30 September 2018

A little visible migration today with a trickle of Swallows, 48 Alba Wagtails, 2 Yellow Wagtails, 1 Grey Wagtail, 2 Mistle Thrushes, 7 Tree Sparrows, 23 Siskins and 35 Starlings.
Around the area was a Wheatear, Whinchat, 4 Stonechats, 1 Ring Ouzel, 8 Blackcaps, 55 Chiffchaffs, 25 Skylarks, 35 Yellowhammers and as we were leaving a Short-eared Owl was mobbed by a Raven and several Jackdaws. Gerald. Richard. Jack
Later a Yellow-browed Warbler was found outside Heather and Nigel's house at Kingsdown. Nigel

Gerald Segelbacher

28th September 2018

A strong NE, coupled with drizzle and occasional showers were a contrast to yesterday. Either the dog or I flushed a Lapland Bunting first thing this morning in the stubble field up from Hope Point. A Merlin was over Hope Point shortly afterwards. There wasn't much else! Four Wigeon were in The Bay. Around the area were a Wheatear, 47 Chiffchaffs, 21 Blackcaps, 52 Swallows and a Firecrest back in Kingsdown. Not much to suggest that it isn't the same one present for the last two weeks.

Richard, Brendan and John.

27th September 2018

A beautiful sunny morning with a very light SW. Still good numbers of hirundines, 1 000 Swallows and 1 500 House Martins. A Lesser Whitethroat was on The Rough. Between Kingsdown and the Farm Wood there were 37 Chiffchaffs, 42 Yellowhammers, two Ravens, a Grey Wagtail, 32 Blackcaps, 30 Siskins and 120 Meadow Pipits.

Sunrise over The English Channel

26th September 2018

An increase in numbers today. The Farm Wood had 50 Chiffchaffs, 20 Blackcaps and a Spotted Flycatcher. Hirundines were also on the move and there was the annual spectacle of House Martins landing on The Monument. In all there were 2 000 Swallows, predominately immature birds, 1 700 House Martins and 40 Sand Martins with a Hobby in close attendance.

Elsewhere on my daily Kingsdown to Bockhill walk were a further 20 Chiffchaffs, five Blackcaps, 130 Meadow Pipits, two Wheatears, 21 Yellowhammers, a Golden Plover, five Siskins and six Bullfinches.

25th September 2018

A bit of a struggle today to find anything of note other than the routine warblers and even these were much less evident with 69 Chiffchaffs, and 22 Blackcaps. A single Whitethroat was in the Freedown and Richard's Firecrest was still present at the Kingsdown end of the recording area. Two Wheatears were still present in the middle field while overhead there were two Reed Buntings, and single Grey and Yellow Wagtails. Three Grey Herons went over  Kingsdown.

Brendan & Richard

24th September 2018

The NW winds had brought about a significant arrival of warblers with 70 Chiffchaffs (up from eight the previous day!) and 36 Blackcaps. Richard added another 58 Chiffs and 20 Blackcaps in the Otty Bottom/Oldstairs area. Sadly the only other warbler we encountered was a single Lesser Whitethroat.

Other than that it was fairly quite, with four Wheatears, a single Firecrest, four Reed Buntings, three Yellow Wagtails, two Stonechat, two Snipe.

Siskins were regularly heard throughout the morning with at least 24 birds going over. Meadow Pipits were  going over all morning but we negligently failed to count them.

Jack, John Cantelo, Richard and Brendan

23rd September 2018

Our seawatch from 07:00-10:00 in the Bay did not approach the highlights on the north coast with one Great Skua down channel and one Black Tern up channel being the most notable birds. Other than that we had nine Mediterranean Gulls, 29 Sandwich Terns, a Shag offshore and two Harbour Porpoises. Nigel, Brendan, Richard, Jack.

22nd September 2018

Met Phil at 07:00 and walked the cliff-top to Hope Point, overhead moving W, we had 1 Hobby, 6 House Martins, 1 Yellow Wagtail, 4 Rock Pipits, 689 Meadow Pipits and 3 Siskins.
Elsewhere around the area were 2 Great Spotted Woodpeckers, 5 Wheatears of which 2 appeared to be 'Greenlands', 1 Whinchat, 2 Stonechats, 29 Blackcaps, 57 Chiffchaffs, 1 Willow Warbler and 27 Yellowhammers.
At sea were at least 7 Harbour Porpoises. Phil, Richard, Jack.

17th September 2018

Highlight of the day was undoubtedly a Green Sandpiper which flew over calling. There was a good movement of Swallows in the first two hours after dawn with at least 1,800 birds along with about 40 Sand Martins. Warblers remained thin on the ground with 26 Chiffchaffs, three Whitethroats, 24 Blackcaps and one Lesser Whitethroat. The Stonechat remains at the monument.

Brendan

16th September 2018

For an hour from 06:45 - 07:45, in a strong S wind, 64 Sand Martins, 2365 House Martins and 625 Swallows moved SW along the cliff-top. Little else was moving apart from singles of Lapwing, Ringed Plover, Stonechat and Coal Tit, also our first 13 Jays of the autumn came in off the sea.
Around the area were very few warblers, the only notable totals being 43 Blackcaps and 36 Chiffchaffs. Phil, Nigel, Jack, Richard.

