The day started still and overcast, heavy rain followed by clearer skies and a building SW wind.
The rain held off longer than forecast but was too wet for birding by 08.45am, nothing much was seen bar 12 Swallow and 2 House Martin passing through (discounting local breeders). I returned for an hour at lunch and was rewarded by picking up 2 Bee-eater passing overhead at 14.46hrs, a little high but still exciting. They briefly circled over Hodcomb together before drifting off east. I think Bee-eaters are a great find experience, first the distinctive calls, then the panic of trying to locate them followed by the relief of clapping eyes on them. Within a minute or two they had moved on, as is their way, always leaving you wanting a bit more time with them.
It’s my 4th encounter with these birds in recent years, with a total of 11 individuals seen and one occasion involved a “heard-only” record which could have been 1 or more birds. All fly overs bar a singleton that lingered for over an hour in May 2015.
BEACHY HEAD BIRDER 