Mill Hill, Beachy and Beeding Hill (30 August-02 September)

Friday 02 September. I met David Buckingham at the Beeding Hill car park and we walked the usual route in reverse. Low cloud was slow to clear but fortunately earlier rain had stopped. I saw 14 Swallows, 9 Chiffchaffs, 21 Blackcaps and12 Whitethroats, 8 Whinchats, 16 Wheatears, 2 Yellow Wagtails and 45 Meadow Pipits. Most were between Room Bottom and Truleigh Hill.

Thursday 01 September. Waking early I was at Beachy Head Hotel soon after 06:00. It was disappointingly quiet, one of the least productive visits I can remember and unlikely to make me hurry back. I walked to the Old Trapping Area and back, along the cliff path, quite overgrown in places, and down into Frances Bottom. There I crisscrossed the field hoping for a Grasshopper Warbler but only ripped my trousers on the brambles - fortunately an old pair worn specifically for this purpose. I dropped into Cow Gap, seeing a female Common Scoter offshore and a Spotted Flycatcher that was to become the day's highlight. Continuing to Whitbread Hollow, up through the rides, back to the Hotel and across to Bulling Dean (2 Yellow Wagtails and 5 Wheatears). From there through Shooter's Bottom and back to the Old Trapping Area and the car. I drove to Birling Gap and walked up to overlook Belle Tout then back to Went Hill and Michel Dean (an early Merlin, Lesser Whitethroat and Yellow Wagtail), leaving Birling at 14:00. Other migrants seen were 2 Sand Martins, 55 Swallows, 2 Blackcaps and 6 Whitethroats with 45 Linnets and 90 Goldfinches. 

Spotted Flycatcher in Cow Gap

                             

Wednesday 31 August. Mill Hill 06:40-11:00, from 09:20 with Megan and Cookie. 2 Sparrowhawks, Buzzard, Great Spotted Woodpecker, 3 Kestrels, 24 Swallows, 18 House Martins, 3 Chiffchaffs, 4 Blackcaps, 2 Lesser and 22 Common Whitethroat, 2 Spotted Flycatchers, Yellow Wagtail (heard) and 7 Goldfinches. Butterflies included several Adonis Blues and 2 Clouded Yellows.

Spotted Flycatcher at Mill Hill

                              

Tuesday 30 August. Mill Hill 06:55-09:10. 3 Kestrels, an adult Hobby flying N, Peregrine, 25 Swallows, 3 Sand and 20 House Martins, 2 Willow Warblers, Chiffchaff, 6 Blackcaps, 9 Whitethroats, 2 or 3 Spotted Flycatchers, 3 Greenfinches and 3 Goldfinches. Back home I collected Cookie and we went up to Lancing Ring and Lancing Hill seeing Stock Dove, Buzzard, Green Woodpecker, Kestrel, Jay, Whitethroat and 400 Linnets.

Spotted Flycatcher at Mill Hill

                             

another Spotted Flycatcher at Mill Hill