Ive not been able to get out regularly since returning from Miami and most of my birding has been checking the cliffs behind the house (A juv Black Redstart is regularly in the garden) and the Gulls in the Harbour, but a walk along the cliffs from Langdon to South foreland lighthouse on the 17th produced a decent bit of Gull movement, with 100’s of birds moving from West to East along the cliffs, highlighted by 3 Caspian Gulls, (2 second winters and a large pot bellied first winter) a single first winter Yellow legged Gull aswell as multiple argentatus Herrings.
Theres been a thick sea-fog inlace the past few days, hugging the cliff top and so despite seeing many gulls continuing to move in the same direction over my house I didnt go up to look through them as its already tricky enough to pick out the birds of intrest in a matter of seconds as they fly past without fog complicating things further.
Fast forward to this morning and a clear day unfolded, the same cliff top walk however no gulls moving, instead an active sea on the East side of the port: 55 Red throated Divers, 25 Brent Geese West, many Gannets, Auks and Kittiwakes too. The valley seems to have a few Firecrest and perhaps c10 Chiffchaff wintering with Langdon holding 2 Black Redstart, 3 Fieldfares 7/8 Reed buntings but sadly no Tree sparrow this year.
A quick check of the Harbour this afternoon was highlighted by the above juv Great Northern Diver, the first I’ve seen in the harbour itself, also present a single Shag, 6 Great crested Grebes and a Razorbill.
PERDIX BIRDER 