23rd April, 2017 Beachy Head Overcast cold at first E-S 2-3

Meeting up with RE and RAB for a sea-watch from 06.00-09.30 we were also joined by LP for some of the watch. Record day numbers for Beachy of Mediterranean Gulls but otherwise fairly quiet during our watch. Needless to say on our drive back to Burgess Hill 2 Poms came on for Selsey, but by that time I was to tired to turn back.**
The area was very quiet for migrants with a Black Redstart at Birling being the best with most of the sites on the headland were covered including the Cliff Path.

** KG performed a 2 hr sea-watch during the afternoon, and RAB and LP sea-watched for 2.25 hrs during the evening. See the next days blog for details of their sea-watches 

Red-throated Diver 1 E
Gannet 23 E
Egret Sp 1 E @ 08.20, just to far out to sea for i/d.
Shelduck 1 E
Teal 3 E
Shoveller 2 E
Common Scoter 128 E
Common Buzzard 1
Kestrel 2
Peregrine 2
Bar-tailed Godwit 7 E
Whimbrel 24 E
Arctic Skua 2 E
Bonxie 5 E
Mediterranean Gull 135 E
Kittiwake 243 E
Sandwich Tern just 2 E
Auk Sp. 3 on the sea
Guillemot 4 E
Rock Pipit 1
Alba Wagtail 1 over
Black Redstart 1 female/imm. at Birling
Common Redstart 1 male
Wheatear 1
Chiffchaff 4
Willow Warbler 8
Raven 2

Record day for Mediterranean Gulls at Beachy

 

Female/Immature Black Redstart at Birling

Spitfire on a dive in Cow Gap.