19th Oct

With wet and windy conditions for most of the day seawatching was the main option with nearly five hours of coverage producing three Shelduck, six Pintails, three Avocets, five Mediterranean Gulls, 85 Sandwich Terns, an Arctic Tern, six Arctic Skuas, a Sooty Shearwater and 516 Gannets of interest. Grounded migrants were fairly scarce in the bushes with just 12 Chiffchaffs, a Blackcap, a Dartford Warbler, three Goldcrests, eight Song Thrushes and a Rock Pipit of note. Visible migration consisted of 42 Stock Doves and 47 Swallows.

Two Porpoises and a Grey Seal were feeding offshore and Nathusius's Pipistrelles were hunting around the moth traps this evening.

The moth traps produced five Palpita vitrealis and three Radford's Flame Shoulders and also a Southern Oak Bush-cricket while a Western Conifer Seedbug was found inside the Observatory.

18th Oct

The highlight of the day was another Yellow-browed Warbler trapped in the Moat. Grounded migrants were otherwise fairly scarce with 30 Chiffchaffs, five Blackcaps, three Dartford Warblers, two Firecrests, eight Goldcrests, 14 Redwings, 24 Song Thrushes and a Wheatear of note. Birds passing overhead included 550 Stock Doves, six Buzzards, two Woodlarks, 33 Skylarks, ten Tree Sparrows, five Grey Wagtails, a Rock Pipit, seven Bramblings, 100 Goldfinches, 16 Siskins, a Yellowhammer and 29 Reed Buntings. The sea remained quiet with just six Pintails and a Sooty Shearwater of note.

Yellow-browed Warbler Phylloscopus inornatus   Dungeness   19th October 2024

The moth traps were surprisingly productive overnight with eight Palpita vitrealis, a Musotoma nitidalis, five Gems,a Scarce Bordered Straw and a Delicate. In addition, a Diasemiopsis ramburalis and a Crimson-speckled were trapped at South View Cottage. A Mediterranean Stick-insect was seen in the Observatory garden again.

Crimson Speckled Utethesia pulchella   Dungeness   18th October 2024

17th Oct

Massive thunderstorms overnight. There were a few grounded migrants in the bushes in the morning with a Woodcock, 20 Chiffchaffs, four Blackcaps, 70 Redwings, 20 Song Thrushes and three Wheatears and of much more interest, an "Eastern" type Lesser Whitethroat, which unfortunately failed to find its way into a net. Two Long-eared Owls were hunting after dark at the Long Pits. Overhead passage included 31 Stock Doves, three Merlins, a Woodlark, 16 Skylarks, three Grey Wagtails, two Rock Pipits, nine Bramblings, 150 Goldfinches, 20 Siskins and 25 Reed Buntings. A Little Gull and two Arctic Skuas were lingering offshore.

Two Porpoises and a Grey Seal were feeding offshore and in the evening there was an almost continuous presence of Nathusius's Pipistrelles, Common Pipistrelles and Soprano Pipistrelles.

An unusual record was a dead Common Toad on the road.

The moth traps were very productive with 24 Palpita vitrealis, five Gems, four Delicates and a Radford's Flame Shoulder. A Hawthorn Shieldbug was also found in the traps and a Western Conifer Seedbug was found at Delhi Cottage. A Mediterranean Stick-insect was seen in the Observatory Garden.

16th Oct

With a strong south-easterly wind in the morning hopes were fairly high for some good bird but it never really happened. Six hours of seawatching produced just 118 Brent Geese, three Shovelers, two Wigeon, three Teal, 163 Mediterranean Gulls, a Yellow-legged Gull, 61 Sandwich Terns, a Great and 15 Arctic Skuas and 287 Gannets. Numbers of birds in the bushes were much reduced with just 14 Chiffchaffs, two Firecrests, five Goldcrests, 40 Redwings, ten Song Thrushes and a Wheatear of note. Birds passing overhead were dominated by the first big movement of 2500 Goldfinches along with a Merlin, 13 Skylarks, 275 Swallows, 215 Meadow Pipits, three Bramblings, two Siskins and eight Reed Buntings.

