25th Feb

A lovely, spring like day with cloudless skies and light winds originating from the south. The sea was the main focus of the day producing plenty of eastbound passage, focused mostly on the morning watch. The highlights from eight and a half hours of watching include 261 Brent Geese, three Greylag Geese, 86 Shoveler, three Gadwall, another excellent total of 142 Pintail, a drake Eider, four Velvet Scoters, 131 Common Scoters, five Curlews, 10 Little Gulls, 403 Black-headed Gulls, 16 Mediterranean Gulls, 345 Common Gulls, 19 Lesser Black-backed Gulls, 131 Red-throated Divers and five Fulmars. There was a definite decrease in grounded migrants with just a Redwing, nine Blackbirds, four Goldcrests, a Firecrest and a Dartford Warbler of note. 

There was a couple of Peacock Butterflies on the wing in the Trapping Area and the Observatory moth trap caught four species of moth of the standard fare for the time of year. At least four Porpoise fed offshore.

Elsewhere, the two Whooper Swans still entertained at Cockles Bridge as did seven Cattle Egrets. 

Brent Geese Branta bernicla

Mixed flock of Pintail Anas acuta and Shoveler Spatula clypeata

    

Common Buzzard    Buteo buteo

24th Feb

A very spring like day with winds originating from the south bringing warm air and clear skies from mid-day. There was a marked increase in thrushes with four Song Thrushes, seven Blackbirds and nine Redwings, there was an obvious arrival of Stonechats too with at least 16 recorded. Otherwise on the land a Snipe, a Chiffchaff, eight Goldcrests, a Firecrest, eight Chaffinches and four Linnets were recorded while the years first Rook and Greenfinch flew over. 

Most of the days interest however was on the sea, with the two stand-out avian discoveries being a flock of 110 Eurasian White-fronted Geese at 11:18hrs and a Spoonbill at 12:00hrs, both flying east. Other birds passing offshore included 470 Brent Geese, two Shelducks, seven Shovelers, 24 Wigeons, an excellent 108 Pintails, six Tufted Ducks, 72 Dunlins and 4 Little Gulls being the best of the rest. 

The years first butterfly has taken flight in the warm weather with a Small Tortoiseshell in the Trapping Area. Mammals recorded were four Porpoise and a Grey Seal. 

Elsewhere, the regular two Whooper Swans were at Cockles Bridge.

Most of the flock of Eurasian White-fronted Geese flying east past the seawatching hide

23rd Feb

A somewhat nicer day with the rain restricted to patchy showers of mist in the afternoon. The sea was fairly quiet, with 244 Brent Geese heading east being the highlight of the early morning watch. A check from the seawatching hide a little later in the morning however proved fruitful with a winter-plumaged Slavonian Grebe just offshore. The bird spent half an hour drifting slowly east with Great Crested Grebes. There was a hint of movement on the land with the year's first Mistle Thrush, a flock of 42 Starlings departing east out to sea as well as a slight increase in Chaffinches and Reed Buntings. The first Goldfinch in over a month appeared too. A roost of waders by the lifeboat station contained 160 Dunlin and 6 Ringed Plover. 

A couple of Harbour Porpoise fed offshore. 

Elsewhere, the flock of Cattle Egrets still at Cockles Bridge with 16 today plus the two adult Whooper Swans were there also. The first-winter drake Scaup still at Scotney, where a Black-necked Grebe also appeared. The two White-fronted Geese were also on the outskirts of Lydd on Dennes Lane. 

22nd Feb

A quiet day with constant fog and drizzle with moderate winds from the south-west. Sea passage was fairly quiet with 252 Brent Geese, two Wigeon, a Lapwing and seven Fulmars being the highlights. On the land there was only two Song Thrushes, a Chiffchaff, six Goldcrests and a Firecrest of any notes. 

Elsewhere, the 17 Cattle Egrets and two Whooper Swans still frequented Cockles Bridge, while the family of Whooper Swans were still near the sand-pit at Scotney but the Bewick's Swan flock on Walland Marsh is still reduced to just 11 birds. 

