Strong SSW winds and clear skies led to very little in the bushes but some minimal hirundine movement and a cracking Osprey were today’s only features.
The bird circled up over the Eastern docks just before 1pm and continued NW towards the Castle and beyond.
I also counted 7 Sparrowhawks, all heading West along the cliffs.
A few days of variable weather, with some rain, so light and heavy and wind blowing from all directions but little to show for it.
A Green sandpiper over the cliffs and 5 or 6 Willow Warblers and a few Swallows on the 24th, the Whimbrel in the overspill carpark field was still around on the 25th. Rich and I walked the length of the patch on saturday the 27th, with poor visability, rain clearing and light South Easts and had the first Swift of the year, also the first Hobby, a single Red Kite, 2 Willow Warblers, Reed Warbler, Yellow Wagtail, 20 Swallow, House Martin.
An afternoon visit en route to Sea watch in the bay produced 2 more Willows, and 5 Wheatear on the old airfield. An hours afternoon Seawatch in light NE winds wasn’t awful, a fairly close Arctic Skua, 4 Barwit 18 Whimbrel, 6 Common Scoter, among Gannets a few Sandwich terns and Kittiwakes.
This morning’s (28th) Seawatching totals were as follows: 4 Bonxie, 7+ Arctic Skua, Red Breasted Merganser, 5 Sandwich Tern, 40+ Commic Terns, 16 C Scoter, Swallow, Whimbrel, 15 Red Throated Divers, Gerald and Nigel also had Great Northern Diver & 2 Velvet Scoter just before I arrived.
Another cold and clear day with light winds from the North. Barely a grounded migrant in the bushes but many Lesser whitethroats are now in, & singing across the patch. c25 Swallow 17 House Martin and 3 Sand Martin all north over the cliff tops, my best day for hirundines this spring. A female Merlin cut in the cliffs at Fan bay and headed north.
A Whimbrel flew North, viewed from Lighthouse down where a Greenshank was heard calling unseen.
Another Whimbrel was feeding on the ground in the overspill car park near Reach Road, where I stood as I picked up a male Hen Harrier gaining height above Fan bay, having presumably just come in off. A brief bit of mobbing from the local gulls and it continued NNE inland at height, the same line I’ve seen this species take here before. Poor pics below, shame it was miles away.
Back from Southern Spain with a bump, a moderate but very cold Northerly wind hit me as I climbed the cliff path early Sunday am. 2 Willow Warblers flitted along the bushes up the path which is usually a good sign that things arrived over night. Sadly the willow count didnt get higher than 6 but a bright male Serin was a good enough highlight. Initially heard calling from an unseen perch somewhere in fan bay it then flew NE and out of sight. Interestingly I had the bird again on another 2 occasions in a similar fashion – heard calling, seen briefly and gone , flew towards Dolphin’s leap and out of sight, fairly standard encounters for here!
30 Siskin, A yellow wagtail over and a female Common Redstart near the coach parking at langdon were the only other notables. 8 Lesser whitethroats were counted singing.
Fast forward to Monday morning and a similar wind direction though not as strong, chilly but better birding conditions, though less Willow Warblers with only one heard singing in Langdon. I accidentally flushed a Short eared Owl out of a hawthorn in Fan bay, which flew about breilfy giving lovely views before flying NE under the cliff top height.
A single Whimbrel flew noisily right over head, just before I realised there were 11 of them right on the cliff edge, they flew out to sea when they saw me.
A yellow wagtail, 2 Wheatears and about 25 Swallows were also noted.
The comparatively smaller numbers of Willow Warblers here in spring have occasionally been a sore point for me, but this spring has so far been was an exception with today especially so! A conservative count of 29 between Langdon cliffs and South Foreland is my highest day count in spring (previously 15) . A foggy morning with a moderate SW breeze – goes to show how good poor visibility can be here.
Other notable birds were a Nightingale singing under the Radar at Langdon and a Common Redstart in the Valley, both picked out of the murk by Peter E who was out and about this morning.
More murk this evening and a light southerly tomorrow first thing…
A clear night and a calm morning with light WNW winds, a Black Redstart was singing and a Little Egret flew East along the cliffs as I drank my coffee in the garden whilst the sun came up.
Highlights up the cliffs were limited to a nice male Common Redstart, 2 Willow warblers, 2 Whitethroat and a single Redpoll in langdon.
I noticed a group of 8 Magpies flying high and North East and decided to count the ones I saw moving for the rest of the morning; I ended up on 48, mostly in small flocks all heading North. This, along with 11 Sparrow Hawks West (on the 8th) are the kind of thing I easily overlook and often only noticed if numbers are moving, although I really enjoy them.
another 5 or so Common Whitethroats were singing around the patch, 3 Yellow Wagtails came in off the sea, 2 White Wagtails North, My first speckled wood and Orange tip butterflies of the year were seen and a single Swallow flying west into the wind was the only hirundine noted.
Another day of strong SSW winds with a few notable arrivals but nothing spectacular in terms of numbers. A Black Redstart was singing from the end of my road at first light, A Ring Ouzel on Fox hill down was the first bird I put my bins on.
2 Willow Warblers were in Langdon as was my first Common Whitethroat of the year, another Whitethroat in Fan bay along with a fantastic singing Nightingale (video below.)
Another Black Redstart (fem type) was above fan bay, 2 Woodlarks flew West over Lighthouse down, I countd 13 Swallows also West throughout the morning, a Red Kite flew North East over the top fields and 4 Wheatear were dotted around the site.
Strong southerlies and at last direct airflow from the continent provided the best morning so far of the spring up the cliffs. Highlighted by a smart male Blue headed wagtail that flew West over Light house down.
Slightly over due and the first Ive seen well enough around here. Other highlights were a male Ring Ouzel in Fan Bay, 13 Crossbills & c90 Siskin west, Russ called to say he had a male common Redstart at Sherley’s farm which I nipped over to see. The first singing Black Redstart for me in a while, 5 Swallows North a single Firecrest in the wood aswell as my first male Wheatear of the year near Reach road.
The sea was fairly quiet as per but 9 Brents and c50 Sandwich terns North whilst many Gannets and a party of 7 Common Scoter were moving south (!?)
A willow Warbler in Fan bay on the 4th was my earliest here, my first Swallow of the year came in off the sea just after, Ive since had a party of 10 Swallows arrive in over the harbour on the 5th and another 4 flying around over town just before that.
Ive been greatly looking forward to spring and am so happy its here.
PERDIX BIRDER 