Windmills before the Rain!

 I headed up to the Jack and Jill Windmills, hoping for a migrationfest, started well, 5 Whinchats on a fence near the horse Paddocks and 3 flyover Yellow Wagtails got my hopes up but overall pretty quiet, got another Whinchat further along, a couple of Wheatears and a lone Redstart, distant and couldn't find it again once it disappeared. A few Whitethroats, Chiffies and Blackcaps were in the bushes and a very brief view of a Lesser Whitethroat, but numbers were low. The locals were thin on the ground as well a few Yellowhammers, low numbers of Linnets, a single Corn Bunting, small flock of Chaffinch and about a million Red-legged Partridge and Pheasants. A few Swallows were seen as well. Didn't see any Raptors at all!! The weather was glorious sunshine on one side and heavy showers on the other, which seemed to be going along the coast. Until the last  half mile when one got me!!! But not to bad!! A few pics of the main characters below!

Actually remembered to get me phone out and take a pic of the Windmill!

The view over the Weald

The view the other way, just missed what looked liked a pretty epic sunrise, damn that comfy bed!

Whinchat

What you looking at!

The other Whinchat

Common Whitethroat

The first Wheatear

Saw lots of Rabbits, this was the cutest

Yellowhammer

Showers coming in!

Luckily this didn't dump it's load on me!

Red-legged Partridge

Not 100% thinking Chiffchaff

Think juv Corn Bunting

Common Redstart, annoyingly it disappeared into the bush as I got closer and was never seen again!

Green Woodpecker, saw each other at the same time and the new camera done it's stuff!

The second Wheatear posed well

I do love a posy Wheatear

Another annoying warbler that wouldn't come out of the bush, has to go down as a Chiffalow

Linnet

You thought I'd forgotten the obligatory Hurstpierpoint Church pic!

Not a bad morning left fairly early to beat the weather, got to be a Wryneck up there somewhere but I couldn't find it !! I just haven't got the patience to stand and wait for ages in the hope something appears!!! The Pond where I've had good  results recently was pretty deserted, the recent rains negating it's pulling power!! 

Seaford Wander

 With the Zitting Cisticola at Lydd buggering off before I could get to see it, although it at least had the decency to go on Thursday so my hopes weren't to badly crushed, it was a trip to Seaford Head to look for migration. Basically it was blooming hard working, walking about 18000 steps, for not much reward! Although to be fair there were a couple of bits of quality and I did see most of the Warblers you would expect, though in very small numbers! There were a big group of Ringers at the bottom of Hope Gap and from what I could gather they had had a fairly quiet day!

The absolute highlight for me was a Grasshopper Warbler, which posed astonishingly well for the species, it may be the first time I've actually seen a whole one so good are they at skulking!! Bit of panic as the camera refused to focus but then boom!!!

Grasshopper Warbler

Even spun round to give me a different angle

Apart from that I had one Wheatear, yes just one😢though in it's defence it did pose well!

Wheatear

The Sunflowers in the bird feed field looking nice and bright at the moment 

There were three Whinchats in the field below Harry's Bush, over the fence and across the path the one with the Dew Pond in it, which had two Greenshank feeding in it! These also showed well but a bit distant for great pics, with my level of ability!

Whinchat, seemed to be in preening mode as were quite still while I was there

A White Stork, seemingly unringed flew over, harassed by a Buzzard!

White Stork

White Stork and Buzzard

A few more pics below, lots of Stonechats, Goldfinch, small Flocks of both Greenfinch and Chaffinch were about. 

Goldfinch

Obligatory Belle Tout pic

Linnet

Young Goldfinch

Goldfinch on Teasel, classic

Common Whitethroat

Lesser Whitethroat

Very posy Stonechat, the variety of plumage at this time of year with moulting adults and Juveniles is interesting 

Little Egret

Common Whitethroat

Common Sandpiper

Green Sandpiper

Lapwing

Cows let me down today not a single Yellow Wagtail among em, though did get a couple of flyovers

Couple of Blackcaps and I think a Willow Warbler

Stonechat, looks like he's had a hard breeding season!

Peregrine on the cliff, didn't hang around for better pics

Willow Warbler

Chaffinch

Redstart, managed to track one down in Harry's Bush, but to say they are elusive is an understatement

Slightly better pic

Buzzard

Tried very hard to find a Wryneck failed miserably, best I could do an out of focus Green Woodpecker!

Blue Butterfly

The birds below were being put forward as Shags by better Birders than me , as we know I like a Shag but I'm thinking the bird on the left is a Cormorant with the bird on the right possibly a Shag, any opinions gratefully recieved. 

So an interesting day, the Gropper alone worth the effort put in!!! So can't complain, though my aching feet and back seem to be!!