16 th march
Overcast day with a medium south to south westerly wind

Winter plumage Guillemot on water off fort early morning. Worked its way close inshore towards fiddlers point and river Axe. photo on http://birdlist.co.uk/images/dsc02534.jpg

17 th march
Overcast day with a 5mph south westerly wind

4 Wheatear (2 at top of steps and 2 by fort)
6+ Chiffchaff (1 nr trig point. Most on east end of down, several singing).
1 Brambling west over the down
1 Siskin west over the down
90+ Meadow Pipit west over the down

Wheatear photo http://birdlist.co.uk/images/dsc02536.jpg

18 th march
Strong south westerly wind with showers. Poor visibility

2 Tufted Ducks (1M + 1F) flew around the east end of the down towards berrow. (My first record of this species here)
11 alba wagtails flew west out to sea over the fort
2 Wheatear - 1 at top of steps and 1 at fort
2 Chiffchaff - 1 on down and 1 at east end
1 Grey Wagtail at fort

30 th march
North winds and heavy cloud with some rain during the previous week have slowed down migration. Nationally there has been just a few stragglers through. Rarities that have come through during the earlier influx have been long stayers suggesting unsuitable weather for migration. Long stayers have been alpine swift in yorkshire and red rumped swallow in leicestershire.
The weather has changed today with the winds changing from northerly to easterly around 14mph and cloud cover reducing to leave clear sky.

Recorded on Brean this morning:
3 Chiffchaff - 2 singing on the down and 1 calling nr fort
2 Siskin flying east
Other migrants included: 3 Goldcrest, c.20 Meadow Pipit, c.15 Chaffinch.
Also recorded: 1 Bullfinch on down

1 st april
Overcast day with a light south easterly wind.

1 Wheatear at trig point
2 Sand Martins north towards birnbeck
1 Willow Warbler at top of diaganol track
4 Chiffchaff singing

6 th april
13 Swallows fighting against the westerly wind.

8 th april
Bright morning with light northerly wind. High cloud.

1 Tree Pipit heard calling over
1 Garden Warbler singing for about 15 secs nr Brean Down farm
3 Willow Warbler singing on down
5 Chiffchaff heard.
1 Siskin west over

11 th april
Cloudy day with high cloud giving good visibility and a very light 3 mph wind

110 Swallows north
20 Sand Martins north
1 Grasshopper Warbler reeling briefly near the top of the diaganol track
10 - 20 Willow Warblers and Chiffchaffs on the down
1 Wheatear at the trig point

12 th april
Light northerly wind, high cloud but 3 mile visibility

1 male Redstart around bushes at top of steps
1 Grasshopper Warbler reeling nr fort
40 Willow Warblers
10 Chiffchaff
15 Swallows north
2 Sand Martin north
Also report of Wheatear nr trig point

Redstart photo: www.birdlist.co.uk/images/dscn3804.jpg

13 th april
high broken cloud with clear visibility and a light westerly wind.

1 Wheatear nr trig point
4 Swallows north
1 Sand Martin north

15 th april
17mph southerly wind with fog reducing visibility to 500 yds. above the fog there was blue sky.

1 Common Sandpiper around rocks nr fort
1 Brambling east over
1 Greenshank in off the sea and flew east
2 Tree Pipits north
1 Yellow Wagtail north
1 Siskin heard
2 House Martins 1 east, 1 north
20 Swallows north
10 Sand Martins north

16 th april
Cloudy day with hardly any wind at all.

1 female Ring Ouzel calling constantly and very flighty around trig point
2 Grasshopper Warblers 1 on east end of the down and 1 heard adjacent to car park
1 Whitethroat singing around north cliffs
9 Tree Pipits north (2 perched briefly around north cliffs)
60 Swallows north
50 Sand Martin north
20 House Martin north
60 Meadow Pipits west

19 th april
Bright day with broken high cloud. light westerly wind.

2 Grasshopper Warblers - 1 reeling nr fort and 1 reeling nr north cliffs
1 female Redstart at top of steps
2 Tree Pipit - 1 in off sea from the north nr fort and then flew west and 1 calling over down.
1 Swallow over north

female Redstart photo: http://www.birdlist.co.uk/images/DSCN4044.jpg

20 th april
Southerly wind with 90% cloud cover and some light rain

1 Tree Pipit flying around the fort. flew out to sea a couple of times and came back
1 Siskin west over the down
1 Swallow south toward r. axe

21 st april
Fairly strong southerly wind with 100% cloud cover, mainly high cloud with scattered rain clouds.

