Dip Rectified and Beachy Head

Tuesday, October 13 

Heavy rain all night, yet we still had a hundred and forty three moths of seventeen species in the trap. Best were : 2  Mallow,  Brick, Delicate, 2 Pink-barred Sallow, 8 Barred Sallow, 2 Satellite, Large Wainscot and Yellow-line Quaker.

News came through that the first winter Red-backed Shrike was still at St Margaret's Bay, that was our first port of call. We parked, scanned unsuccessfully, and Pam walked up onto the sea wall where she was joined by three other birders. One of them spotted the Shrike, low down in a Hawthorn bush behind a fence. All of them hurried back down, they walked and we drove (at their suggestion), to within 50 metres of the bird, which gave us pretty poor but tickable views. Driving on slowly for better views, the rain eased and the bird hopped up onto the top of the bush, its back to us the whole time. By now, the other three had driven up behind us, taking phone photos. The photo I took of the bird beside a concrete post was just about sharp enough when I edited it out.

 

Thank you to three very pleasant and helpful birders and an obliging bird. 

Neither of us had ever visited Beach Head, that became our next destination. I spent the August of my 11th birthday, before entering Grammar School, staying with my sister and her husband in a school camp at Itchingfield near Horsham. London school children came out for a month at a time. The best thing was a swimming pool where I taught myself to swim. That was my only Sussex experience.

We took the coastal road to East Sussex, passing through Rye and Eastbourne. It was all very built up and traffic congested. We'd had our first Swallows at St Margaret's, Eastbourne seafront had a flock of feeding birds, good to see. All short-tailed juveniles, I hope that they complete their hazardous  journey south safely.

Countryside at last as we drove out to Beachy Head. We parked in a pull-in with a good view - if it had been clear. We had a few glimpses of white cliff and foaming water before the rain clouds set in. We had a mid afternoon lunch watching Swallows and a few House Martins feeding up before their final departure. A very short lull in the rain encouraged a Buzzard to circle up on the thermals, a Sparrowhawk on a mission flew through. 

For the return journey, our SatNav gave three alternatives. Fast, short or alternative routes. Pam chose the alternative as it took us inland away from the conurbations. Good choice. Very attractive rolling, wooded countryside, many white clapboard houses, Oasthouses and vineyards. Rain all the way and nowhere to stop and photograph the Oasthouses in particular. Shades of Geography O level where I had to compare and contrast two photographs. One of them was of Oasthouses so my general knowledge paid off.

Pam says that the sculpture plaque in yeterday's Blog is unreadable on a laptop. I'll go back and attempt to enlarge it. 

I am unable to edit photos on my old laptop so will need to teach myself how to use a new cloud based programme on my new computer. Success = photos. Failure = not until I get home.

Pam's birthday to-morrow and I know that we are starting at Dungeness, the rest of the day is her choice.