Kestrel, Beachy Head

 An extremely relaxed Kestrel, just on the tip of Beachy Head. One of three that were able to ignore the paragliders and hunt successfully. Possibly the same birds seen earlier at Warren Hill. Too many great photos...

One feeding on something it had just plunged down to catch.

Today we counted just twenty two Grey Seals

Common Blue

Warren Hill

The kind of glorious South Downs late Summer day, that helps one forget the awful oppressive weather of all the heatwaves. Swallows, feeding in numbers, were not unduly concerned by the three hunting Kestrels over the hill.

Goldfinch

Common Whitethroat

Two of the Kestrels
 

Pied Flycatchers, Beachy Head

At least two, possibly more. I am always surprised at how different they are after their breeding pomp, like this one from Dolgoch Falls, April 2022 Breeding Plumage

Wheatear, at least three were present.

Common Whitethroat

Firecrest

We heard the beautifully sad and mournful cries of the Grey Seals before we saw them. There were at least thirty.

Chiffchaff, Hill Road

Another migrant, passing through the garden
 

Warren Hill

 A few days of rain and the parched Downs have started to change. There hare hints of greeness here anf there and butterfly numbers have seemed to increase.

Buzzard

Chalkhill Blue

Clouded Yellow. I have easily seen more of these this year than all my previous sightings combined.

Brown Argus

Chalkhill Blue

Meadow Brown

Common Blue

Butchershole Bottom

 

Brown Argus

Stonechats, Seaford Head

Still very warm. The flowers in the Bird Winter Feeding field are less abundant than in previous years, but Chicory and mini Sunflowers are doing well in the drought.

A family group of Stonechats, with fledged juveniles afforded us some very intimate views.

Pointed Snail Cochlicella acuta. These snails climb up tall grass stems during hot, dry weather and seal their shells with mucus. This behaviour is called aestivation. Climbing off the hot ground allows them to find cooler airand conserve moisture.