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Local weather

Update

The Observatory can accommodate up to 9 people in two dormitories, you need to bring your own sleeping bags and it is self-catering. As well as Birdwatchers, we welcome people from many areas of interest including Moths, Butterflies, Bugs and Beetles or just a general interest in Nature and the local environment. Please forward any Dungeness recording area records to the Warden.
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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.

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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

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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,

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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.

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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.

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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




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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.


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