Four Porpoises and a Grey Seal were seen offshore.

15th Oct

A pretty decent morning with a good number of birds in the bushes and passing overhead and a very decent movement of birds offshore. The highlights from the bushes were a Yellow-browed Warbler and a Siberian Chiffchaff (trapped), 100 Chiffchaffs, a late Willow Warbler, a Lesser Whitethroat, a Dartford Warbler, 14 Firecrests, 38 Goldcrests, 600 Redwings, 30 Song Thrushes and two Wheatears. A Woodcock and three Snipe were also seen. Birds passing overhead included 24 Skylarks, two Rock Pipits, seven Bramblings, 65 Goldfinches, seven Siskin and 11 Reed Buntings. A three-hour seawatch this morning saw a large westerly movement of mainly wildfowl including 3011 Brent Geese, 81 Shelduck, 14 Shoveler, 105 Wigeon, 28 Pintail, 11 Teal and the first Red-breasted Merganser of the autumn along with a Little Gull, 166 Mediterranean Gulls, an Arctic Tern, four Arctic Skuas and a Sooty Shearwater.

Siberian Chiffchaff Phylloscopus collybita tristis   Dungeness   15th October 2024

Three Porpoises and three unidentified dolphins and two Grey Seals were seen offshore. A Brown Hare was seen on the land.

14th Oct

A thoroughly miserable day with heavy rain from first light and until late afternoon. A Little Gull and two Arctic Skuas were the best of the meagre offerings offshore while two Firecrests in the Trapping Area were the only bits of interest on the land.

The moth traps produced a Radford's Flame Shoulder, two Delicates and a Scarce Bordered Straw of note. 

13th Oct

A bright, sunny morning with a light NW breeze. The more unusual records were a Barn Owl in the Trapping Area and a Dartford Warbler in the Moat while other grounded migrants included a Hobby, 35 Chiffchaffs, five Goldcrests, ten Song Thrushes and a Wheatear. There was a trickle of migrants passing overhead with 37 Stock Doves, a Grey Wagtail, two Rock Pipits, 40 Siskins and eight Reed Buntings. The sea was very quiet with just 30 Mediterranean Gulls feeding offshore of any note.

Three Porpoises and a Grey Seal were feeding offshore. 

12th Oct

A wet and windy day with very little on the land and good numbers of birds feeding offshore including 200 Mediterranean Gulls, three first-winter Caspian Gulls, a Great Skua, four Arctic Skuas and a Balearic Shearwater.

Two Porpoises were feeding offshore. 

11th Oct

An excellent morning on the land with the highlight of two Yellow-browed Warblers (one caught), along with 150 Chiffchaffs, 13 Blackcaps, a Lesser Whitethroat, two Whitethroats, two Dartford Warblers, two Firecrests, eight Goldcrests, a Ring Ouzel in the Moat, three Redwings, a late Redstart and a Wheatear. There was also a decent bit of passage overhead with 46 Stock Doves, a Short-eared Owl, five Bramblings, 60 Goldfinch, 50 Siskins, a Yellowhammer and 30 Reed Buntings. A Little Gull and 40 Mediterranean Gulls were feeding offshore in the evening.

Yellow-browed Warbler Phylloscopus inornatus   Dungeness   11th October 2024

A Porpoise was seen offshore.

A Mediterranean Stick-insect and a Mottled Shieldbug were found in the Observatory garden.

10th Oct

A fairly quiet day with 13 Mediterranean Gulls and four Arctic Skuas offshore, 35 Chiffchaffs and two Firecrests in the bushes and singles of Tree and Rock Pipit, two Bramblings, 75 Goldfinch, 21 Siskins and 23 Reed Buntings overhead.

Four Porpoises and a Grey Seal were feeding offshore.

