A brief visit in the morning checking the Farm Wood, Freedown and Paddock for anything green with stripes. Sadly there was nothing fitting this description and a Short-eared Owl in the Freedown was the highlight. Finches continued to move overhead with 60+ Redpolls and 110 Siskins along with single Crossbill and Brambling. Only one Chiffchaff was seen at Loxley Wood. A flock of 1100 Starlings coming in off was an impressive sight.
https://ebird.org/checklist/S153383018
Brendan
A short walk for a couple of hours produced 2 Chiffchaffs and a nice male Brambling in one of the sycamores at the Monument, 4 Redwings on the Lees and 21 Robins and 14 Blackbirds in the Paddock.
There was also a small overhead movement mainly of Redpolls. Gave up at 09:15 when the rain set in properly.
Jack.
In the afternoon Phil walked the Kingsdown Leas and had 5 Chiffchaffs, 2 Firecrests and 10 Goldcrests whilst overhead there were 45 Swallows and 7 House Martins.
A good day in which 65 species were recorded the highlight of which was the site's second Pallid Swift, initially found by Phil and Jack while waiting for coffee to be served at the Golf Club House. The bird was feeding with a large group of hirundines but was soon lost from view. Fortunately we were able to relocate the bird from the monument and had good scope views for at least 20 minutes. The bird was still present late afternoon when seen by Gerald. The flock eventually drifted off north and was seen later over north Deal.
Other highlights included a Marsh Harrier which went SW late afternoon, 113 Swallows eight House Martins, at least one Ring Ouzel, three Stonechats, eight Chiffchaffs, one Blackcap, four Firecrests, 32 Goldcrests, 450 Starlings in-off, two Bramblings and the usual unknown numbers of Siskins and Lesser Redpolls.
Phil, Jack, Brendan.
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Pallid Swift briefly at north Deal with hirundines. Photos taken by Gerald Segelbacher.
Bockhill's third ever Cetti's Warbler was found by Phil at Hope Point today. He also had a Lapland Bunting in the top field. Other than that it was a case of less of the same with three Chiffchaffs, two Blackcaps, a single Wheatear, 72 Swallows, eight Song Thrushes, four Bramblings and four Greenfinches. 110 Lesser Redpolls were recorded flying over but the true number could have been double that.
Tomorrow might be better
Phil, Brendan and Jack
Today, standing at the Monument, we had quite a good amount of overhead migration consisting of 40 Alba Wagtails, 449 Skylark, 8 Reed Buntings, 68 Swallows, 5 House Martins, 8 Reed Buntings and 31 Crossbills.
Around the area were singles of Wheatear and Stonechat, 2 Blackcaps, 8 Chiffchaffs, 17 Goldcrests and 2 Firecrests, also there had been a small increase in thrushes with 21 Blackbirds, two Ring Ouzels, two Redwings and three Song Thrushes.
At sea were 20 Brent Geese, 50 Gannets, 30 Mediterranean Gulls, 3 Little Gulls, four Red-throated Divers and 2 Shags.
Brendan, Phil, Jack.
Birds were in short supply this morning and we only had 2 Alba and a single Grey Wagtail, a Ring Ouzel, 2 Wheatears, 3 Stonechats, 12 Chiffchaffs, 2 Firecrests and 5 Goldcrests.
Overhead there were 6 Stock Doves, 110 Redpolls, 56 Siskins, 6 Bramblings and a Greenfinch (now quite a rarity)
Brendan, Phil, Jack.
This morning started well with quite a lot of Starlings, Meadow Pipits, Finches, Redpolls, Alba Wagtails, a few Swallows, a Golden Plover and a Great White Egret all moving overhead but unfortunately this did not last long. In the area warblers were in short supply and we only had 6 Blackcaps and 23 Chiffchaffs.
Other notable birds included 13 Grey Partridges, singles of Short-eared Owl and Black Redstart, 3 Wheatears, 5 Stonechats, 2 Ring Ouzels and 5 Firecrests.
Later on during the morning there appeared to be a movement W of up to 10 Buzzards.
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Brendan, Nigel, Simon, Jack.
Lighter winds this morning gave a glimmer of hope before the rain set in to ruin things. Highlights included three Great White Egrets in the Big Field, a short-eared Owl flushed from the clifftop at Hope Point and a small arrival of 32 Song Thrushes, mostly at Hope Point.
