6th September, 2015 Beachy Head Fine, sunny cool at first becoming warm. N 1

Covered Birling Lane and area, Shooters Bottom, Old Trapping Area where we performed a raptor watch for a good hour, and the Hotel Garden. Just small numbers of night migrants seen in the bushes, but an excellent diurnal passage of Siskins when a 160 were seen moving W and also good numbers were heard only (very high). Reasonable numbers of House Martins and Swallows of which some were moving but many were feeding over the area. An interesting plumage dark phase Common Buzzard was again seen at Birling which could easily cause confusion at a distance with a dark phase Honey Buzzard.

Sparrowhawk 2
Common Buzzard 5 (including a dark phase bird - see pics below)
Kestrel 2-3
Merlin 1 Top Fields
Hobby 1-2 Top Fields
Collared Dove 1
Swift 1
Great-spotted Woodpecker 1
Sand Martin 10
Swallow c500
House Martin c800
Tree Pipit 2
Meadow Pipit 20
Yellow Wagtail 20 W plus 12 in field with cattle
Grey Wagtail 5 W
Common Redstart 1
Whinchat 7
Wheatear 3
Reed Warbler 1
Common Whitethroat c20
Garden Warbler 2
Blackcap 6
Willow Warbler 17
Siskin 160 W and many heard calling only (very high) probably a combined 250 total. (our largest daily total was on the 29/9/1988 when an estimated 1,500 were logged moving W).

Whinchat enjoying the early morning sun at Birling

 

Yellow Wagtail at Birling

 Dark phase Common Buzzard which was usually gliding on flat 

or even down-curved wings. At a distance it could be mistaken

for a Honey Buzzard.

 

 

Some of today's Siskins