LP visited Crowlink, Birling area, Belle Tout and Shooters Bottom. Generally quite for migrants in the areas covered with only 4 Willow Warblers logged. No diurnal migration was seen.
Swift 1 W
Yellow Wagtail 5 at Birling
Swallow 30
Whinchat 1
Reed Warbler 1
Sedge Warbler 1
Common Whitethroat 25
Willow Warbler 4
22nd August, 2017 Beachy Head Clear with an E breeze.
Combined totals:
RE was ringing in Whitbread Hollow and LP covered a number of sites on the Headland. A reasonable fall of night migrants with the highlight being a female Nightjar which was trapped and ringed in Whitbread Hollow. This now becomes our 11th record for Beachy since 1960 with 8 found in September and one last Spring. In 1978, a single bird was present in Whitbread Hollow from 12th Aug to 10th September, and although it was never trapped much to JFC annoyance, as he saw it virtually every morning during its stay as he was opening the nets. It would fly along the mist-net run but would never fly into the nets.
Diurnal migration was chiefly over the Headland with our first Grey Wagtails for the Autumn, Hirundines with 8 Swifts and Yellow Wagtails.
Sparrowhawk 1 Hollow
Kestrel 1 Hollow
Nightjar 1adult female trapped Whitbread Hollow
Swift 8 E
Green Woodpecker 1 Hollow
Great-spotted Woodpecker 1 Hollow
Sand Martin 20 E
Swallow 280 E
House Martin 25 E
Tree Pipit 1
Yellow Wagtail 42 (30 at Birling & 12 overhead)
Grey Wagtail 2 overhead
Nightingale 1 Whitbread Hollow
Common Redstart 2 (including the male which has been present since the 15/7).
Whinchat 3
Wheatear 1
Sedge Warbler 2
Reed Warbler 3
Lesser Whitethroat 5
Common Whitethroat 65 (45 Headland & 20 Hollow)
Garden Warbler 1
Blackcap 70 Whitbread Hollow
Chiffchaff 1
Willow Warbler 50 (35 Headland and 15 Hollow)
Spotted Flycatcher 1 (first for the Autumn)
Raven 1 Hollow
taken by RE
Adult Female Nightjar trapped and ringed in Whitbread Hollow
22nd August, 2017 Portland Bill
With a Yellow Warbler (first for Dorset) present at Portland Bill yesterday, Myself, RJF and JK decided an early morning drive but unfortunately when we arrived there were around 300 birders on site but no sign of the Yellow Warbler. We spent 3-4 hours at the site and saw very few migrants with just a few Willow Warblers. A Jersey Tiger Moth showed very well on a bush and we did a short sea-watch where RJF picked out a light phase Balearic Shearwater at reasonable range which proved to be the highlight of what was a disappointing day.
Jersey Tiger Moth at Portland Bill
23rd August, 2017 Beachy Head Bright start with low cloud from 09.00 SSE wind
Combined totals with adjustments for overlapping areas covered:
LP covered the headland from the Hotel to Shooters Bottom,
while RE. SM and MB were ringing in Whitbread Hollow.
RAB also visited the Headland and covered Bridleway to Long Down
and the Cattle Field, Old Trapping Area and Shooters Bottom.
A much quieter day on both the Headland and in the Hollow. Diurnal migration was mainly Swallows with 120 E. and 40 W, a single Grey Wagtail over the Hollow.
Sparrowhawk 1
Kestrel 1
Peregrine 1
Green Woodpecker 1 Long Down
Swallow 120 E & 40W
Yellow Wagtail 16 (5 moved overhead)
Grey Wagtail 1 Hollow
Wheatear 3
Whinchat 3
Common Redstart 5
Grasshopper Warbler 1 Hollow
Reed Warbler 1
Common Whitethroat 26 (20 Headland and 6 Hollow)
Lesser Whitethroat
Blackcap 25 Hollow (compared with 70 yesterday)
Willow Warbler 9 Headland
Spotted Flycatcher 2 walk to Long Down
