30th Aug

Strong westerly winds and showers limited coverage to mainly the sea where ten hours of watching  brought the highlights of the day in the form of a Storm Petrel and 55 Balearic Shearwaters with back up in the form of a Little Gull, ten Mediterranean Gulls, two Caspian Gulls, 2350 Sandwich Terns, 20 Black Terns, an Arctic Tern, 46 Arctic Skuas, two Manx Shearwaters and 560 Gannets. Large numbers of waders were roosting at the Lifeboat Station including 156 Ringed Plovers, 17 Curlew, three Bar-tailed Godwits, a Knot, 18 Sanderlings and 64 Dunlin. The best of the few grounded migrants were ten Willow Warblers, a Redstart and nine Wheatears and 220 Sand Martins and three Yellow Wagtails flew over.

Two Porpoises and two Grey Seals were feeding offshore.

The White-winged Black Tern was still showing very well on the RSPB Reserve.

29th Aug

A day of strong to gale-force winds and frequent downpours. Nearly all the coverage was of the  sea with 12 hours of watching producing 38 Black Terns, 1309 Common Terns, 4688 Sandwich Terns, 11 Mediterranean Gulls, a juvenile Caspian Gull, two Yellow-legged Gulls, 48 Arctic Skuas, three Great Skuas, two Sooty Shearwaters, four Manx Shearwaters and 30 Balearic Shearwaters. The Dartford Warbler was seen in the Moat again.

Four Porpoises and two Grey Seals were feeding offshore.

28th Aug

A quieter day. Grounded migrants included a Short-eared Owl, 21 Willow Warblers, six Reed Warblers, nine Blackcaps, 24 Lesser Whitethroats, 21 Whitethroats, a Redstart and two Whinchats and 58 Yellow Wagtails and three Tree Pipits flew over. A Dartford Warbler was also seen in and around the Moat. Seawatching produced just three Mediterranean Gulls, 14 Arctic Skuas and two Balearic Shearwaters of note. 

Four Porpoise and a Grey Seal were feeding offshore and a Brown Hare was also seen.

The best the moth traps could offer were a Scarce Bordered Straw, four Small Mottled Willows and a Small Ranunculus.

The White-winged Black Terns remains on the RSPB Reserve.

27th Aug

More thunderstorms during the morning brought a decent arrival of migrants. Numbers of grounded migrants were dominated by 24 Willow Warblers, 72 Lesser Whitethroats and 76 Whitethroats along with seven Reed Warblers, seven Blackcaps, two Redstarts, seven Whinchats and 22 Wheatears. Birds passing overhead included 13 Swift, another Honey Buzzard, 80 Sand Martins, 880 Swallows, 60 Yellow Wagtails and three Tree Pipits.

Waders feeding on the beach included 47 Ringed Plover, 30 Curlew, two Bar-tailed Godwits, two Ruffs, 22 Sanderling and three Redshank  and a party of five Greenshank flew over. Gulls feeding offshore included 16 Mediterranean Gulls and two juvenile Caspian Gulls while 612 Sandwich Terns, 61 Common Terns, a Black Tern and 28 Arctic Skuas passed through.

A Brown Hare was seen on the land and 12 Porpoises and a Grey Seal were feeding offshore.

The moth traps produced two Maiden's Blush, a Scorched Carpet, two Small Mottled Willows, a Delicate, four Scarce Bordered Straws, the plume moth Hellinsia carphodactyla and the pyralid Neophopteryx angustella of note but these were totally eclipsed by the catching of a Black V Moth by Bob Arnfield at the top of the Long Pits.

Black V Moth Arctornis l-nigrum   Dungeness   27th August 2026

The White-winged Black Tern continued its long stay on the RSPB Reserve.

26th Aug

Thunderstorms with torrential rain from first light grounded a few migrants included 21 Willow Warblers, 17 Reed Warblers, ten Blackcaps, 30 Lesser Whitethroats, 45 Whitethroats, a Dartford Warbler, a Spotted Flycatcher, two Nightingales, two Pied Flycatchers, a Redstart, five Whinchats and 29 Wheatears. 

Raptors provided most of the interest overhead with at least four Honey Buzzards, 18 Common Buzzards, A Green Sandpiper, 636 Sand Martins, 1450 Swallows, 193 House Martins, 32 Yellow Wagtails and three Tree Pipits. 

