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 a highlight for some, among the Terns and Gannets. Vis Mig 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.
Many thanks to everyone who helped out and hopefully see you all next year.
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.
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| Tamarisk Peacock Godonela aestimaria Dungeness 23rd September 2026 |
Chiffchaffs (165) and Blackcaps (55) dominated on the land this morning along with a Sedge Warbler, two Reed Warblers, a Garden Warbler, six Lesser Whitethroats, eight Whitethroats, four Whinchats and six Wheatears. Two Dartford Warblers and five Black Redstarts were also seen and a Common Treecreeper at the Long Pits was of note.
An Osprey flew south and out to sea in the early morning and Hobby and Merlin were seen during the day. Other overhead passage included 48 Sand Martins, 755 Swallows, 120 House Martins, six Yellow Wagtails, two Grey Wagtails, 220 Meadow Pipits, a Tree Pipit and 16 Reed Buntings.
Over three hours of seawatching produced 16 Shelduck, two Shoveler, 42 Wigeon, 12 Pintail, eight Teal, 11 Mediterranean Gulls, 360 Sandwich Terns, 150 Common Terns, a Black Tern, six Arctic Skuas and 14 Balearic Shearwaters. The record for most bizarre sighting of the day was a drake Mandarin flying west close inshore in the afternoon.
An impressive 18 Porpoises and two Grey Seals were seen offshore.
The moth traps produced a Blair's Mocha, a Vestal, a September Thorn and 20 Small Mottled Willows of note and five Clouded Yellows were seen during the day.
Today saw a massive arrival of 470 Chiffchaffs and 80 Blackcaps along with the highlight of a very early Yellow-browed Warbler and also seven Lesser Whitethroats, two Firecrests, three Redstarts and 16 Wheatears. A Merlin was trapped and a Dartford Warbler was also seen.
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| Merlin Falco columbarius Dungeness 21st September 2026 Caught this evening as the sun was setting hence the warm glow to the images. |
Overhead passage included three Grey Herons, five Little Egrets, 60 Sand Martins, 1100 Swallows, five Yellow Wagtails, four Grey Wagtails, 320 Meadow Pipits and two Tree Pipits.
Offshore passage was very light although a Little Gull, ten Mediterranean Gulls and 24 Balearic Shearwaters were feeding offshore.
Eight Porpoise and two Grey Seals were feeding offshore.
The moth traps produced a Vestal, a September Thorn, a Four-spotted Footman and four Small Mottled Willows. A Clouded Yellow was also seen.
Grounded migrants were relatively scarce but a Jay, three Willow Warblers, 70 Chiffchaffs, six Blackcaps, a Redstart and five Wheatears were found. In addition, three Dartford Warblers were seen.
Overhead migration included two Grey Plover, a Golden Plover, 72 Ringed Plover, (plus 17 on the beach) and 25 Dunlin, two Yellow Wagtails, three Grey Wagtails, 500 Meadow Pipits (101 ringed), three Tree Pipits and 12 Reed Buntings. Raptors seen during the day included three Marsh Harriers, a Buzzard and two Hobby.
The sea was quiet with just an Arctic Tern, two Arctic Skuas and four Red-throated Divers of note while two Bar-tailed Godwits, 23 Knot, eight Sanderlings and a Little Egret were feeding on the beach.
Six Porpoises and two Grey Seals were feeding offshore.
Seven Clouded Yellows were seen.
Elsewhere, a juvenile Pectoral Sandpiper was found on the RSPB Reserve.
Most of the interest was offshore again where over five of watching produced two Wigeon, 169 Kittiwakes, 12 Little Gulls, three Mediterranean Gulls, a Caspian Gull, a Yellow-legged Gull, 275 Sandwich Terns, 321 Common Terns, singles of Arctic and Black Tern, a Great Skua, ten Arctic Skuas, 80 Guillemots, a Red-throated Diver, a Sooty Shearwater and 18 Balearic Shearwaters.
Twelve Porpoises and three Grey Seals were feeding offshore.
Grounded migrants included 41 Chiffchaffs, two Sedge Warblers, five Blackcaps and two Spotted Flycatchers, There was a strong overhead passage with 340 Sand Martins, 3300 Swallows, 4500 House Martins, three Yellow Wagtails, a Grey Wagtail and 120 Meadow Pipits of note.
There were plenty of birds feeding offshore this morning including 25 Mediterranean Gulls, a juvenile Caspian Gull, 1000 Sandwich Terns, 200 Common Terns, two Arctic Terns and a Black Tern while five Little Gulls, 21 Arctic Skuas and 15 Balearic Shearwaters flew west. A Little Egret, four Bar-tailed Godwits and 15 Sanderling were on the beach.
Six Porpoises, three Grey Seals and a Common Seal were feeding offshore.
With fresh south westerly winds and frequent rain most of the interest was offshore with a Wigeon, a Shoveler, a Tufted Duck, 583 Kittiwakes, 16 Little Gulls, 14 Mediterranean Gulls, two first-year Caspian Gulls, a Yellow-legged Gull, over 2000 each of Sandwich and Common Terns, seven Black Terns, 95 Arctic Skuas and 76 Balearic Shearwaters in eight hours of watching.
Waders on the beach included 28 Curlews, 17 Bar-tailed Godwits and 18 Knot.
Grounded migrants were harder to find in the poor but included 36 Chiffchaffs, five Blackcaps, three Lesser Whitethroats and two Spotted Flycatchers and a Dartford Warbler was seen in the Moat.
Eight Porpoises and three Grey Seals were feeding offshore.
A Honey Buzzard flew south in the morning and a Red Kite flew east over the Long Pits in the afternoon. There was another large movement of hirundines with 50 Sand Martins, 600 Swallows and 3250 House Martins (another 75 ringed), along with six Yellow Wagtails, 90 Meadow Pipits and seven Reed Buntings.
Grounded migrants continue to appear in decent numbers with 20 Willow Warblers, 50 Chiffchaffs, 30 Blackcaps, nine Lesser Whitethroats, 18 Whitethroats, five Spotted Flycatchers, two Whinchats and five Wheatears of interest. A Jay in the bushes was also of note.
Seawatching produced 19 Mediterranean Gulls, 887 Sandwich Terns, 271 Common Terns, a Black Tern and 36 Balearic Shearwaters mostly moving west and ten Arctic Skuas feeding offshore.
Eight Porpoises and three Grey Seals were feeding offshore and a Brown Hare was seen on the land.
The moth traps produced a Small Mottled Willow and a Delicate, three Clouded Yellows were seen during the day and a Willow Emerald was seen near the Sycamore in the Trapping Area.
