24th July 2024

The first Autumn migrants have started moving through and today we had 3 Willow Warblers, 2 Reed Warblers, a Sedge Warbler and a flyover Yellow Wagtail.

Phil, Jack. 

2nd June 2024

 We tried watching the sea from the clifftop near the Golf Clubhouse without a deal of success, however we were fortunate to see the Bee-eater that was seen some few minutes before at Langdon. This was the 81st species of bird we had seen in the last 9 days.

Pnil, Jack.

1st June 2024

A poor day with only a Tawny Owl of note and some 250 Gannets moving down Channel.

Phil, Jack.

30th May 2024

The wind being from the NW there was a movement of birds coming in off the sea and we had 103 Swifts, 100 House Martins, 55 Swallows, a Hobby and a Red Kite. Also in the area there was, the bird of the day, a Willow Warbler singing in the Farm Wood.

Phil, Jack.     

28th May 2024

Before the rain came another day of overhead movement. We had singles of Grey and Yellow Wagtails, 44 Swifts and 23 Swallows all flying west.

Phil, Jack. 

27th May 2024

A better day with a little more overhead movement, Phil who had started early this morning had a male Red-footed Falcon that flew from Hope Point inland, north over the golf course and 2 Hawfinches west. Later we were joined by a visitor, Franco, at the cliff-top where we had at least 60 Swifts west before the rain forced us to leave.

Franco, Phil, Nige, Jack.    

26th May 2024

Around the area there were very few birds so we decided to stand in the Paddock and do some viz mig. This proved to be a success with quite a few Red Kites, Common Buzzards and a Red-rumped Swallow  that flew over the Farm Wood.

Phil, Nige, Jack.

25th May 2024

 Poor day, only notable birds were 4 Ravens, 3 were juveniles, and a Great Skua upchannel.

Phil, Nigel, Jack.

19th May

After 30 years watching the site we still haven't worked out the best viz mig strategy for the site. Today we may have got it right.  After some early Red Kites moving through, it seemed sensible plan to spend the rest of the morning looking for passing raptors with Honey Buzzard being the most obvious target. Our traditional viz mig spot on the clifftop denied us a view over the village and South Foreland valley, as did our back up spot by the Monument. In the end we plumped for a spot in the middle of the paddock, which lacked a view down towards Hope Point but turned out to be ok.  

Red Kites continued to move north throughout the morning with a final total of 33 being recorded along with 21 Common Buzzards, two Hobbys, three Kestrels, and two Sparrowhawks. Finally at just after 11 we picked up an interesting raptor over the sea but lost it before we could clinch its identity. We relocated it inland and confirmed our suspicions of Honey Buzzard. Sadly it was never close enough to photograph and we struggled to confirm its sex although we suspect it was a male. After gaining height with a Common Buzzard it then rapidly set off inland. 

Other birds of note this morning included three Yellow Wagtails, 19 House Martins, 72 Swallows, one Sand Martin and 41 Common Swifts, four Siskins plus single Tree Pipit,  Reed Warbler and  Cuckoo 

Phil, Jack, Simon and Brendan

27th April 2024

After overnight rain, clearing at dawn, more grounded migrants were expected but we only had 1 Wheatear, a Nightingale that sung in Dusky Hollow, 37 warblers that consisted of 4 Blackcaps, 17 Common Whitethroats, 8 Lesser Whitethroats, 6 Chiffchaffs and 2 Willow Warblers. Notable overhead birds were 12 Sand Martins, 10 Swallows, 5 Yellow Wagtails and a Tree Pipit. 

On the sea were 87 Brent Geese, 30 Scoters, 1 Shag and 2 Whimbrel.

Brendan,  Nigel, Phil, Richard, Simon, Jack.  

14th April 2024

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.     

13th April 2024

Fewer birds today with very little overhead movement of 7 Swallows, 2 House Martins and 4 Red kites.

                                                          Simon Warry :- Red Kites 

Grounded migrants included a White Wagtail, 4 Wheatears, 12 Blackcaps, 13 Whitethroats, 2 Lesser Whitethroats, 17 Chiffchaffs and 2 Willow Warblers.

Richard, Simon, Jack. 

12th April 2024

 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.