21st Feb

A day of increasing south-westerly winds bringing mist and rain by the early afternoon. The morning observations didn't reveal much other than 135 Brent Geese passing east offshore and a single Firecrest in the Trapping Area. The first notable nocturnal passage of Redwings occurred this evening. 

Elsewhere, 15 Cattle Egrets and two Whooper Swans were at Cockles Bridge, Scotney still held the family of three Whooper Swans as well as three Barnacle Geese and a Dartford Warbler. Over on outskirts of Lydd at Dennes Lane there was two Eurasian White-fronted Geese amongst the large flock of Greylags and on Walland Marsh at least 13 Bewick's Swans were still present. 

20th Feb

A quiet day with very little to be seen. Seawatching produced very little with just five Pintail and a Fulmar being the only notables. A check of the land produced a small increase in Blackbirds as well as two Song Thrushes and two Firecrests. 

Elsewhere, 17 Cattle Egrets still at Cockles Bridge and a first-winter Caspian Gull was on nearby Burrowes Pit. At Walland Marsh, the Bewick's Swan flock increased to 37. 

19th Feb

Light northerlies and dreary skies produced a surprising up-channel passage of birds. During a little over three hours of watching this morning the highlights were 407 Brent Goose, nine Shelduck, three Pintail, six Teal, a Tufted Duck, a Red-breasted Merganser, a Bar-tailed Godwit, a Great Skua, 190 Red-throated Diver and six Fulmar. A check of the Trapping Area was fairly quiet with just four Goldcrests, a Redwing and a Song Thrush of note while two Snipe were feeding around the flooded shingle south of the there. 

A few mammals could be seen offshore with the calmer seas with three Porpoise, two Grey Seal and a Common Seal. 

Elsewhere around the greater Dungeness area, the first-winter drake Scaup and family of Whooper Swans still reside at Scotney, the flock of 35 Bewick's Swans are still viewed from Cutters Bridge and the Cattle Egret flock at Cockles Bridge increased to 19 today. 

A flock of Brent Geese passing the buoy with a Cormorant in tow

18th Feb

Moderate winds from the East-South-East meant the days efforts were spent mostly looking at the sea, with the stand out highlight being a winter plumaged Red-necked Grebe that landed close off the seawatching hide before being lost to view. Other birds of note during the morning watches include four Shelduck, six Teal, six Velvet Scoter, 20 Dunlin, 39 Kittiwake, a Mediterranean Gull, 1814 Guillemot, 241 Red-throated Divers and three Fulmars - most passage being east bound. A check of the Trapping Area was fairly quiet, just a Firecrest and two Goldcrests of note; overhead the resident pair of Ravens chased a pair of newcomers out. 

On the mammal front, three Porpoise fed offshore. 

17th Feb

A sunny, mild day gave a spring like feel to the air. A good check of the bushes didn't provide too much just a Woodcock, a Snipe, two Jackdaws, two Dartford Warbler, a Chiffchaff, six Goldcrests, a Redwing, two Song Thrushes and six Stonechats. The sea was very quiet, just six Brent Goose flew past were the only birds of note. A single Mediterranean Gull offshore came close enough to read its Polish ring. The life history has already come back with it being originally ringed in 2019, then seen at 'The Patch' in December 2021, it has returned to Poland every summer since and has spent most winters at in Kent at Kingdown. 

The Hares have started to chase each other about today. 

Polish ringed Mediterranean Gull 'PETH'

Brown Hares chasing each other near the Fishing Boats

Raven flying past the Lifeboat Station

16th Feb

Better weather today, apart from a brief and heavy thunder/hail storm, which allowed for a better check of the land which saw a Snipe, a Woodcock, a Song Thrush, a Chiffchaff, four Goldcrests and two Firecrests. It was quiet overhead with just a Ringed Plover and a Lapwing. The ringing year list got going today with a new Blackbird.

There was a bit of passage over the sea, most of which being eastbound, with the highlights a Little Gull, 122 Kittiwakes, 2124 Auk. sp, 411 Red-throated Divers and a Fulmar. 

Elsewhere, the drake American Wigeon was still at Scotney as was the family of Whooper Swans and drake Scaup, 10+ Cattle Egrets appeared at Cockles Bridge and the 'Eastern' Lesser Whitethroat still showed well in a garden in Lydd village.