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.

2nd Mar

The winter weather continues and in fact more snow fell and settled today than on any other day in this spell of severe weather.
It was very quite on the land but the Patch was very busy thousands of gulls present including the regular Glaucous Gull, four Mediterranean Gulls and an adult Yellow-legged Gull. A flock of 11 Pintail and three Wigeon flew east as well as a Grey Plover and 15 Bar-tailed Godwit.
Thousands of gulls at the Patch   2nd March 2018
Glaucous Gull Larus hyperboreus   Dungeness   2nd March 2018
In the afternoon a freshly dead (still warm) second-winter Common Gull was found at the Long Pits. A check of primary and tail patterns appear to suggest that it is of the race heinei. Note in particular the presence of a black spot on Primary 3 and a complete band across the tip of Primary 4. Unfortunately whilst the measurements, especially winglength, fit heinei better they seem to fall in the broad overlap zone and the head looks a bit too extensively marked but again not impossible for heinei.
Common Gull Larus canus ssp   second-winter   Dungeness   2nd March 2018

Primary 9 and 10  Left wing,  P9 appears to be a moulted adult feather. if so,this also indicates heinei

Primary 9 and 10 Right wing

Primaries 3 and 4   Note the spot on P3 and the complete band on P4 both strongly indicate heinei

Primary 4   Note complete band which seems to strongly indicate heinei

Dark markings in tail suggest heinei

at