Monday 10 July 2017

10th July, 2017 Beachy Head and Newhaven Overcast SW 2-3

We covered Birling lane, Birling to Belle Tout loop and Shooters Bottom. LP was also covering a number of sites on the Headland.
No new migrants seen other than 14 Swifts W although the highlight being a Little Owl which is the first I have seen at Beachy for about 5 years.  4 adult Mediterranean Gulls were on Birling beach with some Black-headed Gulls and a further one flew E out to sea.

Little Egret 1
Kestrel 1
Mediterranean Gull 5 (4 adults on beach and 1 E out to sea).
Stock Dove 1
Little Owl 1 Birling farm
Swift 14 W
Rock Pipit 1 collecting food in B/T gully
Pied Wagtail 4
Common Whitethroat 12
Raven 2
Yellowhammer 1 male collecting food and visiting nest site.
Corn Bunting 10

Round-headed Rampion 1

Late news for yesterday, Roger and Liz had a Bee-eater fly over Hodcombe calling at 08.00 and LP had another juv. Yellow-legged Gull at Holywell.


Four adult Mediterranean Gulls were on Birling beach

Female Stonechat carrying food for its second brood.

Rock Pipit collecting food in Belle Tout gully

 

Male Yellowhammer collecting food and visiting its nest site.


Little Owl at Birling farm

Round-headed Rampion near Birling
also known as the Pride of Sussex

On our way home we called in to Newhaven Harbour and the tide was about 2/3rds of the way in. Fair numbers of gulls still on the beach mainly Black-headed Gulls including several juveniles, but also 10 Mediterranean Gulls including 3 juveniles and 1 Juvenile Yellow-legged Gull and about 20 Herring Gulls mainly immature birds but no juveniles yet.

                                                  
 
Adults and juvenile Black-headed Gulls

Adult Mediterranean Gull and adult Black-headed Gull

Two adult Mediterranean Gulls, (top bird ringed)

Adult and Juvenile Mediterranean Gulls 


Juvenile Mediterranean Gull

 

Adult Mediterranean Gull

Juvenile Yellow-legged Gull with immature Herring Gull

 



Juvenile Yellow-legged Gull at Newhaven Harbour.