31st August 2003 Beachy 6.15am – 12.30pm. Cool at first with light SE breeze

Little Egret 1 flew along beach at Birling

Grey Heron 1W in flight offshore
Sparrowhawk c.3
Oystercatcher c.12 on beach at low tide at Birling
Swift 1
Great Spotted Woodpecker 1
Wryneck 1 – 2 Chat Vale. Birds seen nearly simultaneously near the main path and near the western edge of the scrub opposite Hodcombe. Bird seen at western end appeared orange-throated.
Sand Martin c.100
Swallow c.15
House Martin c.2
Wheatear c.5
Whinchat c.5
Garden Warbler c.3
Blackcap c.2
Lesser Whitethroat c.3
Whitethroat c.10
Sedge Warbler c.2
Reed Warbler 1
Willow Warbler c.10
Chiffchaff 1
Goldcrest 1
Spotted Flycatcher c.5
Raven c.3

30th August 2003 Beachy 6.15am – 1.45pm. Cold at first with light N wind

Grey Heron 1 in flight over top fields

Barnacle Goose 1 in flight N along Cuckmere with Canada Geese leaving roost.
Oystercatcher 5 W off Cow Gap
Swift 2
Sand Martin c.15
Tree Pipit 2 on ground in Cow Gap
Nightingale 1 clean pale breast. White eye-ring. Responded to croaking tape.
Redstart c.4
Wheatear c.15
Whinchat c.5
Garden Warbler c.3
Blackcap c.2
Lesser Whitethroat c.3
Whitethroat c.15
Sedge Warbler c.10
Grasshopper Warbler 2 including good views of a bird flushed which then perched atop an Elderberry bush
Reed Warbler c.2
Willow Warbler c.10
Spotted Flycatcher c.5
Pied Flycatcher 3

29th August 2003 Church Norton 5.30pm – 7.30pm. Just stopped raining. Calm

Grey Plover c.3

Spotted Flycatcher c.8
Pied Flycatcher 1

26th August 2003 Corton, Lowestoft, Suffolk 3.30pm – 7.30pm. Sunny with light wind

Greenish Warbler 1 often foraging amongst bright yellow leaves when reflection caused an apparent yellow suffusion to the face, ear-coverts, throat and breast reminiscent of Green Warbler. However, at other times appeared to have grayish-green upperparts and whitish underparts lacking any trace of yellow. Dark legs. Supercilium appeared broad and wingbar across greater coverts also appeared broad.

25th August 2003 Beachy 6.00am – 12.30pm

Pied Flycatcher 1 good views of a bird in scrub behind gulley south of Belle Toute which showed a well-marked second wingbar across the median coverts. Lacked grey tones of Semi-collared Flycatcher though!!

24th August 2003 Beachy 6.00am – 12.45pm. Light easterly freshening. Partly overcast. Warm

Cormorant c.3
Little Egret 1 Cow Gap Beach
Sparrowhawk 1 Ditchling Beacon
Kestrel c.4
Snipe 1 flushed from Cow Gap field
Spotted Redshank 1h a Wader heard over Chat Vale giving a distinctive ‘chew-it’ call was most-likely this species
Skua sp. 1 very dark individual flew inland from Birling. Only seen distantly but couldn’t see any white flashes on the primaries. Looked quite large and long-winged.
Herring Gull c.200
Sand Martin c.15
Swallow c.10
Tree Pipit c.2 plus 1h
Yellow Wagtail c.15
Nightingale h croaking back in response to tape playback
Redstart c.2
Wheatear c.5
Whinchat c.3
Garden Warbler 1
Lesser Whitethroat c.5
Whitethroat c.15
Reed Warbler c.3
Willow Warbler c.5
Spotted Flycatcher c.3
Pied Flycatcher 2 brief flight views of each!
Yellow-fronted Canary 1 singing male in Beachy Head Hotel Gardens before flying off west

23rd August 2003 Elmley RSPB 9.15am – 12.30pm, Oare Marshes 1.15pm - 3.30pm. Weather hot and sunny with light W wind

Little Grebe c.6 at least some retaining s/p

Little Egret c.5
Shelduck c.20
Pochard 1
Ruddy Duck 1
Marsh Harrier c.4
Kestrel c.4
Hobby 2
Grey Partridge c.4
Water Rail 1 ex. Views creeping along a bank
Avocet c.10
Grey Plover 1 s/p
Lapwing c.30
Knot 1
Dunlin c.20
Little Stint 1 Oare
Green Sandpiper 1
Redshank c.50
Black-tailed Godwit c.200
Curlew c.50
Ruff c.40
Swift c.3
Swallow c.25

20th August 2003 Weir Wood Reservoir 6.00pm - 8.00pm. Sunny and calm

Little Egret 1 green extending up rear of legs especially behind knees

Osprey 1 distantly in flight carrying a fish
Common Sandpiper c.6
Green Sandpiper 4
Greenshank 1
Grey Wagtail 2

