8th Sep

The highlights of the day were a flock of 14 Glossy Ibis which flew east over the area and out to sea, an Osprey over the Point and the reappearance of the Wryneck. There was a decent arrival of grounded migrants including 28 Willow Warblers, 31 Chiffchaffs, nine Reed Warblers, 80 Blackcaps, a Garden Warbler, 20 Whitethroats, two Spotted and a Pied Flycatcher, a Redstart, six Whinchats and 25 Wheatears. Birds passing overhead included a Green Sandpiper, nine Buzzards, a Hobby, 600 Sand Martins, 4200 Swallows, 210 House Martins, four Tree Sparrows, 100 Yellow Wagtails, 14 Grey Wagtails and a Tree Pipit. Eight Little Terns offshore were of interest.

Five Porpoises and two Grey Seals were feeding offshore.

7th Sep

A breezy morning saw a return to seawatching as the main interest where six Shovelers, two Pintail, a flock of six Avocets, 29 Mediterranean Gulls, 37 Arctic Skuas, 1000 Sandwich Terns, seven Little Terns, two Black Terns and eight Balearic Shearwaters were seen. Birds passing overhead included four Swifts, a Greenshank, seven Grey Herons, a Hobby, 8000 Sand Martins, 15,550 Swallows, 78 House Martins and 30 Yellow Wagtails. It was pretty quiet on the land but grounded migrants did include two Spotted and a Pied Flycatcher, two Redstarts and five Whinchats.

Six Porpoises and a Grey Seal were feeding offshore.

The highlight from the moth traps was a Portland Ribbon Wave.

6th Sep

A calm day saw an excellent arrival of migrants on the land, a massive movement of hirundines and a few birds passing offshore. Grounded migrants were dominated by 20 Willow Warblers, ten Chiffchaffs, 200 Blackcaps and 30 Whitethroats and also a Grasshopper Warbler, ten Spotted and six Pied Flycatchers, three Redstarts and three Whinchats. The Wryneck was still showing occasionally in the Desert. Birds passing overhead included 13 Swifts, a Dotterel, 240 Ringed Plovers, three Redshanks and a Greenshank, a spectacular 25,000 Sand Martins, 4000 Swallows, 150 House Martins and 15 Yellow Wagtails. Although the sea was relatively quiet it still produced a flock of eight Spoonbills, 20 Arctic Skuas and a Balearic Shearwater of note along with two Shovelers, 16 Teal, 34 Grey Plovers, 366 Sandwich Terns and two Black Terns. In the evening there was a large emergence of flying ants and this brought lots of feeding gulls including 350 Mediterranean Gulls.

Sand Martins Riparia riparia   Dungeness   6th September 2025

A Porpoise and a Grey Seal were feeding offshore.

The moth traps were also very productive with a Convolvulus Hawkmoth, a Small Mottled Willow and our second-ever record of the rare migrant pyralid Diasemiopsis ramburialis. A Clouded Yellow was also seen.

Diasemiopsis ramburialis   Dungeness   6th September 2025

The adult American Golden Plover was still showing in the large stubble field just north of Jury's Gap.

American Golden Plover Pluvialis dominica    adult   Jury's Gap, East Sussex   6th September 2025

5th Sep

With the wind dropping this morning it gave us a chance to look for migrants on the land with two Swifts, a Golden Plover, 111 Ringed Plovers, a Honey Buzzard passing south, a Wryneck in the Desert, 650 Sand Martins, 970 Swallows, 55 Willow Warblers, 14 Chiffchaffs, four Sedge Warblers, 70 Blackcaps, a Garden Warbler, 25 Whitethroats, three Goldcrests, two Spotted Flycatchers, a Redstart, ten Yellow Wagtails, four Grey Wagtails and a Tree Pipit. The sea was much quieter but still produced 400 Sandwich Terns, 13 Little Terns, 16 Arctic Skuas and three Balearic Shearwaters.

Elsewhere, of great note was an adult American Golden Plover which was with European Golden Plovers in a stubble field just north of Jury's Gap. 

