Data Protection

At Dungeness Bird Observatory we take security of your data very seriously. The data we hold is kept securely on a password protected device and we never pass on any information to a third party. For more information please read our Data Policy available here.

Local weather

Update

The Observatory can accommodate up to 9 people in two dormitories, you need to bring your own sleeping bags and it is self-catering. As well as Birdwatchers, we welcome people from many areas of interest including Moths, Butterflies, Bugs and Beetles or just a general interest in Nature and the local environment. Please forward any Dungeness recording area records to the Warden.
You can still support the Obs by using Give as you Live when shopping online.

1st Sep

A pretty quiet morning with just a few grounded migrants including two Sedge Warblers, two Spotted Flycatchers and 25 Wheatears. Overhead passage was also very light but did include a Grey Wagtail, a Tree Pipit and 15 Tree Sparrows. The seawatching was slow in the morning with just a single Eider and an Arctic Skua of interest but large numbers of birds moved in and were feeding in the bay this afternoon including at least ten Arctic Skuas, two Black Terns and at least 300 Sandwich Terns. A juvenile Yellow-legged Gull was in the roost on the beach in the evening. A Balearic Shearwater also arrived.

Yellow-legged Gull Larus michahellis   juvenile   Dungeness   1st September 2017
Lesser Black-backed Gull Larus fuscus   juvenile   Dungeness   1st September 2017

With the sea like a millpond this evening it was perfect conditions for counting Porpoise. There was clearly a huge influx of animals though with a count of at least 78 individuals being made and doubling the previous highest-ever count. Four Grey Seals and a Common Seal were also feeding offshore. 

Flat Calm, Dungeness   1st September 2017
The moth traps produced an Orange Swift, two Vestals, an Engrailed, a Small Ranunculus, two Scarce Bordered Straws and a Pearly Underwing of note whilst eight Hummingbird Hawkmoths were seen during the day.
There were very good numbers of butterflies on the wing and including two Clouded Yellows, three Painted Ladies and three Brown Argus. Close scrutiny of the Small Coppers also produced this smart example of the form var. radiata. 

Small Copper Lycaena phlaeas var. radiata   Dungeness   1st September 2017
Two Red-eared Terrapins were seen  in the Long Pits.
at