Total number of species for the year 171

31st

At dawn there was quite a good movement of Alba Wagtails and Redpolls and around the area there were more Crests than yesterday. Seven of us had arrived and all split up to find that elusive bird. With Pallas's arriving along the road and all around the south coast

we anticipated something good but try as we may it didn't happen. Of note we had a

Common Redstart, Ring Ouzel, Blackcap, 2 Chiffchaffs, 30 Goldcrests, 4 Firecrests and

3 Bramblings. Perhaps our best birds were the 2 Ravens being attacked by the resident

Peregrines, as somebody said "who would have thought ten years ago we would have

seen that on the cliff-top".

In the afternoon three of us visited the South Forland Valley and then Langdon Cliffs

with little reward, only had c.20 Goldcrests and 2 Chiffchaffs.

At Kingsdown a Moorhen was found, a very good bird for us. JRC

30th

Phil and Brendan walked from the Bay to Kingsdown on the beach but saw very little apart from 23 Rock Pipits, 2 Little Egrets, 3 Curlews and a Raven whilst the rest of us did the area. Birds of note included Short-eared Owl, 23 Swallows, 10 House Martins, Common Redstart, Ring Ouzel, Chiffchaff, 15 Goldcrests, Firecrest, Brambling and

Lapland Bunting.

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Starlings also continued coming in off the sea in small flocks for most of the day... a total of 655 was counted. JRC

29th

Very few birds, only c.10 Goldcrests in the Farm Wood, a Greenland Wheatear in the big field that had lost its tail and a flyover Woodlark. In the South Forland Valley had some more Goldcrests and a Firecrest. JRC 

28th

Another day of very few birds. On the undercliff we had 10 Rock Pipits,a Stonechat and Black Redstart whilst in the Paddock there was a Common Redstart which is probably the same bird that has been there since the 20th. At Walmer there were over 50 Swallows feeding over the beach. JRC

26th

Phil and I met at dawn at the Monument and did every part of the area, plus the South Forland Valley, and had of note a Greenland Wheatear, 2 Chiffchaffs and 3 Bullfinches.

After eight hours of searching we realised that, like the last couple of weeks, we had been wasting our time and Bockhill is a complete load of 'Shite'. JRC

24th

In the first hour this morning there was quite a good movement north of 61 Swallows,

22 Stock Doves, 11 Alba Wagtails, 236 Goldfinches, 45 Redpolls,17 Siskins, 3 Bramblings,

15 Linnets, 23 Greenfinches, 50 Chaffinches, 3 Reed Buntings and a Lapland Bunting.

In the Farm Wood were 7 Chiffchaffs, a Blackcap and 10 Goldcrests and at Hope Point

2 Stonechats and a female Dartford Warbler.

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In the unploughed field there were c.100 Skylarks, a flock of 80 Linnets (containing an albino) and 5 Yellowhammers. Elsewhere the 2 Ravens stirred up all the gulls and corvids and a Waxwing put in an appearance at the Monument for 30 minutes.

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Later in the afternoon Phil and I visited the South Forland Valley and had a group of 15+ Chiffchaffs in the Hollow Wood and a Hooded Crow in the cliff-top fields. JRC

23rd

In some horrible weather Brendan and Nigel, the only birders out, saw very little of note apart from a Redstart, Wheatear 4 Chiffchaffs and 3 Goldcrests.

22nd

Phil and I in a couple of hours in the afternoon had 1 Common and 1 Black Redstart,

2 Wheatears, 6 Grey Partridges, 5 Jays and 2 Bramblings. JRC

21st

An odd selection of birds today with c.50 Carrion Crows in off the sea, 8 Great Spotted Woodpeckers flying north, a Waxwing in the Paddock and many thrushes feeding in the hedges around the Paddock. Other notable birds were 5 Tree Sparrows, a Redstart,

2 Stonechats, 1 Wheatear, 3 Blackcaps, 4 Chiffchaffs, a Firecrest and 2 Ravens.

20th

Very few birds today apart from 35 Fieldfares, 20 Redwings, a Golden Plover, Redstart, Blackcap, 6 Chiffchaffs, 10 Goldcrests,and a Raven.

