Another lucky afternoon of dry weather (well nearly) after an incredibly wet 24 hours.
We set off in very windy conditions but lovely bright sunshine holding on to our hats and enjoying the amazing views in front of us. We soon saw the first of several Wheatears of the afternoon along with a pair of Stonechats at their usual site on the barn. The ocasional Buzzard appeared in the fields off to the left, it being a bit too windy for them to want to fly very much. These fields also held large numbers of gulls and a single Brown Hare, looking enormous as it fed in the short stubble. Overhead an almost continuous stream of Swallows headed along the coast, putting off the moment when they had to turn south and brave the English Channel on their way to Africa.
We were nearing the summit of the hill when a sudden scream made us spin round. Hurtling across the field towards us at head-height was a huge female Peregrine hotly pursued by her hungry youngster. She obviously wanted it to get some flying practice as she disappeared off into the distance and the youngster turned back towards the cliffs, crossing the field just in front of us.
Walking back we reached the Stonechats’ barn and realised that they had been replaced by a Whinchat. The hedge nearby held two more migrants, a Chiffchaff and a male Blackcap.
Birds
Herring Gull
Great Black-backed Gull
Pheasant
Kestrel
Buzzard
Peregrine
Wheatear
Stonechat
Whinchat
Swallow
Robin
Chiffchaff
Blackcap
Linnet
Mammals
Brown Hare
Insects
Red Admiral
