1st Oct

A calm day saw another arrival of migrants in the bushes with 160 Chiffchaffs, 49 Blackcaps, four Lesser Whitethroats, three Firecrests, nine Song Thrushes, a Ring Ouzel, a Whinchat and five Wheatears. A Barn Owl and two Dartford Warblers were also seen.

Two Golden Plovers, a Little Egret, a Merlin, a Hobby, 12 Ravens, 19 Skylarks, three Sand Martins, 218 Swallows, 600 House Martins, ten Tree Sparrows, two Yellow Wagtails, three Tree Pipits, six Rock Pipits, a Brambling, 36 Goldfinches, a Siskin and 75 Reed Buntings flew over. A Caspian Gull was seen on the beach and two Arctic Skuas were feeding offshore.

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

The moth traps produced the goods again with the highlight of a Purple Marbled as well as six Palpita vitrealis, three Scrobipalpa ocellatella, two Vestal, 37 Small Mottled Willows and a Scarce Bordered Straw. A Willow Emerald dragonfly, nine Clouded Yellows and 15 Mediterranean Stick-insects were also seen.

Purple Marbled Eublemma ostrinia   Dungeness   1st October 2026

30th Sep

A day of fresh southerly winds and and showers meant most of the coverage was spent seawatching where nearly ten hours of observations produced an excellent total of 141 Balearic Shearwaters along with two Sooty and two Manx Shearwaters. Also of note were 68 Brent Geese, 12 Shoveler, 20 Wigeon, 45 Pintail, 25 Teal, 103 Common Scoters, six Golden Plovers, 24 Ringed Plovers, 27 Dunlin, six Redshank, 50 Little Gulls, 20 Mediterranean Gulls, a Great Skua, 33 Arctic Skuas, 114 Razorbills and 955 Gannets. Two Caspian Gulls and a Yellow-legged Gull were also seen on the beach. Visible migration included 1429 Swallows, six Grey Wagtails, two Bramblings and 17 Siskins.

A few migrants were seen on the land including 112 Chiffchaffs, five Blackcaps, a Firecrest and a Ring Ouzel.

Mammals feeding offshore included five Porpoises and two Grey Seal but an Ocean Sunfish was a great surprise.

The moth traps produced a Palpita vitrealis and a Scarce Bordered Straw of note. Six Clouded Yellows were seen.

29th Sep

The rush of migrants in the bushes continues with another 240 Chiffchaffs and 105 Blackcaps being the bulk along with nine Lesser Whitethroats, four Whitethroats, two Goldcrests, a Firecrest, a Spotted Flycatcher, 55 Robins, a Whinchat, 70 Stonechat and eight Wheatears. Birds passing overhead  included two Golden Plover, four Dunlin, a Marsh Harrier, a Buzzard, a Merlin, 405 Swallows, a Yellow Wagtail, two Grey Wagtails, 300 Meadow Pipits, two Rock Pipits, 17 Siskins and 31 Reed Buntings. A Kingfisher was seen at the Long Pits and a Barn Owl and a Dartford Warbler were also of note.  

Seawatching produced two Egyptian Geese, three Shoveler, six Pintail, 44 Teal, seven Little Gulls, eight Mediterranean Gulls, a Black Tern and six Arctic Skuas.

Eleven Clouded Yellows were seen during the day.

28th Sep

The heavy passage of Chiffchaffs (290) and Blackcaps (86) continues along with a Redstart and five Wheatears. A Short-eared Owl was seen in the Desert, a flock of 11 Raven flew over the area and two Dartford Warblers were seen again.

A flock of 11 Egyptian Geese was an unusual sight as they flew around the Point, a Greenshank and three Great White Egret flew over while migrating passerines included two Sand Martins, 185 Swallows, 1000 House Martins, four Grey Wagtails, 145 Meadow Pipits, a Rock Pipit and 35 Reed Buntings.

A Little Gull, 14 Mediterranean Gulls and 11 Arctic Skuas were seen offshore.

Three Porpoises were feeding offshore and a Grey Squirrel was seen at the Long Pits. A Brown Hare was also seen.

The day's highlight though came in the form of this superb Passenger moth - only the second to be caught in the Observatory traps. Four Palpita vitrealis, five Vestals and 28 Small Mottled Willows were trapped.

Passenger Dysgonia algira   Dungeness   28th September 2026

Five Clouded Yellows were seen during the day.

Access to the Observatory

Please be aware that we now have scaffolding around the building, due to roof works, so care is needed with parking and access. 

