A nice gentle southerly triggered an enjoyable seawatch dominated by an easterly passage of Kittiwakes that were no doubt under-recorded especially as the sea-watch proved busy at times with a nice variety of other species passing including several parties of Little Gulls and another summer-plumaged Black-throated Diver. A pair of Wheatears in the ploughed field at Birling were welcome being our first of the year! A look at Chat Vale, the Old Trapping Area and the Hotel Garden revealed the continuing presence of good numbers of confiding Firecrests. A Red Kite that flew west over the Beachy Head Hotel at 12.35pm quickly gained height and looked to head out into the hazy conditions before turning back and heading inland. An evening visit to Rodmell in light rain produced 11 Swallows.
Red-throated Diver 47 E
Black-throated Diver 1 E s/p
Gannet 15 E, 5 W
Brent 424 E
Velvet Scoter 1 E
Common Scoter 347 E
Merganser 8 E
Red Kite 1 W at 12.35pm
Arctic Skua 1 E dark
Common Gull 27 E
Kittiwake 370 E
Mediterranean Gull 3 E (1 ad, 2 2s)
Black-headed Gull 10 E
Little Gull 27 E
Sandwich Tern 194 E
Common Tern 9E
Auk sp. 6E
Alba Wagtail 2 N
Wheatear 2
Chiffchaff 1
Firecrest c.7+
Wheatears at Birling
they're back!
Firecrests at Beachy
Red Kite proving it can fly higher!
Rodmell
Swallow 11
Pied Wagtail c.10
