Very quiet.
A Porpoise and a Grey Seal were feeding offshore.
21st June
A Whimbrel and 100 Swifts passed overhead.
A Beautiful Marbled moth was trapped overnight and an Ornate Shieldbug was found at the Observatory. Firebugs continue to be seen in large numbers.
20th June
Very quiet.
A Norfolk Hawker was seen in the Trapping Area and an Ornate Shieldbug was found at the Observatory.
19th June
A Little Egret flew over the area.
A Brown Hare was seen in the Desert.
Five Norfolk Hawkers were seen in the Trapping Area.
17th June
A Little Egret, a Buzzard and three Sand Martins flew over the area.
Nine Norfolk Hawkers were seen in the Trapping Area and Long Pits.
16th June
Fewer Manx Shearwaters today but still a very respectable total of 62 being seen during the morning. A Great Skua, five Fulmars and 167 Gannets were also seen.
Two Porpoise and a Grey Seal were seen offshore.
Six Norfolk Hawkers were seen in the Trapping Area and a Lunar Hornet Moth came to a lure.
15th June
The strong wind continued as did the movement of Manx Shearwaters with 145 seen. A Spotted Flycatcher was seen on the land.
Two Porpoises and a Grey Seal were feeding offshore.
14th June
A strong WxSW wind blew through the night and for much of the day and resulted in a surprisingly good movement of Manx Shearwaters with 298 passing west during the morning. Other bits on the sea included three Mediterranean Gulls and an Arctic Skua of note. Very quiet on the land with just a Cuckoo of interest.
The highlight on the mammal front was a Grey Squirrel seen in the trapping area More typically, four Porpoise and a Grey Seal were feeding offshore.
Two Norfolk Hawker dragonflies and a Holly Blue butterfly were seen in the Trapping Area.
13th June
A party of Crossbills flew over but went unseen and six Mediterranean Gulls and an adult hybrid Mediterranean Gull x Black-headed Gull were feeding offshore.
A Grey Seal was feeding offshore and a Brown Hare was seen in the Desert.
Three Norfolk Hawkers were seen in the Trapping Area.
On the butterfly front, a Grizzled Skipper was seen along with both Large and Small Skippers.
12th June
A Grey Partridge was seen at the Long Pits while 45 Swifts, two Sand Martins and three Corn Buntings flew over.
A Grey Seal was feeding offshore.
One Scarce Emerald damselfly and three Norfolk Hawkers were seen.
11th June
Very quiet on the land with just a Lapwing overhead of note.
A Brown Hare was seen in the Desert, three Porpoises were feeding offshore and several families of Foxes can be seen around the area.
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| Brown Hare Lepus europeaus Dungeness 11th June 2024 |
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| Fox Vulpes vulpes cub Dungeness 11th June 2024 |
On the insect front a couple of Rest Harrow moths were seen during the day and a Scarce Emerald Damselfly and two Norfolk Hawkers were seen again.
10th June
A cloudy, damp morning produced 400 Swifts overhead and a Spotted Flycatcher in the trapping area. A pair of Great Crested Grebes have nested at the Long Pits and now have three young in tow.
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| Great Crested Grebe Podiceps cristatus Long Pits 10th June 2024 |
Two Scarce Emerald Damselflies and three Norfolk Hawkers were seen in the Trapping Area.
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| Scarce Emerald Damselfly Lestes dryas female Dungeness 100624 |
9th June
A Cuckoo, a Hobby and a Bittern "booming" at the northern end of the recording area were the only birds of note.
Three Grizzled Skippers were seen in the Trapping Area whilst a remarkable five Norfolk Hawkers and an immature male Scarce Emerald Damselfly were of great note.
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| Norfolk Hawker Aeshna isoceles Dungeness 9th June 2024 |
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| Scarce Emerald Damselfly Lestes dryas Dungeness 9th June 2024 |
7th June
Quiet with just two Mediterranean Gulls offshore and two Buzzards overhead.
Four Porpoises and a Grey Seal were feeding offshore and a Brown Hare was seen on the land.
At least five Norfolk Hawkers were seen around the Trapping Area.
Norfolk (or Green-eyed) Hawkmoth Aeshna isoceles Dungeness 7th June 2024
6th June
The highlight of the day was another Black Kite which flew north along the beach. Three Egyptian Geese, a Mediterranean Gull and a Hobby also flew over.
Two Porpoises were feeding offshore and a Brown Hare was seen in the Desert.
Three Norfolk Hawkers and a Holly Blue butterfly were seen in the Trapping Area.
5th June
A Hobby flew over.
Three Porpoises were seen offshore and a Brown Hare was seen in the desert.
Two Norfolk Hawker dragonflies were seen. A Grizzled Skipper was also seen.
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| Norfolk Hawker Aeshna isoceles Dungeness 5th June 2024 |
3rd June
Another Black Kite came in from the east in the morning, landed briefly in the Desert and then flew off to the west.
A late but very fresh Grizzled Skipper was seen.
A Golden Oriole was singing at Hookers pit this afternoon/evening.
2nd June
A Black Kite flew around the Point for 40 minutes before heading off to the west. A party of six Mediterranean Gulls flew over.
A Grey Seal was feeding offshore.
The first Black-tailed Skimmers of the year were seen at the Long Pits and a Holly Blue butterfly was seen at the Lighthouse Garden.
31st May
Very little to be seen on a thoroughly miserable day.
The highlight of the day though was outside of the Observatory recording area with two Bee-eaters showing very well for several hours at the ARC Pit.
30th May
A day of increasing cloud and rain saw a massive movement of Swifts with around 3,500 birds moving around the storm clouds. A Little Ringed Plover and 11 House Martins also flew over and there were two Reed Warblers singing from unlikely locations suggesting that they were newly arrived migrants.
Four Porpoises were seen offshore and two Brown Hares were seen in the Desert.
At least 40 Variable Damselflies were seen.
29th May
A very quiet day in the Observatory area with just 32 Swifts and a Hobby of interest.
Two Brown Hares were seen in the Desert.
A new plant for the area was found near the red and white gate in the form of a small clump of Great Yellow Rattle Rhinanthus angustifolius although it has to be said it looks suspiciously like it has been planted.
Elsewhere, a Bee-eater made a brief appearance at Dengemarsh.
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