1 Ring Ouzel roosting in hawthorns at top of steps
25 Swallow west over the down
3 Siskin together flying high around the fort. flew out west to sea and came back again.

22 nd april
overcast day 60% cloud cover increasing during the morning. light southerly wind. Much smaller fall than expected:

5+ Grasshopper Warblers reeling. All on north side of the down.
1 Whimbrel on down and then flew off west
3 Yellow Wagtail west
3 Wheatear 2 on down and 1 near fort
100 Swallow west
30 House Martin west
10 Sand Martin west
trickle through of leaf warblers and blackcaps

23 rd april
Clear night becoming cloudy and foggy during the morning with a slight southerly wind.

1 Cuckoo on hawthorns around the top of the steps and then moved west along the down
1-2 Tree Pipits heard
20 Swallow west
5 Sand Martin west
5 House Martin west
also reported: 2 Grasshopper Warbler 1 nr fort and 1 between north cliffs and fiddlers point nr trough, yellow wagtail/s over

24 th april
clear, cloudless night and morning with no wind

1 Tree Sparrow nr fort. Tree Sparrow photo: www.birdlist.co.uk/images/dscn4091.jpg
6 Whimbrel 5 flying south towards berrow and 1 heard calling nr fort
1 Yellow Wagtail west
1 female Redstart between fiddlers point and steps
1 Garden Warbler in sub song between fiddlers point and steps
1 Cuckoo heard calling briefly
1 Wheatear on top of down
2 Grasshopper Warblers 1 half way along botton track and 1 at top of steps
60 Swallow west
1 Sedge Warbler singing around car park
1 House Martin west
1 Sand Martin west
1 Redpoll over the down west and then east

26 th april
cloudy start to the morning with a southerly wind. by 08:00 the clouds had cleared and the wind had dropped a little.

2 Wood Warblers singing 1 between fiddlers point and the steps and 1 at the top of the steps. Video still: www.birdlist.co.uk/images/dsc02655.jpg
1 Grasshopper Warbler reeling nr fort
10 Swifts hawking over east end of the down
6 Tree Pipits west
1 Whimbrel heard over
1 Sedge Warbler singing around car park

27 th april
High cloud with ligth northerly wind

1 Grasshopper Warbler reeling nr fort
14 Swift north
40 Swallow most north some west
2 House Martin north
2 Yellow Wagtail heard over
1 Redpol around north cliffs

28 th april
Strong northerly wind with 100% cloud cover both high, and low clouds reducing visibility and some spots of rain.

4 Swifts north
20 Swallows north

3 rd may
Cloudy with westerly wind

1 Fulmar around fort
1 Stock Dove north over trig point
1 Lesser Whitethroat singing 30yds east of fiddlers point
5 Swift west
1 Sand Martin west
50 House Martin west
50 Swallow west
1 Cuckoo calling on down

4 th may
strong south westerly wind with rain heavy rain

4 Swallows west
1 Fulmar around fort
1 Swift sp over down (seemed to have a pale belly) and drifted south towards Weston Sewage works
1 Lesser Whitethroat singing 30yds east of fiddlers point

10 th may
Started off cloudy with mist at dawn brightening up after a couple of hours. light north westerly wind.

1 Garden Warbler in subsong at fiddlers point
1 Tree Pipit heard
2 Wagtail sp west over. 1 had a call very dipper like, similar to citrine wagtail.
60 Dunlin and 25 Ringed Plover on Axe Est (No sign of yesterdays Pectoral Sandpiper).
1 Whimbrel heard Axe Est
2 Redpoll perched on down briefly and then flew west
4 Swift west
2 House Martin around east end of down
50 Swallow west

11 th may
100% cloud cover with 1/2 mile visibility and a light notherly wind

3 Sedge Warbler 1 on slope south of fiddlers point, 1 nr car park, 1 nr caravans
1 Reed Warbler singing in rhynes just south of caravans
1 Wheatear nr trig point
30 Swallow west
4 Swift West
2 House Martin west

12 th may
100% cloud cover with 3/4 mile visibility and a light north easterly wind.

