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9th June
Two Mistle Thrushes were flying around the Point this morning. A couple of seawatching sessions produced eight Mediterranean Gulls and two Arctic Skuas of interest.
Two Porpoises were feeding offshore.
Another very early butterfly was seen again in the form of a Marbled White. There were also hundreds of Small Skippers.
8th June
Two Crossbills flew over the trapping area this morning along with 12 Swifts and a Song Thrush and an evening seawatch produced a Mediterranean Gull, two Arctic Skuas, eight Manx Shearwaters and a Balearic Shearwater.
Two Porpoises and two Grey Seals were feeding offshore.
A very early Gatekeeper butterfly was seen in the Moat and 21 Variable Damselflies were seen at the Long Pits.
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7th June
Seawatching again dominated proceedings with over eight hours of coverage producing 63 Sandwich Terns, nine Mediterranean Gulls, two Arctic Skuas and an excellent total of 27 Manx Shearwaters.
Two Porpoises and two Grey Seals were seen offshore.
6th June
Another breezy day but much quieter offshore with just two Arctic Skuas, three Mediterranean Gulls and a Manx Shearwater of interest. The most unusual record of the day was a White-fronted Goose which flew over the Long Pits with six Greylag Geese.
Four Porpoises and a Grey Seal were feeding offshore.
A Norfolk Hawker was seen at the Long Pits.
5th June
With fresh westerly winds and drizzle for much of the day most of the interest was offshore. Nearly nine hours of seawatching produced a very early Balearic Shearwater and 37 Manx Shearwaters along with 79 Common Scoters, 94 Sandwich Terns, 18 Mediterranean Gulls, five Arctic Skuas, seven Fulmars and 220 Gannets.
Two Porpoises and a Grey Seal were feeding offshore.
A Mediterranean Stick-insect was still showing in the Observatory garden.
4th June
A quiet day again. Seawatching produced just 11 Mediterranean Gulls of interest. Very little to be seen on the land.
A fresh Grizzled Skipper was seen and a Rest Harrow was seen at the Long Pits.
Five Norfolk Hawkers were seen.
3rd June
Very quiet on the land. As the wind increased throughout the day and rain arrived there was a notable increase in passage offshore with 56 Common Scoters, a female Long-tailed Duck, 40 Mediterranean Gulls, ten Arctic Skuas and 19 Manx Shearwaters of note. Swifts were moving out to sea through the day with a final total of 315 birds seen.
Three Porpoises and a Grey Seal were feeding offshore.
Two Hummingbird Hawk-moths were also seen
2nd June
A Mediterranean Gull was seen offshore. and three Buzzards, a Hobby and a Corn Bunting were seen on the land.
A Striped Hawk-moth was the obvious highlight from the moth traps while two Norfolk Hawkers and two Red-veined Darters were also seen.
1st June
Three Mediterranean Gulls and a Manx Shearwater were seen offshore.
Three Porpoises were seen offshore.
31st May
Eleven Mediterranean Gulls flew over the area and an Arctic Skua passed offshore. A Hobby was seen in the trapping area and six Sand Martins, a Tree Pipit and a Corn Bunting flew over.
A Small Mottled Willow was of note from the moth traps.
A Norfolk Hawker was seen at the Long Pits and a Mediterranean Stick-insect was found in the Observatory garden.
29th May
Very quiet with fog for much of the day. Seawatching produced just two Mediterranean Gulls of note in over 3.5 hours of coverage. A Corn Bunting was the only bird of note on the land.
Three Porpoises and a Grey Seal were seen offshore.
28th May
Another windy day and little to be seen. Seven hours of seawatching produced just five Mediterranean Gulls and an Arctic Skua of note.
One Grey Seal was feeding offshore.
26th May
After yesterdays excitement it was back down to earth with barely a migrant to be seen. Seven Swifts flew over and a Spotted Flycatcher was seen at the Long Pits.
25th May
No doubt about today's highlight with the finding of an Eastern Bonelli's Warbler singing in the Trapping Area. Despite being heard on numerous occasions throughout the day it proved extremely difficult to see with many observers getting only the briefest of glimpses. This is only the tenth British record and a new species for Kent and Dungeness.
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| Eastern Bonelli's Warbler Phylloscopus orientalis Dungeness 25th May 2025 (images by James Dee) |
Two Norfolk Hawkers were seen in the Trapping Area.
24th May
Very quiet in the Observatory area in pretty miserable weather conditions.
Elsewhere, the female Red-footed Falcon continued to show very well at Hookers on the RSPB Reserve.
23rd May
A Bee-eater made a typically short visit to the Point this morning before heading off south-east and a Little Ringed Plover also flew over. A Cuckoo was singing at the Long Pits.
A Brown Hare was seen.
The highlight from the Reserve was the female Red-footed Falcon which showed well at Hookers again.
22nd May
A Bee-eater was heard calling over the Long Pits this morning and two Ring-necked Parakeets also flew north. Two Spotted Flycatchers were seen on the Point. A Red-legged Partridge was singing at the top of the estate.
Three Porpoises and two Grey Seals were feeding offshore.
The first Speckled Wood of the spring was seen along with two Painted Ladies and four Brown Argus. Fifty-nine Variable Damselflies were seen at the Long Pits
Elsewhere, a female Red-footed Falcon was found at Hookers Pit on the RSPB Reserve this afternoon.
21st May
Very quiet despite what seemed like perfect conditions for a late arrival of migrants. A check of the nocmig recorder set at the Observatory had picked up the calls of the Night-heron from the previous evening.
20th May
Another quiet day with the obvious highlight of an early morning female Montagu's Harrier but unfortunately it didn't linger and quickly headed northwards. A Spotted Flycatcher was seen at the Long Pits and intriguingly what sounded like a Night-heron flew over the area just after dark but was not seen.
Three Porpoises and a Grey Seal were feeding offshore.
Dragonflies seen today included ten Variable Damselfly and a Norfolk Hawker.
19th May
Another quiet day with a couple of notable birds in the form of a Shag offshore and a Tree Sparrow at the Point.
Two Porpoises and a Grey Seal were feeding offshore.
Dragonflies seen today included 53 Variable Damselflies.
Elsewhere, it was surprisingly good for waders with the RSPB Reserve holding 31 Grey Plovers, 56 Ringed Plovers, a Greenshank, ten Knot, four Little Stints and best of all, a Temminck's Stint which eventually gave good views from Hanson Hide.
