Dungeness Bird Observatory

Apr.14th

Very quiet on the land with just three Willow Warblers, 22 Chiffchaffs, six Sedge Warblers, seven Blackcaps, six Lesser Whitethroats, a Brambling, a Redpoll and three Corn Buntings. Seawatching produced a bit of movement offshore including two Shovelers, 475 Common Scoters, eight Whimbrels, three Bar-tailed Godwits, five Little Gulls, 15 Mediterranean Gulls, a Great Skua, ten Arctic Skuas and two each of Black-throated Diver and Great Northern Diver.

A pod of six Bottle-nose Dolphins along with eight Porpoises were seen offshore and two Brown Hares were seen on the land.

The Large Tortoiseshell was still showing at the north end of the Long Pits.

Apr.13th

Just under eight hours of seawatching produced a Velvet Scoter, 127 Common Scoters, four Red-breasted Mergansers, two Avocets, a Common Sandpiper, 13 Mediterranean Gulls, a Great Skua and five Arctic Skuas. A Jack Snipe and three Common Snipe, nine Willow Warblers, 23 Chiffchaffs, six Sedge Warblers, nine Blackcaps, eight Lesser Whitethroats, 36 Common Whitethroats, a Firecrest, four Song Thrushes, a Yellow Wagtail, a Rock Pipit, 13 Siskins and 16 Reed Buntings were seen on the land.

Twenty-two Porpoises were feeding offshore and two Brown Hares were seen in the Desert.

The Large Tortoiseshell was seen again at the Long Pits.

12th Apr

Seawatching was the order of the day with 52 Brent Geese, two Velvet Scoters, 195 Common Scoters, 27 Mediterranean Gulls, six Arctic Skuas, a Great Skua, 245 Sandwich Tern, five Common Tern and 17 Manx Shearwaters in six hours of coverage. Thirty-three Swallows and a Grey Wagtail arrived and 14 Willow Warblers, 13 Chiffchaffs, eight Blackcaps, seven Lesser Whitethroat and two Firecrests were seen in the bushes.

The Large Tortoiseshell was seen again at the Long Pits.

11th Apr

With a fresh SE wind blowing this morning nearly all the interest was offshore where 63 Brent Geese, two Shovelers, 520 Common Scoters, a Red-necked Grebe, 1212 Sandwich Terns, four Common Terns, 13 Mediterranean Gulls, nine Arctic Skuas, a Great Skua, a Black-throated Diver, three Manx Shearwaters and 1032 Gannets were of note.

Three Porpoises and a Grey Seal were feeding offshore.

10th Apr

Very few migrants around but there was some quality with a White Stork, a Red Kite, a Jay and a Wood Lark of note. Commoner migrants included 15 each of Chiffchaff and Willow Warbler, six Sedge Warblers, six Blackcaps, two Lesser Whitethroats, a Redstart and five Corn Buntings. Seawatching was fairly slow but picked up a bit in the afternoon with 35 Whimbrel, seven Bar-tailed Godwits, five Manx Shearwaters, two Common Terns, two Arctic Skuas, a Great Skua, a Manx Shearwater and a Shag of interest.

A highlight from the sea were nine White-beaked Dolphins (pods of three and six) along with eight Porpoises and a Grey Seal. Two Brown Hares were seen in the Desert.

Five Painted Lady butterflies were seen.

9th Apr

The morning saw a good arrival of migrants including two Wood Larks, 70 Willow Warblers, 55 Chiffchaffs, a Sedge Warbler, 16 Blackcaps, the first Lesser Whitethroat of the spring, 43 Whitethroats, a Ring Ouzel, a Redstart, 16 Wheatears and three Corn Buntings. Four Egyptian Geese, 26 Jackdaws, 12 Rooks, 11 Swallows, a Yellow Wagtail and a Rock Pipit also flew over

Wheatear Oenanthe oenanthe Dungeness 9th April 2026 (Nathaneal Poffley)

Over six hours of seawatching produced 38 Brent Geese, 114 Common Scoter, a Whimbrel, 15 Mediterranean Gull, 246 Sadwich Terns, four Arctic Skuas, and two Black-throated Divers of note.

