Saturday, 24 July 2010

24th July 2010 Beachy Head Calm

Gannet 30E
Whimbrel h
Sandwich Tern h
Swallow 6W, 4
Pied Wagtail 1
Stonechat 1
Grasshopper Warbler 6 ex.
Sedge Warbler 1
Reed Warbler 3
Chiffchaff 1
Willow Warbler 6
Blackcap 2
Garden Warbler 1
Lesser Whitethroat 1
Whitethroat 25
Corn Bunting h

Dark Green Fritillary 4
Comma 3
Marbled White 8
Peacock 3
Red Admiral 4
Meadow Brown 20
Gatekeeper 15
Small Heath 1
Small Copper 2
Chalkhill Blue 70
Common Blue 5
Large Skipper 1
Silver-spotted Skipper 2

Hummingbird Hawk Moth 1 ex.

Migrant Hawker 1 ex.

Grasshopper Warbler at Birling Gap
The Migration Atlas states that the Autumn migration of juveniles passing through southeast England show three distinct peaks representing the passage of three broods roughly in late July, late August and late September. Adults typically pass through in late August and September.

Grasshopper Warbler at Birling Gap
A more heavily streaked and yellow-suffused individual

Chiffchaff at Birling Gap
The Migration Atlas states that seemingly random short-distance dispersive movements commence in July and continue into September. These merge into a more definite migratory movement that commences in late August and peaks in the second half of September.

Adult Herring Gull at Birling Gap

Juvenile Reed Warblers at Belle Tout
The Migration Atlas states that up to 30% of Reed Warblers are double-brooded. The first brood juveniles are similar in their timings of their Autumn migration to adults in that they start to leave their breeding sites in late July, with their peak passage across the south coast in the last third of August. Juveniles are characterised by their warm rusty-brown upperparts and buff flanks.

Common Blues in the Beachy Head Hotel Garden

Silver-spotted Skipper at Belle Tout

Immature male Migrant Hawker at Cow Gap
The UK's breeding population is boosted by migrants from continental Europe in the autumn.

Hummingbird Hawk Moth in Whitbread Hollow

Silver-y Moth in Whitbread Hollow


Tachina grossa in Cow Gap
At an impressive 15-19mm in length this is Europe's largest Fly

Wednesday, 21 July 2010

21st July 2010 Weirwood Reservoir

Little Egret 1
Mandarin Duck c.20
Common Sandpiper 1
Green Sandpiper 3
Green Sandpiper at Weirwood Reservoir
The Migration Atlas regards Green Sandpiper as one of the earliest migrant waders to return from their breeding grounds in autumn, with the first birds appearing in the UK in mid-June.

Sunday, 18 July 2010

18th July 2010 Beachy Head W3-4 Clear & Old Lodge

Cormorant 12W flock of 4 followed by high-flying flock of 8
Black-headed Gull 15 incl. 1 juv.
Mediterranean Gull 1E Ad.S. 1 Ad.W. offshore
Kittiwake 2 juv. off Birling Gap Oystercatcher 3W
Great Spotted Woodpecker 1 Belle Tout
Swallow 2
Whitethroat 10
Lesser Whitethroat 1
Garden Warbler 1
Blackcap 2
Raven 2
Greenfinch 6
Chaffinch 15
Corn Bunting 1 + 1h

Marbled White 10
Gatekeeper 3

Old Lodge
Redstart 1
Redpoll 1

Brimstone 2

Emperor Dragonfly c.8
Golden-ringed Dragonfly 3
Keeled Skimmer 1 female
Four-spotted Chaser 1
Broad-bodied Chaser 1 male, 1 female
Common Darter 1
Small Red Damselfly 10
Large Red Damselfly 1
Azure Damselfly 10
Emperor Dragonfly at Old Lodge

