Today at sea it was much rougher and for two hours there were birds moving downchannel and I saw a Red-throated Diver, a Velvet Scoter, 216 Gannets, 41 Auks, 83 Kittiwakes and 3 Mediterranean Gulls.
In Dusky Hollow the Cetti's Warbler, that has been around for several days, was seen again.
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Phil, Richard, Jack.
From 08:00 - 12:00 a seawatch in a brisk SW breeze produced 35 Red-throated Divers, 68 Auks, 3 Curlew and 2 Velvet Scoters all moving downchannel. Also feeding offshore were 7 Great-crested Grebes and a Harbour Porpoise.
Simon, Jack.
A three hour seawatch in a cold horrible southerly gale with rain squalls produced very little of note apart from a close in Leach's Petrel, a Sooty Shearwater and many Gannets and Kittiwakes moving SW. Amongst a large flock of gulls near the beach were at least 8 Caspian Gulls.
Jamie, Phil, Jack.
At about lunchtime we went to Dusky Hollow where we found a Hume's Warbler, also there were 2 Blackcaps, 2 Chiffchaffs, 12 Goldcrests and 3 or 4 Firecrests.
At about 08:00 Richard found a Hume's Warbler on the Leas by the Golf Clubhouse. The bird moved into a hedge by the road and whilst it was being searched for again a Pallas's Warbler was found.
Richard, Nigel, Gerald, Jack.
On a seawatch from 08:00 - 11:30 with birds moving up and down channel we had 430 Brent Geese, 46 Common Scoters, 51 Wigeon, 2 Teal, 5 Shelduck, 9 Red-throated Divers, 3 Great Crested Grebes, 4 Curlew, 29 Dunlin, 6 Auks and a Little Auk.
Amongst the flock of gulls just offshore there were at least 4 Caspian Gulls.
As we finished we had an Egyptian Goose fly north, our first for the site.
Gerald, Nigel, Phil, Simon, Jack.
A walk around the area, before the fog came in at about 10:30, we had 6 Chiffchaffs [3 in the Farm Wood and 3 at Hope Point], 2 Stonechats, 5 Crossbills, several Goldcrests and a Firecrest. There were also 2 Little Egrets in the big field amongst the gulls.
Nigel, Phil, Jack.
Another day of rare warblers with the Pallas's Warbler still at Hope Point and in Dusky Hollow a new Dusky Warbler and 2-3 Yellow-browed Warblers.
Other notable birds included 9 Blackcaps, 11 Chiffchaffs, 4 Firecrests, 30 Goldcrests, a Black Redstart and 6 Stonechats. Flyovers included a Yellow Wagtail, a Grey Wagtail, 160 Stock Doves, 211 Starlings, 4 Bullfinches and 2 Bramblings.
Warm sunny day with light SW breeze, stars today were 2 Yellow-browed Warblers, (one in Dusky Hollow and one on Kingsdown Beach) and a Pallas's Warbler at Hope Point. Elsewhere in the area were a Black Redstart, 2 Ring Ouzels, 45 Blackbirds, 8 Song Thrushes, 3 Blackcaps, 12 Chiffchaffs, 50 Goldcrests and 7 Firecrests.
Ring Ouzel
Gerald, Phil, Nigel, Richard, Simon, Jack
In a cold but light SW breeze we walked around the Farm and the Paddock and had 18 Song Thrushes, a Redwing, 6 Blackbirds, a Chiffchaff, at least 17 Goldcrests and 2 Firecrests. Also a Short-eared Owl flew north being chased by the local corvids.
A seawatch of two hours with birds moving SW produced 6 Red-throated Divers, 1 Black-throated Diver, 4 Red-breasted Mergansers, several Scoters and an incoming flock of Song Thrushes.
Simon, Jack.
Light southerly breeze brought us very few birds of note and we only had 8 Stock Doves moving SW, 1 Chiffchaff and a Firecrest in the Farm Wood, 3 Yellowhammers on the dung heap and several Goldcrests and another Firecrest at MacSwiggans.
Jack
In a three hour seawatch with birds moving SW we had 785 Gannets, 6 Red-throated Divers, 4 Brent Geese, 1Red-breasted Merganser, 7 Common Scoters, 6 Oystercatchers, 15 Curlews, 226 Auks, 1 Little Auk, 120 Kittiwakes and 3 Sandwich Terns.
Flying off towards France was a Short-eared Owl that after it was 2 or 3 kms out it turned and returned to the shore. It was later seen offshore at North Deal.
Later at Dusky Hollow there were 3 Blackcaps, 4 Chiffchaffs, many Goldcrests and a Firecrest.
Jamie, Phil, Jack.
