Despite the seawatching riches to be had further west it was pretty hard going here with just three Manx Shearwaters, an Arctic Skua, three Mediterranean Gulls and good numbers of Gannets and Sandwich Terns passing through.
Quiet on the land except for a large gathering of Sand Martins at the Point in the afternoon.
Three Porpoises were feeding offshore.
The moth traps produced a Maiden's Blush, a Scarce Bordered Straw and three Langmaid's Yellow Underwings of note.
20th July
Today was very quiet on the bird front in the strong SW wind, highlights included; 50 Common Scoter feeding close inshore by the Patch, two Arctic Skua and a Razorbill east.
Five Porpoises and
a Grey Seal were feeding offshore.
The Obs Moth Trap was quite busy with Double Kidney and seven Langmaid's Yellow Underwing. Some very good migrant moths were caught elsewhere in the Dungeness recording area; Pale Shoulder, Tamarisk Peacock, 2 Speckled Footman and Metalampra italica.
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| Common Scoter Melanitta nigra Dungeness 20th July 2017 (Lee Gregory) |
The Obs Moth Trap was quite busy with Double Kidney and seven Langmaid's Yellow Underwing. Some very good migrant moths were caught elsewhere in the Dungeness recording area; Pale Shoulder, Tamarisk Peacock, 2 Speckled Footman and Metalampra italica.
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| Double Kidney Ipimorpha retusa Dungeness 19th July 2017 (Lee Gregory) |
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| Langmaid's Yellow Underwing Noctua janthina Dungeness 19th July 2017 (Lee Gregory) |
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| Pale Shoulder Acontia lucida Lydd 19th July 2017 (Lee Gregory) |
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| Tamarisk Peacock Chiasmia aestimaria Greatstone-on-Sea 19th July 2017 (Lee Gregory) |
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| Speckled Footman Coscinia cribraria Dungeness 19th July 2017 (Lee Gregory) |
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| Metalampra italica New Romney 19th July 2017 (Lee Gregory) |
19th July
No Patch this morning so few gulls on the beach but three fledged Herring Gulls were enjoying their new surroundings with more on the Power Station almost ready to go.
The Peregrines were putting on a good performance with the male giving the juveniles a master class in hunting Feral Pigeons.
Eight Whimbrels west offshore, Yellow Wagtail plus the odd Sand Martin through in the morning.
Two Clouded
Yellows and a Hummingbird Hawkmoth were insect highlights.
The Peregrines were putting on a good performance with the male giving the juveniles a master class in hunting Feral Pigeons.
Eight Whimbrels west offshore, Yellow Wagtail plus the odd Sand Martin through in the morning.
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| Herring Gulls Larus argentatus Dungeness 19th July 2017 (Lee Gregory) |
18th July
Quite a few birds feeding offshore this morning including several hundred Gannets, five Mediterranean Gulls, two juvenile Yellow-legged Gulls and 50 Sandwich Terns and an Arctic Skua flew west this afternoon. Sand Martins trickled through during the day.
Six Porpoises and a Grey Seal were feeding offshore.
Two Hummingbird Hawkmoths were sunning themselves along the power station wall but the moth traps were very disappointing in the breezy conditions.
Six Porpoises and a Grey Seal were feeding offshore.
Two Hummingbird Hawkmoths were sunning themselves along the power station wall but the moth traps were very disappointing in the breezy conditions.
17th July
There were signs of a bit of a migration today with Little Ringed Plover, Dunlin, Redshank and a Yellow Wagtail flying over the Observatory whilst working through the moth traps and 87 Sand Martins passing through during the day.
The Patch remains almost non-existent but still had a juvenile Mediterranean Gull and three juvenile Yellow-legged Gulls around it.
The moth traps were quite productive with highlights including Star-wort and Plumed fan-foot (second this year and sixth record in total) and the pyralid Anania verbascalis.
Two Clouded Yellows and 22 Brown Argus were of note among the butterflies and a female Red-veined Darter was seen along the front of the power station.
Two Red-eared Terrapins were seen at the Long Pits..
The Patch remains almost non-existent but still had a juvenile Mediterranean Gull and three juvenile Yellow-legged Gulls around it.
The moth traps were quite productive with highlights including Star-wort and Plumed fan-foot (second this year and sixth record in total) and the pyralid Anania verbascalis.
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| Plumed Fan-foot Pechipogo plumigeralis Dungeness 17th July 2017 |
Two Red-eared Terrapins were seen at the Long Pits..
16th July
Not a great deal to report. One juvenile Yellow-legged Gull was seen at the almost non-existent Patch and three Ravens flew over the area. A young (migrant?) Willow Warbler was seen at the Long Pits.
15th July
Three juvenile Yellow-legged Gulls were seen at the Patch.
The family party of Peregrine Falcons continue to show well.
A Common Seal was seen offshore and a Brown Hare was seen on the road.
A Red-eared Terrapin was seen in the Long Pits.
Moth trapping produced two Rosy Footman (5th and 6th Observatory records), a Saltern Ear, a Langmaid's Yellow Underwing and a Plumed Fanfoot (only the 5th Observatory record of this relatively recent colonist to Britain) of note.
The family party of Peregrine Falcons continue to show well.
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| Peregine Falcons Falco peregrinus Dungeness 15th July 2017 The upper image shows all three youngsters. |
A Red-eared Terrapin was seen in the Long Pits.
Moth trapping produced two Rosy Footman (5th and 6th Observatory records), a Saltern Ear, a Langmaid's Yellow Underwing and a Plumed Fanfoot (only the 5th Observatory record of this relatively recent colonist to Britain) of note.
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| Rosy Footman Miltochrista miniata Dungeness 15th July 2017 |
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