Eight Pintails, six Knot, 45 Mediterranean Gulls and two Balearic Shearwaters were of note offshore while the beach held 44 Ringed Plovers, seven Sanderling and 40 Dunlin,

Three Clouded Yellows were seen during the day while the Observatory moth-traps produced a super Tamarisk Peacock, (a new species for the traps), along with an Oak Hook-tip, four Small Mottled Willows, two Delicates, a Scarce Bordered Straw and two Palpita vitrealis.

Tamarisk Peacock  Godonela aestimaria   Dungeness   26th August 2026

The White-winged Black Tern was still showing well on the RSPB Reserve.

25th Aug

A bit more of an autumn feel to today's seawatching with six Wigeon, 72 Teal, 35 Common Scoters, a Grey Plover, a Redshank, a Little Gull, 377 Mediterranean Gulls, five Caspian Gulls, 3,088 Sandwich Terns, two Little Terns, three Black Terns, 28 Arctic Skuas and a Sooty Shearwater. An Osprey was seen again along with 243 Sand Martins, 344 Swallows, two House Martins and 32 Yellow Wagtails overhead. 

Grounded migrants were limited to nine Willow Warblers, three Reed Warblers, ten Lesser Whitethroats, a Pied Flycatcher and a Redstart.

Six Porpoises and a Grey Seal were feeding offshore, two Brown Hares were seen in the Desert and the Grey Squirrel was seen again.

The White-winged Black Tern was still showing well on the RSPB Reserve.

24th Aug

Four Shelducks, five Shovelers, a Tufted Duck, a party of eight Avocets, a Sanderling, 200 Mediterranean Gulls, a massive count of 4,650 Sandwich Terns, 324 Common Terns, ten Black Terns, 24 Arctic Skuas and a Sooty Shearwater all passed by offshore and 35 Ringed Plovers, three Bar-tailed Godwits, five Turnstones, three juvenile Caspian Gulls and three Yellow-legged Gulls were seen on the beach.

Fairly quiet on the land although an Osprey and a Honey Buzzard provided excitement along with 120 Sand Martins and 79 Swallows overhead. Grounded migrants included 13 Willow Warblers, three Reed Warblers, an early Firecrest, a Spotted Flycatcher and a Whinchat.

Three Porpoises and a Grey Seal were seen offshore and a Grey Squirrel was seen in private gardens.

The White-winged Black Tern was still showing well on Burrowes Pit, RSPB Reserve.

23rd Aug

There was a reasonable arrival of grounded migrants with 50 Willow Warblers, ten Reed Warblers, eight Blackcaps, a Garden Warbler, 16 Lesser Whitethroats, 60 Whitethroats and 21 Wheatears and a Wood Warbler seen at the Long Pits was of note. 

An Osprey, a Greenshank, 510 Sand Martins, 270 Swallows, 70 Yellow Wagtails and three Tree Pipits flew over. There were 35 Ringed Plovers, three Bar-tailed Godwit and two Sanderling on the beach and 100 Mediterranean Gulls, four juvenile Caspian Gulls, a Black Tern, 1,000 Sandwich Terns and 14 Arctic Skuas were feeding offshore. A ringed Turnstone was seen on the beach and after considerable effort the ring number was read. It was originally ringed at Terrington Marsh, Norfolk on 18th October 2020.

Turnstone Arenaria interpres   SX71493   Dungeness   23rd August 2026

Five Porpoises and two Grey Seals were feeding offshore and a Brown Hare was seen on the land.

The moth traps produced a Vestal, a Small Mottled Willow and two Delicates while 22 Hummingbird Hawkmoths were seen during the day and four Clouded Yellows were seen in the Desert.

Vestal Rhodometra sacraria   Dungeness   23rd August 2026

The White-winged Black Tern was still showing well from Firth Screen on the RSPB Reserve.

22nd Aug

There were decent numbers of migrants in the bushes during the morning including 55 Willow Warblers, three Sedge Warblers, four Reed Warblers, a Garden Warbler, 22 Lesser Whitethroats, 40 Whitethroats, a Spotted Flycatcher, two Pied Flycatchers, a Redstart, two Whinchats and 17 Wheatears. However, the birds of the day both appeared in the Moat in the afternoon in the form of a superb Wryneck and a Wood Warbler. A few birds also passed overhead with a Buzzard, 116 Sand Martins, 16 House Martins, 60 Yellow Wagtails and a Tree Pipit.