There was a surprisingly good catch of moths overnight with 34 Delicates, a Scarce Bordered Straw, a Radford's Flame Shoulder, nine Udea ferrugalis and two Palpita vitrealis of note.

9th Oct

The highlight of the day was the seemingly overdue arrival of Yellow-browed Warblers with two in the Trapping Area and one at the north end of the Long Pits. Other notable grounded migrants included a Snipe, a Jay, 50 Chiffchaffs, 11 Blackcaps, a Whitethroat, seven Firecrests, four Song Thrushes and four Wheatears. There was also some overhead passage with a Golden Plover, 37 Skylarks, 500 Swallows, three Tree Sparrows, a Yellow Wagtail, three Grey Wagtails, three Bramblings, 240 Goldfinches, 70 Siskins and eight Reed Buntings. The sea was fairly quiet with a two-hour watch producing just 14 Mediterranean Gulls, 80 Sandwich Terns, four Arctic Skuas, 51 Razorbills, three Balearic Shearwaters and 431 Gannets.

Three Porpoises and two Grey Seals were feeding offshore and a Grey Squirrel was seen in the Trapping Area.

8th Oct

The land was dominated by another sizable movement of hirundines with 6600 Swallows and 1050 House Martins during the day while other visible migrants included a Grey Wagtail, 155 Goldfinches and ten Siskins. Grounded migrants were in short supply with just 30 Chiffchaffs, a Whitethroat, a Firecrest and a Wheatear of interest. A decent seawatch in the morning produced 18 Mediterranean Gulls, 246 Sandwich Terns, two Little Terns, 13 Arctic Skuas, 109 Razorbills, a Sooty Shearwater, nine Balearic Shearwaters and 663 Gannets.

Two Porpoises and two Common Seals were feeding offshore.

The moth traps produced 11 Delicates but not much else.

 

7th Oct

A disappointing day. Seawatching produced two Balearic Shearwaters of note along with 22 Mediterranean Gulls, two Arctic Terns, five Arctic Skuas and 229 Gannets. There was a steady trickle of birds passing overhead including a Great White Egret, nine Skylarks, 340 Swallows, two Yellow Wagtails, a Grey Wagtail, 120 Meadow Pipits, a Tree Pipit, 28 Goldfinches three Siskins and six Reed Buntings. Migrants in the bushes remain few in number with just 20 Chiffchaffs, six Blackcaps, a Dartford Warbler, a Firecrest, three Goldcrests, a Whinchat and three Wheatears. 

Two Porpoises and a Grey Seal were feeding offshore.

6th Oct

With a strong SSE wind blowing there was hope for the sea but it wasn't that productive with five hours of watching revealing just 16 Teal, a Little Gull, 14 Mediterranean Gulls, 215 Sandwich Terns, 81 Common Terns, three Arctic Terns, three Black Terns, 12 Arctic Skuas and 538 Gannets. A second-winter Caspian Gull and an adult Yellow-legged Gull were in a small roost of gulls on the beach. Birds passing overhead included 14 Skylarks, 3200 Swallows, 230 House Martins, three Grey Wagtails, 100 Meadow Pipits, three Redpolls, 15 Goldfinches, a Siskin and seven Reed Buntings. Grounded migrants were fairly few and far between with just 20 Chiffchaffs, four Firecrests, three Goldcrests, a Whinchat and seven Wheatears of note.

Three Porpoises and Brown Hare leveret were seen.

Elsewhere, a Yellow-browed Warbler was seen at the Pines at ARC.

5th Oct

A bright, sunny morning produced a decent bit of visible migration and good numbers of grounded migrants in the bushes. The highlights on the land were the first Ring Ouzel of the autumn, 120 Chiffchaffs, late Sedge and Reed Warblers, 35 Blackcaps, a Dartford Warbler, three Firecrests, two Whinchats and two Wheatears. Of note among the birds passing overhead were 20 Skylarks, 1500 Swallows, 50 House Martins, two Yellow Wagtails, 150 Meadow Pipits, two Bramblings, a Redpoll, 35 Goldfinches, 27 Siskins and 70 Reed Buntings. The best from a very quiet sea were two Shelduck, seven Wigeon, a Little Gull, five Mediterranean Gulls and three Arctic Skuas.

