Spring is here. Why not come and stay at the Obs and get up close and personal with the birds as they travel back to Britain.
Data Protection
Migration Time.
18th May
A Spotted Flycatcher in the trapping area and a flock of 19 Corn Buntings in the Sanctuary area were about the best on offer on the land.
Seawatching was also fairly slow going but over nine hours of watching eventually produced 13 Manx Shearwaters, three Mediterranean Gulls, 209 Sandwich Terns, 15 Little Terns, 11 Black Terns, a Great Skua, a Pomarine Skua and two Arctic Skuas of note.
At least ten Porpoises were feeding offshore along with a Grey Seal.
A Holly Blue was seen in the trapping area.
Seawatching was also fairly slow going but over nine hours of watching eventually produced 13 Manx Shearwaters, three Mediterranean Gulls, 209 Sandwich Terns, 15 Little Terns, 11 Black Terns, a Great Skua, a Pomarine Skua and two Arctic Skuas of note.
At least ten Porpoises were feeding offshore along with a Grey Seal.
A Holly Blue was seen in the trapping area.
17th May
The north-easterly breeze continues and with short spells of heavy drizzle in the morning.
There was no sign of any grounded migrants but a party of eight Corn Buntings were feeding in the Broom at the Point again and a singing Red-legged Partridge was only the second record of the year.
The morning seawatch produced another 17 Pomarine Skua (with another bird in the evening) along with 60 Sanderling, a Little Tern, over 1200 "Commic" Terns, 136 Arctic Terns and 61 Black Terns.
Eight Porpoise and singles of both Grey and Common Seals were feeding offshore.
Elsewhere, the Serin was still showing well at times at Littlestone.
There was no sign of any grounded migrants but a party of eight Corn Buntings were feeding in the Broom at the Point again and a singing Red-legged Partridge was only the second record of the year.
The morning seawatch produced another 17 Pomarine Skua (with another bird in the evening) along with 60 Sanderling, a Little Tern, over 1200 "Commic" Terns, 136 Arctic Terns and 61 Black Terns.
Eight Porpoise and singles of both Grey and Common Seals were feeding offshore.
Elsewhere, the Serin was still showing well at times at Littlestone.
16th May
Another quiet day on the land but even so a Tree Pipit was an unusual capture and 20 Corn Buntings were feeding in the Broom bushes around the Britannia and Sanctuary area.
Seawatching was fairly uneventful in the morning with just a single Pomarine Skua of note but passage increased notably from mid-afternoon with another 25 Pomarine Skuas along with 16 Arctic Skuas, three Mediterranean Gulls, 1500 "commic" Terns, four Little Terns, 21 Knot and 38 Sanderling.
And click here for a short video of one of the flocks at it passes by.
Ten Porpoise were feeding offshore and two Brown Hares were seen on the land.
Not so long ago the Brown Argus was a fairly scarce butterfly at Dungeness but numbers have increased considerably in recent years. Today, in less than perfect conditions, at least 25 individuals were seen. A Holly Blue was seen at the Sycamore in the trapping area again.
Seawatching was fairly uneventful in the morning with just a single Pomarine Skua of note but passage increased notably from mid-afternoon with another 25 Pomarine Skuas along with 16 Arctic Skuas, three Mediterranean Gulls, 1500 "commic" Terns, four Little Terns, 21 Knot and 38 Sanderling.
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| Pomarine Skua Stercorarius pomarinus Dungeness 16th May 2019 |
Ten Porpoise were feeding offshore and two Brown Hares were seen on the land.
Not so long ago the Brown Argus was a fairly scarce butterfly at Dungeness but numbers have increased considerably in recent years. Today, in less than perfect conditions, at least 25 individuals were seen. A Holly Blue was seen at the Sycamore in the trapping area again.
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| Brown Argus Aricia agestis Dungeness 16th May 2019 |
15th May
Another quiet day with the only bird of note on the land being a male Redstart. The best the sea could offer were four Grey Plover, 15 Sanderling and a single Arctic Skua.
The first Common Blues of the year were seen along with eight Grizzled Skippers, a Holly Blue and five Brown Argus.
The uncommon Slender Leather Bug Ceraleptus lividus was also found in the sycamore in the trapping area.
In addition a couple of scarce birds were seen in the area with a Purple Heron on the RSPB Reserve and a smart Serin seen singing at Littlestone.
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| Redstart Phoenicurus phoenicurus male Dungeness 15th May 2019 |
The uncommon Slender Leather Bug Ceraleptus lividus was also found in the sycamore in the trapping area.
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| Slender Leatherbug Sehirus lividus Dungeness 15th May 2019 |
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| Serin Serinus serinus) Littlestone 15th May 2019 |
14th May
Another slow day with over three hours pf seawatching producing just two Eider, 36 Grey Plover, a Mediterranean Gull, 409 "Commic" Tern, a Black Tern, two Great Skuas and an Arctic Skua of note.
13th May
Another cold and clear day which produced a trickle of birds offshore but very little on the land.
The best from over five hours of seawatching were two Velvet Scoters, singles of Black-throated and Great Northern Divers, 75 Grey Plover, ten Whimbrel, 46 Knot, four Little Gulls, 775 Common Terns and two Great Skuas.
The best from over five hours of seawatching were two Velvet Scoters, singles of Black-throated and Great Northern Divers, 75 Grey Plover, ten Whimbrel, 46 Knot, four Little Gulls, 775 Common Terns and two Great Skuas.
12th May
Migrants were few and far between again but there was a notable highlight in the form of a Honey Buzzard which came in from the sea this morning, flew over the Observatory and eventually headed off westwards. A flock of 36 Corn Buntings on the Point was also noteworthy.
There was barely any movement offshore but a Black-throated Diver flew east.
Butterflies seen today included nine Grizzled Skippers and two Brown Argus.
There was barely any movement offshore but a Black-throated Diver flew east.
Butterflies seen today included nine Grizzled Skippers and two Brown Argus.
11th May
Very quiet with two Little Gulls at the Patch, six Whimbrel through and a single Corn Bunting on the Point being about the only birds worth mentioning.
Six Porpoise were feeding offshore.
Six Porpoise were feeding offshore.
10th May
There was a thin scatter of migrants across the Point with a Hobby, 58 Swallows, eight Willow Warblers. three Garden Warblers, a Sedge Warbler, two Redstarts, a Whinchat, two Yellow Wagtails and 17 Corn Buntings of note.The sea was very quiet though with just 12 Fulmars, two Arctic Skuas and a few Common Terns of any significance.
Four Porpoise and a Grey Seal were feeding offshore.
Four Brown Argus and plenty of Small Coppers were the best of butterflies on show.
Four Porpoise and a Grey Seal were feeding offshore.
Four Brown Argus and plenty of Small Coppers were the best of butterflies on show.
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