Friday 10 April 2015

10th April 2015 Beachy Head Sunny periods but cool with sea-mist E 3

Arrived at Birling with sea-mist again, we sea-watched from 06.55-09.10 and again a reasonable passage with highlights being 3 superb Black-throated Divers in full summer plumage. We then covered virtually all the Headland sites including Icky Ridge and a small fall of night migrants including a Tree Pipit with the highlight being 2 Red Kites with one landing for a few minutes in the field opposite Shooters Bottom before they drifted off E.

Black-throated Diver 3 s/p E
Red-throated Diver 16 E
Gannet 8 E
Brent Geese 347 E
Canada Goose 2 W
Shoveler 1 E
Common Scoter 337 E
Red-breasted Merganser 4 E
Curlew 4 E
Arctic Skua 1 E
Kittiwake 150 E
Black-headed Gull 17 E
Little Gull 3 E (including 1 juv.)
Sandwich Tern 106 E
Common Tern 20 E
Auk Sp. 3 E
Common Buzzard 2
Red Kite 2 drifted E @ 12.15
Kestrel 1
Tree Pipit 1 in the Old Trapping Area and then departed high E
Rock Pipit 1
Swallow 2 in off the sea.
Stonechat 10
Wheatear 2
Song Thrush 1
Blackcap 3 males
Chiffchaff 20

Fox 1
Weasel 1
Cowslips now in flower


 


Red Kite over the Headland

 

Male Blackcap at Birling




Some of today's Chiffchaffs most were feeding on or very close to the ground.


Common Buzzard over Birling