little to be seen

updates from 30th and 31st July

walking the eastern edge of Seaford Head Golf Course on 30 July revealed one fly-over Sand Martin, and there were 3 Whitethroats and a Willow Warbler. There were plenty of Kittiwakes at the viewpoint, and also 1 summer-plumaged Black-headed Gull offshore here, this bird also being present on 27 and 28 July. Further long Seaford Beach were greater numbers of Black-headed Gull and a single juv Kittiwake, while just opposite the Salts was a large gathering of gulls, in excess of 200, mainly Herring and Black-headed but with one or two young Lesser and Greater Blackbacks identified. it looks like a good potential spot for Yellow-leggd Gulls if the group remains there. There was also a Gannet flying around several hundred metres offshore, and over Seaford plenty of screaming Swifts.

on 31st July, on my first visit to Seaford Head, round 10am with Dad, dog and some family friends, there was very little around, bar 5 Whitethroats, a Willow Warbler and 40 or so Meadow Pipits in the heavy mist. All these were in the wild-land between Hope Gap and the Coastguard Cottages. On a later visit (around 7pm), with just Dad and the dog, walking through Hope Gap was even quieter, just 1 Willow Warbler was there to show for out efforts, although a Great Green-Bush Cricket was a nice surprise anyway.

9 Jan 2010-Newhaven Tide Mills and Seaford

A Fantastic day in the local area. a Rock Pipit made itself noticeable on the coast road through Seaford, an unusual suburban record. A Red-throated Diver was offshore in Seaford Bay, while in a Blizzard on the outskirts of Seaford, a Woodcock, presumably as surpsied as I was, made a brief appearance, emerging from the caravan park, coming to its senses and swooping down underneath a Caravan. Four Snipe were flushed from te fields below Bishopstone, two hiding in a bramble patch, one flying over the railway and one flying off to sit in the snow, desperately attempting to find some food. Also in these fields were a Stonechat and a Kestrel. Waders were well represented along the Mill Creek, with 300 Dunlin, 50 Redshank, small numbers of Curlew and Lapwing, and single Jack Snipe and Black-tailed Godwit. Also present on the Mill creek were 300 Teal and 2 drake Shoveler. on the beach were 2 Ringed Plover, while 8 Wigeon passed west offshore. Back in seaford, three figure counts of Redwing and Fieldfare, with singles of Mistle Thrush and Blackcap.