I was out this morning at 05:45 where I had an hour seawatching and then a walk along the seawall and back to Bishopstone. Birds noted 8 Shelduck, 1 Pheasant, 13 Woodpigeon, 1 Collared Dove, 3 Oystercatcher, 2 Whimbrel (105) flew east and then back west, 2 Turnstone, 6 Black headed Gull, 10 Mediterranean Gull, 1 Common Gull, 260 Herring Gull, 6 Great Black backed Gull, 6 Sandwich Tern, 10 Great crested Grebe, 4 Cormorant, 2 Little Egret, 1 Green Woodpecker and 1 Peregrine. There were 10 Rook, 25 Carrion Crow, 2 Raven flew west over Bishopstone, 3 Blue Tit, 3 Great Tit, 2 Skylark, c120 Sand Martin, 5 Swallow, 2 House Martin (106) west, 1 Willow Warbler, 5 Chiffchaff, 5 Cetti's Warbler, 5 Blackcap, 8 Whitethroat, 1 Firecrest, 15 Starling, 1 Song Thrush, 8 Blackbird, 5 Robin, 5 Dunnock, 20 House Sparrow, 1 Yellow Wagtail (107) west, 3 Meadow Pipit, 5 Chaffinch, 26 Linnet and 10 Goldfinch.

I was out at 05:30 yesterday morning where I spent some time walking from Bishopstone up to the pier and back, checking the bushes as best I could along the Downs as I passed by both ways. Birds noted included 4 Shelduck, 2 Mallard, 2 Pheasant, 30 Woodpigeon, 1 Collared Dove, 38 Redshank, 7 Turnstone, 13 Black headed Gull, 17 Mediterranean Gull west, 1 Great Black backed Gull, 2 Lesser Black backed Gull, 2 Sandwich Tern (103) were flying between buoys offshore, 8 Great crested Grebe, 16 Cormorant, 2 Little Egret and 1 Green Woodpecker. There were 4 Jackdaw, 5 Blue Tit, 5 Great Tit, 1 Skylark, 110 Sand Martin, 10 Swallow, 5 Chiffchaff, 5 Cetti's Warbler, 6 Blackcap, 8 Whitethroat, 1 Firecrest, 10 Starling, 1 Song Thrush, 2 Meadow Pipit, 3 Chaffinch, 1 Greenfinch (104), a scarce bird seemingly in the area despite them breeding 800m away, 16 Linnet and 11 Goldfinch. Nocmig recording Monday night only produced 1 Oystercatcher. 

Blue Tit

I started off just after 05:30 this morning with a look at the sea which was pretty quiet and then took a walk along the seawall up to Bishopstone and back in mostly cloudy conditions. Birds noted included 4 Shelduck, 2 Mallard, 1 Grey Partridge, 2 Pheasant, 24 Woodpigeon, 4 Collared Dove, 1 Curlew, 2 Turnstone, 13 Black headed Gull, 2 Mediterranean Gull, 1 Common Gull, 188 Herring Gull, 8 Great Black backed Gull, 2 Lesser Black backed Gull, 4 Great crested Grebe, 2 Gannet east, 16 Cormorant and 1 Sparrowhawk. At Bishopstone, I found 1 Cuckoo (101) in cliff top bushes which is a scarce bird here so to see one perched was a real bonus. The Sand Martins were not happy with it and occasionally it flew along the cliffs to perch again. There were 2 Blue Tit, 8 Great Tit, 1 Great spotted Woodpecker, 1 Peregrine, 4 Skylark, c80 Sand Martin, 38 Swallow (102) flying west in small flocks, 6 Chiffchaff, 4 Cetti's Warbler, 5 Long tailed Tit, 8 Blackcap, 3 Whitethroat, 1 Firecrest, 7 Wren, 22 Starling, 1 Song Thrush, 7 Blackbird, 3 Robin, 4 Dunnock, 11 House Sparrow, 2 Meadow Pipit, 53 Chaffinch west, 12 Linnet and 81 Goldfinch west. Nocmig recording continues to be very quiet, the only notable bird recorded Friday night being a Coot calling. 

Cuckoo

I was out at 05:30 where I spent some time looking out to sea and then a walk at Bishopstone and along the seawall in warm sunny conditions. Birds noted included 1 Greylag Goose, 3 Shelduck, 2 Gadwall east, 3 Pheasant, 1 Stock Dove, 14 Woodpigeon, 2 Collared Dove, 32 Oystercatcher, 1 Curlew, 8 Black headed Gull, 2 Mediterranean Gull, 3 Common Gull, 6 Great Black backed Gull, 2 Lesser Black backed Gull, 6 Great crested Grebe, 9 Cormorant, 1 Little Egret, 3 Grey Heron, 1 Sparrowhawk, 1 Green Woodpecker and 2 Peregrine. There were 2 Skylark, 1 Jay, 1 singing Sedge Warbler, c70 Sand Martin, 1 Willow Warbler (98), 7 Chiffchaff, 3 Cetti's Warbler, 6 Blackcap, 1 Common Whitethroat (99), 2 Firecrest, 4 Song Thrush, 5 Dunnock, 1 Grey Wagtail, 1 Pied Wagtail, 2 Meadow Pipit, 3 Chaffinch, 1 Brambling (100), 14 Linnet and 11 Goldfinch. Still not a Wheatear or Swallow yet!