Thank you. 

27th Sep Big Kent Bird Migration Day

The Big Kent Bird Migration Day covered migration across the Dungeness peninsula. Two guided walks visited the Seawatch hide for marine migration with Balearic Shearwaters (four), a highlight for some, among the terns and Gannets. Visible Migration from the moat looked out for birds moving through, including rapidly moving Swallows and, despite the rising wind, groups were shown ringing of Meadow Pipit, Stonechat and Blue Tit. Other notable birds recorded during the day included a very elusive Yellow-browed Warbler in the Lighthouse Garden, eight Shoveler, 119 Wigeon, nine Pintail, 52 Teal, a Little Gull, 57 Mediterranean Gulls, a Caspian Gull, 26 Arctic Skuas, singles of Merlin and Hobby, 170 Chiffchaffs, 95 Blackcaps, a Dartford Warbler, a Firecrest, the first two Redwing of the autumn, nine Grey Wagtails, a Tree Pipit and 13 Reed Buntings.

Many thanks to everyone who helped out and hopefully see you all next year.

Three Porpoise and two Grey Seals were feeding offshore.

The moth traps were very quiet with just one Palpita vitrealis, a Vestal + two others seen during the day and three Small Mottled Willows. Six Clouded Yellows were also seen

26th Sep

Another arrival of migrants in the bushes again dominated by 95 Chiffchaffs and 63 Blackcaps as well as a Redstart, a Whinchat and 16 Wheatears. There was a trickle of overhead passage with two Grey Wagtails, 150 Meadow Pipits, a Rock Pipit and 34 Reed Buntings. A Barn Owl and two Dartford Warblers were also seen again.

There was a trickle of overhead passage with two Grey Wagtails, 150 Meadow Pipits, a Rock Pipit and 34 Reed Buntings.

The sea was very quiet with just a first-year Caspian Gull and an Arctic Skua of interest.

Another Plumed Fan-foot was caught overnight along with three Palpita vitrealis, four Vestals and 15 Small Mottled Willows.

25th Sep

Another large arrival of migrants with 160 Chiffchaffs, 57 Blackcaps and nine Wheatears being the best on offer and 385 Swallows and a Tree Pipit flew over.

The sea was fairly quiet but three hours of watching produced 14 Shelduck, 32 Wigeon, eight Teal and 53 Common Scoters, a Great Skua, ten Arctic Skuas and four Balearic Shearwaters.

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

The highlight from the moth traps was a Plumed Fan-foot and four Clouded Yellows were seen during the day. A Willow Emerald damselfly was also seen at the Long Pits.

24th Sep

Migrants on the land were again dominated by Chiffchaffs and Blackcaps with 350 and 145 respectively along with nine Lesser Whitethroats, 11 Whitethroats, a Goldcrest, a Whinchat and seven Wheatears. A trickle of birds overhead included two Grey Wagtails, 120 Meadow Pipits and 25 Reed Buntings. A Barn Owl was seen in the trapping area at first light and a Short-eared Owl was seen in the Desert. Most of the birds of note seen offshore were feeding rather than passing through with at least four Black Terns, two Little Gulls, 30 Arctic Skuas and at least 52 Balearic Shearwaters of note.

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

Two Clouded Yellows were seen.

Elsewhere, the adult American Golden Plover was showing in the usual stubble field with Golden Plover just north of Jury's Gap.

23rd Sep

There was another big arrival of warblers this morning with 300 Chiffchaffs and 135 Blackcaps of note along with a Firecrest, a Pied Flycatcher and two Redstarts. Two Dartford Warblers and six Black Redstarts were seen again. Seven Grey Herons and two Egyptian Geese flew over as well as a Grey Wagtail, 90 Meadow Pipits and a Tree Pipit. 

Seawatching was fairly slow going but still produced 35 Wigeon, six Teal, 52 Common Scoter, eight Little Gulls, 40 Mediterranean Gulls, 20 Arctic Skuas and ten Balearic Shearwaters in 5.5 hours of coverage. A flock of 42 Knot and a first-year Caspian Gull were on the beach.

Eight Porpoises and singles of Common and Grey Seal were feeding offhore.

Although moth numbers were fairly low last nights trapping still produced our third Tamarisk Peacock along with a September Thorn, a Ni Moth and eight Small Mottled Willows. Six Clouded Yellows were also seen.

Tamarisk Peacock Godonela aestimaria   Dungeness   23rd September 2026