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

Due to the coastal location of the patch, I will probably never ever see a Moorhen but have recorded them a few times flying over at night last year and on a couple of occasions this year. With this in mind, If I'm ever to actually get one on my patch list, I was going to have to get out for an evening session in the hope one flies over calling. I tried last week for an hour one evening from 8pm but had no luck so last night, with the weather quite still, I spent another hour from 9pm sitting out on the clifftop in the hope something would fly by. I had nearly given up hope and was actually just walking back to the car when just before 10pm, a Moorhen called a few times as it flew over in the dark. Whilst most won't even give this species a second look, to know they are flying through the area at night is special, and thankfully now, on my patch list. Now to try my luck with a Little Grebe or Water Rail in the next few weeks. Some Teal were also heard last night flying over. 

It must be the weekend! Cloudy, drizzle with heavier spells of rain from time to time this morning and a strengthening wind made for a pretty murky session. I spent a couple of hours on the clifftop at Bishopstone in the hope a Woodlark would fly over calling, which it didn't, but I will persevere and hope that if I keep looking, then I may get lucky. I then had a walk in the Glen to try and keep out of the wind and rain. Birds noted included 1 Grey Partridge calling at dawn. Other birds noted included 168 Brent Geese, 1 Shelduck, 2 Red breasted Merganser west, 1 Pheasant, 8 Stock Dove, 24 Woodpigeon, 2 Collared Dove, 1 Oystercatcher, 110 Black headed Gull, 3 Mediterranean Gull, 11 Common Gull, 53 Herring Gull, 4 Great Black backed Gull, 1 Lesser Black backed Gull, 6 Great crested Grebe, 11 Red throated Diver, 1 Fulmar west, 7 Gannet and 22 Cormorant. There were 12 Rook, 1 Jay, 1 Sparrowhawk, 1 Peregrine, 2 Skylark, 1 singing Chiffchaff (90), always a welcome and awaited sound to hear, 2 Long tailed Tit, 1 Firecrest, 37 Starling, 5 Song Thrush, 5 Robin, 4 Dunnock, 2 Meadow Pipit, 2 Chaffinch and 66 Linnet.

I put the recorder out last night at 18:15 on the Downs and then returned at 20:00 where I spent an hour sitting out listening into the darkness in the hope that maybe a Moorhen would fly over. I only heard a Black headed Gull but during the night after I had left. 2 Moorhen flew over calling along with 1 Mediterranean Gull, 1 Grey Heron and 1 Redwing (89). A Mallard was heard early morning before I collected the recorder. With the nocmig season just getting going, I'm hopeful of a few birds in the coming weeks. 

Grey Heron

I had a brief seawatch yesterday morning which was pretty quiet but birds noted from first light included c300 Brent Geese, c40 Feral Pigeon, 7 Woodpigeon, 3 Oystercatcher, 16 Turnstone, 20 Black headed Gull, 5 Common Gull, 30 Herring Gull, 1 Lesser Black backed Gull (88), 4 Great crested Grebe, 3 Red throated Diver, 5 Cormorant, 2 Peregrine, 4 Magpie, 5 Carrion Crow, 1 Cetti's Warbler, 6 Starling, 1 Dunnock, 14 House Sparrow and 10 Linnet. 

I had an hour or so having a seawatch this morning before driving around to Bishopstone for a walk around. Birds noted included 229 Brent Geese, 2 Shelduck, 2 Oystercatcher, 11 Turnstone, 21 Black headed Gull, 1 Mediterranean Gull, 4 Common Gull, 236 Herring Gull, 2 Great Black backed Gull, 6 Great crested Grebe, 6 Red throated Diver, 7 Cormorant, 1 Peregrine and 1 Cetti's Warbler. Bistopstone had 2 Stock Dove, 13 Woodpigeon, 8 Collared Dove, 1 Great spotted Woodpecker, 1 Green Woodpecker, 5 Magpie, 5 Blue Tit, 3 Great Tit, 5 Skylark, 2 Long tailed Tit, 1 Goldcrest, 1 Firecrest, 22 Starling, 2 Song Thrush, 6 Blackbird, 9 Dunnock, 18 House Sparrow, 1 Pied Wagtail, 1 Meadow Pipit, 3 Chaffinch and 19 Linnet.  The year list remains stuck on 87 species. Hopefully the next few weeks will start to see some migrants appearing. 

Linnet