18th May
There was a slight increase in passage on the land this morning with three Hobbys, a Bee-eater (heard only), two Willow Warblers, five Spotted Flycatchers, a Tree Sparrow, two Yellow Wagtails, a Tree Pipit and 62 Corn Buntings. Seawatching produced just 25 Whimbrel, four Mediterranean Gulls and two Arctic Skuas of interest.
17th May
Over four hours of seawatching during the day produced just an Eider, eight Grey Plover, 34 Whimbrel, a Mediterranean Gull, three Little Terns and six Manx Shearwaters.
Five Porpoises and two Grey Seals were feeding offshore and a Brown Hare was seen in the Desert.
16th May
The highlight of an otherwise very quiet day was an adult Purple Heron at the Long Pits in the afternoon although it was not seen again after the initial sighting. Eight Grey Plovers, eight Whimbrel, a Knot, four Mediterranean Gulls and an Arctic Skua flew east in the evening.
Three Porpoise and a Grey Seal were feeding offshore.
A Norfolk Hawker and 122 Variable Damselfly's were seen at the Long Pits.
15th May
Very quiet although another White Stork appeared over the area, a Spotted Flycatcher was caught in the Moat and 40 Corn Buntings were feeding at the Point. Four Mediterranean Gulls flew east.
Four Porpoises and a Grey Seal were feeding offshore and a Brown Hare was also seen.
14th May
The highlight of the day were nine Red Kites including a flock of eight birds). Seawatching was very slow with just two Grey Plover, 12 Whimbrel, three Turnstones and two Arctic Skuas of note.
Four Porpoises and a Grey Seal were seen offshore.
13th May
More north-easterly winds and still quiet on the land but a steady trickle of birds east offshore including the days highlights of 11 Pomarine Skuas (flocks of nine and two) and a remarkable flock of 17 Cattle Egrets. Also seen offshore were three Shovelers, 11 Whimbrel, 13 Knot, four Sanderlings, three Little Terns, 16 Mediterranean Gulls and an Arctic Skua in 4.5hrs of watching. The only birds of note on the land were a Red Kite, a Whinchat, a Siskin and a feeding flock of 70 Corn Buntings..
A decent total of 21 Porpoises and two Grey Seals were feeding offshore.
A Maiden's Blush and a Gem were of note from the overnight moth-trapping.
Searching for other insects produced the shieldbugs Legnotus limbatus, Ceraleptus lividis and Eurygaster maura and the scarce bee Hylaeus pictipes.
Elsewhere on Dungeness the clear highlight was an adult Whiskered Tern which showed well at times during the afternoon on various pits until it settled down for a time in the evening at Hooker's Pit.
12th May
It remains very slow-going on the land with just five Buzzards and 57 Corn Buntings of interest. Seawatching throughout the day produced just three Pintail, two Eiders, three Velvet Scoters, 483 Common Scoters, six Grey Plover, 101 Sanderling, three Little Terns, six Black Terns, five Arctic Skuas, two Pomarine Skuas, a Black-throated Diver, a Manx Shearwater and two Little Egrets.
Ten Porpoise and two Grey Seals were feeding offshore and a Brown Hare was seen on the land.
Ten Variable Damselflies and a Norfolk Hawker were seen at the Long Pits.
11th May
A day of variety but still not many migrants in the bushes in the fresh, cold NE winds. The highlight came late in the day with an adult Long-tailed Skua passing close inshore at 1740hrs after being seen earlier in the day off Selsey Bill. Over 11hrs of seawatching produced a few notable birds but numbers were generally low with a Pintail, 11 Shoveler, a Velvet Scoter, 459 Common Scoters, 87 Grey Plover, 15 Whimbrel, four Redshank, a Greenshank, 20 Knot, 83 Sanderlings, three Mediterranean Gulls,12 Little Terns, three Black Terns, seven each of Arctic and Pomarine Skuas, five Black-throated Divers and two Manx Shearwaters. On the land, a White Stork and a Bee-eater were of note.
Six Porpoise and a Grey Seal were feeding offshore.
10th May
Yet again, seawatching provided most of the interest with migration on the land at a virtual standstill. Thirteen hours of watching produced 14 Shelduck, 16 Shoveler, a Pintail, six Velvet Scoters, 262 Common Scoters, 163 Grey Plovers, 47 Whimbrel, 129 Knot, 42 Sanderling, two Redshank, 20 Little Terns, seven Black Terns, seven Pomarine Skuas, (taking the spring tally to 110 birds), seven Arctic Skuas, six Black-throated Divers and a Great Northern Diver. A Greenshank, 39 Swallows and three Yellow Wagtails flew over.
Four Porpoises and two Grey Seals were feeding offshore.
Two Brown Argus butterflies were seen.
9th May
More seawatching in the continuing strong, cold north-easterly winds. It was actually fairly slow-going offshore but 13 hours of watching produced 118 Grey Plovers, 427 Whimbrels, 101 Bar-tailed Godwits, 96 Knot, 15 Sanderling, eight Little Terns, three Black Terns, seven Pomarine Skuas, 15 Arctic Skuas, a Great Northern Diver and a Little Egret. Still very quiet on the land.
Six Porpoises and two Grey Seals were feeding offshore.
Six Brown Argus and two Grizzled Skippers were seen in sheltered spots around the Point.
8th May
Seawatching for most of the day was productive with 123 Grey Plovers, 487 Whimbrels, 15 Knot, 11 Sanderling, ten Dunlin, 17 Little Terns, five Black Terns, six Mediterranean Gulls, ten Pomarine Skuas, 11 Arctic Skuas, two Black-throated Divers and two Manx Shearwaters of note. The cold weather saw a strong movement of Swallows with 260 along with six Sand Martins and six House Martins heading out to sea but the bushes were very quiet.
Two Porpoises and two Grey Seals were feeding offshore.
7th May
Another cold day with a bit moving offshore but very quiet on the land. Three sessions of seawatching totaling 5.5hrs produced 16 Whimbrel, 59 Bar-tailed Godwits, four Little Terns and singles of Great and Arctic Skuas. Birds passing overhead included seven Swifts, 17 Sand Martins, 81 Swallows and a Yellow Wagtail. A flock of 40 Corn Buntings were feeding around the railway loop again.
Six Porpoises and a Grey Seal were feeding offshore.
6th May
Very slow-going again in strong n to NE winds. Three hours of seawatching produced just three Grey Plovers, 19 Whimbrel, 15 Bar-tailed Godwit, eight Little Terns and two Manx Shearwaters. Three Willow Warblers were seen in the bushes.
Four Porpoises and a Grey Seal were seen offshore.
