I was out just after 5am where I spent an hour looking out to sea before a walk along the coast to Bishopstone before returning along the seawall up to the pier. In cloudy conditions with light winds and a sea mist forming, I noted 6 Shelduck, 1 Pheasant, c30 Feral Pigeon, 24 Woodpigeon, 2 Collared Dove, 2 Swift, 23 Oystercatcher, 4 Whimbrel, 6 Black headed Gull, 2 Mediterranean Gull, 2 Common Gull, c90 Herring Gull, 3 Great Black backed Gull, 1 Lesser Black backed Gull, 2 Sandwich Tern, 4 Great crested Grebe, 2 Gannet, 13 Cormorant and 1 Little Egret. There were 2 Hobby chasing Sand Martins over Bishopstone for c30 minutes, 1 Kestrel, 1 Peregrine, 2 Rook, 3 Blue Tit, 3 Great Tit, 1 Skylark, 1 Reed Warbler (121) singing in the glen, a scarce bird to get here in the spring, c30 Sand Martin, 15 Swallow, 7 Chiffchaff, 3 Cetti's Warbler, 6 Blackcap, 1 Garden Warbler (122) singing at Bishopstone, my first spring record of this species here. Also seen were 2 Lesser Whitethroat, 7 Whitethroat, 1 Firecrest, 20 Starling, 2 Song Thrush, 8 Blackbird, 2 Robin, 4 Dunnock, 8 House Sparrow, 5 Yellow Wagtail, 1 Meadow Pipit, 1 Chaffinch, 10 Linnet and 4 Goldfinch. 

Hobby

I was out of the house this morning at 04:45 where after collecting my recorder, I started walking along the sea wall in the growing light. I walked as far as the pier and made my way back via a number of bushes back to Bishopstone. Birds noted this morning were 1 reeling Grasshopper Warbler (119) on the Downs at 05:15, 4 Shelduck, 2 Pheasant, c40 Feral Pigeon, 2 Stock Dove, 35 Woodpigeon, 2 Collared Dove, 18 Oystercatcher, 1 Curlew, 3 Common Sandpiper (120) were flushed from the shore line, 1 Redshank, 2 Black headed Gull, 3 Mediterranean Gull, 1 Common Gull, 90 Herring Gull, 3 Great Black backed Gull, 1 Sandwich Tern, 15 Great crested Grebe, 1 Fulmar west over the Downs, 4 Cormorant, 1 Little Egret, 1 Sparrowhawk, 1 Green Woodpecker, 2 Hobby were together chasing Sand Martins over the colony and 1 Jackdaw. There were 2 Rook, 2 Blue Tit, 5 Great Tit, 1 Skylark, 63 Sand Martin, 46 Swallow west, 1 House Martin, 6 Chiffchaff, 2 Cetti's Warbler, 6 Blackcap, 1 Lesser Whitethroat, 15 Whitethroat, 1 Firecrest, 28 Starling, 1 Song Thrush, 12 Blackbird, 6 Robin, 8 Dunnock, 17 House Sparrow, 3 Yellow Wagtail, 1 Pied Wagtail, 1 Meadow Pipit, 1 Tree Pipit west calling, 2 Chaffinch, 11 Linnet, 1 goldfinch and 1 Corn Bunting. the past few night of 'Nocmig' recording has been very quiet. Just a Redshank last night. 

Grasshopper Warbler

I struck the jackpot on Thursday night when I sound recorded a Night Heron (116) flying along the coast at 02:18. After all the quiet nights, it certainly is a nice feeling to get something good. I was out at 5am this morning where I spent a couple of hours on the clifftop watching the sea and hoping a few birds would also pass by over the land, before I then took a quick walk around the Bishopstone end. In lovely sunny weather with little wind I recorded 4 Mute Swan west, 11 Shelduck, 2 Stock Dove, 12 Woodpigeon, 2 Collared Dove, 3 Swift west, 7 Black headed Gull, 9 Mediterranean Gull, 1 Common Gull, 70 Herring Gull, 11 Great Black backed Gull, 2 Great crested Grebe, 4 Cormorant, 2 Little Egret, 1 Green Woodpecker and 2 Hobby (117) were chasing each other offshore. There were 4 Magpie, 2 Rook, 26 Carrion Crow, 3 Blue Tit, 4 Great Tit, 1 Skylark, 80 Sand Martin, 21 Swallow, 4 Chiffchaff, 2 Cetti's Warbler, 2 Blackcap, 1 Lesser Whitethroat, 3 Whitethroat, 4 Wren, 4 Starling, 2 Song Thrush, 5 Blackbird, 3 Robin, 4 Dunnock, 4 House Sparrow, 5 Yellow Wagtail, 1 Meadow Pipit, 1 Tree Pipit (118) flying west calling, 2 Chaffinch, 4 Linnet, 1 Redpoll and 6 Goldfinch. 

