20th September, 2015 Beachy Head and Cuckmere Fine sunny and warm SW 1

What a beautiful day. We covered most of the main sites on the headland but far fewer night migrants present in the bushes. House Martins were again moving west in large numbers during the first two hours and Siskins were also moving. A number of raptors were seen with a probable Honey Buzzard which flew directly out to sea but views were not ideal for full identification, a Marsh Harrier headed east and a Merlin flew past us at Birling and was later seen over the top fields, 2 Kestrels flew high over Birling. Finally a Short-eared Owl flew very high over the Old Trapping Area heading SE.

Little Egret 1

Grey Heron 1 on beach

Marsh Harrier 1 

Sparrowhawk 2

Merlin 1 female/1st yr

Kestrel 4 (2 high east over Birling)

Common Buzzard 2

Short-eared Owl 1 high SE over the Old Trapping Area

Great-spotted Woodpecker 1

Sand Martin 5W

Swallow c500 W

House Martin c6,000 W

Pied Wagtail 10

Grey Wagtail 1 W

Yellow Wagtail 22

Meadow Pipit 150

Rock Pipit 3

Wheatear 4

Whinchat 7

Song Thrush 1

Blackcap 60

Common Whitethroat 8

Willow Warbler 1

Chiffchaff 10

Goldcrest 2

Raven 1

Siskin 51 chiefly west with others heard

Sunrise taken from Birling

Female/1stW Merlin over the top fields

Siskins in Shooters Bottom

Blackcap in Shooters Bottom

Whinchat at Belle Tout

Short-eared Owl high over the Old Trapping Area

 

After leaving Beachy, we stopped off in the Cuckmere to see the Grey Phalarope, also 1 Greenshank, 9 Dunlin and 1 Ringed Plover.

Grey Phalarope in the Cuckmere

Dunlin along the river in the Cuckmere.