A somewhat strange morning, with light SE breeze very hopeful of a good fall of migrants. We started off at Birling but other than just 4 Willows and 3 Whitethroats the area was quiet. We quickly moved on to the Old Trapping Area and virtually not a bird seen and the Hotel Garden and Icky Ridge were similar. We then stopped off at Shooters Bottom meeting up with LP and Whitethroats were everywhere many hopping around on the ground with a selection of other migrants. RE was again ringing in Whitbread Hollow and found it generally to be fairly quiet. In case there had been a mid-morning fall of migrants I quickly re-checked the Old Trapping Area but still no change from earlier.
Combined totals:
Sparrowhawk 2
Common Buzzard 1
Red-legged Partridge 2 (1 ad with 1 virtually full grown young)
Tawny Owl 1
Green Woodpecker 1
Great-spotted Woodpecker 1 flew E through Shooters Bottom
Sand Martin c35
Swallow c150
Swift c180 in Shooters Bottom during the evening feeding on ant swarm.
Tree Pipit 3
Yellow Wagtail 2 overhead
Nightingale 1 heard Shooters Bottom
Common Redstart 2
Whinchat 1
Wheatear 6
Sedge Warbler 4
Reed Warbler 25 Hollow
Common Whitethroat
90 (50 Headland and 40 Hollow)
Garden Warbler 18 Hollow
Blackcap 20 Hollow
Chiffchaff 2
Willow Warbler 20 (6 Hollow and 14 Headland)
Tree Pipit in Shooters Bottom
Adult Red-legged Partridge