Wryneck Jynx torquilla   Dungeness   22nd August 2026

Wood Warbler Phylloscopus sibilatrix   Dungeness   22nd August 2026

Of note offshore were eight Sanderling, a Knot, four Mediterranean Gulls, 400 Sandwich Terns and a Black Tern.

Two Porpoises and four Grey Seals were feeding offshore and a Brown Hare was seen in the Desert.

The moth traps produced ten Small Mottled Willows, six Delicates and a Small Ranunculus and a Clouded Yellow was seen in the Desert.

21st Aug

There was a decent arrival of migrants in the bushes with 60 Willow Warblers, 11 Sedge Warblers, ten Reed Warblers, two Grasshopper Warblers, a Garden Warbler, 30 Lesser Whitethroats, 23 Whitethroats, five Spotted Flycatchers, two Redstarts, two Whinchats and 27 Wheatears. Two Little Egrets, a Short-eared Owl, a Hobby, 70 Yellow Wagtails and three Tree Pipits flew over.

There were 38 Ringed Plover, a Little Ringed Plover, four Whimbrel, five Bar-tailed Godwits, eight Turnstones, 30 Sanderling and ten Dunlins were on the beach and a Common Sandpiper and a Greenshank were seen at Long Pits. Five Mediterranean Gulls and five Black Terns were seen offshore.

The moth traps continue to produce migrants with a Ni Moth of note along with 36 Small Mottled Willows and six Delicates.

Ni Moth Trichoplusia ni   Dungeness   21st August 2026

The White-winged Black Tern was still present on Burrowes Pit on the RSPB Reserve.

20th Aug

Rain from first light until mid-morning felt like it should have grounded a few migrants but there was very little to be seen with just 16 Willow Warblers and 14 Lesser Whitethroats. Nearly nine hours of seawatching produced a Grey Plover, 11 Dunlin, four Mediterranean Gulls, 1975 Sandwich Terns, three Little Terns, an Arctic Skua, two Manx Shearwaters east and two Balearic Shearwater.

Four Porpoises and a Grey Seal were feeding offshore.

The moth traps continue to provide with 51 Small Mottled Willows and ten Delicates of particular note.

Elsewhere, the first-winter White-winged Black Tern was still showing well from the Firth Screen on the RSPB.

19th Aug

A wet morning but still very warm. Disappointing on the land with just 22 Willow Warblers, 18 Lesser Whitethroats and 12 Wheatears in the bushes and 15 Yellow Wagtails overhead of interest. Three Whimbrels, 27 Turnstones, three Mediterranean Gulls, 415 Sandwich Terns, 41 Common Terns and an Arctic Skua of note.

Four Porpoises were feeding offshore.

The moth traps produced a Portland Ribbon Wave, 30 Delicates, 18 Small Mottled Willows and a Small Ranunculus.

The White-winged Black Tern was still showing very well on the RSPB Reserve.

18th Aug

Hot and sunny again. Very quiet on the land with just 15 Willow Warblers, 19 Lesser Whitethroats and a Pied Flycatcher in the bushes and 405 Swallows, 143 Sand Martins and 36 Yellow Wagtails overhead. Seawatching produced a Bar-tailed Godwit, a Common Sandpiper, 21 Mediterranean Gulls, 190 Sandwich Terns, 34 Common Terns and an Arctic Skua.

Two Porpoises and five Grey Seals were feeding offshore.

The moth traps produced 16 Small Mottled Willows, 26 Delicates, a Small Ranunculus and a Scarce Bordered Straw.

17th Aug

The first rain for weeks although it only lasted for a few minutes. Very quiet on the land with just two Whinchats of note while birds passing overhead included a Grey Plover, a Golden Plover, a Short-eared Owl. a Hobby, 180 Swallow, 330 Sand Martins and 28 Yellow Wagtails.

The moth traps were excellent with a Blair's Mocha (seventh Observatory record), a Portland Ribbon Wave, a Gem, 85 Small Mottled Willows, a remarkable 44 Delicates, a Beautiful Marbled,  a Marsh Mallow Moth (fourth Observatory record), a Radford's Flame Shoulder, two Scarce Bordered Straws, a Prays rufescens and two Beet Moths.

Blair's Mocha Cyclophora puppilaria   Dungeness   17th August 2026

Marsh Mallow Moth Hydraecia osseola   Dungeness   17th August 2026

A Birch Shield-bug was also trapped and a Southern Oak Bush-cricket was seen in the Observatory garden.

