Friday 20th September 2024: Beeding Hill migration walk

 It was a pleasant afternoon and we drove to Truleigh car park to walk ‘the triangle’, following the Monarch’s Way past ‘Red-foot’ valley,  then following the track up to Truleigh Hill. There was a lack of migrants on the Monarch’s Way, although a Wheatear was perched on a brick building, and three Corn Buntings foraged at the the field margins, occasionally alighting on the fenceline. In the dip of the valley, we encountered around six Stonechats, which moved constantly ahead of us as we progressed along the footpath. 

There was a constant stream of hirundines, mainly Swallows,  but a single Sand Martin and a couple of House Martins were seen too. Several Buzzards, Kestrel, Red Kite and a Sparrowhawk were all seen over the fields too.

As we approached the barn, I spotted a splendid Yellow Wagtail on the roof. We had scanned the feet of cattle with no success, so it was great to finally find one, our 200th bird of the year. A less bright bird, presumably a female, was also seen, and then unexpectedly a Black Redstart fleetingly appeared, with a quick tail flash as it flew below the roofline, another new bird for the year. We waited patiently for some time, and were almost at the point of giving up when it reappeared, although it was not easy to see the red tail this time.

Yellow Wagtail

Black Redstart

We stopped for tea and cake at the youth hostel, and enjoyed lovely views across the valley to the sea. As we returned to the car we found another group of Stonechats, with a striking Whinchat amongst them, sitting up well on branch tops before launching into flycatcher type sorties into the air. A small group of Yellowhammers perched in a small tree was another worthwhile find, making for a very rewarding afternoon of downland birding.

Whinchat