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24th Sep
A Cattle Egret flying over the trapping area was the highlight of an otherwise fairly quiet day. Grounded migrants included 50 Chiffchaffs, a Firecrest and a Pied Flycatcher while 65 Swallows, two Yellow Wagtails, three Grey Wagtails, 218 Meadow Pipits and 71 Siskins flew over. Two Gadwall, 23 Wigeon, three Teal, six Mediterranean Gulls, three Little Gulls and two Arctic Terns were seen offshore.
Two Porpoise were seen offshore.
Two adult Mediterranean Stick-insects were found around the Observatory garden.
The American Golden Plover was back in the stubble field at Jury's Gap and at least four Glossy Ibis were seen on the RSPB Reserve.
23rd Sep
A cold north-easterly wind brought a trickle of birds heading west offshore including 26 Brent Geese, 28 Wigeon, 90 Teal and three Mediterranean Gulls and also 60 Kittiwakes and four Arctic Skuas feeding offshore. A Grey Plover, two Great White Egrets, another flock of four Glossy Ibis, 90 Swallows, two Yellow Wagtails, two Grey Wagtails, 580 Meadow Pipits, two Tree Pipits and 130 Siskins flew over while a small number of migrants in the bushes included 35 Chiffchaffs, two Goldcrests and a Whinchat.
Three Porpoises and a Grey Seal were seen offshore.
Barry Banson Farewell.
There will be an informal get-together in memory of Barry at the Dungeness Bird Observatory on Tuesday 30th September at 2.30 pm.
Please RSPV so we have an idea of numbers.
We look forward to seeing you.
22nd Sep
A Brent Goose, 17 Shelduck, 31 Wigeon, four Mediterranean Gulls and six Arctic Skuas were seen offshore. A Willow Warbler and 50 Chiffchaffs were in the bushes and a Yellow Wagtail, three Grey Wagtails, 200 Meadow Pipits, a Redpoll and nine Siskins flew over.
The stubble field at Jury's Gap continues to provide excitement with a Buff-breasted Sandpiper joining the American Golden Plover and large numbers of Golden Plovers.
21st Sep
A very breezy night gave way to a calm and bright morning and a small arrival migrants including 100 Chiffchaffs, a Firecrest, two Redstarts and nine Wheatears while the invasion of Glossy Ibis continued with a flock of nine birds flying out to sea. Eight Buzzards, three Yellow Wagtails, a Grey Wagtail and 30 Siskin flew over and the Red-backed Shrike was still present. The sea was fairly quiet with just ten Mediterranean Gulls, an adult Yellow-legged Gull, a Great Skua, seven Arctic Skuas and two Red-throated Divers being seen.
Three Porpoises and a Grey Seal were feeding offshore.
An Asian Hornet was seen feeding at Ivy flowers in the garden of Southview Cottage and three Mottled Shieldbugs were seen at the Lighthouse Garden.
The American Golden Plover was still in the massive stubble field at Jury's Gap.
20th Sep
There was another large movement of hirundines throughout the day with final totals of 1010 Sand Martins, 14,500 Swallows and 4750 House Martins as well as seven Grey Wagtails, five Tree Pipits, 31 Siskins and 12 Reed Buntings. There was also a large arrival of migrants in the bushes which included four Willow Warblers, 250 Chiffchaffs, 140 Blackcaps, a Firecrest, five Song Thrushes and three Spotted Flycatchers and the Red-backed Shrike was still present. Seawatching was also decent with two Glossy Ibis west and the Grey Phalarope still offshore along with 86 Bar-tailed Godwits, 25 Knot, nine Mediterranean Gulls, two Little Terns, three Great Skuas, 30 Arctic Skuas, six Manx Shearwaters, a Balearic Shearwater and a Shag.
A Vestal, a Lesser Treble-bar, a Palpita vitrealis and two Cydalima perspectalis were of note from the moth traps and a Western Conifer Seed-bug was also found.
The American Golden Plover was still showing at Jury's Gap.
19th Sep
Despite the wind dropping the sea was still good value with a Grey Phalarope, seven Sooty Shearwaters and 67 Manx Shearwaters of note along with six Shoveler, a Pintail, 18 Ringed Plovers, 16 Dunlin, 129 Kittiwakes, a Little Gull, a Black Tern, two Great Skuas and 36 Arctic Skuas. There was another emergence of flying ants in the evening which attracted a large flock of gulls and including at least 50 Mediterranean Gulls. Hirundines passed through for much of the day and gathered in large numbers in the afternoon with a conservative estimate of 1030 Sand Martins, 25,000 Swallows and 900 House Martins. Other birds passing overhead included 13 Yellow Wagtails, 14 Grey Wagtails, a Tree Pipit and 20 Siskins. There was also a small arrival on the land with three Willow Warblers, 65 Chiffchaffs, 50 Blackcaps, four Goldcrests, a Redstart and four Whinchats. The Red-backed Shrike showed again.
Two Porpoises and five Grey Seals were feeding offshore.
The moth traps were quite productive with a Cypress Pug, a Vestal, a Radford's Flame Shoulder and a Beautiful Marbled of note. Two Clouded Yellows were also seen.
The American Golden Plover was still with European Golden Plovers at Jury's Gap.
18th Sep
A damp, breezy morning continued to provide some decent seawatching with singles of both Leach's and Storm Petrel of particular note along with 101 Kittiwakes, a Little Gull, two Mediterranean Gulls, 365 Sandwich Terns, three Black Terns, 16 Arctic Skuas, two Sooty Shearwaters, 31 Manx Shearwaters, nine Balearic Shearwaters and 471 Gannets. It was fairly quiet on the land with two Willow Warblers, 37 Chiffchaffs, a Redstart and a Whinchat about the best on offer.
Three Porpoises and two Grey Seals were feeding offshore and a Brown Hare was seen on the land.
A large Common Toad was seen iin the trapping area.
Elsewhere, the adult American Golden Plover was still with the Golden Plovers at Jury's Gap.
17th Sep
Strong winds yet again meant a massive seawatching stint from dawn until near dusk. The highlights of the day were a near continuous movement of Sooty Shearwaters and ending with our second best-ever day count of 351 birds west and also another four Storm Petrels. Other seabirds were relatively scarce again with the 12hr watch producing just a Grey Plover, two Golden Plovers, 19 Bar-tailed Godwits, 26 Knot, three Curlew Sandpipers, (rare off here and with a small party of Bar-tailed Godwits), three Black Terns, 315 Common Terns, 436 Sandwich Terns, four Little Gulls, 98 Kittiwakes, ten Mediterranean Gulls, 43 Arctic Skuas, a Great Skua, 11 Manx Shearwaters and two Balearic Shearwaters and 791 Gannets. Four Little Terns and two Yellow-legged Gulls were also feeding offshore. Passage overhead included two Hobbies, 2081 Swallows and seven Yellow Wagtails. A Spotted Flycatcher and 30 Chiffchaffs were seen in the trapping area.
Three Porpoises and two Grey Seals were feeding offshore.
Elsewhere, the adult American Golden Plover was seen at Jury's Gap just over the border into East Sussex.
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