October 08

                                Total number of species for the year 184

31st

In the bitterly cold north-easterly there were far fewer birds today. Numbers of thrushes, crests and Chiffchaffs were down and there was no overhead migration.

The Siberian Stonechat was still in the Gun Emplacement and giving good views.

At sea there were a few Brent Geese and ducks plus 2 Purple Sandpipers which were new for the year. When we went for our lunch at the Chapel Tearooms we were pleasantly surprised to find another Yellow-browed Warbler in the sycamores around the garden.

30th

Three of us met at the Monument at 07:00 in a very cold north-westerly with birds seemingly coming in from all points of the compass. Moving along the cliff-top were

Goldfinches, Siskins, Redpolls and Reed Buntings, whilst moving inland were 75 Skylarks, 44 Lapwings, 143 Redwings, 160 Song Thrushes, 11 Mistle Thrushes,

55 Blackbirds, 10 Fieldfares and 911 Starlings. Around the area were 50+ Robins,

1 Black Redstart, 2 Blackcaps, 16 Chiffchaffs, 87 Goldcrests and 4 Firecrests.

Whilst walking from Kingsdown Leas to Hope Point we had 2 Woodcock, unfortunately for one it was 'grabbed' by the local Peregrine...very spectacular though.

On the sea, although we didn't really do a seawatch, we counted 1763 Brent Geese moving south as we walked along the cliffs.

The best bird was found at the Gun Emplacement around lunchtime, a magnificent

Siberian Stonechat. The bird, first for the area, was a 1st winter female catching insects from the umbellifers.

Birds still continued arriving, a Hen Harrier flew east and in the late afternoon a

'tristis' Chiffchaff was calling and seen well in the Farm Wood.

28th

In a light north-west breeze there was a steady trickle of Skylarks, Starlings,

Redwings and Fieldfares into the country.Around the farm numbers of Goldcrests had increased to 30+ and at 09:55 3 Ravens flew northeast.

25th

More birds today with 3 Grey Wagtails, 96 Skylarks, 1 Woodlark ,21 Tree Sparrows,

60 Redpolls and 2 Crossbills moving north.

Around the area were 4 Swallows,5 House Martins,2 Blackcaps, 2 Chiffchaffs,

15 Goldcrests and 2 Yellow-browed Warblers.

24th

At last one of the Redpoll flocks,that have been moving along the cliff-top recently, dropped in and we were able to find a Common Redpoll amongst them.

22nd

A beautiful day with very few birds apart from 15 Swallows and 4 Stonechats on the cliff-top.However a seawatch from 2:00-3:00 pm was very rewarding with a steady trickle of Finches and Starlings.Also of note were 3 Snow Buntings coming across the Channel and moving straight inland and new for the year were

3 Pink-footed Geese flying south. 

19th

Overhead migration still reasonable with 56 Goldfinches, 31 Siskins, 45 Chaffinches,

354 Redpolls and 690 Starlings moving north.Far less birds in the area with only

18 Chiffchaffs,10 Goldcrests, 9 Tree Sparrows and 6 Swallows hawking for insects along the cliffs.

18th

Unlike elsewhere in the County we did not have any thrush migration this morning but moving southwest along the cliff-top were 66 Redpolls,60 Linnets,35 Siskins,

25 Goldfinches,13 Tree Sparrows,9 Alba and 2 Grey Wagtails,16 Swallows,singles of

Lapland Bunting and Brambling and 650+ Starlings in two flocks.

Around the area were 4 Stonechats, a Short-eared Owl, 3 Blackcaps,16Goldcrests,

15 Chiffchaffs and a Serin at Hope Point.

 In the afternoon at nearby Pond Lane was a Snow Bunting

16th

At Bockhill we have a theory that if we can find 10 warblers in the second half of October there's a good chance that one of them will be a 'goodie'. Well three of us

found 10 Chiffchaffs today but we couldn't find that rare one.

12th

Today started off misty but by 09.30 the sun was out and it was very pleasant, pity there were no birds. We should have known it would be poor because

an old aquaintance of ours and the KOS, John Braggs and partner,had arrived and they never see anything down here. Only birds around were 3 Stonechats, 8 Chiffchaffs,3 Blackcaps, 18 Goldcrests, 1 Firecrest and 15 Tree Sparrows.

