Very quiet with just 526 Great Crested Grebes offshore and a Water Rail in the Trapping Area of interest.
A Porpoise was feeding offshore.
The Mediterranean Stick-insect was seen in the Observatory Garden again.
27th Feb
Fresh northerly winds and little to be seen. The best the sea could offer was five Red-breasted Mergansers and 592 Great Crested Grebes. Four Water Rails were calling in the Trapping Area.
Three Porpoises were feeding offshore.
26th Feb
A gale-force NE wind and torrential rain overnight resulted in some major problems in the house and limited observations to seawatching where the highlight was an immature Iceland Gull heading east offshore. Also of note were four Pintail, 341 Great Crested Grebes, 89 Dunlin and five Mediterranean Gulls. A Merlin was hunting along the beach.
A Porpoise was feeding offshore.
25th Feb
More wind and rain. With SE winds it was hoped that the sea might produce something but in the end over five hours of watching saw just 68 Brent Geese, 17 Shovelers, three Wigeon, two Pintail, two Velvet Scoters and 47 Mediterranean Gulls of note.
Three Porpoises were feeding offshore.
24th Feb
A bright sunny morning for a change but with just a Chiffchaff, four Stonechats and 20 Meadow Pipits on the land of note. Two Velvet Scoters. 55 Mediterranean Gulls and eight Fulmars were of note offshore.
Two Porpoises and a Grey Seal were seen offshore.
23rd Feb
Yet more rain and wind but little to be seen with just two Velvet Scoters and ten Mediterranean Gulls and a stream of Black-headed Gulls and Common Gulls heading west offshore, two Water Rails in the Trapping Area and a Chiffchaff at the Long Pits.
A Grey Seal was seen offshore.
22nd Feb
Fog and drizzle for most of the day and very little to be seen through the murk.
Three Porpoise were feeding offshore.
21st Feb
More miserable weather and fewer birds offshore with just 20 Brent Geese, 640 auks and 84 Red-throated Divers of any interest. A second-winter Yellow-legged Gull was roosting at the fishing boats.
Three Porpoises were feeding offshore.
The Mediterranean Stick-insect was still alive in the Observatory garden.
20th Feb
A breezy day with the morning seawatch producing over 6,000 auks along with 11 Teal, 23 Common Scoters, six Dunlins, 357 Kittiwakes, four Mediterranean Gulls, 303 Red-throated Divers and four Fulmars. Quiet on the land.
One Porpoise was feeding offshore.
19th Feb
Not a great deal to be seen other than a Mediterranean Gull and a few auks offshore.
Seven Porpoise and a Grey Seal were feeding offshore.
Only six moths were attracted to two moth traps last night but they did include a Silver Y and a Dark Swordgrass.
18th Feb
Another miserable day with little to be seen. Seawatch produced 49 Brent Geese heading east in an hour this morning, a Redpoll flew over and seven Stonechats were scattered across the Point.
Three Porpoises were feeding offshore.
17th Feb
A return to thoroughly miserable weather and very little be seen. Thirty Brent Geese, two Gadwalls and eight Mediterranean Gulls and a Black-throated Diver were seen offshore.
16th Feb
A clear and dry morning for a change allowed for a bit of coverage on the land with a Firecrest at the Long Pits, two Chiffchaffs on the Point, two Water Rails and a Fieldfare in the Trapping Area, a Mistle Thrush on the wires at the Observatory, eight Stonechats scattered around the Point and 12 Chaffinches, six Goldfinches and a Siskin overhead. Seawatching produced 33 Brent Geese, four Shelduck, a Mediterranean Gull and 249 Red-throated Divers.
Two Porpoises were feeding offshore.
15th Feb
Limited coverage in pretty miserable weather. Just 85 Brent Geese and six Mediterranean Gulls were seen offshore and three Ravens over the Observatory where the only birds of note.
One Porpoise was feeding offshore.
14th Feb
Another mostly miserable day with rain and strong winds for the most part. Seawatching produced just six Wigeon and two Mediterranean Gulls of note. Great Crested Grebe numbers increased to 356.
Two Porpoise and a Grey Seal were feeding offshore.
13th Feb
Fresh south-westerly winds and rain from md-day. Seawatching produced a Dunlin, 200 Kittiwakes, a Mediterranean Gull and 249 Red-throated Divers in 3.5hours. Great Crested Grebe numbers feeding offshore increased to 142.
A Porpoise was feeding offshore.
12th Feb
A bright sunny day for a change but very little to be seen. The best from a one-hour seawatch this morning were just two Wigeon and seven Mediterranean Gulls.
A Porpoise was feeding offshore.
A Dark Swordgrass was the first 'macro' moth of the year to be trapped.
The Mediterranean Stick-insect continues to be seen in the Observatory garden.
11th Feb
More heavy rain for most of the morning. Of note offshore were three Shelducks, 160 Kittiwakes, two adult Little Gulls, five Mediterranean Gulls, 172 Red-throated Divers and three Fulmars. A Chiffchaff was seen at the Long Pits.