5th May
The strong northerly winds continue and migration is at a virtual standstill. A two-hour seawatch this morning produced just six Knot, six Little Tern (west), a Mediterranean Gull, two Arctic Skuas and 27 Swallows. A flock of 30 Corn Buntings was seen in the railway line loop again.
4th May
Very slow in strong, cold northerly winds. The only migrants of note were 52 Whimbrels, seven Bar-tailed Godwits, a Greenshank and three Sand Martins.
Three Porpoises and a Grey Seal were feeding offshore.
3rd May
At least three Red Kites flew over and a Spotted Flycatcher, a Ring Ouzel and two Whinchats.
The sea was very quiet with 29 Grey Plovers, 98 Whimbrel, 11 Sanderling, six Little Terns, ten Mediterranean Gulls, seven Arctic Skuas, just one Pomarine Skua, two Black-throated Divers and seven Manx Shearwaters.
Fifteen Porpoises and two Grey Seals were seen offshore.
A few Painted Ladies arrived.
2nd May
Another White Stork (metal ringed) flew over and two Whinchats and a flock of 60 Corn Buntings were on note on the land.
Another full day of seawatching was actually slow going but eventually produced two Velvet Scoters, three Grey Plovers, 27 Whimbrels, 14 Little Terns, 13 Mediterranean Gulls, 11 Arctic Skuas, seven Pomarine Skuas and two Great Skuas.
Five Porpoises and two Grey Seals were feeding offshore.
A Mottled Shieldbug was found in the Lighthouse garden.
1st May
Yet another day of seawatching with over 12hrs producing four Avocets, 113 Whimbrel, 38 Sanderlings, nine Little Gulls, four Mediterranean Gulls, five Arctic Skuas and six Pomarine Skuas of note.
Three Common Sandpipers and a Hobby were seen at the Long Pits, four Red Kites flew over, a Ring Ouzel, a Whinchat and a Tree Pipit were seen on the land.
Eight Porpoises and a Grey Seal were feeding offshore.
Butterflies included a Small Copper of the aberration radiata and a Bordered Shieldbug was found in the Observatory garden.
30th Apr
Dawn 'till dusk seawatching eventually produced some notable totals with 45 Pomarine Skuas (including a flock of 26 birds) being the highlight. Other bits and pieces included nine Shovelers, eight Velvet Scoters, three Red-breasted Mergansers, our second-best spring day total of 176 Grey Plovers, 135 Whimbrel, 32 Bar-tailed Godwits, 46 Knot, 77 Sanderling, 19 Little Terns, 91 Little Gulls, 22 Arctic Skuas, a Black-throated Diver and two Manx Shearwaters.
It remains very quiet on the land but our first Swifts and Whinchat of the year were seen along with a Red Kite, 30 Swallows, four Yellow Wagtails and a flock of 35 Corn Buntings were of note.
Eight Porpoises and two Grey Seals were feeding offshore.
29th Apr
Seawatching was the order of the day with another mammoth 15hr session recorded. Overall numbers were not very high but there were some notable records including two Garganey, three Tufted Ducks, a Velvet Scoter, 309 Common Scoters, two Red-breasted Mergansers, 71 Grey Plovers, 95 Whimbrel, 84 Bar-tailed Godwits, a Common Sandpiper, 50 Knot, seven Little Terns, 44 Arctic Terns, a Roseate Tern, 14 Little Gulls, eight Arctic Skuas, 18 Pomarine Skuas and a Great Skua.
The land produced a pair of flyover Little Ringed Plovers and just six Lesser Whitethroats.
However the highlight for many was a Minke Whale which moved east, close inshore at around 0900hrs. Ten Porpoise and two Grey Seals were also seen.
28th Apr
A lovely day but very quiet for birds. A mammoth ten-hour seawatching session produced just a Long-tailed Duck, 30 Arctic Terns, six Arctic Skuas, a Pomarine Skua of note. Barely a migrant to be seen on the land although a flock of ten Buzzards over the area and two Yellow Wagtails flew through.
Sixteen Porpoises and two Grey Seals were feeding offshore.
27th Apr
Migration seems to be at a very low level on both land and sea at the moment. A six-hour seawatch saw just three Red-breasted Mergansers, five Whimbrel, 57 Bar-tailed Godwits, four Mediterranean Gulls, 68 Sandwich Terns, three Arctic Skuas, two Great Skuas and a Great Northern Diver of any interest. It was very quiet on the land with just three Yellow Wagtails of note.
26th Apr
Bright and sunny conditions with a fresh NE breeze resulted in very little on the land and a steady easterly passage offshore. A 13hr seawatch from first light produced a Long-tailed Duck and a Puffin of note while numbers and backup were provided by 20 Shelduck, 143 Common Scoters, three Red-breasted Mergansers, 13 Grey Plovers, 63 Whimbrels, 1612 Bar-tailed Godwits, 153 Common Terns, 210 Sandwich Terns, 20 Little Gulls, five Arctic Skuas, a Great Skua, 12 Fulmars and 103 Gannets.
It was very quiet on the land with our first Common Sandpiper of the year at the Long Pits, a Jay over the area and a small arrival of Lesser Whitethroats of interest.
Two Porpoises and a Grey Seal were feeding offshore.
25th Apr
A trickle of birds moved east during the morning but seawatching improved from mid-afternoon with a final total of 3787 Bar-tailed Godwits of note along with ten Shelduck, 11 Grey Plover, six Knot, 203 Whimbrel, 21 Little Terns, 48 Arctic Terns, 48 Little Gulls, two Arctic Skuas and a Black-throated Diver.
More Swallows passed through and a handful of Chiffchaffs arrived.
Two Porpoises and a Grey Seal were feeding offshore,
A Terrapin sp was seen at the Long Pits.
The first Blue-tailed Damselflies, Azure Damselflies and Hairy Dragonflies were seen.
24th Apr
Overcast conditions and a light NNE breeze failed to produce very much with a steady trickle of birds passing east offshore including three Shovelers, 15 Whimbrel, 328 Bar-tailed Godwits, three Little Terns, just singles of Great and Arctic Skuas and a Black-throated Diver of note. There was a small arrival of Lesser Whitethroats and a Garden Warbler on the land while a Greenshank flew over the Long Pits and 102 Swallows came in.
Three Porpoises were feeding offshore.
23rd Apr
With heavy rain and SE winds at first almost all the attention was offshore where 11 hrs of seawatching was achieved. Most of the birds were seen after the worst of the rain and included two Velvet Scoters, 966 Common Scoters, five Grey Plover, ten Whimbrel, 57 Bar-tailed Godwits, 19 Little Terns, eight Black Terns, 152 Arctic Terns, 260 Common Terns, 2612 "commic" Terns, 68 Little Gulls, 19 Arctic Skuas, four Pomarine Skuas, two Great Skuas, ten Black-throated Divers, 27 Fulmars, seven Manx Shearwaters and 681 Gannets. A Hobby also came in. A brief foray into the trapping area after the rain produced our first Garden Warbler of the year but very little else.
