14/08/2024

A lovely Nightingale trapped by Tom in the TA this morning. Sad to remember just a few years ago Nightingales bred around the peninsular.

A hot walk around the Long Pits and TA this morning found a female Redstart, c30 Willow Warblers, also several Lesser Whitethroats and Blackcaps but Common Whitethroats were very few and far between, a Curlew flew over and a Great Spotted Woodpecker was heard.

An impressive Eyed Hawkmoth caterpillar in the TA

I could only a few Autumns Ladies Tresses in the TA today

 

A White Stork from the Knepp re-wilding project made a visit to Dungeness today, settling on Burrowes Pit on the RSPB reserve. It was bearing blue Darvic ring GB87, also a backpack transmitter. Although not technically a wild bird it is still an impressive sight.

The only successful seabird breeding on the ARC 2 Common Tern chicks and a single Avocet chick, not a great return for all the money spent on island creation and sea bird rafts.

This afternoon 10 Garganey could be seen from Hanson but just the odd Dunlin, Ringed and Little Ringed Plover and Common Sandpiper, with usual wildfowl and Herons.

A female Gypsy Moth that I found by the trap in my garden, they are apparently flightless so presumably confirms breeding on the peninsular.