Birch Shield-bug Elasmostethus interstinctus   Dungeness   17th August 2026

The White-winged Black Tern was still showing well on Burrowes Pit, RSPB Reserve.

16th Aug

Another very hot day. A few migrants on the land with 15 Willow Warblers, 16 Reed Warblers, a Grasshopper Warbler, 15 Lesser Whitethroat, 35 Whitethroats and ten Yellow Wagtails. In the evening, 200 Mediterranean Gulls and an Arctic Skua were feeding offshore.

Two Small Mottled Willows, a Delicate and a Scarce Bordered Straw were of interest from the moth traps.

Elsewhere of note was a first-winter White-winged Black Tern on Burrowes Pit on the RSPB Reserve.

White-winged Black Tern Chlidonias leucopterus    Burrowes, RSPB Reserve   16th August 2026

15th Aug

And on it goes - another hot and dry day. Migrants continue to arrive in small numbers in the bushes with a Nightingale and six Pied Flycatchers of note as well as 18 Willow Warblers, six Sedge Warblers, 23 Reed Warblers, nine Lesser Whitethroats and 30 Whitethroats while two Wood Sandpipers, 115 Swallows and 25 Yellow Wagtails passed overhead.

A Grey Seal was seen offshore. 

The moth traps were productive again with a Celypha rufana, an Acrobasis tumidana, two Portland Ribbon Waves, a Small Ranunculus, a Delicate and a Pinion-streaked Snout of note. 

Six Large Coneheads were found in the trapping area and the Tree Cricket was superb again but no Sickle-bearing Bush-crickets were found.

14th Aug

A very hot and sunny day yet again. There was another reasonable arrival of migrants in the bushes with  20 Willow Warblers, 11 Sedge Warblers, 24 Reed Warblers, a Grasshopper Warbler, a Garden Warbler, 12 Lesser Whitethroat and a Pied Flycatcher of note. Birds passing overhead included 195 Swifts, a Golden Plover, two Green Sandpipers, a Greenshank, 283 Swallows, 332 Sand Martins and 28 Yellow Wagtails and in the evening a massive flock of gulls arrived to feed on flying ants which included at least 1000 Mediterranean Gulls. An Arctic Skua was seen offshore. 

Two Porpoises and two Grey Seals were feeding offshore.

The moth traps were very productive again with the highlight being a Tapestry Moth. This was once a common enough moth in houses etc but is now hardly ever recorded even at a national level. Other noteworthy moths included a Beet Moth, two Evergestis limbata, a Pyralis farinalis, a Neophopteryx angustella, two Clay Triple-lines, two Portland Ribbon Waves, 40 Small Mottled Willows, a Delicate and four Small Ranunculus,  A Clouded Yellow butterfly was also seen.

Tapestry Moth Trichophaga tapetzella   Dungeness   14th August 2026

13th Aug

There were good numbers of migrants in the bushes including 15 Willow Warblers, a Grasshopper Warbler, 28 Lesser Whitethroats and three Pied Flycatchers while a Golden Plover, a Greenshank, a Little Egret, 54 Swallows, 30 Sand Martins and 23 Yellow Wagtails flew over. The sea was quiet except for 200 Sandwich Terns feeding offshore.

Six Porpoises were seen offshore and two Brown Hares were seen in the Desert.

The moth traps were productive with a Clay Triple-lines, a Scorched Carpet, nine Small Mottled Willows and two Beet Moths of note. A Clouded Yellow was also seen

The clear highlight of the day though was the finding of a Verge Cricket Eumodicogryllus bordigalensis on the beach at the Lifeboat Station. Remarkably this follows one heard singing (but not seen) in the early hours of 9th August in a private garden at Lydd-on-sea. These constitute the second and fifth British records. Over the following days it has become clear that there has been a significant arrival of this cricket into southern England. 

Verge Cricket  Eumodicogryllus bordigalensis   Dungeness   13th August 2026

12th Aug

There were a few grounded migrants around the Point including 13 Willow Warblers, 14 Reed Warblers, a Garden Warbler, 15 Lesser Whitethroats and two Pied Flycatchers. There was also a bit of wader passage with 20 Curlew, two Green Sandpipers and three Greenshanks overhead and 700 Sandwich Terns were feeding and roosting offshore. Five Buzzards also flew over. 

Fourteen Porpoises and two Grey Seals were feeding offshore.