Many hirundines moving over this morning starting with a few very early morning and increasing by 08:30. Nearly all the birds were heading north instead of west and on to Flat Holm.

60 Swift north
70 House Martin north
60 Swallow north

13 th may
100% cloud cover with 3 mile visibility. Light westerly wind.

3 Tree Pipits west over the fort
70 Swallows west photo: www.birdlist.co.uk/images/dsc02781.jpg
2 House Martins west
2 Swift north

14 th may
90% cloud cover, 0% low cloud giving good visibility. 1026mb, light northerly breeze

Hardly any visible migration today.

5 Swallows west

15 th may
Clear morning with some mist. 1mph northerly breeze 1029mb

1 sub adult Whooper Swan flew from fields between brean farm and r. axe with 2 mute swans towards the down, then west along the south side of the down and lost to view at 08:05
1 Yellow Wagtail cirlcling fort and then flew east
3 Tree Pipit north west over fort. 1 briefly burst in to song flight before gaining height and flying off
1 Mistle thrush east over top of steps and was seen to land near boat hut on axe est.
60 Swallows some west and some north
7 House Martins 3 west and 4 north
3 Swift north
1 Lesser Whitethroat singing around car park and then moved to bottom of diaganol track

17 th may
High cloud (10% cover) with mist reducing visibility. light southerly wind. 1025mb

1 Spotted Flycatcher lingering and calling around the top of the diaganol track photo: www.birdlist.co.uk/images/dscn4271.jpg
1 Fulmar close in, around the east end of the down.
2 Tree Pipits circling around fort
20 Swallows west
2 House Martin west

18 th may
cloudless morning with sea mist reducing visibilty over channel, overland was clear. Light northerly wind. 1025mb

2 Spotted Flycatchers around top of steps
1 Lesser Whitethroat singing at fiddlers point
1 Common Sandpiper at fiddlers point photo: www.birdlist.co.uk/images/dscn4315.jpg
10 Swallow west
1 Tree pipit heard only around fort

27 th may
Cloudless morning with a light southerly breeze.

1 Tree Pipit singing nr fort. photo: www.birdlist.co.uk/images/dscn4471.jpg
1 Spotted Flycatcher nr fort
1 Chiffchaff nr fort was the only other notable migrant

2 nd june
Sunny day with light northerly breeze.

Migrants getting very sparse at this time of year but the rarity value increases so it is worth looking still:

1 Lesser Whitethroat singing halfway along the bottom track
1 Spotted Flycatcher at top of diaganol track
2 House Martin west

4 th june
Over cast day with 2 mile visibility and a light to medium strength westerly wind

21 House Martin west
6 Swallow west

17 th july
3 Common Scoter lingering off Sprat beach for at least 2 hours
1 juv Garden Warbler 100yds east of fiddlers point

18 th july
2 Juvenile Redstart lingering all morning around the top of the diaganol footpath
1 Sand Martin with around 10 Swallows over east end of the down before drifting off south
6 Swift in off the sea flying east over the down
1 Hummingbird Hawk Moth seen at top of diaganol track

28 th july
Misty day

1 Yellow Wagtail heard
30 Swallows lingering around the down
1 Swift heard over

31 st july
2 Lesser Whitethroat lingering around the top of the diaganol track

1 st august
2 Crossbill east over the fort at 08:00
1 Hobby east over the down at 07:30
1 Tree Pipit lingering around the down until mid morning a flew south
8 Swift
1 House Martin
40 Swallow

2 nd august
1 hr of watching the east end of the down:

1+ Lesser Whitethroat
7 Swift east
3 Wheatear at the bottom of the steps
1 Tree Pipit lingering around the top of the steps

3 rd august
100% cloud cover and some light rain on a north westerly wind

weather stemmed any flow of migration.

2 Lesser Whitethroat
10 Swift west
15 Swallow west

4 th august
Patchy cloud with patchy mist. light westerly wind.