At least 15 Porpoises and two Grey Seals were feeding offshore and two Brown Hares were seen on the land.

The second Large Tortoiseshell of the week was found at the Long Pits.

Large Tortoiseshell Aglais polychloros Dungeness 9th April 2026

A Brindled Beauty was only the sixth record from the Observatory traps.

Brindled Beauty Lycia hirtaria Dungeness 9th April 2026

Tony Greenland, RIP

It was very sad to hear of the death of Tony Greenland. Tony was a long time supporter of the Observatory, being on the committee in the 1970s, and returning to become a regular contributor and keen sea-watcher. His many stories and anecdotes kept everyone amused. He had been unwell for quite a well and is much missed. Our thoughts are with Christine and his family.

8th Apr

There were a decent number of migrants on the land with a Green Sandpiper at the Long Pits, an adult male Hen Harrier, three Buzzards, two Merlins, six Willow Warblers, 30 Chiffchaffs, a Reed Warbler, nine Blackcaps, 26 Whitethroats, a Redstart, 16 Wheatears, a Tree Pipit, two Redpolls and four Corn Buntings.

Hen Harrier Circus cyaneus male Dungeness 8th April 2026 (Jonathan Singlewood-Dodds)

Redstart Phoenicurus phoenicurus Dungeness 8th April 2026 (Nathaneal Poffler)

Black Redstart Phoenicurus ochrurus Dungeness 8th April 2026 (Nathaneal Poffler.)

Seawatching produced some good records with 73 Brent Geese, 15 Shovelers, five Eider, four Velvet Scoters, 1430 Common Scoters, nine Red-breasted Mergansers, two Grey Plovers, 25 Whimbrel, 20 Bar-tailed Godwits, seven Little Gulls, eight Mediterranean Gulls, 988 Sandwich Terns, a very early Pomarine Skua, a Great Skua and an Arctic Skua, a Black-throated Diver and a Shag.

Today's highlight might have been a Chough which was present on the Point for 30 minutes or so this morning. Unfortunately the colour rings on its legs showed it be a bird from the Dover (Re) Introduction Programme and is called Betty.

Chough Pyrrhocorax pyrrhocorax Dungeness 8th April 2026 (Jonathan Singlewood-Dodds)

Six Porpoises and a Grey Seal were feeding offshore and two Brown Hares were seen in the Desert.

A Brimstone butterfly was seen.

7th Apr

There were a handful of migrants on the land with a Ring Ouzel caught in the moat being the highlight along with ten Sand Martins, a House Martin, 25 Chiffchaffs, two Willow Warblers, two Blackcaps and a White Wagtail.

Nearly 12 hours of seawatching eventually produced 36 Shelducks, 74 Shovelers, seven Gadwall, three Pintail, nine Teal, five Velvet Scoters, 424 Common Scoters, eight Red-breasted Mergansers, 35 Whimbrel, 11 Common Terns, 643 Sandwich Terns, 18 Little Gulls, four Mediterranean Gulls, four Arctic Skuas and a Great Skua.

Ring Ouzel Turdus torquatus Dungeness 7th April 2026 (Jonathan Singlewood-Dodds)

A pod of seven White-beaked Dolphins moved east this morning and four Porpoises and two Grey Seals were feeding offshore.

6th Apr

There was a nice arrival of migrants on the land with 75 Chiffchaffs, 50 Willow Warblers, 14 Blackcaps, two Goldcrests, a Firecrest, a Ring Ouzel, two Redstarts, 33 Wheatears and a Corn Bunting. Eight Buzzards, four Swallows and a Siskin flew over.

The sea continued to disappoint despite ESE winds with 202 Common Scoters, four Mediterranean Gulls and 227 Sandwich Terns in four hours of watching.

Redstart Phoenicurus phoenicurus Dungeness 6th April 2026 (Jonathan Singlewood-Dodds.)

Four Porpoises and two Grey Seals were feeding offshore and a Brown Hare was seen on the land.

The warm weather brought out a range of insects with a Large Tortoiseshell in the Moat, an Ornate Shieldbug and the rare beetle Hister quadrimaculata of great note.