21st March, 2019 Beachy Head Overcast, mild with fog on the Headland. WSW 2-3

We arrived at Birling where it was clear out to sea but fog over the top of the Headland. We sea-watched from 06.25-07.40 but it proved to be another disappointing sea-watch with very little movement seen. We then covered Belle Tout wood, Shooters Bottom, Old Trapping Area, Radio mast bushes, Hotel Garden and Icky Ridge. LP also covered Birling lane, Birling loop and Belle Tout wood, and Shooters Bottom. RAB and RB walked to Warren Hill to Crapham Bottom and Long Down and onto Belle Tout and Shooters Bottom.
Fewer migrants seen today, which included 40 Meadow Pipits which arrived in off the sea and a flock of 35 at Crapham Bottom, our 4th Black Redstart for the Spring, White Wagtail with 10 Pied Wagtails, a Woodcock and a Merlin.
Combined totals:

Red-throated Diver 9E
Great-crested Grebe 2 on the sea
Gannet 15 E
Common Buzzard 1
Brent Geese 40 E
Shelduck 1
Common Scoter 3 E
Merlin 1 female type (LP)
Woodcock 1 Shooters bottom (LP)
Green Woodpecker 1 B/T wood
Pied Wagtail 10 Crapham Bottom
White Wagtail 1 Crapham Bottom
Meadow Pipit 75 (40 in off the sea, and 35 Crapham Bottom)
Dunnock 30 estimated in Shooters Bottom
Black Redstart 1 female type Radio mast bushes (JFC)
Stonechat 1 male rubicola type Shooters Bottom (JFC)
Wheatear 5
Blackbird 12 in Shooters bottom
Song Thrush 4
Redwing 9 in Shooters Bottom
Chiffchaff 14
Goldcrest 1 hotel Garden
Firecrest 3 (1 B/T wood, 1 bottom of Birling lane and 1 Shooters Bottom)
Great Tit 12 on the Headland
Raven 1
Goldfinch 10
Corn Bunting 2

Song Thrush in Shooters Bottom

 

Rubicola type male Stonechat taken in very dull conditions.

 In flight it had a large white rump.

Wheatear in Shooters Bottom