September

                              Total number of species for the year 166

30th

With the clear overnight skies the Paddyfield Warbler had departed but the Red-backed Shrike was still in the Paddock. Around the area there were 12 Ring Ouzels,

1 Wheatear, 11 Stonechats, 2 Redstarts, 1 Reed Warbler, 2 Whitethroats, 1 Lesser Whitethroat,7 Blackcaps, 6 Goldcrests, 1 Pied Flycatcher, 1 Brambling and a marked increase of 143 Chiffchaffs.

Overhead there was a steady movement north  including 2 Tree Pipits, 5 Grey Wagtails, 1 Yellow Wagtail, 8 Alba Wagtails, 84 Redpoll, 344 Goldfinches, 58 Siskins and 42 Reed Buntings.

29th

Another good day with many different species including 3 Merlin, 1 Tree Pipit, 1200 Meadow Pipits, 1 Woodlark, 1 Whinchat, 8 Wheatears, 4 Stonechats, 5 Ring Ouzels, 2 Redstarts, Red-backed Shrike, Paddyfield Warbler, 7 Blackcaps, 1 Whitethroat, 1 Lesser Whitethroat, 28 Chiffchaffs, 6 Brambling, 1 Hawfinch,232 Siskin, 11 Redpoll and 13 Reed Buntings. The day ended on a high with a Yellow-browed Warbler found in the gardens along the Droveway, another first for the year.

28th

An excellent afternoons birding produced lots of Thrushes (Ring Ouzels, Redwings,

Song Thrushes), Pipits, Red-backed Shrike, Reed Buntings etc but they all paled into insignificance when a very showy Paddyfield Warbler was found by a visiting birder, Jerry Warne, on the cliff-top. It was  in the 'Raddes Bush' - the first place that a Bockhill BB was found in October 1994. Let's hope that this is the beginning of a great Autumn.

27th

From 08:30-12:00hrs in a strong northerly we had an interesting seawatch where everything moved upchannel and we added two new species to our year list.

2 Red-throated Divers, 120 Gannets, 1 Grey Heron, 66 Brent Geese, 113 Wigeon, 71 Shelduck, 45 Teal, 2 Scoter, 4 Pintail, 3 Shovelers, 1 Red-breasted Merganser, 3 Avocets, 198 Dunlin, 3 Knot, 25 Oystercatchers, 1 Bar-tailed Godwit, 5 Curlew, 2 Little Terns, 25 Sandwich Terns, 12 Little Gulls and 2 Arctic Skuas.

26th

The strong wind prevented us from finding many migrants apart from 1 Wood Warbler, 19 Chiffchaffs and the resident Red-backed Shrike

25th

Very few birds today apart from the Red-backed Shrike

23rd

In the first hour after dawn there was a movement southwest of 3 Great Spotted Woodpeckers, 364 Swallows, 1935 House Martins, 1 Tree Pipit, 368 Meadow Pipits,

15 Siskins and 1 Brambling.

Around the area was a Merlin, Reed Warbler, 3 Whitethroats, a Lesser Whitethroat,16 Blackcaps, 21 Chiffchaffs, Firecrest and the Red-backed Shrike.

A short seawatch, whilst we had our morning cup of tea, produced a few terns moving downchannel, a Great Skua and 3 Little Stints (our first of the year)

22nd

Fewer birds today with 1 Marsh Harrier in off the sea, 6 Wheatears, 1 Whinchat,

1 Reed Warbler, 10 Lesser Whitethroats, 2 Whitethroats, 24 Blackcaps, 28 Chiffchaffs, 3 Willow Warblers and 1 Pied Flycatcher.

The Red-backed Shrike reappeared giving far better views than yesterday.

21st

An early morning seawatch (06:30-07:30) produced 60 Gannets, 1 Shag, 3 Razorbills, 470 Black-headed Gulls, 4 Little Gulls, 1 Arctic Skua and 115 Sandwich Terns all moving downchannel.

Around the area were 300 plus Meadow Pipits, 1 Merlin, 2 Grey Wagtails, 2 Whitethroats, 1 Blackcap, 39 Chiffchaffs and a Red-backed Shrike in the Paddock.

16th

More birds today including 6 Alba Wagtails, 8 Yellow Wagtails, 2 Grey Wagtails,

537 Meadow Pipits, 1 Tree Pipit, 1036 House Martins, 4 Wheatears, 2 Reed Warblers, 1 Sedge Warbler, 22 Lesser Whitethroats, 18 Whiterthroats, 29 Blackcaps, 2 Garden Warblers, 11 Chiffchaffs, 2 Goldcrests and 1 Firecrest.

15th

Good numbers of birds today with 1 Redstart, 9 Wheatears, 2 Grasshopper Warblers,6 Lesser Whitethroats, 8 Whitethroats, 27 Blackcaps, 62 Chiffchaffs,5 Willow Warblers, 1 Firecrest and a Kingfisher in the Bay (First for the year)

13th

Very few warblers but 25 Wheatears, our best count of the year

9th

The Barred Warbler still in elders on the Leas,apart from that, very few migrants of note except 10 Wheatears, 1 Black Redstart and a Firecrest. On the cliff-top a movement of 50 plus Sand Martins north.

8th

Although not in large numbers there were birds of quite a few species today,

1 Ringed Plover, 1 Golden Plover, 1 Tree Pipit, 2 Yellow Wagtails, 2 Tree Sparrows,

2 Wheatears, 3 Whinchats, 1 Nightingale (new for the year), 1 Sedge Warbler,

14 Whitethroats, 9 Lesser Whitethroats, 2 Garden Warblers, 4 Blackcaps, 1Chiffchaff, 3 Willow Warblers, 5 Goldcrests, 1 Pied Flycatcher and bird of the day an extremely elusive Barred Warbler that fed in the elders on the Leas.

7th

Very few birds apart from 1 Common Buzzard, 3 Wheatears, 4 Lesser Whitethroats,6 Whitethroats, 4 Willow Warblers and a single Chiffchaff.

6th

Late report of a Wryneck at Hope Point plus 2 Redstarts and 7 Wheatears.

5th

Only twenty or so warblers today of which 7 were Chiffchaffs, no Willow Warblers.

Two Hobbys gave excellent views as they sat on the bales of straw and then hunted across the Big Field.

2nd

More warblers today, 34 Lesser Whitethroats, 29 Whitethroats, 7 Blackcaps, 1 Reed Warbler, 1 Garden Warbler and 19 Willow Warblers. Also in the area were

2 Swifts, 2 Great Spotted Woodpeckers and a Firecrest.

First Purple Hairstreak Butterfly of the year in the garden of Ship House at Kingsdown.

1st

September started reasonably well with good numbers of warblers, chats etc.

2 Wheatears, 3 Whinchats, 2 Redstarts, 1 Reed Warbler, 1 Grasshopper Warbler,

5 Garden Warblers, 11 Blackcaps, 15 Whitethroats, 28 Lesser Whitethroats, 2 Chiffchaffs, 7 Willow Warblers and 2 Goldcrests.

Birds moving on the cliff-top included 2 Golden Plovers, 4 Great Spotted Woodpeckers, 1 Tree Pipit, 2 Grey Wagtails, 1 Yellow Wagtail and a steady trickle of Swallows and House Martins. Whist, in the fields, the resident flock of Black-headed and Herring Gulls seems to have been joined by 5 Mediterranean Gulls.