20th April, 2017 Beachy Head Sunny becoming cloudy and cold with murk out to sea. Wind variable

With the forecast promising a change from the NE wind to a light and variable wind, we decided to sea-watch from 06.00-07.45. Big mistake with virtually no movement recorded, I cannot recall when the weather looked so promising in mid-April, to see so little moving out to the sea. RE joined us for some of the time and he then went and covered Birling lane and Birling loop. LP was covering Whitbread Hollow, Cow Gap and the Gully. We covered Shooters Bottom, Old Trapping Area, Hotel Garden, Icky Ridge and the Cliff Path. In nice calm overcast conditions for looking for migrants, very few were seen although a Red Kite over the top fields just about saved the day.

Gannet 2 E
Shag 1 off Whitbread Hollow (per LP)
Canada Goose 2
Shelduck 5 E
Common Scoter 4 E
Red Kite 1 over the top fields and departed N @ 10.20
Common Buzzard 1
Kestrel 1
Peregrine 1 (caught a prey and landed in long grass close to the road)
Red-legged Partridge 5
Whimbrel 1 on beach
Mediterranean Gull 1
Sandwich Tern 2 E
Swallow 8
White Wagtail 1 (Belle Tout lighthouse and been present for around a fortnight)
Wheatear 1
Lesser Whitethroat 3
Common Whitethroat 6
Blackcap 1
Chiffchaff 4
Willow Warbler 9
Raven 2

 

 

Adult Peregrine which had just caught a prey and

landed in some long grass near the road

After several minutes it departed with prey

Just when you thought the sea-watch couldn't get any worse,

these two came swimming along!! I then gave up.