We sea-watched from 06.40-07.55 and as expected with a westerly wind not a lot was moving. We also covered the Old Trapping Area, Hotel Garden, Icky Ridge area, and Shooters Bottom. Met up with RE who covered Birling lane, Birling loop, Cornish Farm track and Belle Tout wood and who had the bird of the day a fine ad. male Black Redstart at Birling but unfortunately it had moved on after a couple of minutes. LP also covered Belle Tout wood and the scrub area underneath the B/T lighthouse where he had a Firecrest. Otherwise the only other migrants seen were 2 Chiffchaffs and Stonechats had increased to 7 on the headland.
Red-throated Diver 16 E
Fulmar 10
Brent Goose 206 E
Shelduck 2 E
Common Scoter 2 E
Sparrowhawk 1
Common Buzzard 4 over long Down
Kestrel 1
Peregrine 2+
Red-legged Partridge 2
Common Gull 50 off Birling
Herring Gull c600+ (at dawn the
whole headland and out to sea had hundreds of Herring Gulls including many
immatures flying often high in the sky. 600+ a rough estimation but could have been
as many as a 1,000.
Kittiwake 31 E
Meadow Pipit 4
Pied Wagtail 1
Wren 10+
Black Redstart 1 ad male Birling (RE)
Stonechat 7
Redwing 1 B/T wood
Song Thrush 2
Chiffchaff 2
Firecrest 1 in scrub under B/T lighthouse (LP)
Raven 2
Linnet 5
