Early in the morning there was a movement NE of 4 Grey Wagtails, 9 Pied Wagtails, 25 Siskins, 4 Reed Buntings, 25 Crossbills, 740 Meadow Pipits and at least 10.000 Hirundines mainly Swallows, but good numbers of House and Sand Martins.

At the undercliff were 25 Rock Pipits and the long staying adult Yellow-legged Gull and along the the clifftop flew a Caspian Gull. Elsewhere around the area were 22 Robins, 8 Stonechats, 6 Wheatears, Ring Ouzel, 46 Goldcrests and 7 Firecrests.

                                                                   Caspian Gull

Species of warblers were low with 12 Blackcaps, 1 Lesser Whitethroat, 2 Garden Warblers and 109 Chiffchaffs. 

Garden Warbler

Birds of the day were 3 Pied Flycatchers in the hedge to the south of the Paddock

Pied Flycatcher

Gerald, Nigel, Phil, Richard, Jack,

                                               

  

26th September 2025

 In a seawatch from 08:00-11:00 we had birds moving both north and south in the channel. There were 47 Gannets, 45 Brent Geese, 4 Shelducks, 17 Teal, 15 Wigeon, 10 Common Scoters and 2 Red-throated Divers. 

Simon, Jack.

26th September 2025

 Afternoon visit to Bockhill produced three Ring Ouzels, two in the Freedown hedge and another near the Empty Wood, a single Redstart in the Paddock, 26 Chiffchaffs, five Blackcaps, one Lesser Whitethroat. three Goldcrests and a single Firecrest. Siskins were passing overhead throughout although none were actually seen!

Brendan

21st September 2025

Not great numbers of warblers today only 2 Grasshopper Warblers, 1 Blackcap, 1 Lesser Whitethroat and 91 Chiffchaffs. 

Other birds included of Sparrowhawk, Merlin. Hobby, Restart, Woodlark and Spotted Flycatcher. 

                                                                                   

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

20th September 2025

 SW with rain.

For an hour from 09:00-10:00, moving south west in the rain, we had at least 17,000 Swallows and 3,000 House Martins. There were also some 50 Sand Martins and 4 Swifts.

Phil, Brendan, Jack. 

14th September 2025

 SWesterly with sunshine and clouds.

Light overhead movement with 21 Grey Wagtails, 17 Meadow Pipits, 14 Siskins and a few hirundines.

Good numbers of warblers consisting of 4 Willow Warblers, 102 Chiffchaffs, 26 Blackcaps,  5 Whitethroats and 3 Lesser Whitethroats.  Other notable birds were 9 Stonechats, a Wheatear, 2Whinchats. a Redstart and an Osprey that flew west from Kingsdown Leas along the clifftop towards Dover where it was seen later. 

Later in the afternoon a seawatch in the bay produced 2 Arctic Skuas, a Great Skua, 2 Balearic Shearwaters, many Terns and a summer plumaged Black Guillemot. 

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

13th September 2025

 Seawatch from 08:00 to 13:00 in a strong South Westerly with rain squalls rushing up the Channel.

With our first scan we had skuas and over the next 5 hours we had a total of 42 Arctic Skuas all moving down Channel. Other than Gannets and 240 Sandwich Terns there were few other birds.

Later in the afternoon Richard had a Sooty Shearwater and 5 Arctic Skuas down Channel. 

After 18:00 Phil did a watch and had another 5 Arctic Skuas,  Making a total of 52 for the day.

Brendan, Jamie, Phil, Richard, Jack.    

7th Sept 2025

 Sunny with light southerly breeze.

Fewer birds today with only singles of Green Sandpiper, Greenshank and Hobby overhead.

In the Freedown there were 4 Whinchats, a Ring Ouzel and a Wheatear. Elsewhere were 3 Reed Warblers, 3 Willow Warblers, 16 Chiffchaffs, 17 Blackcaps, 8 Lesser Whitethroats and 6 Whitethroats,

Phil, Brendan, Nigel, Simon, Jack.

6th Sept 2025

A pleasant sunny day with a light south westerly unlike recent days of rain and strong winds. This was the first time for over a year that all the Bockhill Birders were out together.

At sea 3 Arctic Skuas, 10 Common Scoters, 2 Greenshank, a Redshank and a Ringed Plover flew SW.

Overhead were 4 Swifts, 5 Grey Herons, 11 Skylarks, 40 Sand Martins, 7 Grey Wagtails, 2 Alba Wagtails and a Tree Pipit. Also a Serin flew south from Kingsdown Lees.

Today we had 166 warblers, our best count this year, which was 3 Reed Warblers, 6 Willow Warblers, 47 Chiffchaffs, 58 Blackcaps, 29 Lesser Whitethroats, 22 Whitethroats and a Grasshopper Warbler. Other grounded migrants were 3 Whinchats, 3 Wheatears, 3 Firecrests, 6 Spotted Flycatchers, 1 Ring Ouzel and 2 Common Redstarts, one of which was this magnificent Male.

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