10th April

Most of the day was spent seawatching where there was a pretty good easterly movement of birds for several hours. The dominant species in terms of numbers were 939 Brent Goose, 1439 Common Scoters, 1200 Sandwich Terns and 223 Common Terns whilst two Little Terns and seven Arctic Terns were new for the year. Other significant birds included seven Pintails, 31 Shovelers, two Velvet Scoters, singles of Black-throated and Great Northern Divers, a Knot, four Whimbrel, five Arctic Skuas and ten Mediterranean Gulls.

Dark-bellied Brent Geese Branta bernicula   Dungeness   10th April 2016

There was also a surprising occurrence when a flock of Brent Geese passed so close to the shore that one managed to catch itself on a fishing line. A dash down the beach rescued the bird no damage done so it was ringed and then released 

Dark-bellied Brent Goose   Branta bernicula   Dungeness   10th April 2016

The numbers of birds on the land were generally very low but not without quality with a male Pied Flycatcher and two Redstarts at the Long Pits, at least six Blackcaps and three 'Continental' Coal Tits being seen.

Pied Flycatcher Ficedula hypoleuca   Dungeness   10th April 2016   

Seven Porpoises were feeding offshore and a Stoat was seen at the Long Pits.

News also came through in the afternoon of a White Stork which flew over the RSPB Reserve and headed away in a westerly direction.

9th April

A day of pretty miserable weather meant that nearly all the interest was offshore where 6.75hrs of seawatching produced an easterly movement which included 456 Brent Geese, three Velvet Scoters, a Red-breasted Mergansers, two Black-throated Divers, two Sooty Shearwaters (very unusual at this time of year), two Manx Shearwaters, 26 Fulmars, 198 Gannets, five Arctic and 15 Great Skuas, 441 Sandwich Terns and 21 Common Terns. 

Five Porpoises and a Brown Hare were also seen. 

8th April

A bright and sunny day with just a small number of migrants on the land and overhead and very little on the sea. Two Buzzards, five Swallows, a Sand Martin, 125 Linnets and six Siskins flew through whilst four Firecrests, 12 Willow Warblers, four Blackcaps and the first Whitethroat of the year were of note in the bushes.
An evening seawatch produced two Great Skuas but not much else was seen offshore during the day.

At least seven Porpoises were feeding offshore but sadly another individual was found dead on the beach at the Midrips - the third to be found in less than two weeks.

Elsewhere, there has been very little change around the pits this week. The Black-necked and Slavonian Grebes continue to show ell on New Diggings and the odd Great White Egret is still lingering. A juvenile/first-winter Iceland Gull was seen at Scotney on 5th. Two Smew continue to be seen on one of the pools next to the entrance track.to the RSPB Reserve. A few Sedge Warblers and Yellow Wagtails can be seen around the peninsula.

7th April

Another cold and breezy morning with very little moving on the sea and small numbers of migrants on the land although a Hooded Crow was seen with the Carrion Crows on the beach. Of the few other bits that were around another 'Continental' Coal Tit, four Firecrests, nine Willow Warblers and three Blackcaps were of note. Three Mediterranean Gulls were feeding at the Patch and another two birds flew east.

At least two Porpoises were feeding offshore but sadly another freshly dead individual was was washed up on the beach this morning. This is the second to do so in the last ten days. A Weasel was also seen at the Long Pits.

6th April

With a strong and cold westerly wind blowing for much of the day there was very little to be seen. A handful of Chiffchaffs and Willow Warblers and a couple of Firecrests were seen in the bushes. 

5th April

After a fairly slow start birds seemed to arrive throughout the morning with decent finals total including ten Firecrests, 20 Goldcrests, 70 Willow Warblers, 40 Chiffchaffs, four Blackcaps and four Redstarts. A Serin was heard as it flew over the Observatory and raptors were much in evidence with a Red Kite, four Buzzards and at least one non-resident Peregrine Falcon in the area. A Yellow Wagtail and two Sand Martins were also new for the year and a Great Spotted Woodpecker and two 'Continental' Coal Tits were seen briefly in the Old Lighthouse garden.