11th Aug

There was a small but significant arrival of migrants today in the continuing strong NE winds. Of  particular note were a Cuckoo, a Spotted Flycatcher, four Pied Flycatchers, a Redstart and a Whinchat while numbers were provided by 14 Willow Warblers and 15 Lesser Whitethroats.

10th Aug

A party of seven Little Egrets, five Buzzards, a Hobby, 80 Swallows and 23 Yellow Wagtails flew over while migrants in the bushes included 12 Willow Warblers, two Sedge Warblers, 12 Reed Warblers, a Garden Warbler and 15 Lesser Whitethroats. Two juvenile Yellow-legged Gulls were seen at the fishing boats.

A brilliant night of moth trapping with many notable species including a Striped Hawkmoth, a Ni Moth, a remarkable 92 Small Mottled Willows, a Tree-lichen Beauty, two Scarce Bordered Straws, eight Pearly Underwings, six Delicates, a Palpita virealis and two Cydia amplana.

The evening chorus from the Tree Crickets was easily audible from the Observatory. 

9th Aug

The hot, dry weather continues and it remains fairly quiet on the land with eight Willow Warblers, a Sedge Warbler, ten Reed Warblers, a Nightingale and a Redstart and the highlight of two Grasshopper Warblers. Birds passing overhead included 29 Swifts, four Grey Plover, a Redshank and a Greenshank, 46 Sand Martins, 48 Swallows and 41 Yellow Wagtails. Ten Mediterranean Gull were feeding offshore.

A Grey Seal and 12 Porpoises were seen.

The highlights from the moth traps included two Purple Marbled, a Scarce Bordered Straw and a Channel Island Pug.

Purple Marbled Eublemma ostrina   Dungeness   9th August 2026

8th Aug

A Little Egret, four Buzzards and 12 Yellow Wagtails flew over while a small arrival of migrants in the bushes included 11 Willow Warblers, a Sedge Warbler, 15 Reed Warblers and four Lesser Whitethroats, a Nightingale calling in the trapping area and a Redstart. A juvenile Caspian Gull flew past the Point and 200 Sandwich Terns and 50 Common Terns were feeding offshore.

Nine Porpoises and three Grey Seals were feeding offshore.

The moth traps came up trumps with another Eastern Bordered Straw, seven Small Mottled Willows, a Small Ranunculus, two Tree-lichen Beauty's and also a Hemp Agrimony Plume which is a new species for the Observatory traps. A Clouded Yellow butterfly was also seen.

Hemp Agrimony Plume Adaina microdactyla   Dungeness   8th August 2026

Eastern Bordered Straw Heliothis nubigera   Dungeness   8th August 2026

Two Large Coneheads were singing at the north end of the Long Pits and a Southern Oak Bush-cricket was seen in the Observatory garden where 15 Mediterranean Stick-insects were also seen.

Elsewhere, a male Montagu's Harrier was seen on the Lydd Ranges,

7th Aug

Still the heat goes on. A few migrants in the bushes included 23 Willow Warblers, nine Lesser Whitethroats, 40 Whitethroats and a Nightingale. A check of the beach at low tide produced the days highlight in the form of an adult Roseate Tern among 400 Sandwich Terns and a Black Tern while waders included ten Ringed Plovers, ten Turnstones, 45 Sanderlings and 150 Dunlin. There were also 25 Mediterranean Gulls and two juvenile Yellow-legged Gulls.

Four Porpoises and two Grey Seals were feeding offshore and a Brown Hare was seen on the land.

The moth traps were fairly poor in terms of numbers but still produced our eighth Striped Hawkmoth of the year, a Rest Harrow, a Bordered Straw and 14 Small Mottled Willows. Seven Clouded Yellows were also seen. 

Striped Hawkmoth Hyles livornica   Dungeness   7th August 2026

Two Lesser Emperors and a Red-veined Darter were seen at the Long Pits.

 An evening visit to look for the rarer orthoptera produced six singing Large Coneheads, two Sickle-bearing Bush-crickets and a superb chorus from the Tree Crickets while three Southern Oak Bush-crickets and ten Mediterranean Stick-insects were seen in the Observatory garden.

6th Aug

Another very hot day. Commoner migrants were scattered around the Point including 28 Willow Warblers, 11 Sedge Warblers, 23 Reed Warblers, two Garden Warblers and 20 Lesser Whitethroats and a Little Ringed Plover and nine Yellow Wagtails flew over. There was a large feeding frenzy offshore which included 300 Mediterranean Gulls, two juvenile Yellow-legged Gulls and 300 Sandwich Terns.

