On a very sunny, but cold, day we covered most of the area and had six Sparrowhawks, a Red Kite, up to 18 Buzzards and two Ravens overhead.
Grounded birds were five Blackcaps, seven Chiffchaffs and our 'resident' Hume's Warbler, but stars of the day were two Water Pipits on the dung heap near the Gun Emplacement.
Phil, Richard, Simon, Jack,
Absolutely no birds apart from our first Swallow over the Freedown and a Little Owl heard calling.
Phil. Richard, Jack.
The Hume's Warbler, still present, is joined by our first Willow Warbler of the year.
Richard.
A quick seawatch in the Bay produced six Red-throated Divers, a Black-throated Diver and a Common Scoter all flying upchannel.
In the area, moving NE, were five Stock Doves, a Fieldfare and four Bramblings, whilst moving NW over Tony's garden was a Red Kite.
Phil, Tony, Jack.
Between 07:00 -10:00 birds were moving overhead in a NE direction and we counted 13 Alba Wagtails, one White and 1 Grey Wagtail, 10 Goldfinches, six Bramblings, 213 Siskins, 1339 Chaffinches and 20 Crossbills. We also had four Sparrowhawks and three Red Kites moving NW.
Elsewhere around the area was a Little Owl, two Ravens, a Black Redstart, two Blackcaps, seven Chiffchaffs and the long staying Hume's Warbler
Gerald, Nigel, Richard, Jack.
In a cold easterly wind there was a small overhead movement of 67 Starlings, 18 Chaffinches and 15 Siskins. Other than that there was a Stonechat at Hope Point and the Hume's Warbler was still in the Wood.
Nigel, Richard, Jack.
On a pleasant breezy day there was a movement overhead of 180 Chaffinches, 48 Siskins, a Brambling, two White Wagtails, one Grey Wagtail and 75 Starlings. Other notable birds in the area were four adult Ravens in off the sea, a Chiffchaff and the Hume's Warbler still in the Farm Wood.
A short seawatch produced four Red-throated Divers, one Black-throated Diver and 79 Brent Geese moving up channel. Down channel we had a Red-breasted Merganser, a Shag and a trickle of Kittiwakes.
Gerald, Nigel, Richard, Jack.
The seawatch today didn't last very long in a bitterly cold north-easterly wind that had us shivering very quickly. The only notable birds were 48 Red-throated Divers moving north. There were also three Harbour Porpoises feeding just off the rocks.
Around the area there was a Brambling and three Chiffchaffs (one by Richard's, one in Farm Wood and one by Bert's House).
Nigel, Richard, Jack.
The Hume's Warbler is still present.
First Bumblebee of the year in Paddock.
Nigel, Richard, Jack.
On a sunny but cold day Nigel had a Chiffchaff at Kingsdown and Richard one at Hope Point, our first migrants of the year. Other than that there were two Ravens, three Buzzards, a Stonechat, three Corn Buntings and a Firecrest around the area.
The Hume's Warbler is still in the Farm Wood although it is, as usual, extremely difficult to see.
Gerald, Nigel, Richard, Jack.
On the day after the 'big storm' there were two Bramblings on Kingsdown Leas and two at Hope Point, also a Red Kite over the Golf Course, that flew off in a north-westerly direction, and two Ravens over the cliff-top.
Three of us met at the Farm Wood and in an hour or so the Hume's Warbler was heard but only seen very briefly. It has now been present for 59 days.
Our first butterfly of the year was a Peacock by the Freedown.
Nigel, Richard, Jack.
Other than the Hume's Warbler, that still remains in the farm wood, we only had a couple of Ravens harassing a Buzzard over the Freedown.
Nigel, Richard, Jack.
Although the weather was atrocious we met in the Bay for a hopeful seawatch from 08-30 to 10-30 and had 144 Red-throated Divers (of which 94 were in one loose flock), at least 100 Gannets, 13 Brent Geese, 30 Auks, 45 Kittiwakes and countless Cormorants both up and down Channel.
On the grass in front of us were a couple of Rock Pipits and a Grey Wagtail.
The Hume's Warbler was not seen today but was present yesterday.
Nigel, Jack.
