30th August,2015 Beachy Head. and Rodmell Overcast NE 4 decreasing to 2-3

A very enjoyable morning birding on the headland but still lacking a rarity. We covered most of the sites with the exception of Belle Tout loop. Still a reasonable selection of night migrants seen, some of which showed extremely well for the camera and large numbers of hirundines were moving E virtually all morning at times one per second. Highlights were a very showy Firecrest, Pied Flycatcher, and a superb juvenile Red Kite which we watched for over half an hour over the top fields.

Red Kite over the top fields

Red Kite 1 juv over the top fields
Common Buzzard 4
Kestrel 3
Swift 1
Sand Martin c100 E
House Martin c2,000 E
Swallow c4,000 E
Tree Pipit 5
Yellow Wagtail 5
Common Redstart 3
Whinchat 4
Wheatear 2
Grasshopper Warbler 2
Lesser Whitethroat 3
Common Whitethroat 60
Blackcap 8
Willow Warbler 4
Firecrest 1
Spotted Flycatcher 1
Pied Flycatcher 1
Raven 5
Corn Bunting 5

Wheatear at Birling

(taken by David Cooper)

Yellow Wagtail in the Old Trapping Area

Whinchat in Shooters Bottom

 

Whinchat at the Old Trapping Area

Female Redstart in the Old Trapping Area

 

Pied Flycatcher in the Old Trapping Area

 

 

 

Firecrest in the Old Trapping Area

 

 

 

Juvenile Red Kite over the top fields.

A late afternoon visit Rodmell after a telephone call from David to see a juvenile Red-backed Shrike which was showing on a row of hawthorn bushes.

Juvenile Red-backed Shrike Rodmell

(Digiscoped by David Cooper)