1 acrocephalus warbler in nettles at bottom of diaganol track and then flew to gardens adjacent to car park.
1 Yellow Wagtail perched on hawthorns briefly nr trig point calling
3 Wheatear at bottom of steps
many whitethroats over all of down
30 Swallow west
5 Swift west
5 House Martin west

5 th august
100% cloud cover with fog bring visibility down to less than 1 mile.

only 20 minutes spent on the down this morning

4 Wheatear at the bottom of the steps.

7 th august
30% cloud cover with patchy dense fog which cleared by 09:30

1 Wood Sandpiper flew over south calling at 07:15.
Fall of 40 Willow Warbler. All gone by 09:00.
2 Swift lingering over east end of the down.

10 th august
50% cloud cover with a light southerly wind.

In 1hr search up to fiddlers point

1 Greenshank flew from brean beach towards the river axe
1 acrocephalus warbler
25 Whitethroat
10 Willow Warbler
4 Wheatear around the top of the steps

11 th august
Clear early morning with cloud increasing by 08:30

15 Willow Warbler
1 Spotted flycatcher half way along the bottom track
1 Sedge Warbler half way along the bottom track
5 Wheatear. 1 nr fort with the others around the steps
1 Yellow Wagtail heard over the down
1 Tree Pipit west over the down
40 Whitethroat

Evening update:

Cloud cover all day producing some stop overs:
1 Pied Flycatcher at top of the diaganol track until dusk.
1 Lesser Whitethroat at top of the diaganol track
6 Swift east
3 Willow Warbler at top of diaganol track
1 Chiffchaff at top of diaganol track
1 Greenshank heard calling from Axe Est

15 th august
80% cloud cover with a light southerly winds and fog around the coast.

2 Yellow Wagtail in from weston bay and flew west over the down
1 Spotted Flycatcher half way along the bottom track

21 st august
First clear night in weeks brought the expected fall of migrants. Not as big as portland however: 500 Wheatear, 200 Willow Warbler, 1 Barred Warbler. Winds have been southerly until yesterday when they swung westerly changing to northerly over night. Rain was present up until midnight clearing by dawn (10% cloud cover)

In four hours from 06:30 - 10:30

1 Redstart nr trough half way along bottom track
1 Pied Flycatcher 100yds east of fiddlers point
1 Spotted Flyathcher half way along the bottom track
30 Whitethroat on down
10 Willow Warbler
10 Chiffchaff
1 Whinchat on slope at bottom of diaganol track
2 Lesser Whitethroat 1 in bushes nr fort and 1 half way along bottom track
3 Wheatear 2 at fort and 1 between steps and diaganol track
2 Yellow Wagtail west over the down
1 Tree Pipit west over the down
1 Greenshank heard calling from Axe Est
1 Acrocephalus warbler on the east end of the down
50 Swallow
5 Sand Martin
20 House Martin

22 nd august
Winds changed to southerly. Cloud cover increased to 90% but quite thin and high.

2 Yellow Wagtail west
1 Whinchat 100yds east of fiddlers point
1 Whimbrel north over
2 Tree pipit west
2 Wheatear both at top of steps
1 Redstart 100yds east of fiddlers point later seen at top of steps
50 House Martin
20 Swallow
1 Spotted Flycatcher 100yds south east of fiddlers point
30 Whitethroat
10 Chiffchaff
10 Willow Warbler
1 Lesser Whitethroat fiddlers point

23 rd august
PM watch:

1 Winchat at fort until dusk
1 Wheatear at fort until dusk
20 small waders low west over the fort. At least two were Sanderling.

25 th august
Clear morning 50% high cloud cover with a light north westerly wind

1 Wryneck half way between bird garden and brean down farm in walled enclosure.
1 Grasshopper warbler nr fiddlers point
1 Great Spotted woodpecker flying west over down and later heard calling nr trig point
1 Lesser Whitethroat nr fiddlers point
20 Whitethroat
10 chiffchaff
5 Willow Warbler
several house and sand martins over

26 th august
medium strength westerly wind with 50% cloud high cover

6 Crossbills west over the down
1 Lanner with jesses flew off the end of the down towards steep holm
1 Tree Pipit lingering around the trig point
1 Wheatear at the fort
5 Chiffchaff
1 Willow Warbler

28 th august
Clear night with a full moon. 90% cloud cover with a light south easterly wind.

