Saturday 14 September 2002

14th September 2002 Beachy 6.45am - 2.30pm

Sparrowhawk c.4
Kestrel c.4
Peregrine 2
Snipe 1
Green Woodpecker c.2
Skylark c.20
Sand Martin c.20
Swallow c.300
House Martin c.800E
Tawny Pipit 1 1st-w. favouring the white concrete track leading to Cornish Farm and adjacent stubble field. A large and pale Pipit with at times Wagtail-like behavior of pumping its tail. Bill long, narrow being pointed, primarily pink with a darker tip being frequently held above the horizontal. Legs very bright mostly appearing a bright pink but sometimes almost straw-coloured especially when viewed from behind. Crown a pale buff appearing slightly streaked darker towards rear and on nape. Poorly marked darker lateral crown stripes forming a dark border above its long pale supercilia. Narrow dark eyestripe being most prominent behind eye with lores mostly just giving the impression of a darkish loral line but at other times appeared quite pale - certainly never gave the impression of having well-marked dark lores. Pale crescent bordering lower half of dark eye. A slightly darker moustachial stripe contrasting with whitish submoustachial stripe in turn contrasting with obvious and long dark malar stripe. Ear coverts had a warm sometimes almost gingery tone. Throat white. Mantle buffy-brown with diffuse darker streaking. Median coverts with round dark centres with complete narrow whitish fringes, thus the median coverts formed a row of dark spots. Greater coverts dark centred with complete pale fringes. Broad pale fringes to dark centred long tertials. No primary projection noted. Tail long appearing buffy with white outer tail feathers. Upper breast with diffuse spotting/streaking somewhat blurred and appeared to be fading with a mixture of grey and buffy ‘patches’. Belly and undertail coverts almost white with a hint of a buffy tinge. In flight it gave a quiet sparrow-like ‘chup’ call.   
Tree Pipit c.4
Meadow Pipit c.100
Yellow Wagtail c.40
Grey Wagtail 1
Pied Wagtail 4
Robin 7
Redstart 3
Whinchat 6
Wheatear c.25
Grasshopper Warbler 1
Reed Warbler 1
Whitethroat 6
Blackcap 15
Chiffchaff c.6
Willow Warbler c.3
Spotted Flycatcher 2
Goldfinch 10
Linnet 70
House sparrow 10
Raven 1