31st August 2003 Beachy 6.15am – 12.30pm. Cool at first with light SE breeze

Little Egret 1 flew along beach at Birling

Grey Heron 1W in flight offshore
Sparrowhawk c.3
Oystercatcher c.12 on beach at low tide at Birling
Swift 1
Great Spotted Woodpecker 1
Wryneck 1 – 2 Chat Vale. Birds seen nearly simultaneously near the main path and near the western edge of the scrub opposite Hodcombe. Bird seen at western end appeared orange-throated.
Sand Martin c.100
Swallow c.15
House Martin c.2
Wheatear c.5
Whinchat c.5
Garden Warbler c.3
Blackcap c.2
Lesser Whitethroat c.3
Whitethroat c.10
Sedge Warbler c.2
Reed Warbler 1
Willow Warbler c.10
Chiffchaff 1
Goldcrest 1
Spotted Flycatcher c.5
Raven c.3

30th August 2003 Beachy 6.15am – 1.45pm. Cold at first with light N wind

Grey Heron 1 in flight over top fields

Barnacle Goose 1 in flight N along Cuckmere with Canada Geese leaving roost.
Oystercatcher 5 W off Cow Gap
Swift 2
Sand Martin c.15
Tree Pipit 2 on ground in Cow Gap
Nightingale 1 clean pale breast. White eye-ring. Responded to croaking tape.
Redstart c.4
Wheatear c.15
Whinchat c.5
Garden Warbler c.3
Blackcap c.2
Lesser Whitethroat c.3
Whitethroat c.15
Sedge Warbler c.10
Grasshopper Warbler 2 including good views of a bird flushed which then perched atop an Elderberry bush
Reed Warbler c.2
Willow Warbler c.10
Spotted Flycatcher c.5
Pied Flycatcher 3

29th August 2003 Church Norton 5.30pm – 7.30pm. Just stopped raining. Calm

Grey Plover c.3

Spotted Flycatcher c.8
Pied Flycatcher 1

26th August 2003 Corton, Lowestoft, Suffolk 3.30pm – 7.30pm. Sunny with light wind

Greenish Warbler 1 often foraging amongst bright yellow leaves when reflection caused an apparent yellow suffusion to the face, ear-coverts, throat and breast reminiscent of Green Warbler. However, at other times appeared to have grayish-green upperparts and whitish underparts lacking any trace of yellow. Dark legs. Supercilium appeared broad and wingbar across greater coverts also appeared broad.

25th August 2003 Beachy 6.00am – 12.30pm

Pied Flycatcher 1 good views of a bird in scrub behind gulley south of Belle Toute which showed a well-marked second wingbar across the median coverts. Lacked grey tones of Semi-collared Flycatcher though!!

24th August 2003 Beachy 6.00am – 12.45pm. Light easterly freshening. Partly overcast. Warm

Cormorant c.3
Little Egret 1 Cow Gap Beach
Sparrowhawk 1 Ditchling Beacon
Kestrel c.4
Snipe 1 flushed from Cow Gap field
Spotted Redshank 1h a Wader heard over Chat Vale giving a distinctive ‘chew-it’ call was most-likely this species
Skua sp. 1 very dark individual flew inland from Birling. Only seen distantly but couldn’t see any white flashes on the primaries. Looked quite large and long-winged.
Herring Gull c.200
Sand Martin c.15
Swallow c.10
Tree Pipit c.2 plus 1h
Yellow Wagtail c.15
Nightingale h croaking back in response to tape playback
Redstart c.2
Wheatear c.5
Whinchat c.3
Garden Warbler 1
Lesser Whitethroat c.5
Whitethroat c.15
Reed Warbler c.3
Willow Warbler c.5
Spotted Flycatcher c.3
Pied Flycatcher 2 brief flight views of each!
Yellow-fronted Canary 1 singing male in Beachy Head Hotel Gardens before flying off west

23rd August 2003 Elmley RSPB 9.15am – 12.30pm, Oare Marshes 1.15pm - 3.30pm. Weather hot and sunny with light W wind

Little Grebe c.6 at least some retaining s/p

Little Egret c.5
Shelduck c.20
Pochard 1
Ruddy Duck 1
Marsh Harrier c.4
Kestrel c.4
Hobby 2
Grey Partridge c.4
Water Rail 1 ex. Views creeping along a bank
Avocet c.10
Grey Plover 1 s/p
Lapwing c.30
Knot 1
Dunlin c.20
Little Stint 1 Oare
Green Sandpiper 1
Redshank c.50
Black-tailed Godwit c.200
Curlew c.50
Ruff c.40
Swift c.3
Swallow c.25