A Porpoise and a Grey Seal were feeding offshore.

The moth traps were surprisingly productive with a Gem, seven Delicates and a Scarce Bordered Straw and 15 Udea ferrugalis of note.

Seven Mottled Shieldbugs were seen in the Old Lighthouse garden

4th Oct

The first calm morning for a few days and there were good numbers of birds on the land and passing overhead. There were at least 120 Chiffchaffs and 40 Blackcaps on the land and variety provided by a party of eight Bearded Tits in the Trapping Area, a Grasshopper Warbler, a Dartford Warbler, three Redwings, three Song Thrushes, a Spotted Flycatcher, two Whinchats and four Wheatears. Overhead migration also picked up with 1500 Swallows, two Tree Sparrows, a Yellow Wagtail, a Grey Wagtail, 140 Meadow Pipits, a Tree Pipit, two Rock Pipits, the first Brambling of the autumn, 30 Goldfinches, seven Siskins and 32 Reed Buntings. The sea remains extremely quiet though with just 12 Wigeon, a Little Gull, 11 Mediterranean Gulls and five Arctic Skuas of any interest.

Four Porpoises and two Grey Seals were feeding offshore.

Two Mediterranean Stick-insects were found in the Observatory garden.

3rd Oct

Twenty Chiffchaffs and 80 Meadow Pipits were the only birds of note on the land while seawatching produced just 248 Brent Geese, three Shelduck, 24 Wigeon, a Little Gull, two Mediterranean Gulls and three Arctic Skuas of interest.

A Brown Hare was seen on the land. 

2nd Oct

Still very little on the land and only marginally better offshore. Highlights from three hours of seawatching were just 304 Brent Geese, 21 Wigeon, a Little Gull, six Mediterranean Gulls and three Arctic Skuas. A Jay and a Buzzard were of note from the Trapping Area but only 20 Chiffchaffs were found in the bushes and a Rock Pipit, seven Siskins and nine Reed Buntings flew over.

Two Porpoises and a Grey Seal were feeding offshore.

1st Oct

Very quiet. Seventy Chiffchaffs were the only migrants on the land in any numbers and just a Merlin, a Hobby, a Yellow Wagtail, two Grey Wagtails and three Reed Buntings passing overhead of note. Very little offshore with just two Little Gulls and three Mediterranean Gulls of any interest.

Two Porpoises and a Grey Seal were feeding offshore. 

30th Sep

A foul day of strong SSE winds and almost constant rain. The only sensible option was seawatching but this was ultimately underwhelming with eight hours of coverage producing just 51 Brent Geese, seven Teal, two Red-breasted Mergansers, a Knot, two Dunlin, a Little Gull, seven Mediterranean Gulls, two Little Terns, three Black Terns, 312 Sandwich Terns, six Arctic Skuas, a juvenile Pomarine Skua, a Great Skua, four Sooty Shearwaters, 21 Balearic Shearwaters and a Merlin in off.

Four Porpoise and two Grey Seals were feeding offshore.

29th Sep

With a fresh increasing to strong SW wind most of the interest was offshore with over six hours of watching producing 178 Brent Geese, six Shelduck, nine Shoveler, two Wigeon, a Pintail, two Teal, an excellent total of 263 Little Gulls, 57 Mediterranean Gulls, 30 Common Gulls, an Arctic Tern, 16 Black Terns, a Great Skua, seven Arctic Skuas, seven Sooty Shearwaters, five Balearic Shearwaters and a Manx Shearwater. Movement on the land was more or less limited to Swallows with 16,000 passing out to sea along with 85 Meadow Pipits and 30 Goldfinches. Seventy Chiffchaffs and a Lesser Whitethroat were the only noteworthy birds in the bushes.

Four Porpoises and a Grey Seal were seen offshore and a Brown Hare was seen on the land.