Turnstone heard calling
1 Kingfisher in rhyne nr track to brean down farm
1 Pied Flycatcher along track to brean down farm
20 Blackcap
5 Wheatear on the down
5 Yellow Wagtail. 2 west over down and three in fields along track to brean down farm
10 chiffchaff

30 th august
Medium strength westerly winds overnight continued until late morning.

1 Long Tailed Skua flying south past the fort at 07:42
3 Fulmar 2 south and 1 north
1 Wheatear at the fort

31 st august
Full moon and a clear night all night and a clear morning. Winds dropped to a light westerly.

4 Wheatear on down
1 Tree Pipit heard calling around fort
1 Lesser Whitethroat east end of the down from track to BD farm
1 Reed Warbler at bottom of diaganol track
4 Chiffchaff
2 Willow Warbler
15 Blackcap moving through bushes in a roving group between diaganol track and BD farm

2 nd September
third day in a row of clear skies virtually no wind and a full moon giving a bright night from just after dark through to dawn. This gives birds an ideal opportunity to move through at any time of the day or night and consequently stop off at any time. It also means that they are also likely to be short stayers, a day or even a few minutes. Also no falls are likely as no low pressure weather fronts are backing up the birds. This thins out the sightings:

In 1 hr search

1 Garden Warbler along track to BD farm
1 Sedge Warbler along track to BD farm
several Blackcaps and Whitethroats
4 Chiffchaff
5 Yellow Wagtail 3 west and 2 in adjacent cattle fields

10 th September
Change of weather over night. Light north winds with low cloud and rain.

6 Wheatear on the down
4 Chiffchaff scattered over the down

Previous days:
300 hirundines through on 7th (mainly swallows)
1 Whinchat at bottom of the diaganol track on 6th
1 Little Owl above the bird garden on 6th

11 th September
medium strength southerly wind with 90% high cloud cover:

1 Whinchat at fiddlers point
1 Whitethroat at fiddlers point
3 Yellow Wagtail around brean down farm barns
50+ Swallow south (8 seen flying north early morning off the fort towards cardiff)
10 Sand Martin
7 Chiffchaff
2 Willow Warbler
1 Wheatear at top of steps

12 th September
medium strength south westerly wind 70% cloud cover

5 Manx Shearwater
20 Chiffchaff
4 Whitethroat
1 Whinchat at fiddlers point
3 Goldcrest
4 Wheatear
small numbers of Swallow, House Martin and Sand Martin

24 th September
previous few days weather has been strong south westerly winds changing to westerly with a lot of cloud cover. winds dropped yesterday afternoon turning northerly. clear night, half moon. clear morning with a moderate northerly wind.

2 Wheatear
14 Chiffchaff
10 Goldcrest
1 Whitethroat
2 Blackcap
1 Swallow

3 rd October
Showers on a light southerly wind:

1 Great Spotted Woodpecker on down half way along bottom track

8 th October
bright sunny cloudless day with virtually no wind

1 Brambling west
23 Skylark west
3 Chiffchaff
1 Wheatear nr trig point
15 Swallow east
3 House Martin east
20 Meadow Pipit lingering

9 th October
mainly clear sky with a north easterly wind swinging to easterly by mid morning.

most of the birds were fly north west or north

1 female Redstart around top of diaganol track
1 Merlin
8 Chiffchaff
20 Goldcrest
400 Redwing
24 Fieldfare
50 Song Thrush
6 Mistle Thrush
350 Starling
200 Chaffinch
50 Greenfinch
20 Goldfinch
10 Linnet
3 Brambling
18 Siskin
2 Redpol
50 Meadow Pipit
25 Swallow
8+ House Martin
30 Skylark
1 Great Spotted Woodpecker
1 Pied Wagtail

10 th October
light north easterly wind with 80% cloud cover. light showers by mid morning

from dawn until mid morning

100 Redwing
20 Fieldfare
10 Siskin
170 Chaffinch
40 Greenfinch
3 Pied Wagtail
350 Starling

1 Merlin
6 Chiffchaff
7 House Martin
5 Swallow

12 th October
100% cloud cover with a northerly wind

in 1.5 hr search:

60 Starling north
20 Redwing in bushes east end of down
5 Pied Wagtail north
11 Meadow Pipit north
1-2 Chiffchaff along track to farm
1 Reed Bunting on down
10 Song thrush in bushes east end of down