1st July

A party of seven Bee-eaters flying around the  trapping area proved elusive to see and 41 Sand Martins flew out to sea. A Yellow Wagtail also flew over. A seawatch this afternoon produced three Manx Shearwaters.

Two Porpoises and 13 Grey Seals were feeding offshore,

A Small Mottled Willow was trapped overnight and two Red-veined Darters were seen in the Desert.

Bird of the day from elsewhere though was a Caspian Tern which spent most of its day sitting on the islands and viewable from Dennis's Hide on Burrowes Pit.

Caspian Tern Hydroprogne caspia   Dungeness RSPB   1st July 2027

30th June

Thirty-two Mediterranean Gulls were seen offshore and a Yellow Wagtail and a Tree Pipit flew over this morning. 

A Grey Seal was seen offshore.

Three Small Mottled Willows were found in the moth-traps and a Red-veined Darter was seen in the Desert,

However, the highlight of the day was a very smart Kentish Plover found on the beach at Lade Sands. This is the first area since 2019.

Kentish Plover Charadrius alexandrinus    Lade Sands   30th June 2026

29th June

A Siskin over the Observatory this morning and a Little Ringed Plover calling after dark were the only birds of note.

Moth trapping produced another Rose Plume and six Small Mottled Willows of note.

Rose Plume Cnaemidophorus rhododactyla   Dungeness   29th June 2026

A Norfolk Hawker was also seen.

28th June

The only birds of note were 20 Mediterraneans Gulls in the continuing heatwave.

However the moth traps really came to the fore this morning when a fairly distinctive individual was found which I was at a complete loss as to its identity.  Following further research with Sean Clancy and posts/searches on the internet etc it seems most likely that it is an example of Blastobasis glandulella.  This appears to be the fourth British record with the first record in East Sussex in 2023,  one at Seabrook, Kent in 2024 and one the night before ours at Kessingland, Suffolk.

Blastobasis glandulella   Dungeness   28th June 2026

27th June

Another very hot day and little to be seen on the bird front other than 20 Swifts over the area.

The moth traps continue to provide most of the interest with an excellent catch overnight which included a Rose Plume, the pyralids Acrobasis repandana and Evergestis limbata, a Pine Hawk-moth, a Four-spotted Footman and two Light Crimson Underwings.

Four-spotted Footman  Lithosia quadra   Dungeness  27th June 2026.

Light Crimson Underwing Catocala promissa   Dungeness 27th June 2026

A Norfolk Hawker also came to the moth lights.

26th June

Another very hot day and little to be seen on the bird front other than a Green Sandpiper over the Long Pits.

The moth continue to provide a bit of interest with the uncommon pyralid Anania perlucidalis, an Oak Hook-tip and a Small Mottled Willow of note.

Anania perlucidalis   Dungeness 26th June 2026

25th June

The heatwave continues.  A flock of 16 Shelduck flew east and Tufted Duck was confirmed as a new breeding species for the recording area with a one day-old duckling seen at the Long Pits.

The highlight from the moth traps was a White-line Snout - a new species for the Observatory traps and only the fourth area record.

White-line Snout Schrankia taenalis   Dungeness   25th June 2026

24th June

Very hot and humid. A Little Ringed Plover and a Redshank flew over the area.

The highlights from the moth traps were a Plumed Fan-foot, a Small Mottled Willow and the rare Agonopteryx curvipunctosa.

Agonopteryx curvipunctosa   Dungeness   24th June 2026

The first Small Red-eyed Damselflies of the year were seen at the southern end of the Long Pits. 

23rd June

Very quiet again although the early morning was dominated by some pretty powerful thunderstorms.

22nd June

 Very quiet.

21st June

Ten Swifts and a Little Ringed Plover flew over and five Mediterranean Gulls were seen offshore.

The highlight from the moths traps was a Bright Wave - the fourth Observatory record.

Bright Wave Idaea ochrata   Dungeness   21st June 2026

A Norfolk Hawker was seen at the Long Pits and four Red-veined Darters were seen around the Point.

20th June

Very quiet with just 120 Swifts of note on the land.

The moth traps provided all the interest today with a couple of very rare pyralids being the highlights. The first of these was a superb Chrysocrambus linetella. This was probably the ninth British record but with two of the previous records also coming from Dungeness. The second moth was a Catoptria verellus, of which there have been a few area records, but this was new for Observatory traps.

Chrysocrambus linetella   Dungeness   20th June 2026

Catoptria verellus   Dungeness   20th June 2026

A Lesser Emperor dragonfly was seen at the Long Pits.

19th June

A trickle of passage overhead included 75 Swifts, four Sand Martins and a Yellow Wagtail. 

A Miller and an L-album Wainscot were of note from the moth traps.

