16th March, 2020 Sunny and warm N1-2

What a beautiful Spring day. We only did a brief sea-watch from 07.15-07.45, but very quiet. We then covered B/T wood, Shooters Bottom, Old Trapping Area, Radio mast bushes. We then heard from LP who had just received a telephone message that 2 Common Cranes were heading W from Bexhill area and after some time, LP picked them out very high in the sky and after 10 minutes they headed off NW. RE covered Birling lane, Birling to Belle Tout loop, Cornish Farm track and part of Shooters Bottom, and LP covered Michel Dean area.

Nice arrival of Chiffchaffs, although the majority quickly moved inland along Birling lane, also our first Wheatears and Black Redstart for the year and at least 7 Firecrests.
Combined totals:

Common Crane 2 flew from Bexhill/Hastings area and soared above the eastern section of Beachy Head for 15 minutes before departing high NW @ 10.40 (LP, JFC, DRC). Our 5th record.

Shelduck 2 E
Sparrow Hawk 1 Headland
Common Buzzard 7 Headland
Kestrel 1 female,
Green Woodpecker 2
Meadow Pipit 7
Rock Pipit 1 Birling
Pied Wagtail 6
Dunnock c30 in Shooters Bottom (all were in pairs)
Black Redstart 1 female type B/T area (RE)
Stonechat 16 chiefly in pairs
Wheatear 3 (1 Birling, 2 Michel Dean)
Blackbird 10 Shooters Bottom chiefly males
Redwing 2
Song Thrush 2
Chiffchaff 90+ (70+ heading up Birling lane and then inland during early morning)
Goldcrest 3
Firecrest 7 (2 B/T wood, 1 Radio mast bushes, 4 Michel Dean area).
Long-tailed Tit 1
Raven 6 (3 pairs)
Goldfinch 2
Linnet 1
Corn Bunting 18 (7 holding territories and flock of 11)

On the drive home we saw 2 Brimstone Butterflies.

Male Wheatear at Birling

Some of today's Chiffchaffs

Firecrest in Belle Tout wood

Common Cranes passing over Beachy Head.