Mediterranean Gull 1 E
Common Gull 2 adults
Swift 19 SE
Great Spotted Woodpecker 1
Sand Martin 10 SE
Continental Stonechat 3 (male, female & juv)
Wheatear 1 juvenile
Common Whitethroat 10
Raven 1
Female Continental Stonechat S. t. rubicola at Beachy
This female is accompanying this adult male http://eastsussexbirding.blogspot.co.uk/2013/07/6th-july-2013-beachy-west-rise-rodmell.html and are today tending a fledged juvenile. It is a very close match to that portrayed in Plate 110 in (Hellstrom and Waern 2011 BB104:5) labelled as a probable female. Some female S. t. rubicola such as this one are extraordinarily dark, especially in Summer, an effect that becomes more pronounced due to wear, and may result in the rather male-like appearance. Female British Stonechat S. t. hibernans shows no white on sides of neck (Urquhart 2002) and it is interesting to note that the breeding female portrayed on p. 295 therein lacks a white inner-wing covert patch. Furthermore (Urquhart 2002) includes S. t. rubicola as more frequently sporting a more prominent supercilium.