Cetti's Warbler

Willow Warbler

Birding after work on the 1st April produced 16 Sand Martin (94) back at the colony on the cliffs. An early morning visit this morning for a few hours in the Bishopstone area was quite productive with a Nightingale (95) heard at 05:45 singing on and off from bushes on the cliff top. It continued for a while giving short phrases of its song before eventually going quiet. This is a new patch bird for me and one that I wasn't sure I would get any time soon. Other birds noted included 1 male Common Redstart (96) which was showing and feeding on the side of a field, another bonus bird and the first male I have seen here. There were also 2 Greylag Geese west, 6 Shelduck, 2 Grey Partridge, 1 Pheasant, 14 Woodpigeon, 3 Collared Dove, 4 Oystercatcher, 6 Black headed Gull, 1 Mediterranean Gull, c20 Herring Gull, 1 Great Black backed Gull, 3 Great crested Grebe, 4 Cormorant, 1 Little Egret and 1 Grey Heron. Also seen were 3 Rook, 1 Skylark, c49 Sand Martin back at the colony, 2 Chiffchaff, 2 Blackcap, 1 Cetti's Warbler, 2 Chaffinch and 8 Linnet. I returned again to the area at 10am where I walked up to the pier and back and checked the bushes. The highlight was seeing and hearing a Sedge Warbler (97), the first time I have seen one in Spring here as normally, I catch up with juveniles as they pass through in the Autumn. Also seen were 2 Shelduck, 36 Redshank, 23 Turnstone, 4 Mediterranean Gull, 3 Common Gull, 1 Great Black backed Gull, 2 Lesser Black backed Gull, 3 Great crested Grebe, 14 Cormorant, 1 Little Egret, 1 Sparrowhawk, 1 Great spotted Woodpecker, c70 sand Martin at the colony on the cliffs, 5 Chiffchaff, 3 Cetti's Warbler, 9 Blackcap, 4 Meadow Pipit, 3 Chaffinch, 8 Linnet and 2 Goldfinch. 

Nightingale

Sedge Warbler

A lovely sunny morning with a chilly wind was spent walking the patch at Bishopstone and the Downs, walking as far as the pier and then back via the seawall. Birds noted included 4 Shelduck, 1 Pheasant, c20 Feral Pigeon, 1 Stock Dove, 12 Woodpigeon, 1 Collared Dove, 3 Oystercatcher, 41 Redshank, 7 Turnstone, 121 Black headed Gull, 7 Mediterranean Gull east, 7 Common Gull, 84 Herring Gull, 2 Great Black backed Gull, 4 Lesser Black backed Gull, 6 Great crested Grebe, 20 Red throated Diver, 1 Gannet, 13 Cormorant, 4 Little Egret, 1 Sparrowhawk, 6 Common Buzzard circling south of the recording area, 1 Great spotted Woodpecker, 1 Green Woodpecker, 2 Peregrine, 10 Magpie, 3 Jackdaw, 49 Carrion Crow, 3 Skylark, 6 Chiffchaff, 2 Cetti's Warbler, 1 Blackcap (92), 1 Goldcrest, 2 Firecrest, 26 Starling, 3 Song Thrush, 4 Dunnock, 2 Pied Wagtail, 2 Meadow Pipit, 3 Chaffinch, 12 Linnet and 1 Goldfinch. Nocmig recording Friday night produced 2 Redwing and 1 Water Rail (93). 

Blackcap

Water Rail

I had a brief look at the sea Saturday morning and then a walk along the seawall, and then a look at  Bishopstone for any new migrants. Birds noted included 5 Greylag Geese (91) flying west over the cliffs, 22 Brent Geese, 4 Shelduck, 2 Mallard, 2 Pheasant, 13 Woodpigeon, 3 Collared Dove, 2 Oystercatcher, 30 Redshank, 9 Turnstone, 80 Black headed Gull, 4 Mediterranean Gull east, 48 Herring Gull, 1 Lesser Black backed Gull, 9 Great crested Grebe, 5 Red throated Diver, 19 Cormorant, 1 Sparrowhawk, 3 Common Buzzard, 1 Great spotted Woodpecker, 1 Green Woodpecker, 1 Peregrine, 3 Jackdaw, 2 Rook, 5 Skylark, 3 Chiffchaff, 1 Cetti's Warbler, 2 Long tailed tit, 2 Firecrest, 19 Starling, 5 Song Thrush, 5 Meadow Pipit, 2 Chaffinch, 8 Linnet and 1 Goldfinch. 

Greylag Geese