21st April, 2017 Beachy Head Overcast mild SW 1-2

A glutton for punishment, we again sea-watched from 06.25-07.55 but again another very poor watch. Met up with GG who had just arrived and seen a Whinchat which we looked for but were unable to locate. We covered Birling lane, Belle Tout wood where we met up with LP who had covered a number of sites on the headland. We then called into see RHC at Hodcombe and covered his garden. Reasonable arrival of Willow Warblers and several Wheatears.

Gannet 10
Common Scoter 8 E
Common Buzzard 1
Arctic Skua 1 l/p spent some time chasing Kittiwakes before departing E
Mediterranean Gull 2 E
Sandwich Tern 1 E
Auk Sp. 3 on the sea
Tawny Owl 1
Swallow 10
Rock Pipit 2 feeding on short grass above Birling
Common Redstart 1 female (perLP)
Whinchat 1 at Birling (perGG) our first for the year.
Wheatear 7
Common Whitethroat 3
Blackcap 1
Chiffchaff 3
Willow Warbler 50+
Greenfinch 1 Hodcombe
Goldfinch 60

Brimstone 1
Small Copper 1

.

Swallow having a rest after just arriving

 

Larger and bulkier with a upright stance than the other Wheatears

present near by and possibly a Greenland race leucorhoa, although

I would like to see more buffy-peachy on the underparts to be certain.