Two Porpoises and a Grey Seal were feeding offshore.
22nd Apr
A ringed White Stork flew over the area along with seven Buzzards. Nine hours of seawatching produced just 357 Common Scoters, 46 Bar-tailed Godwits, eight Knot, two Black Terns, four Arctic Skuas and a Great Skua.
A Large Tortoiseshell butterfly was seen in the trapping area along with a Grizzled Skipper, a Brimstone and four Green-veined Whites.
21st Apr
Six hours of seawatching produced 26 Arctic Terns, ten Little Gulls, two Mediterranean Gulls, 14 Arctic Skuas, a Pomarine Skuas and two Great Skuas of note. On the land, two Cuckoos were the first of the year and four Willow Warblers and three Yellow Wagtails were also seen.
Four Porpoises and a Grey Seal were feeding offshore.
20th Apr
A full day of seawatching in fresh NE winds produced 48 Oystercatchers, 54 Whimbrel, 790 Bar-tailed Godwits, a Black-tailed Godwit, a Little Tern, 407 Arctic Terns, 134 Common Terns, 421 "commic" Terns, 39 Little Gulls, six Mediterranean Gull, 15 Arctic Skuas, a Pomarine Skua, a Great Skua, three Black-throated Divers, five Manx Shearwaters and a Little Egret. A few passerines came in including 35 Swallows and a Yellow Wagtail.
Singles of Great and Common Seal and six Porpoises were feeding offshore.
19th Apr
Strong north-east winds resulted in some excellent seawatching but very little on the land. Over 13.5hrs of seawatching resulted in some huge numbers of waders but surprisingly very little else. The highlights were 142 Grey Plovers, 596 Whimbrels, 2688 Bar-tailed Godwits and 546 Sandwich Terns. Other bits and pieces included 16 Shovelers, seven Teal, a Velvet Scoter, a Black-tailed Godwit, 27 Arctic Terns, eight Little Gulls, eight Mediterranean Gulls and 11 Arctic Skuas. A Hobby, ten Swallows and two Yellow Wagtails also came in.
Eight Porpoises and two Grey Seals were feeding offshore.
18th Apr
A Red Kite flew over the area in the morning but it was otherwise very quiet on the land. A full days seawatching produced a few notable birds including two Velvet Scoters, a Long-tailed Duck, 15 Arctic Skuas, two Pomarine Skuas, five Great Skuas and three Black-throated Divers while numbers were provided by 737 Common Scoters, 78 Whimbrel, 628 Bar-tailed Godwits, four Little Terns, 85 Arctic Terns, 162 Common Terns, 429 Sandwich Terns, six Little Gulls and 86 Mediterranean Gulls.
Seven Porpoise and two Grey Seals were feeding offshore.
A Grizzled Skipper was also seen.,
17th Apr
Very small numbers of birds on the land but they did include four Buzzards, a Jay, 17 Chiffchaffs, six Sedge Warblers, five Lesser Whitethroats, two Yellow Wagtails, a female Bullfinch and a Serin over the Long Pits of note. Nearly eight hours of seawatching produced two Egyptian Geese, four Velvet Scoters, 655 Common Scoters, eight Whimbrel, 260 Bar-tailed Godwits, 44 Little Gulls, five Mediterranean Gulls and nine Arctic Skuas.
Twelve Porpoise and two Grey Seals were seen offshore.
A Grizzled Skipper and a Brimstone were seen. The rare beetle Hister quadrimaculatus was found - a Dungeness speciality while a search for hymenoptera produced an Andrena pilipes which may well be a new species for the area and two Andrena vaga.
16th Apr
A day of mostly seawatching in strong SW winds. The highlights were three Eider, three Velvet Scoters, 562 Common Scoters, five Red-breasted Mergansers, two Little Gulls, 17 Mediterranean Gulls, an excellent total of 38 Arctic Skuas, two Great Skuas, a Little Tern and two Manx Shearwaters. A small arrival of birds on the land included a Lesser Whitethroat and a Ring Ouzel.
Eleven Porpoise and a Grey Seal were feeding offshore.
15th Apr
There was a small arrival of migrants and included eight Willow Warblers, 11 Blackcaps, a Firecrest, a Ring Ouzel, nine Song Thrushes, a Mistle Thrush, a Nightingale, two Redstarts, a Yellow Wagtail, a Tree Pipit and a Corn Bunting. There was a trickle of birds passing east with nine Velvet Scoters, eight Whimbrel, a Little Gull, four Arctic Skuas and a Shag in six hours of watching.
Six Porpoises and a Grey Seal were feeding offshore.
A Paper Wasp Polistes biglumis was found in front of the Observatory. This species was only added to the British list in 2022 when they were found breeding at Samphire Hoe.
14th Apr
There was a small arrival of birds on the land with 30 Willow Warblers, ten Chiffchaffs, a Firecrest and a Redstart of interest. A Great White Egret and a Little Egret were also seen at the top of the recording area. Seawatching was fairly quiet but eight hours of watching eventually produced 412 Common Scoters, 26 Whimbrels, seven Little Gulls, 17 Mediterranean Gulls, 401 Sandwich Terns, four Little Terns, the first Black Tern of the year, two Great Skuas and 11 Arctic Skuas.
Eighteen Porpoises and two Grey Seals were feeding offshore and a Brown Hare was seen on the land.
A Grizzled Skipper was seen at the Long Pits.
13th Apr
After a fairly quiet start to the day with just four Velvet Scoters, six Little Gulls and 11 Arctic Skuas of note from the morning seawatch the day suddenly sparked into life with a showy Hoopoe being found in the Desert. A Wood Lark also flew over the Trapping Area and there was a very obvious increase in the number of Whitethroats in the area.
Elsewhere in the general area a Red-rumped Swallow was showing well on Dengemarsh and the Black-winged Stilt was also still present.
12th Apr
Seawatching continues to provide plenty of interest and produced the days highlight in the form of a drake Surf Scoter which passed by with in a small flock of Common Scoters. Other quality birds on the seawatch included 35 Shovelers, a Gadwall, a Velvet Scoter, 12 Red-breasted Mergansers, 154 Little Gulls, seven Mediterranean Gulls and singles of Great Skua, Black-throated and Great Northern Divers while numbers included 1098 Brent Geese, 1586 Common Scoters, 75 Whimbrel, 48 Curlew, 67 Bar-tailed Godwits, 263 Sandwich Terns and 42 Arctic Terns, Also of note was a Serin which flew east along the beach. There was a small arrival of birds on the land with 13 Willow Warblers and nine Chiffchaffs of note.
