Today we had a light NW breeze which usually means we have a good movement overhead but unfortunately this was not the case but we did have 2 Little Ringed Plovers, a Swift, 6 Swallows, 2 House Martins, 2 Pied Wagtails, 1 Yellow Wagtail and 23 Siskins.
Grounded migrants were 5 Wheatears, 12 Blackcaps, 10 Whitethroats, 7 Lesser Whitethroats, 8 Chiffchaffs and 3 Willow Warblers.
Gerald, Richard, Jack.
Fewer birds today with very little overhead movement of 7 Swallows, 2 House Martins and 4 Red kites.
Today in a light SW breeze there was some overhead movement of 50 Meadow Pipits, 1 Tree Pipit, 6 Yellow Wagtails, 8 Siskins, 250 Linnets, 30 Chaffinches, 60 Goldfinches, a Redpoll, 2 Crossbills and the star of the day, a Serin S along the clifftop at 10:02.
Other notables around the area were a Redstart, a Black Redstart, a Reed Warbler, 12 Blackcaps, 10 Whitethroats, 15 Chiffchaffs and 19 Willow Warblers.
Brendan, Gerald, Phil, Richard, Jack.
Phil walked the area from 07:00 until 15:30 and had a count of 78 warblers, these were 11 Blackcaps, 9 Common Whitethroats, 3 Lesser Whitethroats, 39 Chiffchaffs and 16 Willow Warblers. Other notable birds were 2 Grey Partridges, 2 Yellow Wagtails, 3 Alba Wagtails, 6 Rock Pipits, 2 Stonechats, 2 Firecrests and our first for the spring, 2 Redstarts. Also flying W were 16 Siskins, 19 Swallows and a Marsh Harrier.
Overhead there were 6 Swallows, 3 Yellow Wagtails, 1 Pied Wagtail and 6 Siskins. Around the area were 2 Stonechats, 8 Blackcaps, 7 Whitethroats, 26 Chiffchaffs and a Willow Warbler. There was also a Nightingale which is a very rare bird for us especially in the spring.
Phil.
There was nothing moving overhead today so we walked the entire area looking for grounded migrants. We had 3 Swallows, a Ring Ouzel, 5 Blackcaps, 10 Whitethroats, 19 Chiffchaffs and a Willow Warbler.
As it was very warm we expected to have some butterflies but unfortunately we only saw a Peacock and 2 Brimstones.
Phil, Jack.
Another pleasant but windy day with some overhead movement of 35 Siskins, 2 Yellow Wagtails [one a Blue-headed], 20 Swallows and 2 House Martins. Grounded migrants included 4 Wheatears, 13 Blackcaps, 21 Chiffchaffs and our first for the spring, 2 Whitethroats and 2 Willow Warblers.
Richard, Paul Holt.
On a very warm and windy day there was a small overhead movement of 103 Chaffinches and 85 Siskins. Elsewhere in the area we had 3 Swallows, a Stonechat, 3 Wheatears, 5 Blackcaps, 17 Chiffchaffs and a male Firecrest.
Phil, Richard, Jack.
Birds were moving SW this morning and we had 12 Siskins, 107 Chaffinches, 1 Brambling and a Crossbill. Around the area were 3 Stonechats, 5 Pied Wagtails, 2 White Wagtails, 5 Blackcaps, 7 Chiffchaffs and, star bird of the day, a nice male Ring Ouzel in the Freedown.
On the White Dead Nettles by the Freedown we also found many Pied Shield Bugs and Hairy Footed Flower Bees.
Nigel, Richard, Jack.
On another cold day with a NE wind we had 210 Siskins moving SW and in the area 2 Stonechats, 2 Fieldfares, a White Wagtail, 5 Brambling, a Blackcap and 16 Chiffchaffs.
Phil, Richard, Jack.
On a chilly day with a NE wind we had 22 Siskins and a Grey Wagtail moving SW. In the area were at least 12 Common Buzzards, 3 Blackcaps, 15 Chiffchaffs and a Firecrest.
As we were about to leave our first Swallow came in off the sea.
Brendan,Phil, Nigel, Richard, Simon, Jack.
The morning started very quietly with a small movement north of Redwings, Chaffinches, Siskin and a couple of Bullfinches. Other than these were 11 Stock Doves, 2 White Wagtails, 4 Stonechats, a Blackcap, 4 Chiffchaffs, 4 Goldcrests, 5 Firecrests and a Woodcock around the area. It was not until approx 09:30 that things changed with a Short-Eared Owl at Kingsdown Lees and Buzzards began to move. By about 11:00 we had at least 40-50 Common Buzzards, 5 Red Kites and a Marsh Harrier flying north as were 500 Starlings.
Also had a male Brimstone butterfly and, at sea, a Harbour Porpoise
Gerald, Nigel, Phil, Richard, Jack.
Phil walked along the base of the cliffs from Kingsdown to St Margaret's Bay and had 33 Rock Pipits. Other than that there were only 7 Curlew and an Oystercatcher.
