25/06/2025

Sea watching is still rather poor with Mediterranean Gulls and Gannets making the bulk of the birds seen, with a few Terns and the odd Arctic Skua, Manx Shearwater and Fulmar.

Blue-headed/Channel Wagtail

Another evening spent on Walland Marsh primarily hoping to see Barn Owls but failed miserably, this time last year I was seeing several each evening out hunting for their young, none so far this spring/summer. There were plenty of Yellow Wagtails, Corn buntings and Tree Sparrows as recompense. 

presumed offspring of Blue-headed/Channel Wagtail

Young flavissima Wagtails

Adult male Flavissima Wagtail

Corn Bunting

Tree Sparrows

Black-tailed Godwit and Avocet from Firth today

On the reserve  Burrowes is fairly quiet as is Dengemarsh, though the young Common terns at the latter are great entertainment. Hopefully soon the nesting Common Terns, Avocets and Ringed Plovers at the ARC from Hanson will hatch. Hayfield 1 is still wet so looks good for migrating waders to drop in, there were 2 Common Sandpipers from Hanson yesterday.

Feed me!

Adult and soon to be flying Common Tern from Dengemarsh Hide

Norfolk Hawker by the track to Hanson Hide

A gorgeous Small Marbled, a first for my trap

Sussex Emerald is not always annual in my trap, though they are usually fairly tatty when they when they do arrive like this one. 

A Pretty Chalk Carpet was another first for my trap

Plutella xylostella a very common micro moth in my trap

23/06/2025

Wood Sandpiper from Hanson this morning, no sign this evening

Only 1 Little Gull at the ARC from Hanson this morning, this evening 2 were present

 The Avocets, Ringed Plovers and Lapwing are all still sitting from Hanson, also this morning thr female Red-crested Pochard reappeared with a duckling. Common Tern numbers are building with some nesting, the usual wildfowl are loafing around at the moment while numbers of Sand martins are building and passing through. Burrowes, the Hayfields and Christmas dell were all fairly quiet today, though Hayfield 1 is looking much better with more water being pumped in. It seems that the sea was predictably quiet.

Six Belted Clearwing over the lure

Six Belted Clearwing

                                                               Six Belted Clearwing

Several Six Belted Clearwing

2 male Four-spotted Footman were in the top of the trap this morning but little else in there

Zeiraphera insertana new for my trap probably overlooked

Gynnidomorpha alismana new for my trap probably overlooked

20/06/2025

The birding is as expected this time of year very quiet, though with the light evenings it means I'm out till late, by the time I get home I can barely keep my eyes open, so its shower and bed and  no blog updates.

This Channel Wagtail has taken up territory on Walland Marsh chasing off any Flavissima males that stray into its territory.

This female Yellow Wagtail was very photogenic often calling to her mate

I've spent a couple of evenings out on Walland around 4 usual Barn Owl nest sites but not yet seen a single Owl, I'm hoping they are all still sitting on eggs delayed by the cold spring.

This is the first Bittern I have seen since April, it came out of Christmas Dell and dropped into Denge Marsh, it seems likely that the Bitterns have failed to breed successfully this year  probably due to the poor spring weather. 

The usual build up of Pochard on the ARC has started, this nasal banded individual has been seen for at least the last 3 years. Also on there is still at least 1 Little Gull, 5 pairs of Avocets, the Red-crested Pochard with its remaining duckling, a drake Garganey, several pairs of Common Terns, at least 2 pairs of Ringed Plovers and a pair of Lapwings all nesting, plus all the usual wildfowl and raptors.

Drake Shoveler going into eclipse

Drake Garganey going into eclipse

Common Tern

This Orange-tailed Clearwing came to a lure in my garden and was the first record in the Dungeness area.

This is the 2nd Currant Clearwing to a lure in my garden

Lunar Hornet Clearwing in the trapping area

A Hoary Footman is probably the best moth to my MV so far this year

15/06/2025

At the ARC there are now 7 Avocets sitting, the Red-crested Pochard is still hanging on to the last surviving duckling from her brood, a few pairs of Common Terns look as though they are now sitting and the 2 Little Gulls are still present. The reserve is fairly quiet which is to be expected this time of year, the same goes for the sea watching. 

Norfolk Hawker at the ARC today

Broad Bodied Chaser at the ARC today a rare dragon on the peninsular

 

A lovely Cherry Bark Tortrix, from todays catch but refused to let me photograph it properly

Bordered Straw from Yesterdays catch

Pine Hawkmoth from Yesterdays catch

I found this Gypsy Moth caterpillar by my trap yesterday

Owens moth of the year so far a Concolourous very rare at Dungeness

13/06/2025

Yesterdays Serin that most of the day around The Moat but was still very elusive

 

The Black Redstarts are regularly behind the sea watch gathering food for their young

A posing Meadow Pipit by the beach car park yesterday

Corn Buntings in the field in front my house

This morning while going through a very disappointing catch of moths considering how mild and still the weather was last night, I realised how lucky I am to able to listen to Corn and Reed Buntings singing, Yellow Wagtails calling, Reed, Sedge and Cetti's Warblers singing along with the common garden birds, Swallows, House Martins, Swifts, Hobbys, Sparrowhawks etc all without leaving my front garden.

Yellow Wagtail in the field in front my house