Another miserable day of gale force easterly winds and lots of work around the Observatory meant limited coverage today. Seawatching produced just a Knot, 58 Dunlin, four Sandwich Terns, a Little Gull and three Mediterranean Gulls of any note. Four Chiffchaffs, a Firecrest and 19 Blackbirds were seen in the bushes.
Singles of Porpoise, Common Seal and Grey Seal were seen offshore.
A gale force and cold easterly wind with occasional rain made for difficult birding. Of note offshore were a Scaup, four Velvet Scoters, a Little Gull, five Mediterranean Gulls, three Sandwich Terns and a Little Egret. Virtually birdless on the land with just two Firecrests, a Fieldfare, four Redpolls and 70 Goldfinches of any note.
Two Grey Seals and a Common Seal were seen offshore.
The clear highlight of the day though was at Dengemarsh where an Isabelline Wheatear was found - a new species for Dungeness.
Overhead passage included 1520 Stock Doves, ten Lapwings, two Snipe, four Great White Egrets, a Short-eared Owl, a Woodlark, two Swallows, a Mistle Thrush, 38 Fieldfares, a Grey Wagtail, three Rock Pipits, 80 Chaffinch, six Bramblings, 300 Goldfinches and 25 Siskins.
There was a decent spread of migrants on the ground with a Woodcock, ten Chiffchaffs, a Siberian Chiffchaff, 30 Goldcrests, nine Firecrests, 15 Redwings, 25 Blackbirds, and a Common Redpoll. Two Dartford Warblers and eight Black Redstarts were also seen.
Wildfowl were a feature offshore with 53 Wigeon, four Teal and 237 Common Scoter west and singles of Goldeneye and Goosander east. Four Bar-tailed Godwits, two Little Gulls, 28 Mediterranean Gulls, 11 Sandwich Terns and an Arctic Skua were also of interest.
A Grey Seal was feeding offshore.
The drake Ring-necked Duck was still at the Scotney Caravan Park Pit.
A cloudy morning and light easterly winds saw a decent of grounded migrants including two Woodcocks, a Snipe, 30 Chiffchaffs, a Siberian Chiffchaff, 40 Goldcrests, eight Firecrests, eight Song Thrushes, a Mistle Thrush, 24 Redwings, 30 Blackbirds and two Hawfinches. Three Dartford Warblers were also seen. There was also some decent passage overhead with 148 Stock Doves, three Woodlarks, 28 Fieldfares, a Rock Pipit, 50 Chaffinches, 23 Bramblings, ten Redpolls, 234 Goldfinches, 75 Siskins and a Lapland Bunting of note.
The sea was quiet except for a flock of 80 Pintail and five Tufted Ducks moving west and 58 Mediterranean Gulls moving east.
Two Porpoises were seen offshore.
The drake Ring-necked Duck was still on the Lydd Caravan Park Pit.
There was more overhead passage with 900 Stock Doves, 185 Wood Pigeons, a Golden Plover, two Great White Egrets, 58 Jackdaws,15 Skylarks, six Swallows, a Tree Sparrow, two Grey Wagtails, 60 Meadow Pipits, 50 Chaffinches, two Bramblings, 15 Redpolls, 100 Goldfinches and 15 Siskins. Grounded migrants included a Woodcock, 30 Chiffchaffs (with two tristis), three Blackcaps, 78 Goldcrests, 13 Firecrests, 55 Blackbirds and a Fieldfare. Seven Dartford Warblers was also a notable count.
Four Mediterranean Gulls were feeding offshore.
Elsewhere, a drake Ring-necked Duck was found on the small pit behind the caravan park at Scotney and a Glossy Ibis was seen around Cook's Pool on the RSPB Reserve.
