Beachy (07 October 2016)

Friday 7th October. An enjoyable ten hours at Beachy, starting at Birling and covering Baily's Hill to the rides above Whitbread Hollow and back via Long Down before relocating to the Crowlink car park and meandering down to the dew pond and back. I recorded 5 Sparrowhawks, 2 Buzzards, Merlins at Mitchel Dene and Long Down, Peregrine, Turtle Dove (flight views being chased over Long Down first by three crows then rather more vigorously by one of the Sparrowhawks), 3 Green Woodpeckers, Sand Martin, 190 Swallows, 85 House Martins, a Yellow and 30 Pied Wagtails, 2 Whinchats, 25 Stonechats, 6 Wheatears, 15 Ring Ouzels (but none east of Shooter's Bottom), Whitethroat, 5 Blackcaps, 47 Chiffchaffs, a superb Firecrest (as RHC said while watching it, the day I get tired of looking at a Firecrest is the day I give up birding), 4 Goldcrests, 5 Ravens, 310 Linnets and 150 Goldfinches.

Wheatear at Birling

road repairs still ongoing

Ring Ouzel, one of at least five in Shooter's Bottom

as was this one, the others were at Michel Dene (5), Went Hill, Baily's Hill, Hodcombe, Belle Tout and Crowlink

Soft On Stringers

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