Four Porpoises and a Grey Seal were feeding offshore.
Also of note from around the Point was a superb Black-winged Stilt at Hayfied 1 on the RSPB Reserve.
11th Apr
Seawatching was high on quality this morning although numbers were low with the best being four Eiders, five Velvet Scoters, a Red-necked Grebe, a Black-necked Grebe and four Mediterranean Gulls of note. The highlight of the day on the land was a briefly seen Wryneck although a Purple Heron was seen again while searching for the Wryneck and five Sand Martins, six Willow Warblers, 17 Chiffchaffs and a Tree Pipit were also seen.
Five Porpoises and a Grey Seal were feeding offshore.
The rae shieldbug Geotomus petiti was also found.
Later in the day a Purple Heron was seen on the RSPB Reserve.
10th Apr
There was no doubt about the highlight of the day when two Purple Herons were found at the Long Pits and then gave good views at times until mid-afternoon. Migrants on the land remain scarce with just 25 Sand Martins, 100 Swallows, 12 Chiffchaffs, two Reed Warblers, three Song Thrushes, 14 Black Redstarts and 11 Wheatears while seawatching was also uninspiring with just three Red-breasted Mergansers and a Whimbrel of any note.
Three Porpoises were seen offshore.
9th Apr
More NNE winds and the steady stream of birds passing upchannel continued with 211 Brent Geese, nine Shelduck, six Bar-tailed Godwits, 234 Sandwich Terns and four Arctic Skuas of note. Still quiet on the land with just a Willow Warbler, eight Chiffchaffs and three Song Thrushes of interest.
Four Porpoise and a Grey Seal were feeding offshore and a Brown Hare was seen on the land.
8th Apr
Fresh ENE winds again produced some decent seawatching but it remains hard-going on the land. Nearly ten hours of seawatching resulted in 535 Brent Geese, five Shoveler, a Gadwall, 689 Common Scoters, 11 Red-breasted Mergansers, 66 Little Gulls, 24 Mediterranean Gulls, 504 Sandwich Terns, four Arctic Skuas, a Black-throated Diver, a Cattle Egret roosting on the Bouy, a Little Egret and also a male Hen Harrier. It was quiet on the land with a Red Kite, just two Sand Martins, 17 Swallows, 102 Skylarks, 14 Chiffchaffs, a Redpoll and two Siskins passing through.
At least 15 Porpoises and a Grey Seal were seen offshore while two Brown Hares and a Weasel were seen on the land.
7th Apr
Over ten hours of seawatching in the continuing fresh NE winds produced 311 Brent Geese, four Garganey, 24 Shovelers, 11 Teal, ten Velvet Scoters, 559 Common Scoters, seven Eiders, 13 Red-breasted Mergansers, five Grey Plover, 24 Curlews, 21 Dunlin, 27 Little Gulls, 13 Mediterranean Gulls, 490 Sandwich Terns, three Little Terns, 27 Arctic Terns, two Arctic Skuas, 82 Red-throated Divers, a Black-throated Diver, a Great Northern Diver and a Little Egret. A male Hen Harrier was also seen.
A trickle of birds on the land included a Red Kite, 17 Swallows, 14 Chiffchaffs, two Blackcaps, four Yellow Wagtails, two White Wagtails and a Brambling,
Six Porpoises and a Grey Seal were feeding offshore.
6th Apr
The strong north-east wind continues and resulted in another six hours of seawatching producing 136 Brent Geese, 11 Shovelers, four Gadwall, six Pintail, 36 Teal, ten Red-breasted Mergansers, three Grey Plovers, two Whimbrels, nine Bar-tailed Godwits, 26 Dunlin, three Little Terns, 180 Sandwich Terns, seven Little Gulls, four Mediterranean Gulls, six Arctic Skuas, two Black-throated Divers and 17 Fulmars of note.
A Merlin, 17 Swallows, a House Martin, a Willow Warbler, 13 Chiffchaffs, a Whitethroat, three White Wagtails and 226 Chaffinches were seen on the land.
Eight Porpoises and a Grey Seal were feeding offshore and a Weasel was seen on the land.
5th Apr
Five hours of fairly quiet seawatching produced a Pintail. a Tufted Duck, 14 Grey Plover, ten Little Gulls, eight Mediterranean Gulls, an Arctic Tern, an Arctic Skua and a Great Skua of note. Two first-winter Caspian Gulls came to bread in front of the seawatch hide in the evening. Very little on the land with just 172 Wood Pigeon, a Greenshank and 28 Goldfinches of note.
Seven Porpoises and a Grey Seal were feeding offshore and a Brown Hare was seen in the Desert.
4th Apr
Very few birds on the land but they did include an unringed White Stork which flew in from the west and eventually headed north. A Merlin, ten Chiffchaffs, three Black Redstarts, six Wheatears, a Blue-headed Wagtail, a Yellow Wagtail, a Grey Wagtail, 74 Chaffinches and a Siskin were also seen.
Nearly five hours of seawatching was fairly productive with 226 Brent Geese, nine Shoveler, 11 Pintail, 196 Common Scoters, four Red-breasted Mergansers, two Whimbrel, 405 Sandwich Terns, five Little Gulls, six Mediterranean Gulls, an Arctic Skua, a Black-throated Diver and three Little Egrets.
Fifteen Porpoise and a Grey Seal were feeding offshore.
3rd Apr
Seawatching again dominated proceedings with a good variety (rather than numbers) passing throughout the day. The highlights were a Garganey, 189 Shovelers, two Gadwall, eight Pintail, 12 Teal, a Pochard, three Eider, a Velvet Scoter, 761 Common Scoters, five Red-breasted Mergansers, five Avocets, five Common Terns, 142 Sandwich Terns, 11 Little Gulls, a Great Skua, two Black-throated Divers and a Great Northern Diver. It was quiet on the land with a Sand Martin, 11 Chiffchaffs, three Blackcaps and a Rock Pipit being the only migrants of note.
Twelve Porpoises and two Grey Seals were feeding offshore.
2nd Apr
A strong, biting NW wind brought a surprisingly good seawatch with dabbling ducks including our fourth best-ever spring total of 619 Shovelers. Other ducks included four Gadwall, four Wigeon, 14 Pintail, 41 Teal, a Velvet Scoter, 418 Common Scoters and three Red-breasted Mergansers. A Shag was the best of the rest along with four Grey Plovers, the first Common Tern of the spring, 90 Sandwich Terns, two Mediterranean Gulls, an Arctic Skua and a Black-throated Diver. Two Swallows and four Chiffchaffs were seen on the land.
