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.
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| Western Bonelli's Warbler Phylloscopus bonelli 22nd September 2024 |
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House Martins Delichon urbicum Dungeness 22nd September 2024
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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.
