28th September - Kent Bird Migration Day

Bockhill was able to contribute a few interesting records to KOS's Bird Migration day. There was a small steady passage of Meadow Pipits (110) and Chaffinches (45) during the first couple of hours plus the odd Skylark (11) moving south. More unusual were at least nine Great Spotted Woodpeckers moving north during the morning. Also moving overhead were at least 10 Grey Wagtail, 9 Pied Wagtails, four Siskins, three Reed Buntings. 18 Barn Swallows went through and a group of around 30 House Martins fed in the lee of the Empty Wood before moving off. Around mid morning there was a little pulse of Common Buzzards with around 15 seen coming in and heading inland. 

There were few grounded migrants and a reduction in warblers from earlier in the week. In all 108 Chiffchaffs were recorded along with 23 Blackcaps and a single Whitethroat. There were at least eight Stonechats along the Clifftop and another three in the Freedown. A Whinchat appeared briefly near the Freedown mid morning before heading inland. The only other migrants recorded were three Firecrests and three Goldcrests. 

Jack, Simon, Brendan, Richard and Nigel

27th September 2024

 Overhead this morning were good numbers of hirundines feeding across the fields again whilst over 500 Meadow Pipits flew W. 

Around the area were 12 Stonechats, a Wheatear, 2 Spotted flycatchers, 55 Blackcaps, a Whitethroat and 145 Chiffchaffs.

At 11:00 we were soaked in a heavy shower and decided to go to the shelter in the Bay. After coffee we started a seawatch at 11:30 lasting until 16:30. In this time, with birds all moving S, we had up to 2500 Gannets, 2 Great Skuas, a Pomarine Skua, 26 Arctic Skuas and a Manx Shearwater. Apart from these there were 100 Kittiwakes, 150 Mediterranean Gulls and, incoming, 2 Kestrels and 3[possibly 6] Hobbys.

Up to 5 Harbour Porpoises feeding just offshore. 

Jamie, Phil, Richard, Simon, Jack.           

26th September

Large falls of Chiffchaffs and Blackcaps had been reported from other Kent sites yesterday and it was clear that Bockhill had shared in this influx with 165 Chiffchaffs and 64 Blackcaps recorded this morning. However conditions were not good, windy and heavy rains so the true numbers were probably double these counts.

Other highlights included single Hobby, Grasshopper Warbler, Spotted Flycatcher and Tree Pipit. Other warblers included 3 Whitethroats and Two Lessers. 

There was a reasonable movement of Meadow Pipits (460) and Swallows (350) in the first hour. 

Brendan

22nd September 2024

 Today again there were hirundines feeding over the entire area but not in quite the same numbers, perhaps 50,000. Other birds included a Black Redstart, 5 Yellow Wagtails, 11 Reed Buntings and 23 Chiffchaffs.

On the sea were 89 Mediterranean Gulls, 14 Sandwich Terns and 2 Brent Geese moving South.

Phil, Simon, Jack. 

21st September 2024

Today on arrival we saw literally thousands of hirundines moving across the entire area, counting was very difficult but we had at least 40,000 Swallows, 25,000 House Martins and 150 Sand Martins. At about 09:00 the Monument became covered with 2000 House Martins clinging to the stonework, this happens most years but never ceases to amaze.

Warblers are now not in big numbers and we only had 1 Grasshopper Warbler, 1 Reed Warbler, 2 Lesser Whitethroats, 29 Blackcaps and 31 Chiffchaffs.

Elsewhere in the area was a Merlin, Osprey, Honey Buzzard, 5 Great Spotted Woodpeckers, 3 Wheatears and a Spotted Flycatcher.

Flyovers included 350 Meadow Pipits, 7 Yellow Wagtails, a Redwing and a Brambling.

There was also a Wryneck found by a visitor in the Paddock,

Nigel, Phil, Richard, Simon, Jack.

  

16th September 2024

 A seawatch for two hours this morning produced very little apart from a flock of 8 Balearic Shearwaters flying south at 08:45.

Simon, Jack. 

15th September 2024

 There were fewer grounded migrants today with 6 Blackcaps, 9 Whitethroats, 73 Chiffchaffs and a Spotted Flycatcher. Flyovers mainly moving west included a Tree Pipit, 6 Grey Wagtails, 2 Yellow Wagtails, 40 Meadow Pipits, 900 House Martins and 1100 Swallows,

Nigel, Phil, Jack.  