Redstart Phoenicurus phoenicurus   Dungeness    5th April 2016

The sea was very disappointing with just two Little Gulls, a Mediterranean Gull and 106 Sandwich Terns of interest..

Moth trapping provided 15 individuals of five species including this Twin-spotted Quaker. Although generally widespread and common we do not catch this speecies very often.

Twin-spotted Quaker   Orthosia munda    Dungeness    5th April 2016

4th April

After a night of thunderstorms it was hoped there might be a few grounded migrants about and by the end of the day some reasonable totals had been seen including 15 Firecrests, 26 Goldcrests and 18 Chiffchaffs along with a Willow Warbler and three Blackcaps. A party of five 'Continental' Coal Tits also flew through along with four Siskins and 90 Linnets.

Offshore passage was pretty good during the morning but had more or less finished by mid-morning. There were notable counts of 1100 Brent Geese, three Eiders, 829 Common Scoters, 17 Red-breasted Mergansers, 125 Red-throated and two Black-throated Divers, the first two Whimbrels of the year, three Arctic Skuas, 56 Little Gulls, nine Mediterranean Gulls and 307 Sandwich Terns. 

Five Porpoises and a Grey Seal were also seen.

3rd April

Most of the interest was offshore again where eight hours of watching produced 737 Brent Geese, nine Pintails, 14 Shovelers, three Eiders, 484 Common Scoters and 20 Red-breasted Mergansers, 62 Red-throated and seven Black-throated Divers, seven Arctic and three Great Skuas, 90 Little Gulls, eight Mediterranean Gulls, 490 Sandwich Terns and 23 Common Terns of note.

The bushes were fairly quiet with just four Firecrests, 13 Goldcrests, nine Chiffchaffs and a Willow Warbler whilst a Buzzard was the best of the few birds flying overhead.

Continuing the recent theme of birds of dubious origin, a Ring-necked Parakeet was also seen.

At least four Porpoises were feeding offshore.

2nd April

With a fresh southerly breeze blowing from first light there was a decent movement of birds moving mainly east offshore. Over seven hours of coverage through the day produced good totals of 654 Brent Geese, 913 Common Scoters, 22 Red-breasted Mergansers, 81 Red-throated Divers, 215 Gannets , 545 Sandwich Terns and 45 Common Terns whilst quality was provided by 14 Velvet Scoters, six Black-throated and two Great Northern Divers, a Manx Shearwater, four Arctic and four Great Skuas, 90 Little Gulls and eight Mediterranean Gulls.

There was a small arrival of migrants on the land with 33 Goldcrest, 16 Firecrests and four Willow Warblers in the bushes  Four Wheatears were seen on the beach between the road and the fishing boats

At least five Porpoises were feeding offshore.

1st April

After all the Firecrests of the last few days a total of 18 today seemed very small - in a normal year this would have been an above-average spring peak! Other grounded migrants were pretty scarce in the very clear conditions but three new 'Continental' Coal Tits were ringed and nine Goldcrests were also seen. There was a trickle of overhead passage with a Swallow, five Bramblings and five Siskins of note. 

'Continental' Coal Tit Periparus ater ater   Dungeness   1st April 2016

Seawatching was also extremely quiet but a juvenile/first-winter Iceland Gull was seen at the Patch this evening.

Eight Porpoises were feeding offshore.

Elsewhere, during the week a Tundra Bean Goose was seen at Dengemarsh, up to six Smew have been seen on the Boulderwall Pools and the two Black-necked and two Slavonian Grebes have been regularly seen on New Diggings. Of the migrants there have been a few Swallows around the various pits, the first Yellow Wagtails have been seen at Scotney and a Sedge Warbler has been singing near the Dengemarsh Hide.