Both RE and LP visited the Headland and covered the sites around Birling and Belle Tout area Generally the area very quiet:
Red-legged Partridge 1
Green Woodpecker 1 B/T wood
Swallow 1 over top fields
Black Redstart 1 female type E of B/T wood
Blackcap 2
Chiffchaff 3
Willow Warbler 1
4th April, 2019 Overcast very clear and cold S-SE 7-8
We sea-watched from 07.00-10.45 and we got very cold in the near gale force S wind. LP visited briefly and then covered Birling lane, Belle Tout wood and Shooters Bottom but could only manage 1 Chiffchaff and the female type Merlin.
Sea-watch was very hectic especially as I was trying to photograph and keep the note-book up to date. Thanks to Doreen for picking out many of the sea-birds. Excellent passage of Kittiwakes which were moving in good size batches. Also 4 Manx Shearwaters, the first one very close, our first Arctic
Skua for the year, and some very nice parties of Mediterranean Gulls also 4 Black-throated Divers in s/p.
Red-throated Diver 3 E
Black-throated Diver 4 E in s/p
Great-crested Grebe 1 E
Manx Shearwater 4 (1 very close E @ 07.30, 2 W @ 08.40 and 1 W @ 09.45)
Gannet 343 E
Brent Goose 348 E
Teal 4 E
Common Scoter 79 E
Merlin 1 female type over field near Hodcombe (LP)
Arctic Skua 1 d/p E
Mediterranean Gull 43 E
Black-headed Gull 46 E
Common Gull 26 E
Kittiwake 637 E
Sandwich Tern 149 E
Auk Sp. 5 E
Chiffchaff 1
Some of today's Gannets
Good Kittiwake passage this morning.
Brent Geese on migration off Birling
43 Mediterranean Gulls passed this morning.
Sandwich Terns with 149 seen today.
On our way home we called into Splash point to have a look at the Pied Crow, the first one I have seen since my African birding trips
Pied Crow at Seaford