28th Sep

Today was the day of the Big Kent Bird Migration Watch and we were able to contribute through the morning's ringing, visible migration counts and seawatchng. Most of the interest was on the land with a Jay, a flock of ten seemingly migrant Long-tailed Tits (all unringed), 110 Chiffchaffs, seven Blackcaps, a Goldcrest and the first two Redwings of the autumn. Birds passing overhead included a Golden Plover, a Snipe, an Osprey, eight Buzzards, a Hobby, 500 Swallows, a Tree Sparrow, a Grey Wagtail, 400 Meadow Pipits, two Rock Pipits, two Redpolls, 33 Goldfinches, two Siskins and 18 Reed Buntings. The sea was fairly slow going and produced just seven Wigeon, two Mediterranean Gulls, an Arctic Tern and three Arctic Skuas of note.

Six Porpoise and a Grey Seal were seen offshore. 

27th Sep

With a fresh NW wind most of the interest was offshore where seven hours of watching produced two Avocets, a Little Gull, 173 Mediterranean Gulls, 92 Common Gulls, 813 Sandwich Terns, three Arctic Terns, a Great Skua, 27 Arctic Skuas, singles of Sooty and Manx Shearwaters and three Balearic Shearwaters. Two first-winter Caspian Gulls were also seen at the fishing boats where four Merlins and four Kestrels also came in off the sea. It was fairly quiet on the land with just 260 Swallows, a Willow Warbler, 38 Chiffchaffs, a Yellow Wagtail and 120 Meadow Pipits of note.

Caspian Gull Larus cachinnans   first-winter   Dungeness   27th September 2024

Six Porpoise and two Grey Seals were feeding offshore.

26th Sep

A miserable day with frequent heavy rain and strong winds making observation very difficult. On the face of it the weather conditions seemed reasonable for some seawatching but it was actually very disappointing most birds seemed to be lingering rather than moving through and just 14 Mediterranean Gulls, two Arctic Skua and two Balearic Shearwaters of note. Very quiet on the land with just 30 Chiffchaffs, 11 Blackcaps and five Wheatears of interest.

Six Porpoises and a Grey Seal were feeding offshore.

Twelve Palpita vitrealis, two Delicates and three Scarce Bordered Straws were noteworthy.

25th Sep

Seawatching was good, mainly during the morning, with 190 Mediterranean Gulls, 1000 Sandwich Terns, 20 Arctic Skuas, 40 Balearic Shearwaters and 1170 Gannets. There was a good movement of birds overhead with 6000 Swallows, seven Yellow Wagtails, a Grey Wagtail, 1550 Meadow Pipits, two Tree Pipits, a Rock Pipit and ten Reed Buntings. Chiffchaffs and Blackcaps with 195 and 40 respectively dominated the grounded migrant totals along with a Spotted Flycatcher, two Whinchats and 11 Wheatears. 

Six Porpoise and a Grey Seal were feeding offshore and a Brown Hare was seen on the land.

The moth traps continue to provide plenty of interest with another nine Palpita vitrealis, the first Vestal of the year, four Delicates and two Scarce Bordered Straws of note.

24th Sep

Rain for much of the day prevented any ringing activities but there were clearly good numbers of grounded migrants around with 200 Chiffchaffs and 30 Blackcaps along with a Garden Warbler, four Lesser Whitethroats, a Firecrest, eight Song Thrushes and a Spotted Flycatcher of interest. A Great White Egret flew over the area along with 400 Swallows, 1,000 House Martin, nine Yellow Wagtails, a Grey Wagtail, 150 Meadow Pipits, a Tree Pipit and 56 Reed Buntings.

A Grey Squirrel was seen in the trapping area again.

The moth traps proved productive with another five Palpita vitrealis, a Convolvulus Hawkmoth, three Delicates, two Scarce Bordered Straws and a Radford's Flame Shoulder of note.

An evening check for crickets produced just two Large Coneheads and good numbers of singing Italian Tree-crickets.

