Anyway, I started the day off at Seaford Head with Bob Self where birds were in true abundance. The main highlights are:
Ring Ouzel - 1
Redstart - 7 (all fem)
Spotted Flycatcher - 7
Reed Warbler - 3
Tree Pipit - 2
Whinchat - 3
Wheatear - 12
Hobby - 2
Other good bits were:
Whitethroat - 50+
Lesser Whitethroat - 3
Blackcap - 9
Willow Warbler - 21
Yellow Wagtail - 11
Afterwards we went down the Cuckmere and met up with Jake and Mick where we joined forces for the day. The valley was alive with Swallows, literally hundreds, possibly reaching the thousand mark. Birds were sat all across the fields and bushes creating a spectacular sighting. A female Merlin passed overhead as well. No sign of the Temmincks.
Rye Harbour was next and we soon got onto the KENTISH PLOVER on the beach reserve. Other Waders included some lovely s/p Bar-tailed Godwits, Knots, Grey Plovers and a Sanderling, plus lots of Dunlin and Ringed Plover with a few Avocets mixed in.
However, at 11.30am the Gulls started going mad over Rye and I soon spotted 2 WHITE STORKS circling quite low and slowly drifting west until lost at 11.36am. A great sighting.
Back onto the Waders, a Curlew Sandpiper was spotted as well.
On the way to Dunge we popped into Scotney GP and saw 3 Black Terns, amongst a few Common Terns, and 3 Common Sandpipers were on the edge.
At Dunge, the movement of Warblers was huge, Whitethroats were moving in waves across the moat, and other bits included many Garden Warblers, Willow Warblers, both Pied and Spotted Flycatcher and some Wheatears.
Last but not least, we twitched Surrey and with good traffic we soon arrived in Banstead and saw the trip of 15 Dotterel. Most were full adults with some stunning females mixed in.
I would love to know the numbers of birds seen today, it was unreal. A great ending to a truly fantastic day, which will live long in the memory.
Redstart, Wheatear and Hobby on Seaford Head
White Storks over Rye - Self Found
