25th June, 2016 Beachy Head Fine sunny morning with rain spreading in during the late morning. WSW 1-3

Visited a number of sites on the Headland including Birling lane and the Birling/Belle Tout loop, Shooters Bottom, Old Trapping Area and Hotel Garden. As expected mainly the breeding birds seen although 24 Swifts moved W, a Hobby showed well, and a surprise was a Nuthatch. Some nice orchids but butterflies were few and far between.

Little Egret 1
Hobby 1
Swift 24 W
Stonechat 10
Song Thrush 1
Lesser Whitethroat 1
Common Whitethroat 18
Blackcap 2 singing
Chiffchaff 1 singing
Nuthatch 1 seen twice in flight between Birling and Belle Tout wood. (Probably a post breeding dispersal from East Dean/Friston Forest area and is our 13th record since 1960).

Speckled Wood 3
Small Tortoiseshell 1
Large Skipper 1

 Poppy field at Birling

Looking across to East Dean

 

Black-browed Albatross passing Beachy lighthouse (if only!!)

Hobby showing well near Birling

Speckled Wood

Speckled Wood with its wings closed appearing darker than normal

Large Skipper in the Hotel Garden

Common Spotted Orchid

Bee Orchid (normal variety)

Bee Orchid (pale variety)

Pyramidal Orchid

Straw Dot