15th September 2018

This morning with the wind WNW we had some good visible migration for a couple of hours.   We recorded 700 House Martins, 350 Swallows, a single Swift, 140 Meadow Pipits,  2 Tree Pipits, 4 Grey wagtails and a Yellow Wagtail all moving off in a westerley direction. Also a Sparrowhawk and our first Autumn Merlin came in off the sea.
Grounded migrants around the area included 4 Wheatears, 3 Whinchats, a Stonechat, 2 Reed Warblers, 73 Blackcaps, 4 Lesser Whitethroats, 3 Whitethroats, 38 Chiffchaffs, a Spotted Flycatcher, a Goldcrest and a Firecrest.
Brendan, John C, Philip, Richard, Jack
Later in the afternoon Richard had another Wheatear, a Lesser Whitethroat, 13 Blackcaps and 20 Chiffchaffs around Oldstairs.

13th September 2018

A NW wind and overcast conditions saw a marked improvement in the birding today. Early morning before the could cleared, three Yellow Wagtails, t

hree Tree Pipits five Grey Wagtails and a Reed Bunting went over. Blackcaps ( 57) and Chiffchaffs (33) both had thier best days of the autumn so far. Other warblers included six Whitethroats, 10 Lesser Whitethroats, three Reed Warblers and a single Willow Warbler.

There were three Redstarts around the Paddock/Leas first thing and a fourth bird later at the Gun Emplacement. Spotted Flycatchers were seen at Hope Point and Otty Bottom while a Short-eared Owl was flushed from the clifftop.  Richard found the first Firecrest of the autumn. Brendan & Jack with additional records from Kingsdown/Otty Bottom from Richard

Redstart- Paddock 

Clouded Yellow

12th September 2018

After a delayed start due to rain and drizzle, birding was disappointing with only a handful of warblers in the area including 15 Chiffchaffs, 11 Blackcaps, 6 Lesser Whitethroats and two Common Whitethroats. Just as I was about to call it a day I managed to find two Pied Flycatcher in the Farm Wood.

8th September 2018

A Marsh Harrier flew out to sea shortly after dawn raising false hopes of an eventful morning. Again there was a passage of hirundines in the first couple of hours after dawn but this time heading south with around 650 Swallows and 450 House Martins. Other overhead passage included 4 Grey Wagtails, 40 Meadow Pipits and a single Reed Bunting. Warbler numbers were down with 17 Chiffchaffs, nine Lesser Whitethroats, four Whitethroats and a single Blackcap. There were no chats although just outside the area there were five Whinchats and six Wheatears along Reach Road.

Highlight of the morning was three Short-eared Owls in the air together at Hope Point

Brendan & John Cantelo

7th September 2018

Another good northward passage of hirundines in the first couple of hours after dawn, with House Martins (largely absent from yesterday's movement) dominating. A probably widely accurate count/estimate suggested 2,500 House Martins and 1,700 Swallows but it could easily have been double that total. All were going generally north. Much less Meadow Pipits moving today (35), reflecting the change of wind direction to WNW.  Two Grey and four Yellow Wagtails went over as did the first Reed Bunting of the autumn.

Chiffchaffs were more evident with 21 counted plus a further eight from Richard at Otty Bottom. Other Warblers included 21 Lesser Whitethroats, 10 Whitethroats, eight Blackcaps and single Grasshopper, Garden and Reed and Willow Warblers.

On the chat front there were three Redstarts, two Whinchats and a single Wheatear.

Yesterday's Short-eared Owl was relocated at Hope Point.

(Brendan)

6th September 2018

Today felt like autumn with a steady passage of Meadow Pipits,( 115 ) Swallows (900) and Sand Martins (50) all going North along the coast into a Northwesterly wind. Also Four Tree Pipits all heading inland and four Yellow Wagtails. On the ground there were six Whinchats (Freedown & Hope Point) and single Spotted Flycatcher, Wheatear and Redstart. A Short-eared Owl was flushed from the clifftop. While the Gun Emplacement came up trumps with two Garden Warblers and a brief Wood Warbler. Other Warblers included 15 Common Whitethroats and 15 Lessers, seven Blackcaps, eight Chiffchaffs and two Willow Warbler.

Brendan ( with additional records from Neil Framton)

Spotted Flycatcher - Freedown

Wheatear- Clifftop

A Short-eared Owl was flushed from the clifftop.

Wood Warbler _ Gun Emplacement

5th September 2018

A damp and miserable morning with birding to match! Four Whinchats on the clifftop and a Redstart at Hope Bay Studios were the highlights. On the warbler front there were six Whitethroats, nine lessers and seven Blackcaps but no Willow Warblers or Chiffchaffs. A single Lapwing  ( scarce Bockhill bird) flew north.

1st September 2018

Bright sunny conditions with light winds were not conducive to the arrival of migrants and it was hard work at times today, however we ended up with reasonable numbers, in part due to Richard's coverage of Otty Bottom. Day totals included; three Wheatears, three Whinchats, three Redstarts, 34 Blackcaps, seven Lesser Whitethroats, 10 Common Whitethroats, three Reed Warblers, one Grasshopper Warbler, four Chiffchaffs, four Willow Warblers, and 38 Yellowhammers. Overhead there were two Tree Pipits and two Yellow Wagtails while Richard had a Dotterel fly over the village. Gerald, Jack, Richard & Brendan

Wheatear

Wheatear