There were ten Porpoises and three Grey Seals feeding offshore.

The highlight from the moth traps was a Cosmopolitan along with six Small Mottled Willows and a Cydia amplana. A Clouded Yellow and four Brown Argus were also seen.

Cosmopolitan Mythimna loreyi   Dungeness   6th August 2026

There were two sighting of the rare fly Dune Villa Villa modesta but they avoided capture or cameras and a Lesser Emperor dragonfly was seen at the Long Pits.

A Mediterranean Stick-insect and a Southern Oak Bush-cricket were seen in the Observatory garden.

5th Aug

Still hot and sunny but with a fresh NE wind. Very quiet on the bird front with just a Common Sandpiper, 11 Mediterranean Gulls and around 400 Sandwich Terns of note.

Seven Porpoises and three Grey Seals were feeding offshore.

4th Aug

Very quiet despite the calmer conditions. Visible migration was limited to 54 Sand Martins and 15 Yellow Wagtails and a Garden Warbler was about the best in the bushes. Two Arctic Skuas flew west in the evening and a juvenile Yellow-legged Gull was seen at the fishing boats.

A Brown Hare was seen on the land and four Porpoises were feeding offshore.

A Vestal, four Small Mottled Willows and a Cydia amplana were the highlights from the fairly quiet moth traps.

Vestal Rhodometra sacraria   Dungeness   3rd August 2026 

3rd Aug

Strong NE winds overnight and for much of the day. Three Marsh Harriers flew over the area and a Kingfisher was seen at the Long Pits again. Despite the windy conditions a decent haul of grounded migrants were seen including 13 Willow Warblers, 39 Reed Warblers, three Blackcaps, six Lesser Whitethroats, 71 Whitethroats, a Whinchat, three Wheatears and six Yellow Wagtails. A Mediterranean Gull and a third-summer Yellow-legged Gull were seen at the fishing boats.

Five Porpoise and three Grey Seals were feeding offshore.

A Lesser Emperor dragonfly was seen at the Long Pits.

2nd Aug

Fewer birds in the bushes in the continuing hot conditions. A thorough search produced  31 Willow Warblers, three Sedge Warblers, 49 Reed Warblers and 45 Whitethroats and singles of Redshank and Greenshank flew over.  

A Porpoise and a Grey Seal were feeding offshore.

Two Small Mottled Willows were the only notable moths from the traps.

1st Aug

The month started where July ended with continuing hot and dry conditions. There was another decent drop of common migrants including 80 Willow Warblers, seven Sedge and 84 Reed Warblers, a Garden Warbler, 22 Lesser Whitethroats, 75 Whitethroat, a Dartford Warbler, a Pied Flycatcher and a Whinchat. 19 Sand Martins also flew over and 100 Mediterranean Gulls were on the Point this evening.

The numbers of moths in the traps continues to be very low but it was high in quality with a Gypsy Moth and another two Eastern Bordered Straws of note.

Five Lesser Emperors were seen at the Long Pits.

At least 15 Wasp Spiders were found around the Bird Observatory and with at least one in the back garden.

Another evening check for rare orthoptera produced two singing Large Coneheads and lots of Tree Crickets and two Southern Oak Bush-crickets were found in the moth traps in the evening.

31st July

The drought/heatwave continues to the end of month. There was a very decent scattering of migrants in the bushes including a juvenile Cuckoo, 42 Willow Warblers, nine Sedge Warblers, 63 Reed Warblers, two Garden Warblers, 31 Lesser Whitethroats, 75 Whitethroats and a Redstart.  A flock of 100 Mediterranean Gulls passed offshore and a juvenile Yellow-legged Gull was seen at the fishing boats, four Grey Herons came in and 36 Sand Martins, 16 Swallows, 12 Yellow Wagtails and a Tree Pipit flew over. A flock of 21 White Storks also flew over but it is hard to get too excited by them these days.

Three Porpoises and a Grey Seal were feeding offshore

Three Lesser Emperors were seen at the Long Pits.

Although moth numbers are actually quite low we still caught seven Cydia amplana, the uncommon pyralid Deplanqueia inscriptella, a Striped Hawkmoth 16 Small Mottled Willows while seven Hummingbird Hawkmoths were seen during the day.

Deplanquiea inscriptella   Dungeness   31st July 2026

An evening visit to the trapping area produced four singing Large Coneheads and lots of Tree Crickets.