We then returned to Beachy and covered the Hotel Garden, Icky Ridge, Old Trapping Area and Birling Lane but the area appeared very quiet, so we returned to Birling and with the wind veering to SSE we sea-watched from 11.45-15.00 but again very little sea-bird movement logged.
Black-throated Diver 4 E
Red-throated Diver 1 E
Gannet small numbers moving E
Brent Geese 6 E
Common Scoter c100 E
Eider 1 drake W
Curlew 2W
Whimbrel 1 E
Sanderling 2 W
Bonxie 2 E
Arctic Skua 1 E
Sandwich Tern 70 E
Common Buzzard 2
Hobby 1 in off the sea
Peregrine 2
Swallow c10 in off the sea
Common Whitethroat 6
Willow Warbler 1
Raven 2
West Rise Marsh
Swift 40
Red-rumped Swallow 2 - Unfortunately by the time we arrived at West Rise, all the Swifts and hirundines had gone high and most had disappeared. We spent some time searching the skies when DC picked out two Swallows high up heading towards us. He immediately i/d a Red-rumped Swallow and managed to get myself, BK and Ron Knight onto it. As we were watching it, DC suddenly realised that the second Swallow was also a Red-rumped as well. Both birds kept together and past right over us. We watched both for some 5 minutes before they were lost to view. Superb.
Sandwich Tern off Birling
Adult Peregrine over Birling
