Saturday 29 January 2011

29th January,2011 Beachy Head, Shinewater & Cuckmere

We first sea-watched from Birling for 2.5 hours. Great activity with again hundreds of Razorbills going East, West & sitting on the sea, and good numbers of close Red Throated Divers, and 2 parties of Brents moving East. Also 2 to 3 Slavonian Grebes sat on the sea at close range and a record flock for Beachy of 130 Cormorants which came in from the East and sat on the sea.

Went onto Shinewater, still fair numbers of Wigeon & Teal but only a few Shovellers, Gadwall & Pochard. 2 Common Snipe and flushed a Water Rail.

Finally, to the Cuckmers, 5 species of Geese including 79 Whitefronts, 2 Brents and 25 Barnacles.

Part of the flock of 130 Cormorants off Birling Gap
a Beachy record size flock.


Record shots of the Slavonian Grebes off Birling.




Little Egret with plumes in the Cuckmere.




Whitefronts etc in the Cuckmers - no thanks to the
inconsiderate dog walkers who allowed their dogs to
run across the fields putting up the Geese.