Dungeness Bird Observatory

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.

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.