29th Mar

A very cold gale-force NE wind with frequent hail severely limited observations. The only birds of note were two Sandwich Terns and a Merlin.

28th Mar

The very cold north-east wind was even stronger today and limited observations even more. A Jack Snipe flying along the beach was the surprise of the morning seawatch and the juvenile Glaucous Gull was still around. Two Grey Plovers, two Mediterranean Gulls and 13 Sandwich Terns were also seen. Migrants on the land were very limited but did include two Marsh Harriers, a Short-eared Owl, a Fieldfare, a Firecrest, a Grey Wagtail, 200 Chaffinches and five Siskins.

Four Porpoise were feeding offshore.

27th Mar

The weather remains the same with fresh and cold NE winds and clear skies limiting grounded migrants but encouraging a bit of visible migration. The highlights of this mornings exercise walks were a Serin followed by a Crossbill and a Corn Bunting along with a Buzzard, six Snipe, 85 Wood Pigeons, a Grey Wagtail, 35 Chaffinches and six Siskins. Four Chiffchaffs, two Firecrests and eight Black Redstarts and a White Wagtail were also seen on the land.

The juvenile Glaucous Gull was still on the beach but offshore passage was very slow with just nine Wigeon, three Shovelers and four Sandwich Terns of interest.

The nights "nocmig" recording produced a flock of Common Scoter, five Moorhens, a Snipe and 73 Redwings.

A Porpoise and a Brown Hare were also seen.

Four Peacock butterflies were also seen in the Trapping Area.

26th Mar

Not a great deal in the bushes other than four Chiffchaffs and a Firecrest but a decent movement overhead with a Marsh Harrier, 430 Wood Pigeons and 130 Chaffinches seen. 
The sea was also quiet with just six Teal, seven Fulmars, two Mediterranean Gulls, a Little Gull and seven Sandwich Terns of note.

A 3.33hr "nocmig" session recorded a Grey Heron, two Mallard, two Teal and 38 Redwings.

Two Porpoises were seen offshore.

25th Mar

A day of quality rather than quantity. The highlights on the land were a Red Kite, two Buzzards, a Marsh Harrier, a Wood Lark and a Serin along with five Firecrests in the trapping area and the first Yellow Wagtail of the spring also flew east along the beach. Seawatching produced 401 Brent Goose, a Garganey, 12 Shoveler, six Pintails, six Eider, a Little Gull, two Mediterranean Gulls and 12 Sandwich Terns. The Glaucous Gull also gave brilliant views.

We also ran the "nocmig" recorder last night. The number of registrations was very small but did include a Teal and two Coot of note.

Glaucous Gull Larus hyperboreus   juvenile   Dungeness   25th March 2020

Four Porpoises were feeding offshore.

24th Mar

The first day of full Coronavirus lockdown and the Dungeness estate has been officially closed to visitors by EDF. Needless to say it was very quiet. Hopefully I'll be allowed back in if I have to cross the line.

This means that for the next few weeks coverage is going to be rather different to the level that we have got used to in recent years. Officially we are restricted to one "exercise" walk a day. My walk is therefore quite long but as there are virtually no visitors it is easy to avoid contact with anyone else. Between us we are endeavoring to cover at least an early morning seawatch and a good check of the land.

Another effect of the lockdown is that the building work inside the Observatory has been abandoned for the time being and means that we have no idea when we will be able to offer accommodation again even when the restrictions have been lifted.

Seawatching today produced 1000 Brent Geese, five Shelducks, 20 Shovelers, 567 Common Scoters, five Red-breasted Mergansers, five Little Gulls, 163 Sandwich Terns and the first three Common Terns of the spring. The juvenile Glaucous Gull was also still present. 

The check of the land revealed two Common Snipe, a Redshank, six Chiffchaffs, a Firecrest, six Black Redstarts, six Stonechats and two Wheatears.

Black Redstart Phoenicurus ochrurus   Dungeness   24th March 2020

Stonechat  Saxicola rubicola   Dungeness   24th March 2020

Two Porpoises were feeding offshore.

The "micro-moth" Esperia sulphurella was found in the Observatory garden.

Esperia sulphurella   Dungeness   24th March 2020

23rd Mar

There was a trickle of birds of moving east offshore with four Garganey of particular note and back up provided by 13 Shovelers, 48 Red-throated Divers, four Grey Plovers, six Ringed Plovers, four Mediterranean Gulls and three Sandwich Terns.
There was also a handful of migrants on the land with a Jack Snipe, four Common Snipe, five Chiffchaffs, a Long-tailed Tit, four Firecrests, ten Redwings and a Mistle Thrush of note.

Four Porpoises were feeding offshore. 

The next few weeks look like being fairly difficult times for us. The Dungeness Estate will be effectively locked down and for the most part will only be covered by three or four observers and that limited to "exercise walks". Obviously the Observatory will be completely out of bounds to visitors for the time being.

22nd Mar

A handful of migrants on the land included a Jack Snipe, five Chiffchaffs and ten Redwings. The juvenile Glaucous Gull was still feeding offshore but movement included seven Shoveler, seven Black-tailed Godwit and just two Sandwich Terns.

One Porpoise was seen offshore.

21st Mar

A cold and windy day. The juvenile Glaucous Gull was still present and three Firecrests were seen in the bushes. The sea was very quiet although 18 Shovelers, 13 Red-breasted Mergansers and 293 Gannets did pass east in the morning.

Elsewhere, a Yellow Wagtail and 14 White Wagtails were seen at the dung heap along Dengemarsh Road, several Sand Martins were seen around the area and two Cattle Egrets were seen around Pigwell Farm.

20th Mar

A miserable day of cold, strong NE winds and fairly constant rain. The Short-toed Treecreeper was reportedly seen in the early morning but I am not aware of any sightings later in the day. The Glaucous Gull was also feeding along the surf line again. Commoner migrants included a Firecrest, two Wheatears and a White Wagtail.
The "nocmig" recorder produced 63 Redwings.

Two Porpoises were feeding offshore and two Brown Hares were seen at the fishing boats.