17th August 2003 Beachy 6.00am – 12.15pm. Sunny with light NE wind 2-3

Sparrowhawk 1

Kestrel c.2
Peregrine 1 juv.
Snipe 1
Herring Gull c.50
Stock Dove 1
Green Woodpecker c.2
Sand Martin c.25
Swallow c.10
Yellow Wagtail c.15
Grey Wagtail 1
Wheatear c.10
Whinchat 1
Garden Warbler c.3
Lesser Whitethroat c.5
Whitethroat c.40
Sedge Warbler c.3
Grasshopper Warbler 2
Reed Warbler c.3
Willow Warbler c.5
Pied Flycatcher 1  insignificant pale marks on primary coverts.
House Sparrow c.10
Chaffinch c.5
Linnet c.15

16th August 2003 Beachy 6.00am – 12.00pm. Overcast with fresh NE wind 4-5

Fulmar c.5

Gannet c.8
Little Egret c.20 a tight flock that flew across Exceat Bridge and to southernmost meander
Peregrine c.4
Sandwich Tern 4W
Swift 2
Green Woodpecker c.3
Skylark c.5
Sand Martin c.10
Swallow c.5
Pied Wagtail 1
Whinchat 1
Stonechat c.2
Wheatear c.5
Lesser Whitethroat c.2
Whitethroat c.5
Garden Warbler 1
Pied Flycatcher 2 both had insignificant pale marks on primary coverts. One showed a restricted white forehead
Bullfinch 2

10th August 2003 Scillonian Pelagic 5.00am – 22.00pm. Overcast with light N wind

Fulmar c.200
Sooty Shearwater 1 looked virtually black with hands swept-back. Silvery underwing coverts visible.
Manx Shearwater c.3
Wilson’s Storm-Petrel c.4 Short but broad pale panel across the upperwing coverts. Feet projecting beyond tip of tail. Appeared very slightly larger and rounder-winged than Storm-Petrels. One bird seen dancing across the water close to the boat. Superb.
Storm-Petrel c.250 broad white bands across underwing coverts seen only at close range when underwings appeared very black and white. Couldn’t see a narrow wing bar across the upperwing greater coverts suggestive of juvs. Superb views.
Gannet c.100
Turnstone 1
Bonxie c.20
Sabine’s Gull 2 adult summer complete black hoods. Superb.
Lesser Black-backed Gull c.250
Herring Gull c.150
Kittiwake 1

9th August 2003 Beachy 6.00am – 10.00am. Topsham 4.00pm – 5.00pm. Marazion 8.00pm – 8.30pm. Light E wind

Little Egret c.20 Topsham
Glossy Ibis 1 imm. Topsham. Dull bronzy sheen. White speckled head.
Spoonbill 1 Topsham
Scoter c.3E Beachy
Ruff 1 Topsham
Black-tailed Godwit c.200 Topsham
Tree Pipit 2h Beachy
Nightingale h Beachy
Whinchat 2
Wheatear c.5
Reed Warbler 1 Beachy – bright yellow feet
Lesser Whitethroat 1
Whitethroat c.10
Willow Warbler c.15

6th August 2003 Herts Tring Reservoirs, 5.30am – 7.00am. Clear and sunny

LEAST SANDPIPER 1 adult retaining most of its summer plumage. Tiny size matching that of a nearby Pied Wagtail. Crown brown with white spotting. Pale supercilium joining in a V above the bill. Bill wolly black. Breast streaked. Large dark centers to most lower scapulars. No primary projection. Yellow legs with long yellow toes. Rapid wingbeats in flight. Adopted a crouched posture. UK480.
Common Sandpiper c.5
Greenshank 3

Least Sandpiper at Startops End Reservoir (Andrew Moon)

4th August 2003 Burgess Hill School 5.00pm

Mistle Thrush 3 on lawns

3rd August 2003 Beachy 5.45am – 1.00pm. Misty at first becoming hot and sunny with light E breeze

Cormorant c.6W
Black Kite 1 juv. We watched it from c.11.00am until c.12.15pm when it flew north and was lost to view. Appeared quite pale-crowned and underwings lacked contrast except for black primary fingers and an indistinct paler area formed by pale bases to the primaries. Upperparts brownish with conspicuous pale covert patches. At times gave the impression of having pale tips to the tail feathers. Seen catching insects with its feet and passing them to its bill whilst circling over a sheep field near Friston. Often used tail as a rudder.
Sparrowhawk 1
Kestrel c.3
Peregrine 1
Sandwich Tern c.4
Swift c.50
Swallow c.5
Pied Wagtail c.6
Wheatear 1
Stonechat c.5
Garden Warbler 1
Blackcap 2
Lesser Whitethroat 1
Whitethroat c.15
Sedge Warbler c.2
Reed Warbler 1 reacted to playback from previous day
Willow Warbler c.15
Raven 1
Corn Bunting c.4

2nd August 2003 Beachy 5.45am – 12.30pm. Sunny and calm

Little Egret 1 flew west just offshore past Birling

Peregrine 1 juv.
Kittiwake c.15 off Birling including several juv’s
Sandwich Tern c.4
Swift c.50
Sand Martin c.6
Swallow c.5
Rock Pipit 2
Meadow Pipit c.25
Pied Wagtail c.2
Wheatear 2
Stonechat c.5
Garden Warbler c.3
Lesser Whitethroat 1
Whitethroat c.40
Sedge Warbler c.5
Reed Warbler 1 in subsong – reacted to playback
Willow Warbler c.35
Jay 1
Corn Bunting 1