12th August 2001 Beachy Head 6.30am - 11.30am. Strong westerly wind and overcast.

Fulmar c.5

Balearic Shearwater 2 both very dark individuals, one extremely so. Pale belly seen on both. Underwings silvery and not unlike Sooty Shearwater. Flew west very close inshore. Excellent.
Gannet c.25
Sparrowhawk 1
Kestrel c.2
Peregrine 1
Sandwich Tern c.4 W
Swift c.10
Skylark c.4
Sand Martin c.5
Swallow c.10
Meadow Pipit c.5
Stonechat c.2
Whitethroat c.10
Willow Warbler c.5
Corn Bunting c.10

11th August 2001 Beachy Head 6.15am - 12.30pm. Sunny with SW wind strengthening

Gannet c.30 fishing offshore from Birling Gap and Cow Gap

Little Egret 1 flew west past Birling Gap
Heron 3 in off at Birling Gap
Kestrel c.2
Peregrine 1 adult in primary moult
Swallow c.8
House Martin c.10
Wheatear c.10
Whinchat 2
Garden Warbler 1
Blackcap 1
Lesser Whitethroat 5
Whitethroat c.25
Sedge Warbler 3
Melodious Warbler 1 ex. Found by JFC in the Hotel Gardens the previous day. On locating it today it immediately appeared a large pale plain-faced Warbler, with a large yellow-looking bill and pale yellow wash to the ‘face’ immediately suggesting a Hippolais. After a brief initial view it remained frustratingly extremely elusive taking roughly 2 hours for DC to determine the primary projection (having spent 2 hours the previous day failing to see the bird at all !). Originally seen close to the ground, it was then seen variously in rosebay willowherb, gorse and climbing quite high in elderberry bushes. It was seen in flight on several occasions covering a fairly large area. Large bill appearing predominantly yellow and often held slightly up-tilted. Supercilium well marked in front of eye and extending a fair way behind of the eye appearing quite yellow when the bird was viewed facing slightly away. Lores pale giving the bird an open-faced expression with large dark eye surrounded by a pale eye-ring. Often appearing rounded-crowned though on a couple of occasions quite flat-crowned ! Crown, ear-coverts, mantle and scapulars greyish-green and uniform. Coverts and primaries appearing slightly darker than upperparts contrasting with a pale panel formed by paler fringes to the secondaries which depending on the angle of the bird sometimes appeared very noticeable and completely absent at others. A medium primary projection being approximately half the length of the exposed tertials with primaries tipped pale and the longest primaries falling roughly at the base of the tail. Tail square with several of the outer tail feathers appearing ‘bleached’ contrasting with darker central tail feathers being very noticeable in flight. Some yellow restricted to the throat becoming pale, almost white, on the remainder of the underparts. Legs appeared dark brownish with the bird being ringed ! (perhaps just coincidence but a bird trapped at Portland within the previous week). In flight the bird gave the impression of a large pale, somewhat bleached-looking Warbler. Not heard to call.
Willow Warbler c.30
Chiffchaff 1 adult
Pied Flycatcher 1

10th August 2001 Beachy Head Hotel Garden 11.30am - 1.15pm. Sunny and calm

Swift c.50 roadside near Ditchling Beacon

House Martin c.10

5th August 2001 Beachy Head 6am - 11am. Wind moderate westerly. Sunny

Fulmar c.5

Gannet c.200
Red Kite 1 Dwarfed the crows mobbing it. Long, deeply-forked tail immediately obvious, rufous when viewed from above. White windows of inner hand contrasting with darker primaries. Pale panel across inner part of the upperwing obvious. Probably an adult as appeared quite rufous bodied. Pale head. Ex.
Kestrel c.4
Peregrine 2 adults
Swift 4
Green Woodpecker c.8 including several juveniles
Sand Martin 2
Swallow c.10
House Martin c.10
Wheatear 1
Whitethroat c.15
Reed Warbler 1
Willow Warbler c.10

4th August 2001 Beachy 6am - 12.30pm. Light westerly wind. Sunny though overcast to the south with two impressive water spouts seen off Cow Gap swirling the sea below them.

Fulmar c.10

Balearic Shearwater 2 Single flew east seen from top of Lane at 6.50am and 2 were watched following a red fishing boat for around 45 minutes from 9.45am. Appeared small alongside Herring Gulls. Noticeable brownish cast to upperparts with underparts appearing oily with pale dirty-white underwings and dusky undertail-coverts contrasting with paler belly. Appeared wholly dark at range when sat on the water.
Gannet c.50
Heron 1
Sparrowhawk 1 very lazy flight observed
Kestrel c.2
Peregrine 1
Oystercatcher c.5
Great Skua 1 juv. flew east off Birling. Restricted wing ‘flashes’
prob Arctic Skua 1 distantly west off Birling
Black-headed Gull c.100 mainly adults
Kittiwake c.30
Comic Tern 2W
Swift c.5
Swallow c.5
House Martin c.10
Garden Warbler 1
Lesser Whitethroat 1
Whitethroat c.15
Sedge Warbler 2
Reed Warbler c.5
Willow Warbler c.10
Corn Bunting c.5

29th July 2001 Beachy Head 5.45am - 10.30am. Hot and sunny and calm

Cuckoo 1 rufous morph female seen in flight at Birling gardens. Heavily black-barred upperparts with rufous rump.

Swift c.50
Swallow c.5
House Martin c.10
Wheatear 1
Stonechat 2
Blackcap 2
Lesser Whitethroat 1
Whitethroat c.20
Sedge Warbler 1
Grasshopper Warbler 1 field at bottom of Cow Gap
Reed Warbler 1
Willow Warbler c.20
Chiffchaff 1 adult
Yellowhammer 1

28th July 2001 Beachy Head 5.45am - 10.30am. Hot and sunny and virtually calm

Cuckoo 1 Cow Gap

Swift c.15
Green Woodpecker 4
Great Spotted Woodpecker 1 juv. in Gulley with another heard in the Hollow.
House Martin c.10
Redstart 1 juv. by White House bushes
Stonechat c.5
Lesser Whitethroat 1
Whitethroat c.15
Sedge Warbler 1
Reed Warbler 2
Willow Warbler c.15