23rd Sep

There were a few grounded migrants again but sadly no sign of yesterday's Western Bonelli's Warbler. Numbers were dominated by 50 Chiffchaffs and 11 Blackcaps along with five Spotted Flycatchers, two Redstarts, two Whinchats and eight Wheatears of interest. Small numbers of birds passed overhead including just 150 Swallows and five Yellow Wagtails. A brief movement of birds offshore in the morning produced 22 Brent Geese, 19 Wigeon, four Mediterranean Gulls, six Arctic Skuas and 21 Balearic Shearwaters.

Six Porpoise and a Grey Seal were feeding offshore.

Another good night for Palpita vitrealis in the moth traps with 15 counted along with a Clancy's Rustic and two Delicates.

22nd Sep

It was a day of two major ornithological events. The first was the mid-morning discovery of a Western Bonelli's Warbler in the well known garden of Southview Cottage. This is the sixth Dungeness record of this national rarity and at times have gave excellent views. There were a few other migrants on the ground including three Great Spotted Woodpeckers, 52 Chiffchaffs, a Spotted Flycatcher, a Redstart, two Whinchats and five Wheatears. The second event was a huge and spectacular overhead passage of hirundines with estimates of 126,000 Swallows, 84,000 House Martins and 500 Sand Martins and other bits including two Hobbies, six Yellow Wagtails, eight Grey Wagtails, 1,000 Meadow Pipits, three Tree Pipits, two Rock Pipits, two Siskins and 12 Reed Buntings. Offshore, 140 Brent Geese, five Eider, 200 Mediterranean Gulls, four Arctic Skuas and a Balearic Shearwater were of note.

Western Bonelli's Warbler Phylloscopus bonelli   22nd September 2024

House Martins Delichon urbicum   Dungeness   22nd September 2024

Four Porpoises and a Grey Seal were seen offshore and where a Tuna was also seen. A Brown Hare was also of note.

The only significant moths in the traps were a record total of 21 Palpita vitrealis. An evening search for orthoptera produced ten Large Coneheads and a Sickle-bearing Bush-cricket in the trapping area while a nymph Mediterranean Stick-insect was found in the Observatory garden.

21st Sep

There were a few grounded migrants in the area with 80 Chiffchaffs and 40 Blackcaps along with a Spotted Flycatcher and a Whinchat of interest. The morning though was dominated by a spectacular movement of birds overhead with 4,000 Sand Martins, 45,000 Swallows, 5,750 House Martins and 2,300 Meadow Pipits and with other bits and pieces including five Yellow Wagtails, two Grey Wagtails, three Tree Pipits and ten Reed Buntings. The sea remains very quiet with just a flock of three Balearic Shearwaters and also three Arctic Skuas of note.

Four Porpoises were feeding offshore.

The moth traps produced three Palpita vitrealis and our fourth Convolvulus Hawkmoth of the autumn.

20th Sep

With a strong SE wind blowing  grounded migrants were few and far between and only 15 Chiffchaffs and two Whinchats were of note on the land and a Hobby, 620 Swallows and two Grey Wagtails flew over. Seawatching was also very poor with just two Arctic Skuas of interest. . 

A search for shieldbugs produced 25 Mottled Shieldbugs at the Lighthouse Garden.

19th Sep

The strong NE wind continues and very little to be seen. The best on the land was a single Whinchat  and a steady easterly movement of Swallows.

Six Porpoise and a Grey Seal were seen offshore.

18th Sep

With a strong NE wind blowing coverage on the land was very difficult but it was clear that there was very little to be seen in the bushes. Over four hours of seawatching produced just 13 Brent Geese, seven Shelduck, 32 Wigeon, five Teal, eight Pintail, 20 Ringed Plovers, two Bar-tailed Godwits, six Mediterranean Gulls and eight Arctic Skuas and single first-winter Caspian and Yellow-legged Gulls on the beach. A Rock Pipit was also seen on the beach.

Four Porpoises and two Grey Seals were feeding offshore.

