17th July, 2016 Beachy Head Overcast and quite humid W 0-1 increasing to 3-4

A calm early morning and we covered Birling lane and scrub opposite, Shooters Bottom, Old Trapping Area, Hotel Garden, Icky Ridge and Belle Tout wood. Bob was in Whitbread Hollow trapping and ringing.

 Sand Martins and Swifts moved W, and our first Sedge Warbler for the Autumn was at Birling. Nightingale was in Whitbread Hollow (may have been a different bird from previous birds) otherwise just local breeding birds:

Swift 11 high W
Sand Martin 41 W
Swallow 10
Nightingale 1 in Whitbread Hollow (per RDME)
Song Thrush 1
Sedge Warbler 1
Common Whitethroat 11
Blackcap 1
Raven 1
Greenfinch 1 singing Whitbread Hollow
Goldfinch c30
Linnet c50
Bullfinch 1 Whitbread Hollow
Yellow Hammer 1 near Belle Tout wood
Corn Bunting 2

Again very low numbers of Butterflies recorded: 1 Dark-green Fritillary, 1 very fresh Chalk-hill Blue,       8 Marbled Whites plus small numbers of Meadow Browns, and Gakeeepers.

 

Our first Sedge Warbler of this Autumn at Birling