Beachy Head & Mill Hill (10-14 August)

Friday 14 August. I birded my way around Beachy from 06:00-15:00 on a pleasantly cool, overcast day with a fresh NE wind. I started at the hotel, walked the cliff path to the rides, back by the toilet block, on to the old trapping area and down to Shooter's Bottom. I then walked up to Bulling Dean before cutting across to the old trapping area (marginally better on the second visit) and toilet block. Relocating to Birling I walked first to Belle Tout and then still with some energy Michel Dean, the latter turning out to be very worthwhile. I saw 2 Sparrowhawks, 2 Green Woodpeckers, 2 vocal Ravens, just 30 Swallows, 31 Willow Warblers, 4 Chiffchaffs, 3 Blackcaps, 4 smart Lesser and 45 Common Whitethroats , 4 Spotted and 2 Pied Flycatchers, Nightingale (heard), 2 Redstarts, 8 Whinchats, 25 Stonechats (many juveniles), 2 Wheatears and 37 Pied Wagtails. The wagtails were in the sheep field above Birling but hadn't attracted a Yellow. Slow going at times but it is always nice to see flycatchers and redstarts and it made a pleasant change from Mill Hill.

early morning Green Woodpecker (and Whitethroat) at Beachy

Whitethroat in Shooters Bottom

Pied Flycatcher in Shooter's Bottom

Redstart in Shooters Bottom

 the other Redstart in Shooters Bottom

one of six Whinchats in Bulling Dean

male Stonechat near Birling

juvenile Stonechat at Birling

Willow Warbler near Belle Tout

Spotted Flycatcher at Michel Dean

Pied Flycatcher at Michel Dean

Thursday 13 August. An early visit to Mill Hill with Cookie, this time for domestic rather than temperature related reasons. It was the ninth consecutive day we had been there but despite this had a surprise with 2 Canada Geese flying east. also the first Stonechat for a while, 4 Swallows, 3 Willow Warblers, 2 Blackcaps, a Lesser and 29 Common Whitethroats and 20 Goldfinches.

feeding time

Wednesday 12 August. Another early visit to Mill Hill with Cookie. We saw 2 Stock Doves, 18 Swifts, 2 Sparrowhawk, 11 Swallows, 4 Willow Warblers, 2 Chiffchaffs, 16 Whitethroats anda male Bullfinch. One young Herring Gull was still on the roof opposite and the two juveniles were again much in evidence. Later Megan and I took Cookie around the shady perimeter of Buckingham Park seeing absolutely nothing.

Tuesday 11 August. I took Cookie up to Mill Hill for a couple of hours before it became too hot. We saw 3 Stock Doves, 23 distant Swifts, Sparrowhawk, 6 Swallows, 2 Chiffchaffs, 2 Lesser and 2 Common Whitethroats and 2 Spotted Flycatchers. One young Herring Gull was still on the roof opposite and the two juveniles were much in evidence.

Spotted Flycatcher on Mill Hill

the other Spotted Flycatcher on Mill Hill

Monday 10 August. I took Cookie up to Mill Hill for a couple of hours before it became too hot. We saw Green Woodpecker, 4 Swallows, 2 Willow Warblers, 2 Chiffchaffs, Blackcap, a Lesser and 25 Common Whitethroats and 7 Linnets. One young Herring Gull was still on the roof opposite and the two juveniles were much in evidence.

Lesser Whitethroat on Mill Hill

feeding on blackberries 

Chiffchaff on Mill Hill

young Herring Gull from the garden