Golden-ringed Dragonfly at Old Lodge

Saturday, 17 July 2010

17th July 2010 Beachy Head W5-6 mainly sunny

Sparrowhawk 1
Peregrine 1
Curlew 1E
Whimbrel 1W
Herring Gull c.50 incl. 2 juv.
Lesser Black-backed Gull 3W Ad.
Mediterranean Gull 1E 2nd S, 1E Ad S, 2W Ad S, 1 juv. on sea
Kittiwake c.250W Ad. 1E juv.
Sandwich Tern 3E
Swift 3
Swallow 10
Sand Martin 15
Whitethroat 6
Lesser Whitethroat 1

Large White 1
Small White 2
Dark Green Frittilary 2
Marbled White 10
Gatekeeper 10
Meadow Brown 15
Chalkhill Blue 12
White-lettered Hairstreak 1 ex.
Small Copper 1
Small Skipper 6
Large Skipper 2

Southern Hawker 1 ex.

Male White-lettered Hairstreak at Belle Tout

Sand Martin over Whitbread Hollow
The Migration Atlas states that juveniles show orientated movement by the end of July. Adult movements appear to be later, more direct and faster with passage through the UK concentrated during August and early September.

A ringed adult Common Whitethroat in Chat Vale
The Migration Atlas states that southward migration begins in late July, with the peak movement during mid- to late August. However, this adult was clearly still feeding its fledged juveniles.

Pheasant along the rides above Whitbread Hollow

Female Chalkhill Blue in Whitbread Hollow

Chalkhill Blues in Cow Gap

Comma at Belle Tout

Immature male Southern Hawker at Belle Tout

Thursday, 15 July 2010

15th July 2010 Rottingdean 6.00am - 7.30am SW6

Scoter c.10E
Gannet c.35
Fulmar c.10
Manx / Balearic Shearwater 1E & 1W both seen very briefly and distant
Arctic Skua 4W adults
Sandwich Tern 3W

Monday, 12 July 2010

12th July 2010 Dungeness ARC

White-tailed Plover 1 adult ex.

White-tailed Plover at Dungeness

Sunday, 11 July 2010

11th July 2010 Beachy Head, East Dean, Litlington, Arlington & Old Lodge

Peregrine 3
Black-headed Gull 5
Mediterranean Gull 2E Ad S
Stock Dove 4
Swift 6
Swallow 3
Stonechat 1
Whitethroat 6
Redpoll 1W !
Corn Bunting 2

Dark Green Fritillary 5
Gatekeeper 12
Meadow Brown 1
Small Heath 2
Marbled White 20
Large Skipper 2
Small Skipper 6
Small Copper 1
Marbled White at Birling Gap

Dark Green Fritillary at Birling Gap

East Dean Pond
Emperor Dragonfly 1
Four-spotted Chaser 1
Common Darter 1
Blue-tailed Damselfly 3
Azure Damselfly 3

rufescens Blue-tailed Damselfly at East Dean Pond

Blue-tailed Damselfly at East Dean Pond

Azure Damselfly at East Dean Pond

Common Darter at East Dean Pond
Litlington
White Admiral 1

Emperor Dragonfly 3
Banded Demoiselle 3
Blue-tailed Damselfly 5
Small Red-eyed Damselfly 3 courtesy of Matt Eade

Small Red-eyed Damselfly at Litlington

Arlington
Banded Demoiselle 3
White-legged Damselfly c.20

White-legged Damselfly at Arlington

Park Heath Corner
White Admiral 5
Silver-washed Fritillary 20

Ruddy Darter 5
Common Darter 4

Old Lodge
Redpoll 2

Emperor Dragonfly 6
Golden-ringed Dragonfly 6
Four-spotted Chaser 4
Broad-bodied Chaser 2
Keeled Skimmer 1
Azure Damselfly 2
Small Red Damselfly 1
Large Red Damselfly 4

Large Red Damselfly at Old Lodge

Female Emperor Dragonfly at Old Lodge

Male Keeled Skimmer at Old Lodge

Male Broad-bodied Chaser at Old Lodge

Four-spotted Chaser at Old Lodge

Golden-ringed Dragonfly at Old Lodge