Red-footed Falcon (day 5 and 6) and South Downs Farmland Birds (14-15 June)

Monday 15 June. I visited TQ0310, just West of the Burgh, for my second/final South Downs Farmland Bird Monitoring survey of the year. The more interesting species encountered were 2 Grey Partridges, 5 Swifts, a Cuckoo, 2 Stock Doves, a Lapwing, 2 Red Kites, 5 Common Buzzards, Great Spotted Woodpecker, 7 Sky Larks, 7 Whitethroats, 2 Bulfinches and 35 Linnets. After tea I visited Beeding Hill and was very glad I did as the first-summer male Red-footed Falcon was showing superbly in lovely evening light.

first-summer male Red-footed Falcon - day 6 on Beeding Hill

  

eating a large grub

   

face-off with a Jackdaw

hovering

Southwick Power Station and Red-footed Falcon

Sunday 14 June. Megan and I took Cookie to Mill Hill where we saw 2 Buzzards, Chiffchaff, 6 Whitethroats and a male Yellowhammer. After tea I went back up to Beeding Hill and enjoyed excellent views of the Red-footed Falcon for another hour and a half.

Buzzard at Mill Hill, it flew off carrying what appeared to be a young rabbit

Chiffchaff wing-stretching at Mill Hill

female Chalkhill Blue

Ringlet at Mill Hill

freshly emerged Marbled White at Mill Hill, one of several seen

Pyramidal Orchid

Red-footed Falcon at Beeding Hill (day 5)

Red-foot and Rampion

beetle-hunting