24th March, 2018 Beachy Head Overcast with sea-mist SE 1

We sea-watched from 06.35-08.10 with RAB, and then covered Belle Tout wood and scrub, Shooters Bottom, Old Trapping Area, Hotel Garden and the Icky Ridge area. RE also covered Birling lane, the Birling loop, and the Cornish Farm Track. Highlight on the sea-watch was a fairly close winter plumage Black-throated Diver on the sea virtually the whole of the watch. Very few migrants seen in the area with a single Firecrest in the scrub near Belle Tout wood.

Red-throated Diver 15 (13 E, 1 W and 1 on sea)
Black-throated Diver 1 w/p on the sea
Great-crested Grebe 2 (1 E and 1 on the sea)
Gannet 3 E
Shelduck 13 E
Teal 2 E
Common Scoter 11 E
Common Buzzard 1
Kestrel 1 ad. male
Oystercatcher  4 E (quite a way out and flying very purposefully)  
Dunlin 1 E
Curlew 6 E
Common Gull 30 on the sea off Birling
Green Woodpecker 1
Meadow Pipit 6
Rock Pipit 1
Stonechat 7
Redwing 1 Shooters Bottom
Song Thrush 4
Chiffchaff 1
Firecrest 1 in scrub near Belle Tout
Raven 2
Goldfinch 20
Corn Bunting 4

Harbour Porpoise 1 off Birling

One of today's Shelducks decided to have a brief walk on the Headland.

 Redwing in Shooters Bottom.