5th Oct

Another reasonable arrival of migrants this morning with the highlight of a Yellow-browed Warbler caught in the trapping area along with 100 Chiffchaffs, 24 Blackcaps, two Firecrests, 53 Song Thrushes, three Redwings and a Wheatear. A Barn Owl and two Dartford Warblers were also seen.

Three Marsh Harriers, eight Buzzards, a Merlin, a Hobby, 26 Jackdaws, ten Rooks, 500 Swallows, 220 House Martins, two Tree Sparrows, nine Grey Wagtails, 130 Meadow Pipits, 44 Chaffinches, a Brambling, 20 Siskins and 18 Reed Buntings passed overhead.

Seawatching was fairly quiet but did include four Shelduck, a Teal, three Grey Plovers, 21 Ringed Plovers, 200 Razorbills passing through and 200 Mediterranean Gulls, a first-year Caspian Gull, a Black Tern and 11 Arctic Skuas lingering offshore. In addition, ten Grey Plovers, 18 Ringed Plovers, six Bar-tailed Godwits, eight Turnstones, 47 Knot, six Sanderling and 34 Dunlin were feeding on the beach.

Yellow-browed Warbler Phylloscopus inornatus   Dungeness   5th October 2026

Four Porpoises and two Grey Seals were feeding offshore.

More good moths were caught in the traps with the very scarce "micromoth" Dialectica scalariella, a Ni Moth, five Small Mottled Willows and a Scarce Bordered Straw.

Dialectica scalariella   Dungeness   5th October 2026

Ni Moth Trichoplusia ni   Dungeness   5th October 2026

4th Oct

Chiffchaffs (300) and Blackcaps (60) continue to pass through in large numbers along with a Reed Warbler, two Whitethroats, a Firecrest and a Redstart. A Dartford Warbler was also seen.

Single Grey and Golden Plovers, a Red Kite, 13 Buzzards, 14 Skylarks, 85 Swallows, six Tree Sparrows, a Yellow Wagtail, two Grey Wagtails, 80 Meadow Pipits, three Bramblings, four Siskins and 19 Reed Buntings all passed overhead.

A Little Gull, 35 Mediterranean Gulls and ten Arctic Skuas were feeding offshore.

Another evening netting session proved very exciting again with another Short-eared Owl and two Barn Owls trapped. Remarkably one of the Barn Owls had already been ringed as a nestling near Maidenhead on 23rd May 2026.

Short-eared Owl Asio flammeus   Dungeness   4th October 2026

Barn Owl Tyto alba   Dungeness   4th October 2026
The ringed bird from Maidenhead.

The Grey Squirrel was seen again.

The highlight from the moth traps was a Red Sword-grass - only the second area record since 1930 when it became extinct as a breeding species here. Four Palpita vitrealis, a Vestal, 28 Small Mottled Willows and two Scarce Bordered Straws were also caught. Five Clouded Yellows were seen and a nocturnal search of brambles around the Observatory for Mediterranean Stick-insects produced 41 individuals.

Red Sword-grass Xylena vetusta   Dungeness   4th October 2026

3rd Oct

There was another decent arrival on the land with 170 Chiffchaff and 26 Blackcaps, two Firecrests, ten Song Thrushes and 52 Robins along with two Dartford Warblers. There was some visible migration with a Hobby, three Jays, 31 Skylarks, 200 Swallows, 80 House Martins, two Tree Sparrows, five Grey Wagtails, 250 Meadow Pipits, a Rock Pipit, three Bramblings and 14 Reed Buntings of note.

An evening netting session produced excellent results with both Short-eared Owl and Long-eared Owl caught.

Short-eared Owl Asio flammeus   Dungeness   3rd October 2026

Long-eared Owl Asio otus   Dungeness   3rd October 2026

The sea was quiet with just 26 Wigeon, a Grey Plover and 50 Ringed Plover passing and seven Little Gulls, 11 Mediterranean Gulls and three Arctic Skuas feeding offshore. Nine Bar-tailed Godwits were on the beach.

The Grey Squirrel was seen again while two Porpoises, a Common Seal and a Grey Seal were feeding offshore.

The moth traps continued to provide plenty of interest with the highlight of a Golden Twin-spot as well as a Palpita vitrealis, three Vestals, 12 Small Mottled Willows and a Scarce Bordered Straw. A Western Conifer Seed-bug was also attracted to the lights. Ten Clouded Yellows were seen during the day and 28 Mediterranean Stick-insects were found around the Observatory gardens. 

Golden Twin-spot Chrysodeixis chalcites   Dungeness   3rd October 2026

Vestal Rhodometra sacraria   Dungeness   3rd October 2026

Contacting the Observatory

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2nd Oct

Calm conditions saw another large arrival of migrants in the bushes with 330 Chiffchaffs and 135 Blackcaps along with two Reed Warblers, a Grasshopper Warbler, two Firecrests, four Song Thrushes, a Whinchat and four Wheatears. Birds passing overhead included a Greenshank, a Hobby, 12 Skylarks, a Sand Martin, 215 Swallows, 20 House Martins, two Grey Wagtails, 190 Meadow Pipits, two Rock Pipits, three Bramblings, three Siskins and 15 Reed Buntings. A Merlin and a Dartford Warbler were also seen but the surprise of the day was a Quail flushed in the Desert in the afternoon. A Little Gull and three Mediterranean Gulls were feeding offshore.

The moth traps continue to produce good moths with a Plumed Fan-foot along with a Gem, four Vestals, 29 Small Mottled Willows and a Scarce Bordered Straw. At least 15 Mediterranean Stick-insects were found around the Observatory garden and a Willow Emerald damselfly was seen at the Long Pits.

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

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Thank you.