Two Porpoises and a Grey Seal were feeding offshore.
10th Feb
A trickle of birds passing offshore included 175 Brent Geese, a drake Shoveler, two Pintails, eight Mediterranean Gulls, 196 Red-throated Divers and three Fulmars of interest. A check of the land was notable for a fly-over Woodlark along with a Water Rail, a Chiffchaff, two Redwings and five Siskins.
A Porpoise was seen offshore.
The Mediterranean Stick-insect remains.
9th Feb
Another day of poor weather. Seawatching produced just a Ringed Plover, 52 Sanderlings, 298 Guillemots and five Fulmars of any note.
Two Porpoises were seen offshore.
The Mediterranean Stick-insect remains in the Observatory garden.
8th Feb
Rain all day meant limited coverage and an opportunity to catch up on some paperwork. Four Wigeon and 361 Red-throated Divers were the only birds of any note.
7th Feb
A mostly wet and cold day. Most of the observations were offshore again where 220 Brent Geese passed through along with 688 Guillemots, 300 auk sp, and 445 Red-throated Divers. Two Mediterranean Gulls, four Caspian Gulls (all first-winters) and a Yellow-legged Gull were seen on the beach. A Water Rail was heard in the Trapping Area.
In addition, this very pale first-winter Herring Gull has been lingering in the area for the last few days.
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| Herring Gull Larus argentatus first-winter Dungeness 7th February 2024 |
Two Porpoises were feeding offshore.
A Mediterranean Stick-insect remains in the garden.
6th Feb
A miserable day and limited coverage. Seawatching produced just 25 Kittiwakes, a first-winter Caspian Gull, 200 Guillemots and two Fulmars.
A Mediterranean Stick-insect was seen in the Observatory Garden.
5th Feb
A two-hour seawatch this morning produced 118 Brent Geese, a Shelduck, 57 Kittiwakes, a Mediterranean Gull, 242 Guillemots, 47 Razorbills, 268 Red-throated Divers and seven Fulmars. A Water Rail was heard in the Trapping Area.
A Porpoise was seen offshore.
4th Feb
The morning seawatch produced a Shelduck, four Mallard, 17 Pintails, 47 Kittiwakes, three Mediterranean Gulls, 135 Guillemots, 565 Red-throated Divers and 122 Gannets.
A Porpoise was seen offshore.
3rd Feb
Three Pintails, a Mediterranean Gull, 200 Guillemots and 294 Red-throated Divers were the only sightings of note.
A Porpoise and a Grey Seal were feeding offshore.
2nd Feb
A 2.25hr seawatch this morning produced five Gadwall, an excellent total of 116 Pintail west, 74 Kittiwakes, a Mediterranean Gull, a first-winter Caspian Gull, 25 Razorbills, 887 auks, 415 Red-throated Divers, two Fulmars and 165 Gannets.
However, the clear highlight of the day was a White-tailed Eagle which flew NE over the peninsula just after mid-day. It was a bird from the Isle of Wight re-introduction project (ringed G542) and was also seen here in March last year.
1st Feb
Seawatching produced 55 Brent Geese, 600 Guillemots and 61 Red-throated Divers while five Sanderlings, a Mediterranean Gull and two first-winter Caspian Gulls were on the beach. Two Ravens flew over the Observatory and a Chiffchaff and a Siskin were seen in the Trapping Area.
A Porpoise was seen offshore.
Three Mediterranean Stick-insects were still surviving in the Observatory Garden and a few Firebugs were also seen.
31st Jan
Still high numbers of gulls around with two Mediterranean Gulls and two Caspian Gulls of note. The high tide wader roost produced 40 Turnstones, 34 Sanderlings and 357 Dunlin. A Chiffchaff was seen in the Moat.
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| Caspian Gull Larus cachinnans first-winter Dungeness 31st January 2024 |
Three Grey Seals and a Porpoise were feeding offshore.
30th Jan
More of the same with thousands of gulls feeding offshore and including four Mediterranean Gulls, six Caspian Gulls and two Yellow-legged Gulls while 100 Dunlin and 80 Turnstones were roosting on the beach. Seventy Brent Geese and 330 Red-throated Divers also passed through.
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| Caspian Gull Larus cachinnans first-winter Dungeness 30th January 2024 |
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| Gulls on the beach |
A Porpoise and two Grey Seals were feeding offshore.
29th Jan
Gull watching continues to dominate proceedings with six Mediterranean Gulls, four Caspian Gulls and two Yellow-legged Gulls among the feeding hoards. Also seen offshore were 190 Brent Geese and 457 Red-throated Divers. A check of the land produced just two Water Rails and a Chiffchaff of note.
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| Mediterranean Gull Ichthyaetus melanocephalus adult Dungeness 29th January 2024 |
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| Caspian Gull Larus cachinnans first-winter Dungeness 29th January 2024 |
A Porpoise and three Grey Seals were also feeding offshore.
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