19th

Small movement of  Goldfinches and Redpolls today whilst around the area were

2 Sparrowhawks, 3 Peregrines, a Merlin,a Red Kite at 11:15 flying SW, 25 Skylarks,

2 Stonechats, a Wheatear, 2 Ravens, 2 Blackcaps, 13 Chiffchaffs and a Lapland Bunting.

18th

More movements north of 151 Stock Doves,12 Alba Wagtails, 2 Grey Wagtails,

60 Starlings,450 Goldfinches, 20 Siskins, 20 Redpoll, 29 Tree Sparrows, 7 House Sparrows and a Lapland Bunting. On the undercliff were 25 Rock Pipits, 3 Wheatears and a Grey Plover. Elsewhere were 2 Ring Ouzels, 6 Great Spotted Woodpeckers, 4 Stonechats,

1 Blackcap, 4 Chiffchaffs and 4 Goldcrests.

During the afternoon some 600 Swallows and 300 House Martins gathered across the fields before moving off north.

17th

Another day of finches with 925 Goldies moving north as well as 135 Siskins,

14 Bramblings, 25 Greenfinches and 16 Redpolls. Also moving were 8 Alba Wagtails,

4 Great Spotted Woodpeckers, 600 Starlings and 79 Carrion Crows.

Other notable birds were singles of Wheatear, Stonechat, Ring Ouzel as well as

27 Chiffchaffs and 25 Goldcrests. On the sea there were 85 Brents moving north and

1 Black and 1 Red-throated Diver going south. JRC

16th

We all gathered at the Monument at dawn with the expectation of a good day's birding.Things started well and in the first couple of hours c. 1000 Goldfinches, 321 Swallows, 135 Siskins, 61 Alba Wagtails and 124 Stock Doves moved north. Between showers we searched the whole area and had good numbers of thrushes, 4 Fieldfares, 19 Redwings, 30 Blackbirds and 43 Song Thrushes as well as a Woodcock, a Short-eared Owl, Redstart, 7 Blackcaps, 15 Chiffchaffs, 10 Goldcrests, 5 Firecrests and 11 Yellowhammers.

The bird of the day, that caused a panic bringing people running from all round the area, was a Great Grey Shrike on the cliff-top. Unfortunately it didn't stop long before if flew off north across the Big field. The other notable event was when 2 Ravens flying by the Monument were 'seen off' by the local Peregrine......great fun. JRC

15th

From 08:00-09:30 we stood on the cliff-top and watched an amazing movement of over 1600 Goldfinches flying north as well as 118 Chaffinches, 14 Brambling, 103 Siskins, 18 Alba Wagtails and 295 Swallows. Other notable birds around the area were 2 Ring Ouzels, 2 Stonechats, 1 Wheatear, 2 Blackcaps, 12 Chiffchaffs and 8 Goldcrests. Later in the afternoon we had c.600 Starlings and many more Swallows and Goldfinches pouring north. JRC

12th

On hearing how many birds were turning everywhere else Tony and I went to Bockhill in the afternoon. We were hard pushed to see or hear anything but on walking along the Droveway we heard a familiar call, it was a Barred Warbler, and Tony saw a large grey warbler dash into the hedge and then after a few minutes fly over the top.Although we searched for some time we did not see the bird again. The only other birds of note were 2 Blackcaps, 4 Chiffchaffs and 3 Bramblings.JRC

10th

The day started bright and sunny with birds moving along the clifftop into an ENE breeze.