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| Black-throated Diver Gavia arctica Dungeness 2nd April 2025 (Jacob Spinks) |
Five Porpoise and two Grey Seals were feeding offshore.
1st Apr
The highlight of the days seawatching was a surprisingly high total of 28 Garganeys along with 69 Shovelers, nine Pintail, 43 Teal, an Eider, three Velvet Scoters west, 481 Common Scoters and 23 Red-breasted Mergansers, 12 Avocets, ten Little Gulls and 30 Sandwich Terns.
Eleven Porpoise were feeding offshore.
31st Mar
A very quiet morning on the produced just one Willow Warbler, five Chiffchaffs and a Fieldfare while the sea brought just 55 Common Scoters, two Red-breasted Mergansers and 12 Sandwich Terns of interest.
Six Porpoises and two Grey Seals were feeding offshore.
A Red Chestnut and two Small Quakers were trapped overnight.
30th Mar
There was a small arrival of migrants on the land with 12 Willow Warblers, six Chiffchaffs, three Blackcaps, three Black Redstarts, a Firecrest and three Wheatears. A four-hour seawatch this morning produced 215 Brent Geese, six Shovelers, 22 Velvet Scoters, 446 Common Scoters and five Sandwich Terns of note.
Six Porpoises and two Grey Seals were feeding offshore and a Hedgehog was feeding in the Observatory garden again.
29th Mar
The first two Willow Warblers of the year were of note on the land along with 139 Wood Pigeons, 20 Jackdaws, five Chiffchaffs, a Blackcap and 20 Redwing. The sea was very quiet with just four Shovelers, two Teal and eight Sandwich Terns of any interest.
Four Porpoise and a Grey Seal were seen offshore.
28th Mar
A mainly bright and sunny morning with a fresh SW breeze. The morning seawatch produced 599 Brent Geese, 211 Common Scoters, six Red-breasted Mergansers, 61 Sandwich Terns, 155 Kittiwakes, eight Mediterranean Gulls, an Arctic Skua, 48 Red-throated Divers and also two Little Egrets which flew west of note. Nine Chiffchaffs, a Blackcap, three Black Redstarts and a Wheatear were the only birds of note on the land.
Five Porpoises were seen offshore.
27th Mar
Another foggy start to the day and not a great deal to be seen. The highlights on the land were a Jack Snipe, 18 Chiffchaffs, 28 Redwings, six Song Thrushes, eight Black Redstarts and six Wheatears.
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| An atmospheric start to the day |
The Hedgehog was feeding in the garden again this evening and ten Porpoises and two Grey Seals were feeding offshore.
26th Mar
A Red Kite, a Buzzard and a Swallow flew over the area and grounded migrants included 100 Redwings and seven Black Redstarts.
Over seven hours of seawatching produced ten Shovelers, two Gadwall, 262 Wigeon, 22 Teal, two Velvet Scoters, a flock of five Black-necked Grebes, nine Mediterranean Gulls and an Arctic Skua.
The mammal highlight was a Hedgehog in the Observatory garden this evening. Fifteen Porpoise and a Grey Seal were feeding offshore.
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| Hedgehog Erinaceus europeaus Dungeness 26th March 2025 |
The Hoopoe was seen again at Denge Quarry but was very elusive.
25th Mar
A Red Kite, a Short-eared Owl, a Wood Lark, two Swallows, eight Chiffchaffs, two Fieldfares, 800 Redwings, 12 Song Thrushes, ten Black Redstarts, a party of six White Wagtails, a Brambling, another Hawfinch, a Redpoll and three Siskins.
Six Porpoise were feeding offshore and a Brown Hare was seen on the land.
Elsewhere, a Hoopoe was found at Denge Quarry, Lydd-on-sea.
24th Mar
A quiet day. A small arrival of birds on the land included a Hawfinch of note along with 17 Chiffchaffs, a very early Sedge Warbler, three Firecrests, 11 Goldcrest, 31 Redwings, six Song Thrushes, two Mistle Thrushes, seven Black Redstarts, 80 Chaffinches and five Siskins.
Two Grey Seals were feeding offshore and a Brown Hare was seen in the Desert.
23rd Mar
Drizzle/light rain from the early hours grounded 600 Redwings with many of them singing from the bushes. Also passing over were six Golden Plovers, a Woodcock, a Swallow, 36 Chiffchaffs, ten Firecrests, eight Goldcrests, five Fieldfares, 15 Song Thrushes, a Mistle Thrush, 43 Robins, 18 Black Redstarts, a massive 2,260 Chaffinches, four Bramblings, three Siskins and 15 Reed Buntings.
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| Redwings Turdus iliacus Dungeness 23rd March 2025 |
Seawatching wasn't too good but poor visibility didn't help. Of interest were 472 Brent Geese, three Red-breasted Mergansers, 240 Kittiwakes, 34 Little Gulls and an Arctic Skua.
Eight Porpoise were feeding offshore.
22nd Mar
The clear highlight of the day was an Iberian Chiffchaff in the garden of Southview Cottage (actually seen just before dark last night and confirmed this afternoon). It showed really well at times and was very occasionally heard called or singing. This is the second Dungeness record. There was a decent spread of other grounded migrants with 18 Black Redstarts and six Wheatears were notable along with a Merlin, 12 Chiffchaffs, two Blackcaps, a Firecrest, seven Goldcrests, 18 Redwings, eight Song Thrushes, two Grey Wagtails, a Rock Pipit and two Bramblings.
Over seven hours of seawatching from first light was productive with 2269 Brent Geese, 15 Eider, 1,214 Common Scoters, 23 Red-breasted Mergansers, a Little Ringed Plover, 206 Kittiwakes, 74 Little Gulls, 26 Mediterranean Gulls, 299 Sandwich Terns, three Arctic Skuas, 247 Red-throated Divers and a Black-throated Diver.
Mammals were well represented today with a pod of 11 White-beaked Dolphins passing through in the early morning along with seven Porpoises, a Grey Seal, a Brown Hare and a Weasel.
A Red Chestnut was trapped overnight - only the eighth Observatory record.
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| Red Chestnut Cerastis rubricosa Dungeness 21st March 2025 |
21st Mar
There was a small arrival of migrants on the land with 14 Black Redstarts, three Wheatears and a Hawfinch of note along with a Jack Snipe, a Merlin, six Chiffchaffs, a Firecrest, five Song Thrushes and 323 Chaffinches.
