Month: April 2025

A seawatch on the 23rd was highlighted by 3 Pomarine and 5 Arctics skuas, 2 Velvet Scoter, c500 Common Scoter, a summer plumaged Black Throated Diver and c350 Commic terns all up channel between heavy rain showers and bouts of poor visibility. Some of the closest views of Skuas I’ve had here, thanks mostly to moderate/strong SE winds.

The 24th was mostly unremarkable except my first Hobby of the year in over the harbour and a 2cy Caspian Gull NE along the cliffs.

The 25th saw a Hawfinch SW calling over the valley, c70 Swallow and a Sand martin, a Black Redstart, 5 Yellow Wagtails (2 males with the cattle) and several parties of Whimbrel seen & heard moving upchannel at height aswell as at the base of the cliffs. A quick look at the sea in the pm with more whimbrel and c100 Bar–tailed Godwits upchannel.

A 2cy and a 3cy (below) Yellow–legged Gull flew along the cliffs mid morning.

Another week into April with the mostly clear skies and light winds seemingly not producing very much for me to look at, although Steve R found the highlight of April so far: a Hoopoe on the 17th above Fan bay, his composite image below.

The 14th was perhaps my best day with a male Ring Ouzel, fem Common Redstart, 2 Black Redstart, 4 Wheatear, 2 Tree Pipit,12 Willow Warblers, 15 Common Whitethroat and 3 Lesser whitethroats across the headland.

Yellow wagtails have been heard and seen in small numbers each day and a male Blue–headed Wagtail flew along the cliffs near fan bay on the 15th. Rich B had another do the same on the 21st plus 2 Ring Ouzel.

Willow Warblers (below) have been present most days in single figures, only 2 counted today singing in Top wood, a vocal flock of 11 Whimbrel and another of 2 Flew north over the lighthouse whilst I counted 30 Swallows in off during the morning. A richly toned Greenland Wheatear was on the old airfield.

A weeks work up in Scotland and a relatively quiet start to April have meant this blog has laid dormant recently. A few things to note however in the past 3 days with the highlight a Cattle Egret that flew in over the harbour this morning just after sunrise (06.15)

A long overdue patch tick for me and a scarce bird locally. Despite the rain at 4am there was very little in the bushes to add to this beyond an increase in Whitethroats (10+ today across the headland) a single Willow Warbler on the farm (3 on the 11th were the first of the year for me) and 2 Lesser Whitethroats singing in the valley.

I got a fright when a White–tailed Eagle appeared at tree height just north of Top wood, moving East towards the village and continuing to Bockhill. A black ringed but untagged 2cy bird, most likely one of the Sussex born, last years juvs.

Yellow wagtails today and y’day, a Tree pipit and single Crossbill on the 11th were the first of the year for me and Black Redstarts are still a daily feature with 5 on the 10th being the higher count, Swallows also being seen daily now with 15 on the 11th the best number so far. Little–ringed plover, Golden plover and Whimbrel have all been heard flying over in recent days too.