Saturday, 14 April 2001

14th April 2001 Beachy 6.45am - 10.00am. Cuckmere 10.30am - 11.45am. Virtually calm but cold and overcast


Red-throated Diver 1E
small Grebe sp. 1E
Gannet c.10E
presumed Canada x Barnacle Goose hybrid Cuckmere
Shoveler 1 Cuckmere
Teal c.5 Cuckmere
Peregrine 1
Red-legged Partridge 2 Ditchling Beacon
Lapwing 1 Cuckmere
Black-headed Gull c.40E
Sandwich Tern 3E
White Wagtail 1
Corn Bunting 2

Friday, 13 April 2001

13th April 2001 : Beachy Head 7.30am - 1.15pm. Sunny with cold northerly breeze


Gannet c.10E
Brent Goose 18E
Merganser 5E
Peregrine 2
Grey Partridge 2 roadside Ditchling Beacon
Iceland Gull 1 faded (appeared largely wholly white) 1st winter/summer (based on apparent all- black bill seemingly eliminating a faded 2nd winter). Noticeably smaller (c.20%) than accompanying 1st winter Great Black-backed Gull which was harrying the Iceland. Iceland appeared stiff-winged, quite bulky and large-billed (so recalled a Glaucous in many ways) but bill appeared wholly black through bins (feel sure pale-pink basal two-thirds of bill so typical of Glaucous would have been easily discernible at the range cf. Dungeness earlier in year). Primaries, secondaries and tail appeared almost bleached white. A few irregular pale brown markings across the coverts. Flew East at c.100m range roughly at eye-level at c.8.30am. First seen from behind the Birling Gap Hotel. Ran to cliff edge to see it disappearing east still flying alongside GBbG. Only in view for a couple of minutes at most. Concentrated on bill so head and underparts not noted. Later told of an Iceland Gull having been reported off Seaford Head just prior to bird past Birling. Presumably same individual but no idea of age/appearance of Seaford bird. 2nd winter Glaucous reported off Newhaven!
Rock Pipit 1
Meadow Pipit c.12
Pied/White Wagtail h
Redstart 1 male in bushes east of Belle Toute
Wheatear 3
Whitethroat 1 just west of Belle Toute feeding on ground
Sedge Warbler h singing in isolated thicket to west of Belle Toute
Willow Warbler c.20 (including very greyish-white individual (N & NW Europe ?) at Birling.
Chiffchaff c.5
Pied Flycatcher 1 male Birling. Bird tired and kept closing its eyes whilst resting motionless. At one point flew to the ground very close to me and took an orange millipede which it quickly swallowed. Possibly a 1st summer male as had brownish cast to primaries and secondaries and greyish tone to mantle (giving shawled effect) contrasting with black crown and nape. Small white patches above base of bill. Superb.
Corn Bunting 1

Sunday, 8 April 2001

8th April 2001 : Beachy Head 7.00am - 10.30am. Sunny but cold northerly wind


Black Redstart 1
Willow Warbler 1
Linnet c.40

Saturday, 7 April 2001

7th April 2001 : Beachy Head 7.00am - 10.00am. Virtually calm but cold and heavy showers


Diver sp. 2E
Brent Goose 5E
Scoter c.10E
Bonxie 2E together
Sandwich Tern 2E
Swallow 1
White Wagtail 1
Brambling h Belle Toute but inside wood and F&M restrictions keeping us out !
Linnet c.80

Sunday, 1 April 2001

1st April 2001 : Beachy Head 7.00am - 11.00am. Cuckmere 11.30am - 12.00. Foggy and virtually calm with slightest southerly breeze


Little Egret 4 Cuckmere
Grey Heron 1 Cuckmere
Teal c.6
Green-winged Teal 1 drake displaying to a female in Upper Cuckmere
Sparrowhawk 1 Beachy
Kestrel 2
Sandwich Tern 1
Sand Martin c.3 Cuckmere
Swallow 2 Cuckmere
Rock Pipit 1
Black Redstart 1
Wheatear 2
Stonechat 1
Willow Warbler c.40 impressive fall for so early in year
Chiffchaff c.10
Goldcrest c.5
Raven 1

Saturday, 31 March 2001

31st March 2001 : Beachy Head 7.00am - 10.30am. Wet with strong sw wind


Gannet 8 adults west in single flock
Little Egret c.3 Cuckmere
Wigeon c.20 Cuckmere
Teal c.20
Willow Warbler c.10
Chiffchaff c.5

Sunday, 25 March 2001

25/3/01 West Wittering 7.30 - 11.30am. Very cold moderate NE wind and dull


Little Egret 1
Dark-bellied Brent Goose c.40 (no sign of reported Greenland White-fronted Goose)
Shelduck c.6
Wigeon c.6
Teal c.5
Grey Partridge 2
Grey Plover c.30
Golden Plover 4
Dunlin c.40
Bar-tailed Godwit 1
Curlew c.10
Mediterranean Gull 2 adults
Sand Martin c.15 Chichester GPs
Wheatear 1
Chiffchaff 1
Firecrest 1