Today was a birdwatching sunday treat;an earlyish start about 0730 found Langdon Hole packed with birds,first a wheatear on the path,goldfinches,chaffinches,greenfinches,bramblings and goldcrests filled the bushes,redwings blackbirds and song thrushes could be seen devouring the rich harvest of ripe haws,whilst swirling in the breeze and passing within a few feet of my head large waves of swallows and house martins were feeding up prior to their ensuing cross channel flight.More than twenty grey partridge were flushed from the long grass,skylarks and meadow pipits were arriving from overseas and half a dozen pied wagtails and siskins a pair of reed buntings and a lone great spotted woodpecker flew east into the stiff breeze.
Moving on to the south foreland valley,five little egrets were feeding in rock pools far below the cliff edge,more goldfinches were on the move and a linnet flock of about 150 was on the ploughed field.Blackcaps,chiffs and three lesser whitethroats had joined forces with more goldcrests and a small flock of tits in the valley but the elusive yellow browed warbler could not be seen or heard.The grand finale was a dogfight between a peregrine and a raven which ended in an honourable draw.
DOGFIGHT AT S.F.V.
GOLDFINCH
SWALLOW
BRAMBLING
CHAFFINCH
DOGFIGHT AT S.F.V.
GOLDFINCH
SWALLOW
BRAMBLING
CHAFFINCH
Sounds like you had a good walk. I assume that the birds were sheltering in the hollow of Langdon Hole, as there were few on the clifftops (not difficult to work that one out, but it didn't occur to me at the time!)
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