10th October 2018

Up to five Yellow-browed Warblers today with one at the Monument, two at Hope Point, one in the Empty Wood and another in the Village by the Chapel, remaining warblers were 16 Chiffchaffs and nine Blackcaps. Other birds of note were a Common Redstart, a Pied Flycatcher, two Firecrests, four Goldcrests and 37 Yellowhammers.
Overhead we had 18 Alba Wagtails, 248 Siskins and 11 Reed Buntings moving NE.

Julian, Brendan, Richard, Jack

As I arrived home in Deal and parked my car in the Avenue off West Street, I found another Yellow-browed Warbler.

9th October 2018

A bit of a clear out had occurred overnight with just three Yellow-browed Warblers remaining at the Monument, McSwiggan's and Empty Wood, 10 Chiffchafffs and two Blackcaps. The only other birds of note were a Short-eared Owl and a Bonxie which flew along the clifftop before heading North. A few finches went over including two Greenfinches, along with about 150 Swallows and 70 House Martins. Two Brambings were seen in the Wood. In what seems to be a dreadful autumn for Goldcrests, two in Badgers Bottom Wood were noteworthy.

Brendan & Jack

Brambling- Farm Wood 

8th October 2018

Another day and another shed load of Yellow-browed Warblers! Today's offerings included singles by the Monument, in the Paddock, along the Droveway, McSwiggan's, Kingsdown Golf course, the Undercliff and at least two in the Farm Wood.

Other highlights included Pied Flycatcher, still in the Empty Wood, a Redstart on the clifftop near Hope Point, 33 Chiffchaffs, eight Blackcaps,  two Stonechats, five Firecrests, and two Goldcrests.

Overhead there were 18 Reed Buntings, 56 alba Wagtails, 12 Bramblings, 330 Siskins,  three Mistle Thrushes, 12 Fieldfare plus a few Redwing and Song Thrushes coming "in-off".

Brendan, Richard and Jack

7th October 2018

Jack and I covered the Bockhill area with a few visiting birders for company from dawn until mid afternoon while the Kingsdown area was covered by Nigel in the morning and Richard in the late afternoon.

Yellow-browed Warblers were the order of the day with two at McSwiggan's, one in the middle of the Paddock, two in the Farm Wood, one in the Empty Wood and one at Badger's Bottom. At the Kingsdown end one was near Nigel's house while Richard had two around the back of the golf course, 10 in total a new Bockhill record

Four of today's Yellow-browed Warblers 

Supporting cast included  49 Chiffchaffs, nine Blackcaps, a Pied Flycatcher in the Empty Wood, a Wheatear and two Stonechats near Hope Point, 2 Firecrests, a Hobby , three Ring Ouzels, six Song Thrushes, 12 Redwings. 400 Linnets, six Grey Partridges and 12 Golden Plovers in the middle field.

Pied Flycatcher Empty Wood

Golden Plover over Middle Field

Overhead there were 19 Bramblings, 90+ Siskins, 35 House Martins, 4 Reed Buntings, two Grey Wagtails

Brendan, Jack, Nigel and Richard et al

6th October 2018

For a couple of hours in early morning, overhead movement included 54 Skylarks, 31 Alba Wagtails, 22 Song Thrushes, 3 Tree Sparrows, 59 Starlings, 250 Siskins, 95 Goldfinches, 1 Brambling, 13 Reed Buntings and a Snow Bunting. Grounded migrants were 6 Stonechats,11 Blackcaps, 45 Chiffchaffs, 2 or 3 Yellow-browed Warblers and 2 Firecrests.

Yellow-browed Warbler in Paddock ( Brendan Ryan) 

Other notable birds in the area included 3 Green Woodpeckers, 3 Ravens, 550 Linnets and 25 Yellowhammers.

Brendan, Richard, Philip, Simon, Jack.

3rd October 2018

It is October so we have to keep going even when the evidence suggests that we are wasting our time. Richard and I between us covered most of the area today but still left by 9.30!