Five Norfolk Hawkers and a Lesser Emperor were seen in the area.

18th June

A Little Ringed Plover flew over the Observatory along with 60 Swifts and four Curlews and seven Mediterranean Gulls were seen offshore. A Great Spotted Woodpecker was seen in the trapping again.

Three each of Porpoise and Grey Seal were feeding offshore.

The first two Sussex Emeralds of the summer were trapped. A Banded Demoiselle came in off the sea and landed at the fishing boats.

17th June

A quiet day with a Little Egret on the beach, 87 Swifts and eight Curlews overhead and the first Great Spotted Woodpecker in the trapping area for some time.

A Striped Hawkmoth flew off the the trap before it could be potted and the first Delicate was trapped. A Norfolk Hawker and a late instar Great Green Bush-cricket were seen at the Long Pits.

16th June

The obvious highlight of the day was a first-summer Squacco Heron which was first seen at the Pumphouse and then later refound as it fed among the lily pads at the north end of the Long Pits. This is the second Observatory and sixth Dungeness record. Fifty Swifts, three Curlews and five Sand Martins also flew over.

Squacco Heron Ardeola ralloides   Dungeness   16th June 2026

A Grey Seal was seen offshore and three Brown Hares were seen on the land.

The moth traps produced yet another Eastern Bordered Straw and three Small Mottled Willows of note. 

Eastern Bordered Straw Heliothis nubigera   Dungeness   16th June 2026   

An excellent array of dragonflies were seen including eight Norfolk Hawkers, four Lesser Emperors (including an ovipositing pair) and a Red-veined Darter.

15th June

Very quiet on the land but a bit of seawatching produced two Mediterranean Gulls, an Arctic Skua and 11 Manx Shearwaters.

A Brown Hare was seen.

The moth traps produced most of the days highlights with the star being a Purple Marbled (new for the trap) along with our fifth Small Marbled and Pale Oak Beauty. A Large Tortoiseshell butterfly was a great find at the Long Pits and five Norfolk Hawker dragonflies were also seen..

Purple Marbled Eublemma ostrina   Dungeness   16th June 2026

Pale Oak Beauty Hypomrcis punctinalis   Dungeness   16th June 2026

14th June

 Very quiet on the bird front.

Two Brown Hares were seen at the entrance to the estate.

Moth trapping produced a Clancy's Rustic and two Rest Harrow moths were seen by day at the Long Pits,.

Dragonfly watching was very good with seven Norfolk Hawkers and five Red-veined Darters found,

13th June

A Spotted Flycatcher was caught in the Moat and ten Sand Martins were feeding over the Long Pits. 

Four Manx Shearwaters flew west in the evening.

Five Norfolk Hawkers were seen around the Trapping Area.

12th June

The clear highlight of the day was a Quail flushed from vegetation near the Old School House but there was very little else to be seen on the land. Nearly five hours of seawatching produced four Curlew, an Arctic Skua, six Fulmars and 24 Manx Shearwaters. 

A Grey Seal and two Porpoises were seen offshore.

11th June

More fresh to strong, mainly westerly winds and rain from late morning brought more seawatching with a Mediterranean Gull, an Arctic Skua and 49 Manx Shearwaters of note. There was no sign of any migrants on the land.

Three Porpoises and two Grey Seals were feeding offshore.

A check of the trapping area for insects proved surprisingly with a Box Bug, several Mottled Shieldbugs, a few early instar nymphs of Sickle-hearing Bush-cricket and the tortrix moth Acleris logiana which is only the fourth Dungeness area record.

Acleris logiana   Dungeness   11th June 2026

Box Bug Gonocerus acuteangulatus   Dungeness   11th June 2026

10th June

Very quiet in more dismal weather with 80 Swifts overhead being the only birds of note.

Three Brown Hares were seen in the Desert.

9th June

Very quiet. Two Manx Shearwaters were seen offshore and a Spotted Flycatcher was seen in the trapping area.

Elsewhere of note was a Quail which came in off the sea this at the end of Galloways Road on the Lydd Ranges.

8th June

More fresh SW winds produced 65 Common Scoters, eight Mediterranean Gulls and nine Manx Shearwaters during the day. A Little Egret was feeding on the beach but no sign of any migrants on the land.

A Grey Seal was seen offshore.

7th June

Strong WSW winds saw a bit of early morning movement offshore which included two Mediterranean Gulls, six Fulmars, 35 Manx Shearwaters and a Balearic Shearwater. A first-summer Yellow-legged Gull was among the gulls on the beach and a Grey Wagtail flew over.

A Shelduck with 14 ducklings was of note.

A Grey Seal was feeding offshore.

Two Green-eyed Hawkers were seen at the Long Pits.

