel 1
Red-legged Partridge 1 Ditchling Beacon
Pheasant c.2 roadside
Curlew 1E
Black-headed Gull c.200 mainly adults with a proportion attaining s/p.
Common Gull c.250 mainly adults in w/p with a few 1st-w.
Herring Gull c.20
Stock Dove c.5
Woodpigeon c.5 Beachy. C.500 Ditchling Beacon all sat on deck.
Collared Dove c.2 roadside
Little Owl 1 East Dean
Green Woodpecker 1
Skylark c.20 no passage
Meadow Pipit c.10 with 1 seen in parachuting display. No passage.
Rock Pipit 1
Pied Wagtail 2
alba Wagtail sp. 1W over Birling
Dunnock c.15 singing everywhere
Robin c.4
Stonechat 7
Blackbird 3
Song Thrush 2
Blue Tit c.4
Great Tit c.6
Magpie c.15
Jackdaw c.10
Rook c.50
Carrion Crow c.25
Starling c.50
House Sparrow c.4
Chaffinch c.8
Goldfinch c.25
Linnet 1
Corn Bunting 3