30 March 2018

A 3-hour seawatch from 0650 this morning produced the following heading up-channel: 466 Common Scoter, 38 Red-throated Divers, 1 Black-throated Diver, 500 Gannets, 115 Brent Geese, 33 Common Gulls, 1 Red-br Merganser, 13 Sandwich Terns, 2 Med Gulls, 23 Shoveler, 51 Black-hd Gulls, with 1 Shag on the sea.
Gerald, Jack, Nigel

29th March 2018

Nothing but 2 Siskins and an Alba Wagtail seemed to be moving today. Very little of note in area apart from 8 Yellowhammers singing on the hedges.  

26th March 2018

Hooded Crow from this morning.

26th March 2018

It was extremely cold today when Brendan and I did our vis. mig, however we kept at it for the morning and had 760 Chaffinches, 31 Siskins, 4 Bramblings, 10 Linnets and 210 Starlings moving NE. In the area there were up to 9 Buzzards that appeared to be loafing around rather than migrating and at 11:05 we had our bird of the day a Hooded Crow come in from the sea and fly off in a SW direction.

25th March 2018

A morning of 'vis. migration' produced quite an assortment of birds moving NE. There were 4150 Starlings (mainly one flock of at least 3000), 4 Alba Wagtails, 5 Fieldfares, 21 Great Tits, 250 Chaffinches, 3 Bramblings, 135 Linnets, 30 Goldfinches, 7 Siskins, 1 Hawfinch and 2 Reed Buntings.
On the sea, moving up channel, were 28 Red-throated Divers, 62 Brent Geese and 2 Canada Geese.
Our first Wheatear of the year flew along the cliff-top and a Black Redstart sat in the bushes by the Monument.
In the bay having a coffee, before we left, a flock of up to a 1000 Cormorants flew in, presumably after a shoal of fish, and  then within 15 minutes moved off north.
Gerald, Nigel, Richard, Jack.

24th March 2018

Limited evidence of migration with a mere three Chiffchaffs between the Monument and Little Green. Pick of the day was a Red Kite over the Golf Course eventually heading inland and also seen by Richard from Kingsdown. The lingering Black Redstart was still on the undercliff as per Nigel. A few divers were moving up channel. All those identified were Red-throated. Brendan and Jack
Also two Harbour Porpoises off Hope Point.

Red Kite

Red-throated Diver 

21st March 2018

A vis-mig in a light NW breeze proved to be very productive and in two and a half hours we had 65 Common Buzzards coming in from the sea. The birds mainly in small flocks of 5 to 7 circled over the South Foreland Valley gaining height before moving off NW very quickly. Other than buzzards we had very little apart from 730 Starlings flying NE. Earlier on the sea 50 Red-throated Divers and 240 Auks flew up the channel in an hour. Brendan, John, Jack.