Night Heron

Yellow Wagtail

Birding the area early Saturday morning in pleasant calm conditions produced 1 Mute Swan west and then on the sea, 2 Shelduck, 2 Common Scoter, 1 Pheasant, 31 Woodpigeon, 2 Collared Dove, 4 Oystercatcher, 2 Whimbrel, 1 Arctic Skua (113) was chasing Terns offshore, 37 Black headed Gull, 5 Mediterranean Gull, 2 Common Gull, 50 Herring Gull, 4 Great Black backed Gull, 1 Lesser Black backed Gull, 97 Sandwich Tern mostly east, 7 Great crested Grebe, 1 Gannet, 7 Cormorant, 1 Peregrine, c80 Sand Martin, 2 Swallow, 4 Chiffchaff, 2 Cetti's Warbler, 5 Blackcap, 1 Lesser Whitethroat, 11 Whitethroat, 1 Firecrest, 26 Starling, 3 Song Thrush, 10 Blackbird and 1 Fieldfare (114) flew west calling. There were 4 Robin, 6 Dunnock, 6 House Sparrow, 5 Chaffinch, 8 Linnet and 1 Goldfinch. Nocmig recording Saturday night produced 2 Moorhen, 1 Coot and 1 Greenshank. 

*Monday Night edit* A 45 minute look at the sea tonight produced 3 Woodpigeon, 1 Collared Dove, 6 Swift (115) were flying over Herne Bay, 6 Black headed Gull, 7 Mediterranean Gull east, 37 Herring Gull, 2 Great Black backed Gull, 4 Sandwich Tern, 4 Great crested Grebe, 1 Gannet, 18 Cormorant, 1 Little Egret, 1 Peregrine, 16 Sand Martin, 1 Swallow, 22 Starling, 1 Wheatear, 12 House Sparrow and 1 Linnet. 

Whitethroat

A cold Northerly wind was present for the session this morning making it quite hard to find the smaller birds which were no doubt sheltering from the wind. I started at Bishopstone and walked up the seawall to the pier before returning along the Downs and checking bushes as I passed. Birds noted included 4 Shelduck, 1 Pheasant, 1 Collared Dove, 1 Oystercatcher, 15 Redshank, 112 Black headed Gull, 101 Mediterranean Gull east with most flying over quite high. There were 3 Common Gull, 65 Herring Gull, 1 Great Black backed Gull, 1 Lesser Black backed Gull, 2 Great crested Grebe, 5 Cormorant, 1 Sparrowhawk, 2 Jackdaw, 3 Blue Tit, 2 Great Tit, 1 Skylark, c45 Sand Martin, 7 Swallow, 6 Chiffchaff, 2 Cetti's Warbler, 1 Long tailed Tit, 5 Blackcap, 1 Lesser Whitethroat, 8 Whitethroat, 1 Firecrest, 5 Blackbird, 1 Yellow Wagtail, 3 Meadow Pipit, 2 Chaffinch and 10 Linnet. Nocmig recording Saturday night only produced 1 Moorhen and still remains very quiet. Surely something good has to fly over soon calling! Back to work this week now so back to weekend birding and 'Nocmig' recording at night weather permitting. 

Mediterranean Gulls

The day started off at 06:00 in cloudy drizzly conditions and ended a few hours later with blue skies and quite mild. I spent an hour first thing having a seawatch before walking along the Downs to Bishopstone and back along the seawall. Birds noted included 4 Shelduck, 1 Pheasant, 16 Woodpigeon, 2 Collared Dove, 1 Oystercatcher, 1 Whimbrel, 9 Turnstone, 18 Black headed Gull, 58 Mediterranean Gull mostly flying east, c150 Herring Gull, 4 Great Black backed Gull, 3 Lesser Black backed Gull, 10 Sandwich Tern west, 7 Great crested Grebe, 6 Gannet, 14 Cormorant, 2 Little Egret, 2 Sparrowhawk, 1 Great spotted Woodpecker and 1 Green Woodpecker. There were 4 Blue Tit, 4 Great Tit, 2 Skylark, 40 Sand Martin, 34 Swallow, 2 Yellow Wagtail, 2 House Martin, 2 Willow Warbler, 5 Chiffchaff, 2 Cetti's Warbler, 2 Long tailed Tit, 5 Blackcap, 1 Lesser Whitethroat (111), 12 Whitethroat, 1 Firecrest, 4 Wren, 18 Starling, 1 Song Thrush, 7 Blackbird, 3 Robin, 7 Dunnock, 13 House Sparrow, 2 Yellow Wagtail, 1 Pied Wagtail, 2 Meadow Pipit, 17 Chaffinch, 17 Linnet, 3 Goldfinch and 1 Corn Bunting (112) singing. 

Great crested Grebe

With only a few hours out this morning until 09:30, I was out at 05:45 where I walked up the sea wall before returning and had a walk around the Bishopstone area. In calm quite sunny conditions, I noted 6 Shelduck, 2 Pheasant, 2 Stock Dove, 22 Woodpigeon, 4 Collared Dove, 1 Greenshank (108) was heard calling offshore, 1 Black headed Gull, 4 Mediterranean Gull, 1 Great Black backed Gull, 6 Great crested Grebe, 3 Cormorant, 2 Blue Tit, 3 Great Tit, 1 Skylark, 1 Swallow, 4 Chiffchaff, 3 Cetti's Warbler and 3 Long tailed Tit. There were 7 Blackcap, 8 Whitethroat, 1 Firecrest, 19 Starling, 1 Song Thrush, 6 Blackbird, 3 Robin, 1 male Wheatear (109) was along the seawall, 8 Dunnock, 8 House Sparrow, 2 Meadow Pipit, 2 Chaffinch, 21 Linnet and 1 Redpoll (110) flew west calling. 

Wheatear