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Local weather

Update

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June 2015

1stSpotted Flycatcher, two Willow Warblers and a Garden Warbler were seen in the bushes and a Hobby was seen perched on the beach at the fishing boats but nothing much else to report.
2ndAnother miserable day of very strong winds and fairly constant rain. The only option was seawatching where seven hours observation produced an excellent total of 53Manx Shearwaters moving west along with 13 Fulmars and 89 Gannets and twoArctic Skuas which flew east.
3rdWillow Warbler was a new arrival in the trapping area whilst a first-summerMediterranean Gull was roosting on the beach at the Patch. It was otherwise very quiet but at least the wind dropped through the day and it was considerably warmer than of late.
4thPlenty of effort today in nice weather for a change. Migrants as expected were pretty scarce but did include a semi-rarity in the form of a very flighty Serin in mid-morning.Elsewhere, a male Red-footed Falcon was seen at Galloways on the Lydd Ranges before they were closed to the public for the rest of the day.
5thVery quiet despite what seemed pretty good conditions for a few late migrants.There was however plenty of migrant lepidoptera activity with at least 12Hummingbird Hawk-moths, a Clouded Yellow, several Painted Ladies and a fewDiamond-back MothsRush Veneers and Silver Y's around. At least two Small Mottled Willows were also trapped at Lydd and Greatstone.
Not a great deal to be seen during the week elsewhere on the peninsula with yesterdays Red-footed Falcon being the highlight of a very stormy week. Large numbers, (1000+) of Swifts were frequently feeding over the pits. Several Egyptian Geese continue to be seen at Dengemarsh.
6thNot much to report except for a party of five Grey Herons flying west offshore, sevenMediterranean Gulls feeding at the Patch and two Jays on the land.Moth trapping produced a Bordered Straw and at least ten Hummingbird Hawk-moths were seen during the day.
7thThree Mediterranean Gulls were feeding offshore and a couple of Jays were feeding in the trapping area.Three Bordered Straws were trapped overnight and at least seven Hummingbird Hawk-moths were seen during the day.
8thA cool day with rapidly increasing NE winds. No signs of any passage with just threeMediterranean Gulls at the Patch and a Cuckoo on the land of any note.
9thVery little to be seen in difficult condition. Three Mediterranean Gulls were feeding at the Patch.
10thA party of four Mediterranean Gulls was about the only noteworthy sighting on yet another very windy day.
11thA warmer day but still very windy and nothing of note to be seen except for nineMediterranean Gulls.
12thA juvenile Stonechat was seen in the moat and a Siskin flew over. An Arctic Skuaflew east and a first-summer Mediterranean Gull was feeding offshore.
13thCuckoo was seen in the trapping area and a Black Tern was feeding with a large flock of Common Terns offshore.Five Bordered Straws were caught overnight and a Lime Hawk-moth was only the 20th Observatory record since 1989.
14thFour Mediterranean Gulls and a first-summer Little Gull were feeding at the Patch this evening and a Cuckoo was singing at the Long Pits but there was little else to be seen.One Bordered Straw was found in the ringing hut.
15thEight Mediterranean Gulls were feeding at the Patch but coverage was limited today.
16thTwo Mediterranean Gulls were feeding at the Patch and a Cuckoo was seen at the Long Pits. A Grey Wagtail flew south over the area. 
22ndLimited coverage over recent days but today produced a Little Egret flying west offshore.
23rdThree Crossbills were the only birds of note.
24thAnother very quiet day at the Observatory. Moth trapping produced a Bordered Strawand only our second-ever Reddish Light Arches.
25thThe highlight of the day was a Bee-eater which spent a minute or so feeding around the Observatory in the morning (although this was quickly upstaged by a party of ten heading quickly south-west over Boulderwall.) There was also a Marsh Harrier,  70Swifts, two Sand Martins and two Yellow Wagtails passing through. Offshore this evening there was the first feeding frenzy of the summer with 200 Gannets and large numbers of gulls and including two Mediterranean Gulls.
26thSiskin flew over the trapping area and about 130 Swifts flew south during the day.
27thVery quiet.
28thA quiet day was enlivened by a Bee-eater which passed quickly through heading west at 1250hrs.
29thMarsh Harrier flew over the trapping area.Seawatching produced a steady westerly movement of Gannets through the day and ten Mediterranean Gulls.