3rd September 2004 Ditchling Beacon

Swallow 1
Yellow Wagtail 2
Wheatear 7
Whinchat 1
Linnet 10
Goldfinch 40

2nd September 2004 Ditchling Beacon 6.15am – 7.15am. Sunny with light southerly

Red-legged Partridge c.15

Stock Dove 2
Sand Martin 5
Swallow c.10
House Martin c.20
Meadow Pipit c.30
Wheatear 4
Whinchat 1
Linnet c.20

30th August 2004 Spatham Lane Wood 8.00am – 9.00am

Common Buzzard 1

29th August 2004 Beachy 6.00 – 11.00am West 5 overcast and unpleasantly cool in the windy conditions

Gannet 15

Shag 1 on rocks off Cow Gap
Scoter 5
Sparrowhawk 1
Sandwich Tern 1W
Swift 4
Swallow 5
House Martin 20
Tree Pipit 1
Yellow Wagtail 18
Blackcap 2
Lesser Whitethroat 2
Whitethroat 15
Sedge Warbler 1
Grasshopper Warbler 1
Willow Warbler 1
Spotted Flycatcher 1

28th August 2004 Beachy 6.00 – 2.00pm. Overcast then sunny before clouding over. W2

Fulmar c.5

Marsh Harrier 1 juv/fem Appeared small in comparison with the Honey Buzzard. Very dark brown underwings and underparts contrasting with pale cap. Seen above ridge of Hollow.
Honey Buzzard 1 Whilst we were walking the path into the bowl of the hollow just west of the ringing hut I noticed a large raptor purposefully flying south with purposeful deep wingbeats covering a fair distance very quickly over the Hollow at 10.45am. On seeing it through binoculars I drew the others attention to it by calling it as a Buzzard sp. On seeing the combination of its small but protruding head, appearing long-necked, and long narrow tail that appeared longer than the width of the wings, I said I felt sure it was a Honey Buzzard. As we discussed it whilst watching it continuing on its way we noted the wings had the carpals of forewing held well forward whereas trailing edge was straight. It was clearly a medium morph appearing neither particularly pale or dark. Its underwings were heavily backlit against the high white cloud so the only features we were able to see were obvious black oval carpal patches and a broad dark trailing edge to the underwings. It appeared considerably larger than a nearby Marsh Harrier seen immediately the Honey Buzzard had disappeared from view.
Sparrowhawk 1
Kestrel 3
Peregrine 1 juv.
Sandwich Tern 5
Wood Pigeon c.25
Swift 11
Sand Martin 50
Swallow 75
House Martin 1
Meadow Pipit c.15
Tree Pipit 1h
Yellow Wagtail 16
Redstart 11 including a male showing a whitish patch on the secondaries recalling samamisicus. The same individual had an obvious white band across the upper breast forming a white border below the black throat.
Wheatear 20
Whinchat 3
Blackcap 7
Lesser Whitethroat 4
Whitethroat 30
Grasshopper Warbler 2
Willow Warbler 37
Chiffchaff 2 (first Autumn migrant Chiffs)
Spotted Flycatcher 16

22nd August 2004 Beachy 6.00 – 12.30pm. Sunny, South 3

Kestrel 3

Hobby 1
Peregrine 1 juv.
Sandwich Tern 2
Great Spotted Woodpecker 1
Swallow 10
Tree Pipit 5h
Pied Wagtail 1W
Yellow Wagtail 45
Grey Wagtail 1
Nightingale 1 ad. in the hand in the Hollow – appeared quite small in thand, rufous tail, white underparts with buff suffusion across breast
Redstart 7
Wheatear 4
Whinchat 4
Garden Warbler 3
Lesser Whitethroat 8
Whitethroat 54
Sedge Warbler 1
Grasshopper Warbler 5
Reed Warbler 1
Willow Warbler 25
Spotted Flycatcher 3

21st August 2004 Beachy 5.45 – 2.30pm. Cloudy, cool NNW3

Little Egret 3 Cow Gap Beach

Buzzard 1 flew over Belle Toute heading east but then seen flying inland
Kestrel 3
Hobby 1
Common Tern 6
Sandwich Tern 10
Great Spotted Woodpecker 1
Wryneck 1 noticed by JFC in gully opposite BH Hotel. Gave close views in Elder and then good flight views lower in the gully as it moved between grassy areas and bushes in the bottom of the gully.
Sand Martin 4
Swallow 5
House Martin 25
Tree Pipit 8 + 3h
Yellow Wagtail 94
Grey Wagtail 7
Redstart 1
Wheatear 25
Whinchat 2
Garden Warbler 2
Blackcap 1 male
Lesser Whitethroat 4
Whitethroat 67
Sedge Warbler 3
Grasshopper Warbler 2
Reed Warbler 1
Willow Warbler 60
Wood Warbler 1 On arriving at the Old Trapping Area there was a Wader-like call, plaintive almost Bullfinch-like ‘puuu’. Played the tape of Wood Warbler and it approached within a couple of meters. Bright yellow supercilium and throat contrasting with silky white underparts and bright green upperparts. Long white undertail coverts and very long-winged.
Spotted Flycatcher 4
Pied Flycatcher 3