19th October 2025

 Three Yellow-browed Warblers still remain in the area with 2 Blackcaps, 11 Chiffchaffs and 130 Goldcrests. Other notable birds were 76 Swallows, 530 Starlings moving north, 15 Song Thrushes, 20 Redwings and 2 Fieldfares.

Brendan. Phil, Jack/ 

18th October 2025

 Today we had four Yellow-browed Warblers around the area, there were singles in the Paddock at MacSwiggans, at the Turning Circle, in the Gun Emplacement and in Dusky Hollow.

  Grounded migrants included 15 Blackcaps, 47 Chiffchaffs, 160 Goldcrests, 22 Firecrests, a Black Redstart, 10 Song Thrushes, 11 Blackbirds, a Ring Ouzel, 33 Redwing and 8 Fieldfares. Other notable birds in the area were a Caspian Gull and 5 Crossbills.

Birds flying over were 280 Swallows, 150 Goldfinches, 5 Siskins and the first record for the Bockhill Site, 3 Glossy Ibis's photographed by Gary Howard.

Gerald, Phil, Simon, Jack.

17th October 2025

 In a couple of hours this morning there were small numbers of Red-throated Divers, Brent Geese, Shelducks and Teal moving mainly to the SW. Star bird was a summer plumage Black-throated Diver.

Simon, Jack

At 4 in the afternoon Gerald had a Yellow-browed Warbler at Dusky Hollow and Phil had a Hume's Leaf Warbler at Loxley.  

14th October 2025

Another dull cloudy day with an overhead movement of 2 Grey Wagtails, 12 Alba Wagtails, 20 Blackbirds, 40 Redwings, 30 Meadow Pipits, 85 Chaffinches, 5 Bramblings, 10 Redpolls, 320 Goldfinches and 80 Siskins.

Around the area were 7 Swallows, 2 Stonechats, 36 Chiffchaffs, 55 Goldfinches and 7 Firecrests.

Phil, Jack. 

13th October 2025

 A drizzly day when 120 Meadow Pipits, 32 Alba Wagtails, 10 Song Thrushes, 80 Redwings, 40 Siskins, 400 Goldfinches and a Woodlark flew NE. Around the area were 600 Jackdaws in the fields, 28 Chiffchaffs, 8 Blackcaps, 40 Goldcrests, 8 Firecrests, a Cetti's Warbler in MacSwiggans and in the Farm Wood our second Yellow-browed Warbler of the Autumn, our first being at Kingsdown Leas on 28 Sept.

  Phil, Jack.

11th October 2025

 On the sea at least 950 Brent Geese moved south and 600 Mediterranean Gulls flew around the area.

Overhead 480 Goldfinches, 4 Redpolls, 4 Reed Buntings, 3 Grey Wagtails and 12 Alba Wagtails moved north east. Grounded in the area were 6 Stonechats, 61 Chiffchaffs, 6 Blackcaps, 15 Goldcrests and 4 Firecrests.

Phil, Jack.

12th October 2025

 A day of visible migration at sea and overhead. At sea 1150 Brent Geese and 7 Greylag Geese moved south whilst 2 Red-throated Divers, 1 Black-throated Diver, 2 Great Northern Divers and 6 Shags moved north. Overhead it was mainly finches with 350 Chaffinches, 2 Bramblings, 2 Bullfinches, 25 Linnets, 3095 Goldfinches, 40 Redpoll and 320 Siskins. We also had 105 Skylarks, 73 Swallows, 25 House Martins, 41 Alba Wagtails, 160 Meadow Pipits and 213 Crossbills that included two flocks of 41 and 45.

On the rocks below the cliffs were 350 Mediterranean Gulls and singles of Caspian and Yellow-legged Gull,

Elsewhere in the area were 9 Stonechats, 8 Blackcaps, 31 Chiffchaffs, 35 Goldcrests, 3 Firecrests and a Dartford Warbler in bushes below the Monument.

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

9th October 2025

 Very little change this morning around the Paddock and Farm Wood with 37 Chiffchaffs and 2 Blackcaps.

However a pleasant surprise was 3 Crossbills (2 females and 1 male) sitting in the trees in the farmyard.

A Kestrel and 2 Sparrowhawks hunted across the field.

Jack

8th October 2025

In a light SW a quick walk around the Paddock and Farm Wood produced 39 Chiffchaffs and 8 Blackcaps.

 Over the big field 2 Ravens flushed the flock of mixed Gulls of which at least 50 were Mediterranean.

Jack 

7th October 2025

Light westerly winds and overcast conditions produced a little viz mig early on with at least 370 House Martins, 17 Barn Swallows, 16 alba wagtails, 210 Meadow Pipits, 80 Goldfinches,  single Brambling and Reed Bunting, 18 Skylarks, 19 Redwings, seven Song Thrush plus an unknown number of Siskins that were going over all morning but few were visible. 

The Dartford Warbler reported yesterday was still present below the café inevitably in close proximity to a group of Stonechats, of which 12 were recorded around the area. Other grounded migrants included 135 Chiffchaffs, six Blackcaps 11 Goldcrests, four Firecrests and a single Black Redstart on the Clifftop.  

Brendan and Jack 

5th October 2025

 Chiffchaffs continued to predominate, not all in one place like yesterday, although there were about 100 in the Farm Wood.

                                              One of the flighty Chiffs

Other notable grounded migrants included 14 Stonechats, 3 Wheatears, 11 Blackcaps, 16 Golcrests and 6 Firecrests. Flyovers were 4 Grey Wagtails, 4 Alba Wagtails, 5 Great Spotted Woodpeckers and, the star birds for the day, 4 Woodlarks.

There were also 2 Clouded Yellow Butterflies, one in the Paddock and one in the Undercliff.

                                             

Phil, Richard, Simon, Nigel, Jack.

4th October 2025

 Very strong westerly.

In the Bay were many very close Gannets diving for fish and a male Grey Seal eating what appeared to be something like a Porpoise. Also 2 Arctic Skuas moved down channel. 

At the Farm Wood were at least 200 Chiffchaffs feeding on the sheltered side, an amazing sight.

Phil, Jamie, Jack.   

1st October 2025

 Light S, Clear becoming cloudy late morning

Highlights today included 185 Chiffchaffs (mostly in Paddock, Gun Emplacement and Freedown), 16 Blackcaps, 21 Goldcrests, six Firecrests, 21 Stonechats, one Brambling, and an indeterminate number of Siskins. A group of 17 Crossbills were watched feeding in pines near Hope Point and another group were heard flying over. There was a good passage of House Martins with at least 700 along with around 300 Swallows.  The lowlight was a single Parakeet flying over the area 

Brendan

Red Crossbills -Hope Point