6th June

Strong to near gale force winds with frequent rain restricted observations to the sea again which proved very productive. Nearly 13 hours of coverage saw 58 Common Scoters, 25 Common Terns, 26 Sandwich Terns, three Mediterranean Gulls, two Arctic Skuas, 60 Guillemots, 39 Fulmars and 292 Gannets and highlights in the form of two Puffins, eight Balearic Shearwaters and 324 Manx Shearwaters. Swifts also flew out to sea with 172 seen along with six House Martins.

Ten Porpoises and three Grey Seals were feeding offshore.

5th June

Very quiet. Eight Manx Shearwaters were seen offshore and a Spotted Flycatcher and a Yellow Wagtail were seen on the land. 

A Porpoise and four Grey Seals were feeding offshore.

Nine Green-eyed (Norfolk) Hawkers were seen in the bushes and a Red-veined Darter was found amongst the broom near the Sanctuary.

Red-veined Darter Sympetrum fonscolombii   Dungeness   5th June 2026

4th June

Strong to near gale force winds and heavy showers restricted observations to the sea again where 33 Common Scoters, 79 Sandwich Terns, six Fulmars and 63 Manx Shearwaters were of note. Forty-four Swifts also flew through.

Four Porpoises and two Grey Seals were feeding offshore.

3rd June

Strong SW winds mostly limited observations to the sea where 25 Kittiwakes, a Mediterranean Gulls, 45 Sandwich Terns, four Fulmars, 23 Manx Shearwaters and five Balearic Shearwaters were noted. A Siskin flew over.

Two Porpoises and singles of Common Seal and Great Seal were feeding offshore.

2nd June

Nothing to report on the bird front.

Another Eastern Bordered Straw was trapped overnight.

Eastern Bordered Straw Heliothis nubigera   Dungeness  2nd June 2026

1st June

Very quiet. A Little Ringed Plover flew over.

The moth traps provided most of the interest with another Striped Hawk-moth, a Bordered Straw and a Pine Beauty of note.

Pine Beauty Panolis flammea   Dungeness   1st June 2026
Only the third to be trapped at the Observatory.

31st May

A Honey Buzzard flew over the trapping area and then headed north this morning. Two Chiffchaffs were caught in the moat.

The moth traps were high on quality with a Striped Hawkmoth and another two Eastern Bordered Straws being the highlights as well as a Lime Hawkmoth, a Hummingbird Hawkmoth and a Bordered Straw.

Striped Hawkmoth Hyles livornica   Dungeness   21st May 2026

Eastern Bordered Straw Heliothis nubigera   Dungeness   31st May 2026

In addition, a Purple Marbled was caught in Lydd-on-Sea and at least three more Eastern Bordered Straws were caught  across the Point.

Purple Marbled Eublemma ostrina   Lydd-on-Sea   31st May 2026

30th May

Frustratingly, the birds of the day would have been a small flock of Bee-eaters which flew over the Point mid-morning but went unseen. A Crossbill also flew over.

A Scorched Carpet and two Beautiful Hook-tips were the only moths of note in the traps and a pair of mating Hummingbird Hawkmoths were seen on the power station wall..

There was an impressive arrival of Painted Ladies during the morning with at least 400 being seen.

29th May

Very little in the way of birds to report.

Sixteen Porpoise and two Grey Seals were seen feeding offshore and a Brown Hare was seen in the Desert.

Over 100 Painted Ladies were also seen.

A Green-eyed Hawker was seen in the Trapping Area.

28th May

 Very quiet on the bird front. A late flock of 21 Brent Geese flew east in the evening.

Six Porpoises, three Grey Seals and a Common Seal were feeding offshore.

A Green-eyed Hawker and two Lesser \Emperor dragonflies were seen at the southern end of the Long Pits.

27th May

The highlight of the day was a female Montagu's Harrier which flew south towards the Point before turning and heading inland where it was also seen at ARC and Cockles Bridge. A Spotted Flycatcher was also seen. The sea was very quiet with just a Gadwall, 24 Common Scoters, a Bar-tailed Godwit and 32 Mediterranean Gulls passing east. 

Two Porpoise and a Grey Seal were feeding offshore.

26th May

Offshore, 81 Common Scoters, six Grey Plovers and seven Mediterranean Gulls passed through but nothing much to report on the land.

Five Porpoises and two Grey Seals were seen offshore and four Brown Hares were seen on the land.

The highlight of the day though was the catching of an Eastern Bordered Straw overnight. The third Observatory record of this scarce migrant moth.

Eastern Bordered Straw Heliothis nubigera   Dungeness   26th May 2026

Of even greater significance on the moth front was the catching of a Fir Carpet by Sean Clancy in his garden in New Romney.

Fir Carpet Thera vetustata   New Romney   26th May 2026