30th July, 2016 Beachy Head Overcast mild W 1

Covered most of the sites on the headland. Met up briefly with GG at Shooters Bottom and RE was ringing in Whitbread Hollow. Just a small arrival of night migrants and Bob trapped an interesting control of a Cetti's Warbler in Whitbread Hollow. Also 2 Nightingales and a juvenile Black Redstart in the Hollow which may indicate local breeding. Again very little overhead migration with 22 Sand Martins and a juv/1stW plumage Yellow-legged Gull was seen flying along the cliffs at Shooters Bottom.
Following are the combined totals:

Cormorant 13 high W
Yellow-legged Gull 1 Juv/1stW over the cliffs at Shooters Bottom
Sand Martin 22
Swallow 10
Nightingales 2 Whitbread Hollow (per RE)
Black Redstart 1 juv Whitbread Hollow (per RE)
Song Thrush 5
Cetti's Warbler 1 control trapped in Whitbread Hollow (per RE)
Sedge Warbler 6
Reed Warbler 8
Lesser Whitethroat 1-2 Shooters Bottom
Common Whitethroat 22
Willow Warbler 44 (our largest total so far this Autumn)
Raven 1
Corn Bunting 3

Common Blue 1
Chalkhill Blue 10
Marbled White 6
Brown Argus 1
Painted Lady 1
Small Copper 1
Plus small numbers of the common downland butterflies

Part of the flock of 13 high Cormorants moving west.

Two of today's Willow Warblers-some variation in plumage

Sedge Warbler at Birling

Juv/1stW Yellow-legged Gull over the cliffs at Shooters Bottom.

Showing a strong black bill, white face with a dark mask, white

ground colour to underparts, darkish underwings, dark outer

greater coverts on upper wings, broad black terminal tail band with

the pale upper tail coverts can just be seen on the last picture as 

the bird disappeared below the cliff.

 

Very few Common Blues are being seen at present this year.

(taken by Doreen Cooper)

 Pale Flax in the Old Trapping Area.

Can't recall ever seeing this before on Beachy Head.