Later in the afternoon we did find another Yellow-browed Warbler in the Pines Gardens.

11th

From 07.00-08.30 there was a movement southwest of 2700 Wood Pigeon,

119 Swallows, 80 House Martins,16 Alba Wagtails, 9 Tree Sparrows,

55 Carrion Crows, 338 Goldfinches, 40 Linnets and 10 Redpolls. Elsewhere there were 2 Snipe, 7 Chiffchaffs, 13 Goldcrests and at the Village Hall another

Yellow-browed Warbler.

10th

Very few birds of note today apart from 9 Jays that came in off the sea and flew north.

Yellow-browed Warbler still around school

9th

Still some  vis.mig today with Siskins, Goldfinches, Linnets and Redpolls moving but not in the numbers of previous days.In the area were 6 Stonechats, 6 Blackcaps,

1 Lesser Whitethroat, 26 Chiffchaffs and 3 Brambling.

On the cliff-top we were treated to some spectacular aerial displays by the local Peregrines attacking the big escaped Falcon that has been hanging around for several weeks.

8th

Migration had slowed a little today and only 134 Siskins, 160 Goldfinches and

82 Redpolls flew north along the cliff-top. Around the area were 3 Wheatears,

8 Blackcaps, 37 Chiffchaffs, 9 Goldcrests and a Short-eared Owl.

The Yellow-browed Warbler was still in the village by the Chapel Tea Rooms and had been joined by a Pied Flycatcher.

7th

A seawatch from 08.00-09.30 produced 2 Shags,33 Common Scoters, 2 Teal,

1 Little Gull, 5 Common Terns and 3 Arctic Skuas flying downchannel.

There were very few birds around the area apart from 7 Swallows and 10 House Martins feeding over the Farm Wood, 9 Chiffchaffs, 4 Goldcrests and 8 Crossbills.

Whilst having lunch in the Bay a Yellow-browed Warbler, calling constantly,dashed

along the sycamores heading towards the South Foreland valley.Later I heard that

Phil had another Yellow-browed Warbler at the village school earlier in the morning.

6th

I was a little late this morning and the visible migration that is always better at dawn had slowed by the time I arrived, however a few Siskins, Goldfinches and

Chaffinches were still on the move. In the Paddock and the Gun Emplacement were

44 Robins, 4 Blackcaps, 21 Chiffchaffs, 16 Goldcrests, 2 Bramblings, 17 Blackbirds

and 15 Song Thrushes. In the Big field a flock off over 1700 Wood Pigeons have built up.....food for the local Peregrines. Little movement on the sea apart from

3 Arctic Skuas north.

5th

From 07.30-08.30, in horrible weather, Phil and I tried a seawatch and had

1 Red-throated Diver, 1 Black-throated Diver, 5 Shelduck, 6 Common Scoter and an Eider all moving south whilst 4 Arctic Skuas went north.

4th

From 07.00-09.00 in a bitterly cold north-westerly we had 31 Alba Wagtails,

406 Goldfinches, 166 Siskins, and 54 Redpols moving north along the cliff-top and in a period of 30minutes 1710 Chaffinches flew inland over a wide front in a north-westerly direction.

Around the area were 1000+ Wood Pigeons, singles of Hobby, Merlin and Short-eared Owl, 3 Tree Pipits, a Reed Warbler, 3 Lesser Whitethroats, 13 Blackcaps,

59 Chiffchaffs and 4 Crossbills, 3 of which were beautiful red males.

At 12.30, with the wind going round to south-westerly direction, we decided on a seawatch which over a couple of hours produced 3 Shags, 2 Mediterranean Gulls,

7 Little Gulls, 26 'Commic' and 15 Sandwich Terns flying south, whilst 22 Arctic,

1 Pomarine and 2 Great Skuas flew north.

2nd

A quick walk around the area this afternoon produced very little except

5 Stonechats, 4 Wheatears, 1 Blackcap, 7 Chiffchaffs and a large female Peregrine.

The bird, that I almost trod on, was eating a Wood Pigeon and as I approached it flew up making me nearly jump out of my skin.The Peregrine flew round and round

and would not leave its 'dinner', as soon as I left the half eaten corpse it returned and started to feed again. Although it isn't unusual to see Peregrines feeding in the field by the clifftop I have never seen one act like this and then return to its prey after being disturbed.