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| Black Redstart Phoenicurus ochrurus male Dungeness 21st March 2025 |
Although much quieter offshore than in the previous two days there were still 27 Garganeys, 425 Common Scoters, six Red-breasted Mergansers, three Avocets, 58 Little Gulls, five Mediterranean Gulls, 237 Sandwich Terns, 233 Red-throated Divers and 1,060 Gannets of interest.
Four Porpoises and a Grey Seal were seen offshore.
20th Mar
Another excellent seawatch in a light south-east breeze produced Brent Geese, a Garganey, 75 Shovelers, 21 Pintails, 120 Teal, four Eiders, 3476 Common Scoters, 11 Red-breasted Mergansers, a party of three Slavonian Grebes, 151 Sandwich Terns, 143 Little Gulls, 33 Mediterranean Gulls, an Arctic Skua and 309 Red-throated Divers. The first Swallow and two Wheatears of the spring arrived and a Pheasant, 95 Carrion Crow, 14 Chiffchaffs, two Firecrest, seven Black Redstarts and two White Wagtails were also of note.
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| Brent Geese Branta bernicla Dungeness 20th March 2025 |
The non-avian highlight of the day was a pod of about eight White-beaked Dolphins and Porpoises increased to 15. Two Grey Seals and a Common Seal were also seen.
A Hummingbird Hawk-moth was seen on the beach and a Waved Umber was found on a window at the Observatory. A Red Admiral and a Comma were seen at the Long Pits.
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| Waved Umber Menophra abruptaria Dungeness 19th March 2025 |
19th Mar
A fresh SE wind which dropped away during the day resulted in another spectacular seawatch dominated in terms of numbers by 9,290 Dark-bellied Brent Geese, (our second-best ever day total), 105 Pintails, 2,093 Common Scoters, 656 Red-throated Diver, 110 Sandwich Terns, 56 Little Gulls and 554 Kittiwakes. Notable species included a Pale-bellied Brent Goose, eight Garganey, 28 Teal, three Eiders, two Velvet Scoters, a flock of four Black-necked Grebes, the first Arctic Skua of the year and two Black-throated Divers.
Very quiet on the land with just a Merlin, a Wood Lark over the Desert and three Black Redstarts of note.
Four Porpoises and a Grey Seal were feeding offshore.
18th Mar
The wind veered slightly into the east and prompted another good movement of birds offshore. Highlights were 163 Pintails, 33 Shovelers, 12 Pochards, a drake Scaup and 30 Avocets while numbers were provided by 836 Brent Geese, 56 Shelducks, 88 Teal, 341 Common Scoters, 374 Dunlins and 158 Red-throated Divers. Other bits and pieces included two Tufted Ducks, a Red-breasted Merganser, two Mediterranean Gulls and 11 Sandwich Terns. It remains quiet on the land although a Red Kite first seen on the RSPB reserve made it into the Observatory area, a Firecrest was seen in the trapping area, six Black Redstarts were spread around the Point and a Grey Wagtail was seen at the power station sewage works.
Four Porpoise and two each of Common Seal and Grey Seal were seen offshore.
17th Mar
A first-winter Caspian Gull and a second-winter Yellow-legged Gull were at the Point this morning along with 64 Dunlins and a Merlin while a Black Redstart and a Rock Pipit came in off the sea.
Eight Porpoises and a Grey Seal were seen offshore.
16th Mar
There was a little bit of migration overhead including 47 Stock Doves, 11 Jackdaws, a party of 14 Ravens and a Grey Wagtail while a Wood Lark was seen at the Long Pits.
Four Porpoises were feeding offshore.
15th Mar
Still cold with a strong NE wind. The only birds of note were seven Grey Plovers and 22 Sandwich Terns passing east offshore.
Three Porpoises were also feeding offshore.
14th Mar
Very quiet with seawatching producing just 403 Gannets of any note while the best on the land were three Black Redstarts.
Two Porpoises and a Grey Seal were feeding offshore.
13th Mar
What was actually a very quiet day came to live in late morning when a White-tailed Eagle first seen on the Reserve flew over the recording area and eventually north over New Romney. It turns out that this was a bird originally released with a satellite tag (G542) on the Isle of Wight. The early seawatch produced just two Mediterranean Gulls of interest.
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| White-tailed Eagle Haliaeetus albicilla Tagged G542 Dungeness 13th March 2025 |
Three Porpoises were seen offshore.
12th Mar
Seawatching produced 1202 Brent Geese, two Egyptian Geese, five Wigeon, three Teal, two Goosanders, three Little Gulls and 384 Red-throated Divers of interest. A handful of migrants on the land included a Chiffchaff, a Firecrest, six Black Redstarts and a male White Wagtail.
Five Porpoise and a Grey Seal were seen offshore.
11th Mar
Very quiet on the land with just a Firecrest and a male White Wagtail of interest. A 90 minute seawatch this morning produced seven Teal, a party of five Black-tailed Godwits, a Mediterranean Gull and 254 Gannets.
Five Porpoises and a Grey Seal were seen offshore.
10th Mar
A handful of birds on the land included two Woodcocks, a Buzzard, a Kingfisher, two Chiffchaffs, four Firecrests, 12 Siskins and 17 Reed Buntings.
9th Mar
The sea was much quieter this morning with a 2.25hr watch producing just four Shovelers, ten Pintail, four Velvet Scoters, three Sandwich Terns, a Little Gull, four Mediterranean Gulls and 359 Gannets of interest. The only notable birds on the land were a Firecrest, three Goldcrests, 50 Chaffinches and 15 Siskins.
One Porpoise was seen.
8th Mar
A decent seawatch again this morning with a fresh SE breeze bringing 778 Brent Geese, six Shelduck, 57 Shovelers, a Gadwall, 31 Wigeon, 98 Pintail, 179 Teal, 447 Common Scoter, four Avocets, two Sandwich Terns, ten Little Gulls, 11 Mediterranean Gulls, 59 Common Gulls, 193 Red-throated Divers and 1912 Gannets. A Merlin was also seen. Still very quiet on the land with just four Woodcocks, two Firecrests, 14 Redwings, a male White Wagtail and 35 Chaffinches of note.
