Mill Hill, Beachy, Norfolk and Roedean (15-18 October)

Sunday 18 October. I took Cookie up to Mill Hill. We saw 2 Sparrowhawks, 2 Chiffchaffs, a Blackcap, a Firecrest, 2 Goldcrests and a Redpoll which flew east. While there I received news that Jamie Wilkinson had found a Pallas's Leaf Warbler at Roedean. Frank went and when I got home he told me it was periodically gave good views. Being a firm favourite I went, being stopped at every traffic light and pedestrian crossing along Brighton seafront. It was very active but on one occasion remained gleaning around a bunch of leaves for a minute or so. Brilliant. Also present were 2 Chiffchaffs and at least 6 Goldcrests. 

my best effort of the Firecrest on Mill Hill

Pallas's Leaf Warbler at Roedean

with tiny prey item

Saturday 17 October. I overslept but was still at Shooter's Bottom by 07:25. It was deadly with just a Buzzard and 2 Siskins over during the first half hour, not even a Chiffchaff heard. David Buckingham sent me a message asking if I'd seen RTBR in Britain. Rufous Bushchat in 'old money' and certainly not, virtually no one had. It was at Stiffkey and he was keen to go. I was more than happy to join him, especially as there were also Pallas's Leaf Warblers and Red-flanked Bluetails nerby. Anything to get out of another 9 hours slogging around Beachy (although as it turned out Matt did pretty well). I met David and John King at Hickstead and we drove up to Stiffkey finding a vacated space halfway down Green Way. We hurried down onto the saltmarsh, exchanging brief pleasantries with old friends, some barely recognisable behind facemasks and with reasonable social distancing twice had decent views of the Rufous Scrub Robin, a bird I'd never imagined seeing in Britain. Nigel Redman had told us where the Pallas's Leaf Warbler was and after a 10 minute walk and wait of similar duration we had good views amongst 10+ Goldcrests. Our final destination was Holme Golf Course and car park where we saw at least 2 and possibly 3 or the 4 Red-flanked Bluetails present but I always seemed to be a few minutes behind the curve and didn't have excellent views of any. David did better staying in the car park. We left at dusk, called in briefly on David's mother in Thetford and I was home at 22:00. The best day's birding I've had all year.

Rufous Bushchat at Stiffkey

Pallas's Leaf Warbler at Stiffkey

Red-flanked Bluetail at Holme, I had better views of another but only managed a badly obscured and out of focus photo

Friday 16 October. I was at Beachy from 07:10-16:10. I did three circuits, the first along the Cliff Path, into Frances Bottom, Cow Gap, Whitbread Hollow, up through the rides, Hotel bushes, Z-bends, down to Shooter's Bottom and back up Bulling Dene. Then from Birling to Belle Tout and Michel Dene and finally a short visit to Crowlink. I saw Sparrowhawk, Buzzard, Short-eared Owl, Merlin, Peregrine, 3 Ravens, 200 Swallows, 50 House Martins, 13 Chiffchaffs, 2 Dartford Warblers, 12 Goldcrests, 14 Ring Ouzels, 3 Fieldfares, Stonechat, 12 Pied Wagtails, Rock Pipit, Brambling, 80 Redpolls, 775 Goldfinches and 14 Siskins. A decent list but it felt rather disappointing, particularly the last two sites which added nothing.

Ring Ouzel in Frances Bottom

the Royal Navy off Crowlink, not looking for the same sort of migrants as I was

Thursday 15 October. I went up to Mill Hill at dawn and had done a circuit when Megan brought Cookie up. Identifiable overhead passage (going N/E) included 12 Sky Larks, 6 Swallows, 2 House Martins, 2 Redwings, a Mistle Thrush, 8 Meadow Pipits, 4 Pied Wagtails, 47 Redpolls, a Crossbill and a Siskin. Also seen were a Sparrowhawk, Jay, Blackcap, 10+ Robins and 8 Dunnocks while a single Chiffchaff was heard. Little was seen during a quick look at Widewater on the way home (the Grey Phalarope had moved on). Late afternoon I took Cookie down to the Adur at low tide. We saw Oystercatcher, Grey Plover, 16 Ringed Plovers, Bar-tailed Godwit, 7 Dunlin, 6 Redshank, 100+ Herring Gulls (including a North Thames bird) and a Chiffchaff.

Brighton from Mill Hill, better weather there than here

Grey Heron at Widewater

Herring Gull X2HT

it was ringed as 1CY at Pitsea in October 2013 and has been reported from Dannes, Pas-de-Calais in February 2014, North Greenwich, Greater London in July 20115, Hove in January 2018 and August 2019 and on the Adur in March 2020