4th Sep

More strong SSW winds again meant more seawatching with 12hrs of coverage producing a Mediterranean Gull, 1173 Sandwich Terns, another 136 Little Terns, 230 Common Terns and 16 Black Terns, 121 Arctic Skuas, a Leach's Petrel, four Sooty Shearwaters, a Manx Shearwater and an excellent total of 61 Balearic Shearwaters. A first-year Caspian Gull was on the beach and seven Swifts flew out to sea. As we returned to the Observatory after the morning at the boats a spectacular flock of seven Honey Buzzards flew over the Point and in the afternoon an Osprey flew out to sea.

Four Porpoises and two Grey Seals were feeding offshore and as dusk fell a Common Pipistrelle gave amazing views as it flew around the Observatory garden.

3rd Sep

Virtually all the interest was offshore in poor weather conditions where almost dawn till dusk coverage produced two Golden Plovers, seven Grey Plovers, two Mediterranean Gulls, two Caspian Gulls, another huge total of 3207 Sandwich Terns, 113 Little Terns, 1006 Common Terns, six Arctic Terns and 41 Black Terns, 59 Arctic Skuas, ten Sooty Shearwaters, two Manx Shearwaters, 19 Balearic Shearwaters and a Merlin.

Five Porpoises and two Grey Seals were feeding offshore.  

2nd Sep

A breezy day meant more seawatching where eight hour of coverage produced 28 Ringed Plovers, a flock of 91 Redshanks, a Mediterranean Gull, 1687 Sandwich Terns, four Arctic Terns, two Black Terns, 60 Arctic Skuas, a Sooty Shearwater, a Manx Shearwater, an excellent 44 Balearic Shearwaters and 615 Gannets. Two first-year Caspian Gulls were also on the beach.

Caspian Gulls Larus cachinnans   first-years   Dungeness   2nd September 2025

Fairly quiet on the land although 12 Willow Warblers, a Grasshopper Warbler and six Spotted Flycatchers were of note and five Swifts flew over.

Six Porpoises and two Grey Seals were feeding offshore. 

1st Sep

Strong SSW winds resulted in a remarkable seawatch which was dominated  by terns. Over 6,500 Sandwich Terns and 299 Little Terns broke autumn day total records and for Little Tern it was also the most seen in any autumn except for 1992. An adult Curlew Sandpiper, 24 Black Terns, 68 Arctic Skuas, a Great Skua, a Sooty Shearwater and 52 Balearic Shearwaters were also noteworthy. Two each of first-winter Caspian and Yellow-legged Gulls were also on the beach.

Three Porpoises, a Grey Seal and a Common Seal were seen offshore and a Brown Hare was seen on the land.

Despite the unfavourable conditions an evening search for rare orthoptera was surprisingly successful with two male Large Coneheads, three Sickle-bearing Bush-crickets and plenty of Tree Crickets were noted. Three Mediterranean Stick-insects were found in the Observatory garden.

31st Aug

With a fresh SW wind most of the interest was offshore again where 13 Black Terns, two Little Terns, 150 Common Terns, 2015 Sandwich Terns, four Mediterranean Gulls, 51 Arctic Skuas and 13 Balearic Shearwaters were noted in 6.25 hours of watching. A Caspian Gull and a Yellow-legged Gull were on the beach at the fishing boats. On the land, a Spotted Flycatcher, two Redstarts, three Whinchats and two Grey Wagtails were of note and an Osprey flew over the area.

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

30th Aug

A day of seawatching with seven hours of coverage producing 1887 Sandwich Terns, seven Black Terns, 41 Arctic Skuas, ten Balearic Shearwaters and 307 Gannets. A few birds passed overhead including four Swifts, 119 Sand Martins, 180 Swallows, five House Martins, four Grey Wagtails and two Siskins. A Kingfisher was seen at the Long Pits where two Spotted Flycatchers and a Redstart were also seen.

Four Porpoises and a Grey Seal were seen offshore and a Brown Hare was seen on the land.

Elsewhere, a Dotterel was found on the Lydd Ranges, accessible with care from Jury's Gap.