An overcast morning with an easterly breeze, surly there must be a Pallas's or something even better this morning. We decided to try our luck in the Hollow and Cow Gap area and we also went down the Gully and onto the beach hoping for a good Wheatear but no joy and in fact a walk along the beach didn't produce a single passerine not even a Rock Pipit. After walking around Cow Gap and Whitbread Hollow we just had a couple of Chiffchaffs so back to Birling and we covered the lane with 2 more Chiffs and a couple of Goldcrests. Good news was that they have now re-open the road between Birling and Beachy Head Hotel which allowed us to drive to Belle Tout wood, Shooters Bottom, the Hotel Garden and Icky Ridge but everywhere was very quiet. RE had earlier covered Birling lane, and Birling loop including Belle Tout wood but like us had found the area very quiet with a few Chiffchaff and Goldcrests, 5 Swallows east and the first dreadred flock of 40 Woodpigeons moving, always a bad sign as the end of the Autumn is close. Bob had the bird of the morning a Dartford Warbler above Belle Tout wood.
Met up with Lee one of the National Trust wardens who had a Black Redstart at Birling this morning in the car park but by the time I arrived the car park was full of cars.