Other birds of note were 14 Grey Partridges, 18 Barn Swallows, four Chiffchaffs, one Blackcap, 11 Goldcrests and three Firecrests
Brendan
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| Great White Egrets |
A sea watch in a brisk southerly wind produced nine Brents, 34 Wigeon, seven Pintail, two Teal, two Scoter, one Shag, six Dunlin and two Swallows. Up top was equally unexciting with three Chiffchaffs, 16 Goldcrests, three Firecrests, three Stonechats
Brendan
Quite blown out today with little to report after an uneventful sea watch and few birds up top. Seven Goldcrests, one Firecrest and three Chiffchaffs
Brendan
A late start due to an unnecessary distraction earlier at Stodmarsh. Another disappointing day in which Chiffchaff numbers have fallen into single figures (six) for the first time this month and no other warbler species were recorded.
Bird of the day was a Shoveler that flew down channel with a group of Brents, only picked up in a photo taken to help count the geese! Several flocks of Brents past with around 410 counted. Also on the sea were single Sandwich Tern and Red-throated Diver along with 110 Mediterranean Gulls
More details @ https://ebird.org/checklist/S152383936
Brendan
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| Brents |
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| Shoveler with Brents |
Although a bright sunny day the NW breeze made it bitterly cold on the cliffs and consequently cut our birding short. Overhead 5 Alba Wagtails, 139 Siskins, 161 Lesser Redpolls, 73 Goldfinches, 2 Bramblings and 8 Crossbills moved N.
At sea 2 Curlew, 8 Oystercatchers, an Arctic Skua and 6 Swallows were seen.
In the area there were 5 Blackcaps, 46 Chiffchaffs, 12 Goldcrests, 2 Firecrests and 5 Stonechats and in the Freedown a Jack Snipe luckily avoided being caught by the local Peregrine.
We also had an influx of Sparrowhawks with possibly up to 6 different birds.
Brendan, Nigel, Phil, Richard, Simon, Jack.
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| Chiffchaff |
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| Buzzard |
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| Reed Bunting - Hope Point |
Hard work today as the SW winds continues but today with a bit of rain thrown in for good measure.
Chiffchaff numbers are down to 30 with just two Blackcaps. Other birds of "note" included three Goldcrests, one Firecrest and two Stonechats. Two parties of Grey Partridge were encountered one of six and one of eight.
Brendan
Not too much to get excited about today in a brisk SW wind, two Ring Ouzels in the Freedown being the highlight. Other birds of note included 55 Chiffchaffs, two Blackcaps, two Firecrest, and five Goldcrests. All the Stonechats have either moved on or were keeping their heads down in the wind.
11 Brent Geese flew up channel.
Very little moving overhead although a group of around 45 House Martins shot through early morning.
Full details at https://ebird.org/checklist/S151932891
Tomorrow will be better!
Brendan
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| Ring Ouzel |
Other notable birds incuded 6 Stonechats, a Hobby, 3 Great Spotted Woodpeckers, 8 Grey Partridges, 9 Goldcrests and 2 Firecrests.
Overhead, moving SW, were 18 Alba Wagtails, 170 Meadow Pipits, 2 Lesser Redpolls, a Brambling, 45 Siskins and 2 Reed Buntings.
Although well into october there were lots of butterflies mainly around the Farm Wood where there is a lot of flowering Ivy. We had at least 50 Red Admirals, 2 Painted Ladies, 2 White, 3 Speckled Wood and a Small Copper.
Richard, Simon, Jack.,
Chiffchaffs continue to dominate the scene with 104 still present today. However light SW winds and clear skies mean that the South East is missing out on all the eastern goodies dropping in sites in the north.
Today's highlight was an interesting looking Lesser Whitethroat in the Empty Wood. Sadly I wasn't able to get a photo but the date and washed out appeared may be indicative of one of the eastern races. The only other warblers seen were three Blackcaps.
Three Grey Herons migrating down channel was an interesting sight.
Other birds of marginal interest included six Stonechats, eight Song Thrushes and a single Greenfinch
Full details https://ebird.org/edit/checklist?subID=S151781353
Brendan
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| Grey Herons |
Moving SW overhead were 51 Skylarks, 10 Alba Wagtails, 45 Lesser Redpolls and 7 Reed Buntings.
Brendan, Nigel, Phil, Richard, Jack.
Grounded migrants included 9 Stonechats, 2 Wheatears, 3 Blackcaps and as usual a good count of 187 Chiffchaffs.
Brendan,Nigel,Phil,Simon,Jack.
Still plenty of Chiffchaffs in the area with 101 counted this morning but Blackcaps (3) remain thin on the ground. Overhead there was another strong passage of House Martins with around 1,200 counted along with three Swallows.
Highlight today was a Yellow-browed Warbler seen briefly at the Gun Emplacement
Brendan
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| Yellow-browed Warbler |
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| Long-tailed Tit - Paddock |
Phil, Jack.