7th Mar
A fresh SSE wind brought a spectacular easterly movement of wildfowl dominated by flock after flock of Pintails and a final total of 3705 birds. This total smashed the previous record day count which in itself was created earlier this spring with 994 on 21st February. There were plenty of other wildfowl with a notable total of 474 Shovelers (our fourth best spring day total) along with 634 Brent Geese, a Gadwall, 97 Teal, 317 Common Scoters and a Red-breasted Merganser, Also of note were seven Grey Plover, six Golden Plover, 27 Curlew, 12 Sandwich Terns, five Little Gulls, 58 Mediterranean Gulls, 149 Common Gulls, 320 Red-throated Divers, five Fulmars and 600 Gannets. It was very quiet on the land with just two Chiffchaffs and a Firecrest of interest.
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| Pintail Anas acuta flocks Dungeness 7th March 2025 |
Two Porpoises and a Grey Seal were seen offshore.
A Small Tortoiseshell was also seen.
6th Mar
With a light southerly wind and early mist the main interests were offshore where over eight hours of watching produced 3756 Brent Geese, 22 Wigeon, eight Shoveler, four Gadwall, 222 Pintails, 38 Teal, a Tufted Duck, four Eiders, 156 Common Scoters, 31 Mediterranean Gulls and 58 Little Gulls (in the afternoon). A first-winter Caspian Gull was also seen on the beach. A Firecrest, two Black Redstarts and a Rock Pipit were the best on offer on the land.
Two Porpoises and a Common Seal were feeding offshore.
5th Mar
A nice day but not much to report. Three Jack Snipe and two Common Snipe were flushed from the Long Pits where a Kingfisher was also seen. Two Firecrests were seen in the bushes, 18 Stonechats were scattered across the Point and a Rock Pipit flew over. The highlights from two hours of seawatching were just 237 Brent Geese, three Shovelers and a Mediterranean Gull.
Two Porpoise were seen offshore.
4th Mar
A Goosander flew east this morning and nine Sandwich Terns were seen offshore. Three Woodcocks were seen in the trapping area. Two Grey Wagtails, a Rock Pipit and three Siskins flew over.
Four Porpoise and a Grey Seal were feeding offshore.
A Peacock butterfly was seen in the ringing hut.
3rd Mar
Three Gadwall were seen on the Long Pits were a Jack Snipe and a Common Snipe were also seen. A Merlin, a Grey Wagtail and three Siskins flew over and a Firecrest was seen in trapping area. A Great Northern Diver flew east close inshore.
2nd Mar
A Mediterranean Gull and six Sandwich Terns were seen offshore. A Merlin and six Siskins flew over.
Three Porpoises and a Grey Seal were feeding offshore.
1st Mar
Two Mediterranean Gulls were seen offshore and a Buzzard and a Merlin were seen on the land.
A Porpoise and a Grey Seal were feeding offshore.
Elsewhere, the Long-tailed Duck was still on New Diggings, the Smew was on ARC and a female Scaup and a Purple Sandpiper were seen at Scotney
27th Feb
Very quiet on both land and sea. Two Mediterranean Gulls were seen offshore.
Two Porpoises were feeding offshore.
26th Feb
Very quiet offshore and on the land. A 2.5hr seawatch this morning produced three Pintail, two Velvet Scoters, three Mediterranean Gulls and 112 Red-throated Divers. Two Firecrests were seen in the trapping area.
Two Porpoise were feeding offshore.
The female Smew was seen at ARC again and the female Scaup was still at Scotney.
25th Feb
A fairly quiet day with seawatching producing just six Mediterranean Gulls of note. A flock of 80 Chaffinches arrived in the trapping area and two Black Redstarts were on the power station wall. Surprise of the day came after dark when a Stone-curlew was heard calling from the Observatory.
23rd Feb
Seawatching produced 805 Brent Geese, two Pintail, 67 Mediterranean Gulls and 200 Red-throated Divers. A few bits and pieces on the land included a Grey Wagtail and a Rock Pipit.
Two Porpoises and a Grey Seal were seen offshore.
21st Feb
The SSE wind continued and resulted in a superb seawatch with birds passing through until mid-afternoon when rain arrived. Numbers were dominated by Brent Geese with 2283 birds and a record movement of 994 Pintails with back-up in the form of 28 Greylag Geese, 65 Shovelers, seven Teal, a drake Eider, a Velvet Scoter, 65 Common Scoter, 34 Curlews, 186 Kittiwakes, 60 Mediterranean Gulls, a Sandwich Tern, 112 Red-throated Divers, five Fulmars and 130 Gannets. There was also a noticeable increase in gull numbers offshore and roosting on the Point with three Caspian Gulls and two Yellow-legged Gulls among them.
Brent Geese and Pintails Dungeness 21st February 2025 (Charlotte Foot)
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| Brent Geese and Pintails Dungeness 21st February 2025 (Jacob Spinks) |
Two Porpoise, two Grey Seals and a Common Seal were also seen.
20th Feb
The onshore wind continues and more birds passed through with 1141 Brent Geese, two Little Gulls, 47 Mediterranean Gulls, 364 Red-throated Divers, two Sooty Shearwaters and 212 Gannets. A second-winter Yellow-legged Gull was roosting at the Point.
A Porpoise and a Grey Seal were also feeding offshore.
19th Feb
Nearly five hours of seawatching in a fresh SE wind produced 595 Brent Geese, eight Pintail, two Eiders, 29 Oystercatchers, 485 Kittiwakes, a Little Gull, two Mediterranean Gulls, a Sandwich Tern, 63 Guillemots, 226 Razorbills, 714 auk sp., 287 Red-throated Divers and five Fulmars.
18th Feb
Fresh, cold ESE winds resulted in more movement offshore with 621 Brent Geese, five Shoveler, an Eider, six Curlew, a Little Gull, a Sandwich Tern, 148 Red-throated Divers and a Great Northern Diver of note.
A Dartford Warbler was seen on the Point and a Woodcock was seen in the trapping area.
Two Porpoises and singles of Common and Grey Seal were feeding offshore.
17th Feb
Two Chiffchaffs in the Lighthouse Garden were likely to be new migrants while a Firecrest was seen at the Long Pits. A Redwing and two Song Thrushes were also seen in the bushes.
The morning seawatch was very slow.
Three Porpoises and a Grey Seal were feeding offshore.
Elsewhere, the female Smew reappeared on the ARC this morning and the Long-tailed Duck was still on New Diggings.
16th Feb
Another cold and murky day with a brisk ENE wind. There was a bit of movement offshore with 38 Brent Geese, 37 Pintails, 38 Wigeon, a flock of six adult Little Gulls, a Mediterranean Gull and 93 Red-throated Divers of note. A first-winter Caspian Gull was seen on the beach. Very little on the land except for a party of 12 Golden Plovers overhead and a Black Redstart on the power station wall.
Two Porpoises and a Grey Seal were feeding offshore.
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