A seawatch in the bay from 0730-0900 in a chilling SE wind produced the following birds (mainly down channel): 246 Brent Geese, 2 Great Skuas, 1 Sandwich Tern, 500 Gannets, 1 Razorbill, 100 Kittiwakes, 2 Shags, 3 Red-throated Divers and 2 Great Northern Divers.
There was also an adult Yellow-legged Gull on the sea.
Up top, we had 7 Swallows, 23 Goldcrests, 2 Firecrests, 650 Starlings coming in, plus 2 Redpoll, 4 Siskin and 1 Reed Bunting.
Gerald, Jack, Nige, Richard
On a pleasant day with a north westerley breeze we expected more at Bockhill. Overhead movement was a little disappointing and other than 13 Pink-footed Geese that flew over the big field we only had 3 Golden Plovers, a Swallow, Grey Wagtail, 2 Alba Wagtails and a Reed Bunting.
Grounded birds included 15 Rock Pipits on the Undercliff, 5 Stonechats, 2 Blackcaps, 6 Chiffchaffs, 6 Firecrests and 24 Goldcrests.
Nigel, Phil, Richard, Jack.
After Storm Ciaran a seawatch on the Rifle Butts at Oldstairs started at 07:15 with Simon and I hoping to see petrels. Just north, on Kingsdown Beach, Rob Ratcliffe had seen 2 Leach's and a Storm Petrel which gave us some hope. During the morning we were joined by Brendan and Chris Cox who had been in the Bay at St Margaret's and had seen 6 Leach's moving north. We saw petrels at Oldstairs but so distant that we did not identify them.
Notable birds that we had were 2 Great Northern Divers, 2 Arctic Skuas, 2 Sparrowhawks just in off the sea and 3 Sandwich Terns and 3 Little Gulls.
The star birds were 2 Grey Phalaropes. The first, found just off the beach by Martin Collins, flew to the Undercliffe and whilst photos were being taken another bird was found close to sea wall. Note different head patterns.
A very good seawatch.
After Storm Ciaran had blasted it's way up the coast, a seawatch from 1300-1615 from the beach huts at Kingsdown produced 9 LEACH'S PETRELS (the initial one South, all others North) and 1 STORM PETREL South, together with 9 Little Gulls (a mix of adults and 1st year birds) and 1 Great Northern Diver.
Jack also had 2 more Leach's and 1 Storm Petrel from Oldstairs Bay.
Nige
