Monday 18 April 2016

18th April 2016 Beachy W3 Clear

Another frost and another very clear morning this time combined with a chilly westerly wind. A short look out to sea produced two small flocks of Common Scoter passing east and a single Sandwich Tern doing likewise. Bob had covered the lane seeing a single Wheatear and a single Willow Warbler. We tried Chat Vale where a singing Lesser Whitethroat, being our first for the year, was an encouraging start but little else was evident other than a few Finches flying over. The Old Trapping Area and Hotel were virtually devoid of migrants. We saw Richard at the Hotel Garden who had walked the Hollow and Cow Gap and was surprised by the lack of Summer migrants present. A single Common Whitethroat was singing Icky Ridge and a Siskin overflew and the Cliff Path produced just a couple of Chiffchaffs on territory.  

Common Scoter 13 E
Common Buzzard 1
Kestrel 1-2
Swallow 2 N
Lesser Whitethroat 1
Common Whitethroat 1
Blackcap 1
Chiffchaff 3
Long-tailed Tit 1
Linnet 40
Goldfinch 15
Siskin 1 N
 
Male Lesser Whitethroat in Chat Vale (JFC)