With virtually no wind, we just did a short sea-watch from 06.50-07.20 which was very quiet but one surprise were 3 adult Mute Swans which came flying fairly high coming straight in off the sea and headed over Birling going inland. I hoped for when first seen for Whoopers. We then covered Birling lane, Belle Tout wood, Shooters Bottom, Old Trapping Area, Hotel Garden and the Icky Ridge area. RE also covered Birling lane, Birling loop, and the Cornish Farm track. Still very few migrants seen although 4 Firecrests was our best day total so far this year, and a fly-thru Merlin along the cliffs at Birling was our first for year.
taken by Doreen Cooper
Sunrise at Birling Gap
Red-throated Diver 1 E
Great-crested Grebe 3 the sea
Gannet 2 E
Canada Goose 2 W
Mute Swan 3 adults high up came straight in off the sea and headed inland.
Kestrel 1
Merlin 1 fly-thru along the cliffs at Birling
Peregrine 1-2
Red-legged Partridge 1 near B/T.
Black-headed Gull 100 Birling area
Collared Dove 1 Birling departed N
Meadow Pipit 12 (7 N)
Stonechat 6
Song Thrush 4
Chiffchaff 1
Firecrest 4 (3 Birling and 1 OTA)
Raven 1
Brambling 1 B/T wood ( our first this year)
Greenfinch 1 female briefly in the OTA (our first logged since last August)
Goldfinch 20
