Month: September 2026

Today’s forcast was dominated by rain and strong Southerly winds, a circuit of the headland in waterproofs first thing was mostly uninterrupted by notable birds except my first Brambling of the autumn, perched calling in the Top wood. My second attempt this afternoon was more successful as I almost immediately bumped into a very vocal Yellow–browed warbler on Foxhill down.

The bird showed nicely on and off for 15 mins then became more illusive.

Prior to this; a period of high pressure stretching back the past week or so has resulted in very little to write about. A potentially blythi type Lesser whitethroat was on the edge of Top wood on the 29th. The bird, which I take to be juvenile (on iris colour) seems to show a brown nape and rear crown and from what I can see an almost entirely white outermost tail feather, no calls heard and no definitive tail photos sadly.

The Same day I had 2 Grasshopper Warblers, there must be quite a few still lurking up there despite the date.

Whilst looking through the 30+ Stonechats currently residing in the top fields a Short-eared Owl burst out of the grass nearby.

It circled round and put down elsewhere. later on, Amy and I came back up and watched it hunting in the still and unseasonably warm evening air.

Much time has elapsed since my last post: work and other responsibilities have got in the way. Besides this my limited coverage has produced very little, beyond the expected, to write about.

The inevitable switch from willow warblers (above) to Chiffchaffs (below) has happened and migrants like Whinchat, Wheatear and Spotted flycatcher have been omnipresent during most visits.

A high count of 11 Tree pipits on a date I cant remember towards the end of August. A productive day on the 5th of Sept was highlighted by Osprey, Turtle Dove, Pied and Spotted Flycatchers Redstart, and since then numbers of Hirundines have been the focus and another Osprey on the 15th. Some large movements of House martin a juvenile Caspian Gull along the cliffs and a common Swift on the 16th.

Today began with a very light NW wind and despite the clear skies over night was immediately birdy.

Foxhill down held 2 Pied Flycatchers (one at each end) a Mistle thrush great numbers of Chiffchaff and Blackcap. 3 Black Redstarts in Langdon along with increased numbers of Skylarks, Stonechats and Meadow pipits the latter both overhead and in the fields. Siskins and one or two Reed Buntings also counted.

3 grounded Yellow Wagtails above Fanbay, a Grasshopper warbler and 2 Whinchats in the recently dubbed ‘weedy field’ area.

The wind switched to a light Southerly and I moved to my ‘incoming Raptor spot’ above the harbour. exellent cross channel conditions between 13.10 – 14.10 produced 19 Juvenile Common Buzzards, 2 juvenile Kestrels, a Juvenile Peregrine and a Sparrowhawk, all picked up as dots towards Calais and all came in over the East Cliff. Things tailed off as the wind switched more SW’erly.

One of todays Common Buzzards, these were fairly consistent during the period of favourable winds, with birds arriving in 1’s 2’s and 3’s.