17th Sep

Seawatching produced 24 Brent Geese, seven Shelduck, eight Shovelers, 90 Wigeon, 23 Teal, 13 Mediterranean Gulls, a Little Tern and ten Arctic Skuas. A Merlin was also hunting around the Point. Very quiet on the land with two Tree Sparrows and a Rock Pipit of note.

Six Porpoises and singles of Common and Grey Seals were feeding offshore.

The American Golden Plover was seen again on Burrowes on the RSPB Reserve.

16th Sep

Chiffchaffs provided the numbers on the land again with at least 170 in the area along with a Grasshopper Warbler, ten Blackcaps and two Lesser Whitethroats but overhead passage was very light with just five Yellow Wagtails, a Tree Pipit and eight Reed Buntings. Seawatching produced eight Wigeon, nine Teal, ten Arctic Skuas and 17 Balearic Shearwaters.

Grasshopper Warbler Locustella naevia   Dungeness   16th September 2024 

At least 20 Porpoises and two Grey Seals were feeding offshore.

The moth traps produced a Portland Ribbon Wave, a Cypress Pug and our third record of the pyralid Musotima nitidalis following the first two in 2023.

Musotima nitidalis   Dungeness   16th September 2024

Another male Red-veined Darter was found in the moat.

15th Sep

Chiffchaffs continued to dominate on the land with at least 300 in the area this morning along with three Sedge Warblers, a Grasshopper Warbler, 25 Blackcaps, a Goldcrest and a Whinchat and more surprisingly five Great Spotted Woodpeckers were caught. The Wryneck also made a brief reappearance. Overhead passage included 100 Sand Martins, 2000 Swallows, 100 House Martins, six Yellow Wagtails, four Grey Wagtails and three Tree Pipits. Seawatching was also very productive with an excellent total of 73 Balearic Shearwaters of great note along with 80 Common Gulls, 400 Sandwich Terns, a Great Skua, 14 Arctic Skuas, a Red-throated Diver and a Fulmar. 

The Grey Squirrel was seen again at least 23 Porpoises and a Grey Seal were feeding offshore.

Elsewhere, the Red-necked Phalarope was still showing at Scotney Sandpit.

14th Sep

A busy morning with the nets resulted in 115 birds being ringed and counts in the bushes of 200 Chiffchaffs, 16 Blackcaps, two Lesser Whitethroats, a Goldcrest, a Spotted Flycatcher and four Whinchats while birds passing overhead included two Buzzards, 11 Skylarks, 65 Sand Martins, 12 Tree Sparrows, ten Yellow Wagtails, three Grey Wagtails, a Tree Pipit and the first Siskin of the autumn. A check offshore in the evening produced two Little Gulls and two Mediterranean Gulls.

The Grey Squirrel was seen again and several Porpoise were feeding offshore.

A Scarce Bordered Straw was the only moth of note in the traps. A Southern Oak Bush-cricket was seen at the Observatory.

Waders continue to provide most of the interest elsewhere with a moulting adult American Golden Plover appearing on Burrowes Pit. The Red-necked Phalarope was still showing well on the Scotney Sandpit

American Golden Plover Pluvialis dominica   adult   Burrowes, RSPB   14th September 2024

13th Sep

There were reasonable numbers of migrants in the bushes including 80 Chiffchaffs, three Lesser Whitethroats, two Goldcrests, a Spotted Flycatcher and a Redstart. The clear highlight of birds passing overhead was a Honey Buzzard which showed fantastically well for some observers along with an Osprey also flew out to sea, seven Yellow Wagtails, two Grey Wagtails, four Tree Pipits and a Rock Pipit.

Honey Buzzard Pernis apivorus    Dungeness   13th September 2024 (Tom Wright)

A Grey Squirrel was seen again and seems to have taken up residence in the area.

The highlight among the butterflies was this radiata form of Small Copper.

Small Copper Lycaena phlaeas  var radiata   Dungeness   13th September 2024

It proved a surprisingly good afternoon for dragonflies with three Red-veined Darters and a Lesser Emperor being found in the moat.

