September

                           Total number of species for the year 152

29th

A bright chilly morning with a NW breeze proved to be disappointing with very few birds moving apart from 500+ House Martins along the cliffs. In the area were 43 Chiffchaffs, 6 Blackcaps and the resident 2 Snow Buntiings

28th

Very little movement today and few birds in area, of note were 500 House Martins feeding over the cliff-top, 37 Chiffchaffs around the farm and at 10:05hrs a Red Kite was mobbed by crows as it moved off north.

27th

Birds had decreased since yesterday's 'fall' although 86 Chiffchaffs still remained. There was also some movement north with 56 Alba and 3 Grey Wagtails, 100+ House Martins, 30 Meadow Pipits, 35 Goldfinches, 25 Linnets and 2 Reed Buntings.

26th

Another cloudless day with good numbers of arrivals......65 Dunnocks,50+ Robins, 8 Jays,7 Song Thrushes, 4 Redstarts, 2 Stonechats, a Reed Warbler, 3 Whitethroats, 7 Lesser Whitethroats, 37 Blackcaps, 303 Chiffchaffs (our record count) and singles of Willow Warbler and Pied Flycatcher.

25th

Overnight there had been a 'fall' and the area held 60+Robins, 23 Blackcaps, 3 Lesser Whitethroats, 3 Whitethroats and 153 Chiffchaffs. The Snow Buntng had been joined by another bird and insects of note included3 Clouded Yellow Butterflies, an Adonis Blue Butterfly and 2 Robber Flies.

23rd

Far fewer Hirundines today even though there were up to 2500 House Martins and 1000 Swallows feeding over the area. Apart from this there was little of note except 27 Chiffchaffs and this Hummingbird Hawk Moth.

22nd

From 06:45hrs - 08:45hrs an amazing 30000+ House Martins poured along the cliff-top, in the first half hour of light some 500 birds a minute flew southwest and in the next one and half hours about 150 birds a minute.Up to 3000 Swallows also moved sothwest.Around area were 25 Chiffchaffs and the Snow Bunting which has been on the cliff-top for the last 6 days.

20th

Overnight the wind direction changed to due north but birds were still numerous although there did not appear to be so many hirundines and pipits moving, 1540 House Martins, 450 Swallows, 380 Meadow Pipits and 2 Tree Pipits. However more wagtails flew north with 12 Grey, 15 Alba and 3 Yellow, also 2 Ravens were chased off by the Peregrines. In the area were 11 Wheatears, a Whinchat, 3 Pied Flycatchers, 2 Spotted Flycatchers, a Snow Bunting and 163 Warblers... Singles of Marsh Warbler and Grasshopper Warbler, 61 Blackcaps, 7 Whitethroats,

7 Lesser Whitethroats, 85 Chiffchaffs and a Willow Warbler.

19th

We had an excellent day today, good numbers of birds moving north with 8 Grey, 4 Yellow and 4 Pied Wagtails, 457 Meadow Pipits and 5 Tree Pipits. Feeding over the fields were 3500+ House Martins and 1000+ Swallows, a Common Buzzard flew north at 11:45 and a Marsh Harrier south at 12:40. But most notable was the number of grounded birds 2 Wrynecks, 8 Wheatears, 8 Redstarts, singles of Grasshopper Warbler, Reed Warbler and Sedge Warbler,4 Garden Warblers, 101 Blackcaps, 19 Lesser Whitethroats, 3 Whitethroats, 23 Chiffchaffs,3 Willow Warblers, a Yellow-browed Warbler, a Firecrest and 9 Pied and 2 Spotted Flycatchers.

18th

The NE wind had dropped a little and with it Meadow Pipits were moving north as well as 4 Grey Wagtails and 2 Ravens chased by the local Peregrine. In the area were 30 Wheatears, 2 Whinchats, 4 Redstarts, 4 Lesser Whitethroats, 3 Whitethroats, 5 Blackcaps, 9 Chiffchaffs and 2 Willow Warblers. Later in the afternoon Phil had a Grasshopper Warbler and an early Snow Bunting which was new for the year.

17th

Went to cricket today to see Kent become Second Division Champions

16th

Before I had a call from Steve Broyd asking "what do you know about this Tufted Puffin", I'd had 540 Swallows, 120 House Martins and 30 Sand Martins moving north and around the area were singles of Wheatear, Lesser Whitethroat and Willow Warbler plus 12 Chiffchaffs. Needless to say birding ceased at Bockhill after the call.

15th

After the rain had stopped heaving down I popped out for a couple of hours and was a little disappointed with the lack of birds. Only had 10 or so Chiffchaffs, 3 Wheatears and a single Redstart.

13th

The overnight rain did not bring the expected 'fall' of birds and the number of warblers around the area were much the same as yesterday with the addition of a Common Redstart. However we did have some visible migration moving north on the cliff-top with 3 Yellow Wagtails, 15 Meadow Pipits, a Wood Sandpiper[new for the year], a Crossbill and, in three hours, 166 Sand Martiins and 695 Swallows. At sea there were 2 Harbour Porpoises very close into the rocks off Hope Point.

12th

Six locals gathered at Bockhill today but were unable to find many birds of note, we did however push our species count for the year along another four birds to 149........... how bad is that.

Around the area we had a Hobby, Yellow-legged Gull, 5 Wheatears, 1 Reed Warbler, 9 Lesser Whitethroats, 8 Whitethroats, 3 Blackcaps, 8 Chiffchaffs and singles of Spotted and Pied Flycatchers. Overhead there was a steady movement of Swallows and Sand Martins north, and on the sea we had a Black-throated Diver

downchannel and ducks of several species moving up and downchannel.

11th

Very few birds in area only 4 Blackcaps, 5 Lesser Whitethroats and 9 Chiffchaffs.

10th

More birds today with 7 Wheatears, 1 Whinchat,1 Redstart, 6 Whitethroats, 3 Lesser Whitethroats, 3 Blackcaps, 14 Chiffchaffs, 2 Willow Warblers, 1 Spotted Flycatcher and a Wryneck. There was also a steady movement of hirundines into a stiff NE breeze.

9th

Although the wind had gone round to the NE there appeared to be no influx of birds apart from 2 Ravens in the big field and, new for the year, a Sooty Shearwater downchannel at 12:00hrs. Another new bird for the year was a Pied Flycatcher seen by Phil in the evening at the Monument.

8th

Only 4 Wheatears, 6 Lesser Whitethroats and a, just fledged, Little Owl.

7th

Of note were 13 Lesser Whitethroats and 7 Chiffchaffs.

6th

A few more birds today with 2 Wheatears, 2 Reed Warblers, 11 Whitethroats,2 Lesser Whitethroats, 17 Blackcaps, 1 Garden Warbler, 1 Willow Warbler, 24 Chiffchaffs and a Spotted Flycatcher.

There was also a small movement of 60+ Sand Martins SW.

5th

Our favourite wind again, North West, but it did not bring the expected birds, however we did have 35 Sand Martins moving in a SW direction and around the area were2 Wheatears, 2 Whinchats, 22 Whitethroats, 7 Lesser Whitethroats, 9 Blackcaps, 24 Chiffchaffs, 9 Willow Warblers and 4 Spotted Flycatchers.

At sea 2 Arctic Skuas flew downchannel and 1 Porpoise was seen.On the cliff-top we had another Red- veined Darter.

1st

Only 10 Wheatears and 2 Whinchats