Saturday 31 March 2012

31st March 2012 Birling Gap Seawatch 7.10-8.10am NNE1 Overcast

Red-throated Diver 2E
Gannet 13E
Greylag Goose 6NE
Brent Goose 20E
Shelduck 4E
Common Scoter 10E
Red-breasted Merganser 1W
Sparrowhawk 3
Kestrel 1W
Peregrine 1
Whimbrel 1E
Curlew 4E
Arctic Skua 1E dark phase
Sandwich Tern c.6
Auk sp. 21E & 3W
Stonechat 6
Blackcap 1
Chiffchaff 8
Willow Warbler 4
Raven 2
Redpoll 1

 Six Greylags high northeast over the Old Lighthouse

March accounts for most of the Greylags seen at Beachy over the last 50 years, although no doubt some would have you believe these are not true migrants, or even migrants at all!


 Female Sparrowhawk at Icky Ridge

Being one of three Sparrowhawks seen on the headland today could this individual be a migrant bound for Fennoscandia? Afterall, they time their passage to coincide with heavy passerine migration peaking in April (Ferguson-Lees). Whilst such migrants easily pass under the radar in Sussex, they are far more easily appreciated on the northern Isles, but what's to say that experience gained there, should not be relevant here...


Singing Chiffchaff along the cliff path

Being ringed, it would seem likely that this bird has at some point found itself in the adjacent hollow, and is perhaps even a returning local breeding bird. That said, transient migrants are often in full voice, as was the case today with newly-arrived Blackcaps and Willow Warblers.

Sunday 25 March 2012

25th March 2012 Birling Seawatch 7.50 - 10.20am NNE3

Red-throated Diver 8E
Great Crested Grebe 2 on the sea
Gannet 9E
Brent Goose 33E
Shelduck 3E
Goldeneye 1E drake at 8.10am ex. 
Common Scoter 66E
Red Breasted Merganser 8E
Avocet 3E ex. (including 2 briefly sat on the sea)
Mediterranean Gull 2E ad summer
Sandwich Tern 42E
Common Tern 3E
Auk sp. 8E & 7 on the sea
Chiffchaff 2
Raven 1
Goldfinch 7
Linnet 12

 Two Avocets sat on the sea off Birling

 Avocet flying east past Birling


Chiffchaff in Chat Vale

Saturday 24 March 2012

24th March 2012 New Forest Sunny

Goshawk 4 ex. some displaying
Woodlark 4 singing
Hawfinch 1
Raven 4

Sunday 11 March 2012

18th March 2012 Birling Seawatch


Red-throated Diver 1 on the sea
Eider 2E drakes
Common Scoter 2 E & 1 W
Red Kite 1E high at 13.05
Peregrine 3
Mediterranean Gull 4 E & 1 flew inland
Black-headed Gull c.300 many inland
Herring Gull c.400 coasting W many 1w
Sandwich Tern 3E & 3W
Auk sp. 10E, 10W, 2 on the sea
Guillemot 1 on the sea
Tawny Owl 2
Great Spotted Woodpecker 1h drumming
Pied Wagtail 2 in the field
White Wagtail 1N, 1 male in the field ex.
Alba Wagtail c.5N
Black Redstart 1 adult male ex.
Stonechat 3
Wheatear 7
Fieldfare 2
Redwing 3
Song Thrush 2
Blackcap 1h singing
Goldcrest 1
Firecrest 2
Long-tailed Tit 2
Treecreeper 1
Raven 2
Linnet 17 (9W)
Reed Bunting 1W

Adult male Peregrine at Birling

Adult summer Mediterranean Gull at Birling 


 Meadow Pipit at Birling






Adult male Black Redstart at Belle Tout
they don't come any better than this beauty!



Adult male Wheatear at Belle Tout


Winter-plumaged Guillemot off Birling

 Happy Mother's Day Mum!


 Firecrest in the Old Trapping Area


Red Kite over the Top Fields

Beachy Head Lighthouse on a glorious Spring day

Cuckmere
Egyptian Goose 2

Egyptian Geese in the Cuckmere

17th March 2012 Birling Gap Seawatch 6.20-7.50am SSW3 Misty

Red-throated Diver 2E
Gannet 30E
Brent Goose 219E
Shelduck 1E & 1 prospecting along the cliffs at Birling
Common Scoter 5E
Bonxie 1E at 06.25
Lesser Black-backed Gull 2
Mediterranean Gull 2E (ad & 2s)
Auk sp. 663E & c.50 on the sea (90% Guillemots 10% Razorbills)
Tawny Owl h
Stock Dove 4
Great Spotted Woodpecker 1 drumming
alba Wagtail 2
Pied Wagtail 8
White Wagtail 6 ex.
Stonechat 8
Wheatear 10
Blackcap 1 h singing
Chiffchaff 2
Linnet 37 in the field
Corn Bunting 2

 Chiffchaff at Birling












 Male Wheatears at Beachy
They're back!





 Corn Bunting at Belle Tout

Linnet at Birling Gap

11th March 2012 Birling Seawatch 7am - 8am NNW1 Clear & Pagham

Red-throated Diver 8E
Great Crested Grebe 5 on sea
Gannet 51E, 9W
Cormorant 5E
Heron 1
Shelduck 1W
Scoter 19E, 1W
Auk sp. 1E
Lesser Black-backed Gull 1 ad. graellsi
alba Wagtail 3h
Chiffchaff 1 pollen-encrusted in song
Bullfinch 1 female
Carrion Crow 3 in off sea
Raven 17+ ex. (in the air together) including a flock of 15 that flew off east

Part of the flock of Ravens over Belle Tout 


Pagham
Mediterranean Gull 1 adult Summer
Paddyfield Warbler 1
Cetti's Warbler 1
Chiffchaff 1
Raven 2




Teal along the North Wall