There was more overhead passage than of late and had we persisted I am sure that we would have got some decent numbers, as it was we counted 27 alba and one Grey Wagtails, five Tree Sparrows, three Bramblings, seven Reed Buntings, 50 Skylarks, and 260 House Martins and 140 Siskins.

On the ground we managed 23 Chiffchaffs, 19 Blackcaps, seven Stonechats, and single Firecrests in the Paddock and in Otty Bottom. There was a notable arrival of Goldcrests at the Kingsdown end  where Richard recorded 25 although none were seen at the Bockhill end of the area.

Brendan & Richard

2nd October 2018

I was fooled by the weather into thinking today might be better with a small amount of rain overnight and a change to a SW wind. To some extent there was a marginal improvement with the first (non Kingsdown) Firecrest of the autumn in the Paddock, 35 Chiffchaffs, 22 Blackcaps and a single Stonechat. Overhead there was a Brambling, 7 alba Wagtails, one Grey Wagtail, plus a steady trickle of Swallows, Meadow Pipits and Siskins. A Short-eared Owl was flushed near Hope Point

Brendan

1st October 2018

What happened to September? What a poor autumn it has been so far both in terms of quantity and quality. So all our hopes now pinned on October but sadly if today is an indication of what's to come we should pack up now. "Highlights" included 39 Chiffchaffs, 11 Blackcaps, two Goldcrests, and three Stonechats.

Brendan, Jack & Richard

30 September 2018

A little visible migration today with a trickle of Swallows, 48 Alba Wagtails, 2 Yellow Wagtails, 1 Grey Wagtail, 2 Mistle Thrushes, 7 Tree Sparrows, 23 Siskins and 35 Starlings.
Around the area was a Wheatear, Whinchat, 4 Stonechats, 1 Ring Ouzel, 8 Blackcaps, 55 Chiffchaffs, 25 Skylarks, 35 Yellowhammers and as we were leaving a Short-eared Owl was mobbed by a Raven and several Jackdaws. Gerald. Richard. Jack
Later a Yellow-browed Warbler was found outside Heather and Nigel's house at Kingsdown. Nigel

Gerald Segelbacher

28th September 2018

A strong NE, coupled with drizzle and occasional showers were a contrast to yesterday. Either the dog or I flushed a Lapland Bunting first thing this morning in the stubble field up from Hope Point. A Merlin was over Hope Point shortly afterwards. There wasn't much else! Four Wigeon were in The Bay. Around the area were a Wheatear, 47 Chiffchaffs, 21 Blackcaps, 52 Swallows and a Firecrest back in Kingsdown. Not much to suggest that it isn't the same one present for the last two weeks.

Richard, Brendan and John.

27th September 2018

A beautiful sunny morning with a very light SW. Still good numbers of hirundines, 1 000 Swallows and 1 500 House Martins. A Lesser Whitethroat was on The Rough. Between Kingsdown and the Farm Wood there were 37 Chiffchaffs, 42 Yellowhammers, two Ravens, a Grey Wagtail, 32 Blackcaps, 30 Siskins and 120 Meadow Pipits.

Sunrise over The English Channel

26th September 2018

An increase in numbers today. The Farm Wood had 50 Chiffchaffs, 20 Blackcaps and a Spotted Flycatcher. Hirundines were also on the move and there was the annual spectacle of House Martins landing on The Monument. In all there were 2 000 Swallows, predominately immature birds, 1 700 House Martins and 40 Sand Martins with a Hobby in close attendance.

Elsewhere on my daily Kingsdown to Bockhill walk were a further 20 Chiffchaffs, five Blackcaps, 130 Meadow Pipits, two Wheatears, 21 Yellowhammers, a Golden Plover, five Siskins and six Bullfinches.

25th September 2018

A bit of a struggle today to find anything of note other than the routine warblers and even these were much less evident with 69 Chiffchaffs, and 22 Blackcaps. A single Whitethroat was in the Freedown and Richard's Firecrest was still present at the Kingsdown end of the recording area. Two Wheatears were still present in the middle field while overhead there were two Reed Buntings, and single Grey and Yellow Wagtails. Three Grey Herons went over  Kingsdown.

Brendan & Richard