September
30th
A seawatch from 07:30 to 09:00hrs was quite productive with 10 Great Skuas, 3 Sooty and 1 Balearic Shearwater, 56 Sandwich Terns and upwards of 2000 Swallows all moving downchannel.
In the area there was 1 Common Redstart, 20 plus Chiffchaffs, 1 Willow Warbler and a very elusive Yellow-browed Warbler that was heard calling on three occasions and seen on none.
27th
A quick walk around the wood, paddock and freedown for an hour this morning produced 5 Reed Buntings, 2000+ Swallows, 7 alba Wagtails, 28 Chiffchaffs, 7 Blackcaps, 2 Goldcrests and single Tree Pipit, Brambling and Siskin.
24th
More birds today in the area with 493 Meadow Pipits, 200 Linnets, 11 Alba Wagtails, 1 Grey Wagtail, 1 Wheatear, 2 Whinchats, 8 Chiffchaffs, 1 Firecrest and a Common Buzzard coming in off the sea from the south.
The sea again produced the best birds of the weekend with 1 Red-throated Diver, 1 Balearic Shearwater, 117 Sandwich Terns, 2 Great and 1 Arctic Skua and our first Little Gull of the autumn all going south. There were also 2 Harbour Porpoises in the bay.
Overnight, at the Monument, 3 Convolvulus Hawk-moths were caught.
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23rd
Very few warblers only 4 Lesser Whitethroats, 2 Whitethroats, 12 Blackcaps and
7 Chiffchaffs. Other birds included 1 Tree Pipit, 5 Grey Wagtails, 2 Yellow Wagtails and singles of Wheatear, Whinchat and Spotted Flycatcher.
On the sea were singles of Black-throated Diver, Sooty Shearwater, Pomarine and Arctic Skua and 39 Common Scoter.
17th
After the light north-westerly overnight the number of migrants in the area was 34 Blackcap, 10 Whitethroat, 9 Lesser Whitethroat, 3 Garden Warbler, 32 Chiffchaff, 8 Wheatear and 1 Spotted Flycatcher. From dawn there was a movement north of 787 Meadow Pipits,15 Grey Wagtails, 5 Yellow Wagtails, 1 Pied Wagtail, 1 Tree Pipit, 2 Corn Buntings, 5 Reed Buntings as well as 1634 Swallows, 557 House Martins and 1 Common Swift.
16th
With the wind from the east it was disappointing that there were only 12 warblers in the area of which 7 were Chiffchaffs, 1 Willow Warbler, 1 Blackcap, 2 Lesser Whitethroat and 1 Whitethroat. However 190 Sand Martins, 20 House Martins and 1060 Swallows flew north, a Snipe, Lapwing and Great Spotted Woodpecker flew in from the sea and went inland and our first Merlin of the Autumn chased the hirundines over the cliff-top. On the sea the first Brent Geese were moving and our second Sabine's Gull of the month went north.
14th
In the area were 3 Wheatears, 4 Whinchats, 3 Yellow Wagtails, 8 Lesser Whitethroats, 3 Whitethroats and 7 Chiffchaffs.
10th
A better day with 13 Blackcaps, 21 Lesser Whitethroats, 27 Whitethroats, 1 Willow Warbler, 5 Chiffchaffs, 7 Firecrests, singles of Turtle Dove, Tree Pipit, Wheatear, Common Redstart and a movement north of 400 Sand Martin, 100 House Martin and 500 Swallows.
9th
Only 17 warblers of 6 species; Chiffchaff, Willow Warbler, Lesser Whitethroat, Whitethroat, Reed Warbler and Blackcap. Other birds included 1 Hobby, 5 Firecrest, 1 Whimbrel, 1 Ruff [first of year], 4 Wheatear and 2 Yellow Wagtail.
8th
More migrant warblers today with 3 Reed Warbler, 21 Blackcap, 8 Lesser Whitethroat, 16 Whitethroat, 4 Chiffchaff and a Willow Warbler. A Hobby and Snipe in the area and at sea, in the evening, a Sabine's Gull flew offshore.
6th
A few migrants in the Paddock, 9 Wllow Warblers, 2 Chiffchaffs and singles of Whitethroat and Sedge Warbler.
3rd
A four hour seawatch this morning in squally SW weather produced at least 214 Gannets, 69 Sandwich Terns, 38 Commic Terns, 2 Whimbrel, 2 Curlew, single Guillemot, Dunlin and Pochard (3rd area record), together with 5 Arctic Skuas, 3 Great Skuas, a Sooty Shearwater S at 0835 and a Balearic Shearwater N at 0935. Most birds were very close inshore.
2nd
Very few migrants in the area apart from 1 Cuckoo, 14 Yellow Wagtails, 7 Wheatears, 1 Whinchat, 1 Sedge Warbler, 1 Grasshopper Warbler, 1 Reed Warbler, 6 Lesser Whitethroats, 7 Whitethroats and 11 Willow Warblers. Hirundines in good numbers moving south-west, 181 Sand Martins, 4330 House Martins and 1500 Swallows.