14th September 2024

 Today was the first time we had good numbers of warblers with over 70 on the beach at Kingsdown, 70  on the Leas at Kingsdown and 40 plus in the Paddock and Farm. The total numbers were 3 Grasshopper warblers, 47 Blackcaps, 10 Lesser Whitethroats, 7 Whitethroats and 146 Chiffchaffs. Other grounded migrants included 5 Stonechats, 1 Whinchat, 2 Wheatears, 6 Firecrests and a Spotted Flycatcher. 

Nigel, Phil, Richard, Rob R, Jack.  

7th September 2024

 Today we had migrants that included 8 Redstarts, 3 Spotted Flycatchers, 9 Whinchats, 6 Wheatears, 3 Firecrests, 1 Grasshopper Warbler, 19 Blackcaps, 4 Whitethroats, 9 Lesser Whitethroats, 15 Chiffchaffs and a Willow Warbler. Flyovers, mainly going west, were 2 Golden Plovers, a Grey Heron, a Rock Pipit, 15 Tree Pipits, 17 Yellow Wagtails and 11 Grey Wagtails. Also in the area were 45 Corn Buntings and a Little Owl.

Insects were still in large numbers with many Red Admiral and Large White Butterflies, 2 Long-tailed Blue Butterflies and 2 Red-veined Darter Dragonflies,

Phil, Nigel, Richard, Rob M, Jack.  

6th September 2024

A walk to Hope Point in the morning by Richard produced flyovers of a Golden Plover, Redshank, Grey Wagtail and 1020 Swallows. Grounded migrants included 1 Redstart, 2 Whinchats, 5 Wheatears, 7 Blackcaps, 1 Lesser Whitethroat, 9 Whitethroats, and 12 Chiffchaffs. In the evening Phil and Rob M did separate parts of the area and found an extra 3 Tree Pipits, 3 Yellow Wagtails, 19 Wheatears, 18 Whinchats, 2 Spotted Flycatchers, 12 Whitethroats, 3 Lesser Whitethroats, 10 Willow Warblers and 3 Ringed Plovers.

Many 100's of Red Admiral Butterflies everywhere.   

3rd September 2024

In the evening Rob Morris saw a Black Kite flying north over Kingsdown Road. Also in the Gun Emplacement was a Redstart and 3 Whinchats. 

                                                                                    

1st September 2024

A slow start to the month with 2 Golden Plovers, 6 Sand Martins and 2 Grey Herons moving overhead.       Grounded migrants amounted to 2 Blackcaps, 3 Whitethroats, 5 Lesser Whitethroats and singles of Chiffchaff and Willow Warbler.

Nigel, Jack. 

August 2024

Reports throughout August were from the usual contributors of Brendan, Gerald, Jack, Jamie, Julian, Nigel, Phil and Richard plus newcomers Rob and Simon Morris. These were the main records.

29th August, 2 Pied Flycatchers at Macswiggan's garden.

28th August. 3 Whinchats, 1 Redstart, many Sylvia warblers and a Red-backed Shrike in the Freedown.

26th August, A small number of Reed Warblers, Blackcaps, Lesser Whitethroats, Willow Warblers and                       Chiffchaffs.

25th August, Around the area, although most were in the farm, there were 5 Whinchats, 9 Wheatears, 3                       Redstarts, 5 Spotted Flycatchers, 4 Blackcaps, 6 Whitethroats, 11 Lesser Whitethroats, 12                       Chiffchaffs and 7 Willow Warblers.

22nd August, An early morning seawatch produced 2 Balearic Shearwaters SW.

18th August, Pied Flycatcher at Macswiggans and a Bee-eater over the Golf course.

17th August, 2 Pied Flycatchers (1 at Macswiggans and 1 at Hope Point)

14th August, Cuckoo at Hope Point.

13th August, White Stork flew over the Monument towards Dover.

11th August, 3 Lesser Whitethroats, 3 Chiffchaffs, 6 Willow Warblers.    

10th August, A Cuckoo flew north towards Gun Emplacement and a Honey Buzzard flew W.   

                     On the Elms in the Farm there were at least 3 White-letter Hairstreak.

8th August,   Around the area were singles of Wheatear, Whinchat, Yellow Wagtail and Raven. Other                           migrants were 3 Reed Warblers, 2 Blackcaps, 11 Lesser Whitethroats, 9 Whitethroats and                       3 Willow Warblers.

6th August,   140 Swifts, a Hobby and the first Tree Pipit of the autumn moved SW. Also a flock of 15                         Little Egrets flew over the cliff-top.

                     In the evening 2500 Mediterranean Gulls, 300 Sandwich Terns and 30 Common Terns                             moved down Channel.

2nd August,  Osprey SW over the Monument,