12/08/2020 With Paul James and Group near Birling Gap, Sussex

Wednesday 12 August 2020

Birling Gap, Sussex

My first outing with Paul and the group, for over a year, turned out to be most enjoyable and very rewarding, with plenty of the migrants around. 7 of us made the trip to the Sussex coast near Beachy Head -  it was so good to meet up with everyone again.

 An early, 07.30 start was called for to maximise our chances of encountering the birds.  It also meant we could start with temperatures of 19C and get most of our birding done before things got too hot - around the 30C range by midday.    

We parked at Birling Gap before heading east, up the hill past the Belle Tout Lighthouse and on to Shooters Bottom before crossing the road, ascending the hill before turning and returning to the car via Hodcombe Farm and Horseshoe Plantation. 

• The tone for the morning was set right at the start when I found Paul, Ian and Brenda watching a lively cluster of corn buntings, whitethroats and goldfinches, as I arrived at the car parking area.  
• Pick of the sea birds was the fulmars which we saw as we neared the top of the hill.
• Many swallows were present but not in the vast numbers that will be here in a couple of weeks time when migration is in full swing. 
• We saw a peregrine early on and then another on the return leg of our journey.  A kestrel and a buzzard were also seen.
• At Shooters Bottom we saw several lesser whitethroats in with the many common whitethroats.

Julie and Malcolm had to leave us at this point to attend to matters at home.

• What was a very good morning got even better when we crossed the road at the half way point.  Just over the hill, in the valley, we saw 10 wheatears on the fence and they were joined by a stunning whinchat, my first this year!
• Paul also saw a raven and a redstart.

Paul got a call from his son Gareth telling us about a couple of sightings of pied flycatchers just up the road from where we were parked.  Thankfully the car park by the Old Trapping Area was empty and we were able to go looking for this migrant.

• Paul soon located the bird but it disappeared before most of us could get on to it.  However Alan and Paul found it again and we enjoyed really good views.

• A great day out with the group - I have to admit that without the invite I would have remained at home to avoid the sweltering heat. 
• Some smashing sightings; I was particularly pleased to see the pied flycatcher, a bird I normally see in Cumbria in May but not possible this year of course.