Very quiet again although the early morning was dominated by some pretty powerful thunderstorms.
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,
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)