A calm morning again resulted in decent numbers of grounded migrants and good numbers of birds passing overhead included 900 Stock Doves, 263 Wood Pigeons, 79 Jackdaws, a Woodlark, 20 Skylarks, two Swallows, a Tree Sparrow, 60 Meadow Pipits, 85 Chaffinches, seven Bramblings, seven Redpolls, 300 Goldfinches, eight Siskins, a Yellowhammer and six Reed Buntings. Birds in the bushes included 15 Chiffchaff and one Siberian Chiffchaff (tristis), three Dartford Warblers, 40 Goldcrests, five Firecrests, 16 Song Thrushes, ten Redwings and 48 Blackbirds. A Barn Owl was also seen.
A Clouded Yellow was seen.
The wind dropped overnight and the morning saw a decent arrival of birds in the bushes and passing overhead. Birds passing overhead included 200 Stock Doves, 320 Wood Pigeons, a Woodlark, 30 Skylarks, 1160 Starlings, two Tree Sparrows, 400 Chaffinches, 20 Bramblings, 19 Greenfinches, 32 Redpolls, a Mealy Redpoll, 530 Goldfinches, 12 Siskins and 11 Reed Buntings.
Grounded migrants included 37 Chiffchaffs (with a Siberian tristis), four Blackcaps, ten Goldcrests, four Firecrests and 25 Blackbirds. A Bittern was heard in the evening and a Barn Owl and a Dartford Warbler were also seen during the day.
The sea was very quiet.
A Brown Hare was seen.
A Clouded Yellow was also seen.
Overhead migration was the main feature of the day with 3700 Stock Doves, 400 Wood Pigeons, 11 Golden Plovers, a Great White Egret, a Short-eared Owl, 46 Jackdaws, another remarkable total of 18 Woodlarks, 116 Skylarks, 100 Swallows, 12 House Martins, 1180 Starlings, two Tree Sparrows, a Grey Wagtail, three Rock Pipits, 1060 Chaffinch, 17 Bramblings, 400 Goldfinches, two Hawfinches, 42 Siskins, a Corn Bunting and 20 Reed Buntings.
Grounded migrants included just 14 Chiffchaffs, 12 Goldcrests, three Firecrests, ten Song Thrushes and six Black Redstarts. A Barn Owl and four Dartford Warblers were also seen.
Seawatching produced just two Teal and 20 Little Gulls and fifty Grey Plovers, three Bar-tailed Godwits and a Little Egret were seen on the beach.
Two Grey Squirrels were seen in the Trapping Area.
Two Clouded Yellows were seen.
Another windy morning but calming down in the afternoon. Seawatching provided plenty of interest with a Grey Phalarope feeding close inshore, an excellent total of 637 Little Gulls, a Leach's Petrel and two Sooty Shearwaters of note along with two Shovelers, three Sandwich Terns, two Mediterranean Gulls, six Arctic Skuas, a Great Skua and 1250 Gannets. Two Caspian Gulls and a Yellow-legged Gull were on the beach.
The bushes remain fairly quiet but 13 Chiffchaffs, four Goldcrests and a Firecrest were seen. Birds passing overhead included 3945 Starlings, a Rock Pipit, 105 Chaffinches, three Redpolls, 95 Goldfinches and 20 Siskins.
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| Grey Phalarope Phalaropus fulicarius Dungeness 27th October 2026 |
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| Little Gulls Hydrocoloeus minutus Dungeness 27th October 2026 |
Four Grey Seals and two Porpoises were feeding offshore.
A Clouded Yellow was seen.
Strong SW winds and more seawatching. Coverage virtually all day produced highlights of a Grey Phalarope, a Puffin, singles of Storm and Leach's Petrels, 13 Sooty Shearwaters and two Manx Shearwaters and backup in the form of two Gadwall, three Teal, 87 Little Gulls, a Mediterranean Gull, a Yellow-legged Gull, 13 Sandwich Terns, three Great Skuas, five Arctic Skuas and 1825 Gannets.
Very quiet on the land with just a Firecrest of interest and two Fieldfares, six Rock Pipits, five Bramblings, 2100 Goldfinches and three Siskins passing overhead.
Two Grey Seals and three Porpoises were feeding offshore and a Brown Hare was seen on the land.