Stonechats and Sabine's Gulls

I was in an understandabl tired state this morning, having turned 17 and been out with friends last night! I woke at about 9.30 to Dad on the phone, saying he was watching the SIBERIAN STOENCHAT at Beachy Head! Being a very kind father (and probably still in birthday mode), he came back to pick me up, and about half an hour later we were stood with a crowd of 20+ other birders at Birling Gap, watching this gorgeous bird fly from perch to perch, in a set-aside field of thistle and kidney vetch. At times it came up to perch on the barbed wire fence on the side of the road, showing at a fantastic fifteen feet!

The white rump in flight was very distinctive, as was a larger white wing panel than on a nominate Stonechat. I was also surprised at just how pallid 1st-winter Sibe Stone looks compared to ours. I couldn't find my camera, but Peter Denyer has kindly donated me some photos to use... 

Also around at Beachy Head were 20+ Swallows moving through, 200+ Goldfinch, a few Skylark overhead and a tinkling of Goldcrests in Belle Tout. 

I thought this was going to be the highlight of my day- how wrong I was! Brian Cox (the birder, not the physicist or the thespian!), came over to say hi to the family/steal my birthday cake, and his pager alerted us to the reappearance of the Hove SABINE'S GULL seen yesterday. I sent a text to Jake Gearty who was still out, and him, Peter, Jamie Wilkinson and Luke Dray relocated the bird on the way back from the Stonechat. I got down there for 4.00, and met Jake, Luke, Dave Boddington, George Kinnard and the maverick himself along Hove seafront! The gull showed ridiculously well, down to about four metres! 

How to see; the bird is incredibly obliging, generally present along the seafront west of the burnt-down pier. it is often flighty but can allow remarkably close approach at times! It is apparently also a fan of chips, so birders, splash out a bit for some fabulous views! 

One feather on the left wing (not visible here) is also already moulted into it's winter plumage. If this bird hangs around for a while (which I hope it will) it'll be interesting to see whether it's moult develops any further.

thanks to Peter for letting me use his photos and Jon, Brian, Jake, Luke, Jamie, George and everyone else for a great day's birding! 

Merlin at Rodmell

a female MERLIN was the highlight today, seen from the train as I headed back from School. It flew across one of the fields and over the River Ouse where it forks of to Glynde Reach, and the falcon was heading in the direction of Rodmell Brooks. My first returning record from the Ouse, but presumably the same bird Cliff Parrott (great name for a birder!) reported on 15 October on the Sussex Ornithological Society Website. A few Skylarks and Goldfinches do still seem to be moving over, but other than that vismig has really dropped off! Butterflies are now vanishing quickly too- only Red Admirals remain easy to see, and today was the first day for many months that I failed to see a single white butterfly! Perhaps my last Speckled Wood of the year was in Seaford on Sunday 14th October, and other than that there's not a lot to report! 

bits and bobs

Not much the last three days, as school has largely dicated the pace. Yesterday morning was poor in a morning on Lewes Railway Land, though Redwing and Skylark were new patch birds (57 and 58 respectively), and 13 Siskin, a Mistle Thrush and a few Goldcrest were scattered about, as well as two more Siskin and a handful of Meadow Pipits heading over. Splash Point the morning beforehand was dreadful beyond belief- a Common Scoter was the sum of 20 minutes before I gave up and headed home!

However, today was at least notable for some good numbers in the sunny conditions! A flock of 200+ Woodpigeon headed over Seaford, along with a few Skylark, Meadow Pipit, Goldfinch and Siskin. , there were about 400 Goldfinch in the fields around Tide Mills and a flock of 150+ heading south over Piddinghoe Pond, where about 500 Swallows and House Martins were gathered. Remarkably, another HOBBY flew over Newhaven from the train, eight days after I'd seen one previously here. Lewes was full of Goldcrests, and a few Skylarks were still piling overhead late morning, Red Admiral, Speckled Wood, Large White and Migrant Hawker were also all out on the wing. Not a lot, but more than I would hope for on the days largely dominated by school!

RED-RUMPED SWALLOW- FINDER'S ACCOUNT

it was 08:08 this morning, when a flock of four hirundines flew past me on my circuit of Hope Gap, heading NE. Three were House Martins, but when I got on the back bird I knew it had to be something different. It was, to be quite frank, one of the briefest views I have ever had of a hirundine, but despite thinking over every other alternative, making myself doubt my identity, and not quite believing my initial ID, I can't think of anything this bird could have been other than a RED-RUMPED SWALLOW.

As I first got on it, I noticed the pale rump, ruling out Swallow or Sand Martin. My immediate impression from shape was that is lacked the short, forked tail of a House Martin, and it had long, elegant shape and long tail streamers of a hirundo species, and appeared even longer-tailed than a Swallow. The birds uppersides had a distinctive colouration, not as dark and navy-blue as the House Martin's it accompanied, more light blue-ish black in colour, and not as deep blue and glossy as the uppersides of a Swallow. But before I could see any more detail it was flying away from me, and all I could see was the back view. However, the flight was immediately reminiscent of the hundreds I saw in Bulgaria a month ago. It had wingbeats that were deep but also sharp, giving the impression that the bird was flicking it's wings with every beat, and it was less 'fluttery' than the House Martins it accompanied. This was interspersed with occasional periods of gliding; but it was only on view for another 30 seconds or so, before this hirundine flock disappeared from view.

At first I rather doubted myself, it took a minute for it to sink in what I had seen, and in the blind panic of those crucial seconds it was on view I had failed to note whether the bird had a red-rumps pale, buffish collar on the nape! The rump also seemed too pale at first, but remembering my experience with Red-rumps in Bulgaria in strong sunlight it was consistent with those birds. I fear the SOSRC might not put through a red-rump if I failed to notice the nape-collar, but I'm happy with the identification at any rate, despite mulling it over again and again til my head hurt.

Aside from the Swallow, it was a phenomenal day at Seaford Head, and here are my counts

Goldfinch-550
Chaffinch-200
Siskin-110
Linnet-67
Redpoll-17
Brambling-5
Chiffchaff-70
Goldcrest-30
Blackcap-5
Redwing-9
Mistle Thrush-1
Song Thrush-3
Blackbird-30
Robin-50
Dunnock-70
Jay-4
Pied Wagtail-105
Yellow Wagtail-5
Grey Wagtail-4
Skylark-46
Meadow Pipit-325
Tree Pipit-3
House Martin-80
Swallow-3
RED-RUMPED SWALLOW-1
Greenshank-1
Common Sandpiper-1

I was then back up at Harry's Bush an hour after getting home, when Nick Pope found a YELLOW-BROWED WARBLER. Needless to say, I failed to see it. I'd write some more detail on am amazing day but right now I'm shattered!

the first frosty morning at Seaford Head

sunrise over the patch

Blue Tit, on Seaford Head Golf Course

a group of Jackdaw on the fence running parallel to the Golf Course

 hundreds of Goldfinch were in this flock at Hope Gap!!!