Most notable were 80 Meadow Pipits, 28 Alba and 2 Grey Wagtails, 11 Bramblings,64 Greenfinches, 67 Chaffinches, 179 Siskins and 1359 Goldfinches. In the area was a Merlin, 2 Wheatears, 1 Whinchat, 4 Blackcaps, 29 Chiffchaffs,47 Goldcrests and 4 Firecrests. On a day that started with so much potential, with birds arriving all along the east coast, that big rarity eluded us again........still there's always another day. JRC

9th

The morning started off foggy,not as bad as yesterday, with a brisk breeze and birds arriving and moving off in a NE direction. Thrushes included 134 Song Thrushes, 113 Redwings, 3 Mistle Thrushes, 3 Fieldfares and a Ring Ouzel. Other birds moving were 65 Meadow Pipits, a Tree Pipit, 26 Alba Wagtails and singles of Grey and Yellow Wagtail, 31 Bramblings, 35 Chaffinches, 645 Goldfinches, 10 Redpolls and 58 Siskins. Other birds around the area were singles of Redstart, Wheatear, Whinchat and Pied Flycatcher, 4 Blackcaps, 57 Chiffchaffs, 25 Goldcrests, 3 Firecrests, 2 Ravens and, bird of the day, a very elusive Yellow-browed Warbler seen by Steve and Nigel. JRC

8th

Thick fog covered Bockhill so no birding until about 12:00 . Notable birds were singles of Wheatear, Whinchat, Redstart and Blackcap, 27 Chiffchaffs, 4 Goldcrests and a Firecrest. Also flyovers included 4 Brambling, 2 Redpolls, 139 Goldfinches and c.400 Swallows.

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7th

Good Movement of finches today with 165 Siskins, 592 Goldfinches, 7 Redpoll and 6 Brambling, also 6 Alba and 1 Grey Wagtail. Around the area were 2 Ring Ouzels, 4 Wheatears, 14 Blackcaps, 2 Whitethroats, 2 Lesser Whitethroats, 52 Chiffchaffs and 10 Goldcrests.

6th

Similar numbers of migrants today with 2 Ring Ouzels, 7 Wheatears, 1 Blackcap, 5 Chiffchaffs and a Spotted Flycatcher.

5th

There was a steady movement SW on the cliff-top of Swallows, Linnets, Siskins and Meadow Pipits.In the big field there were 100+ Carrion Crows and in the edge of the Farm Wood a Water Rail was calling, perhaps the one that was at Hope Point at the weekend. Elsewhere were 6 Wheatears, 1 Redstart, 3 Blackcaps and 11 Chiffchaffs. JRC

4th

Tony was the only birder at Bockhill today and was rewarded with this Bluethroat at Kingsdown Lees.

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3rd

The strong southerly wind has returned and the birding is disappointing. Around the Paddock was a solitary Redstart and two Chiffchaffs, elsewhere we had 2 Ring Ouzels, 30 Song Thrushes, 3 Wheatears, 10 Blackcaps, 2 Lesser Whitethroats, 21 Chiffchaffs, 5 Goldcrests and, new for the year, a Moorhen. Only other notable thing was the 50+ Dunnocks around the area.A quick look on sea produced 9 Scoter, 2 Auks, a Bonxie and 3 Arctic Skuas. JRC

2nd 

Today was very calm after yesterday's strong southerly and nine of us gathered expectantly at the Monument. Although we didn't find that elusive 'biggie' we did have a very good days birding. Moving north were 107 Siskins, 3 Bramblings and 60+ Goldfinches

whilst around the area were 5 Great Spotted Woodpeckers, 9 Ring Ouzels, 35 Song Thrushes, 5 Redstarts, 5 Wheatears thought to be of 'Greenland' race, singles of Grasshopper, Reed and Garden Warbler, 5 Common and 1 Lesser Whitethroat, 15 Blackcaps, 74 Chiffchaffs, 2 Firecrests, a Spotted Flycatcher and at Hope Point a Water Rail, unusual bird for us, was calling from the blackthorns.

At 10:50 an Osprey flew SW along the Clifftop and 20 minutes later a Ring tailed Hen Harrier flew in the same direction.

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Later a Merlin was seen hunting across the big field. JRC

1st

A vis mig. for an hour from 07:30-08:30 produced 2640 Swallows, 2465 House Martins, 218 Goldfinches and 147 Meadow Pipits flying south into the strong southerly wind.

Around the area however birds were very scarce and we only had 5 Chiffchaffs and a Blackcap of note. JRC