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

11/06/2025

Todays highlight was this gorgeous Rose-coloured Starling found this afternoon around The Moat by Jacob.

At the ARC this morning the female Red-crested Pochard was hiding in the reeds with her ducklings, alas it would seem that she has lost one of them, the drake appears to have relocated to Denge Marsh. Also there 8 Avocets of which at least 4 are sitting on eggs, probably 2 Ringed Plovers sitting and the Lapwing still sitting, the Redshank chick is growing a pace so hopefully will survive, several miserable looking Hobbys were sitting around obviously not enjoying this mornings cool drizzly weather. A Bee-eater found by Jacob toured The Desert this morning for c15 minutes which I managed to miss due to to poor decisions by me.

 

Drake Garganey going into eclipse plumage at the ARC from Hanson this morning

Drake Garganey with a 1st Summer Little Gull and a Black-headed Gull at the ARC this morning

1st Summer Little Gull at the ARC this morning

A Water Ermine a relatively frequent visitor to my trap

10/06/2025

The Nao Santa Maria 

Apparently it is a replica of Christopher Columbus ship that crossed the Atlantic, it looked very uncomfortable on board as it made its way past Dungeness this morning, I can't imagine how bad it would be in an Atlantic storm.

Some of the very few Gannets that passed the Bouy this morning

A 2nd calendar year Hobby waiting for some Dragonflys to take to the wing at the ARC this morning

A cycle ride around the Scotney complexwas very disappointing in the strong SW wind. Apart from feral Geese there was little else to see there, a few Yellow Wagtails and Corn buntings but not much else. There was no news of note from the reserve.

A Grass Rivulet probably the scarcest moth in my trap this morning

A Puss Moth the 3rd this year so far in my trap