Red-veined Darters Sympetrum fonscolombii   Dungeness   13th September 2024

Elsewhere, the White-winged Black Tern continued its stay on Burrowes and the Pectoral Sandpiper was still at ARC but new in was a super first-winter Red-necked Phalarope on the Scotney Sandpit.

Red-necked Phalarope Phalaropus lobatus   first-winter   Scotney Sandpit   13th September 2024

12th Sep

A very cold morning followed by thunderstorms in the evening. The highlight of the day was a superb juvenile Honey Buzzard which spent an hour or so in the area. The Wryneck was present but was still elusive. Three Buzzards flew over and the impressive movement of Kestrels continues with at least 25 in the area. Migrants continue to arrive in small numbers with 50 Chiffchaffs, a Sedge Warbler, 12 Blackcaps, a Garden Warbler, 10 Whitethroats, a Redstart, three Whinchats and five Wheatears while birds passing overhead included 160 Swallows, 600 House Martins, 11 Tree Sparrows, nine Grey Wagtails and eight Tree Pipits. There has been virtually nothing passing offshore but four Mediterranean Gulls, 300 Sandwich Terns, six Little Terns, a first-year Arctic Tern and four Arctic Skuas were feeding off the Point in the evening.

Honey Buzzard Pernis apivorus   Dungeness   12th September 2024

The mammal highlight was a Grey Squirrel while three Porpoises and a Grey Seal were feeding offshore.

The White-winged Black Tern was still on Burrowes and the Pectoral Sandpiper was still at ARC. 

11th Sep

The Wryneck was still present. Fresh migrants included 50 Chiffchaffs, a Garden Warbler, a Firecrest in the Observatory garden, a Pied Flycatcher, two Whinchats and seven Wheatears and 12 Grey Wagtails and 13 Tree Pipits overhead. Kestrels increased to at least 16.

A Convolvulus Hawk-moth and a Palpita vitrealis were trapped overnight.

The White-winged Black Tern was still showing well on Burrowes and the Pectoral Sandpiper was still on the ARC Pit. Two juvenile Spoonbills also flew over.

White-winged Black Tern Chlidonias leucopterus   first-winter   Burrowes, RSPB   
11th September 2024

Spoonbill Platalea leucorodia   Burrowes, RSPB   11th September 2024

10th Sep

Two Mediterranean Gulls and nine Arctic Skuas were seen offshore. The Wryneck was still present but proved elusive. An Osprey flew over and Kestrel numbers are increasing with 12 birds present. Five Grey Wagtails and five Tree Pipits also flew over. Very quiet in the bushes.

Two Porpoises were feeding offshore.

Three Scarce Bordered Straws were of note in the moth traps. A nymph Mediterranean Stick-insect was found.

Elsewhere, the White-winged Black Tern remained on Burrowes and the Pectoral Sandpiper was seen at ARC again. 

White-winged Black Tern Chlidonias leucopterus   first-winter   Burrowes, RSPB   
10th September 2024

9th Sep

Seawatching produced an unexpected movement of Balearic Shearwaters with at least 100 passing through along with the first three Brent Geese of the autumn, three Mediterranean Gulls, 200 Sandwich Terns, an Arctic Tern, a Black Tern and three Arctic Skuas.

On the land an Osprey, two Hobbies, 300 House Martins, four Grey Wagtails and nine Tree Pipits flew over. The bushes were generally quiet but a Firecrest, two each of Spotted and Pied Flycatchers and five Whinchats were of note.

Four Porpoises and a Grey Seal were feeding offshore.

The moth traps were quiet with just two Palpita vitrealis of note.

On the RSPB Reserve there was a juvenile White-winged Black Tern on Burrowes Pit along with 12 Black Terns. A Pectoral Sandpiper was seen at ARC Pit.

White-winged Black Tern Chlidonias leucopterus   first-winter   Burrowes, RSPB   
9th September 2024