25-27/05/2026

Sedge Warbler fledglings at the Boulderwall Flood

 With no sea watching at the moment, I have been taking early morning walks from the ARC to Dengemarsh. The morning light across the Boulderwall Flood has been superb likewise at Dengemarsh. 

At Boulderwall there has been a surprisingly elusive Wood Sandpiper, 2-3 pairs of Little Ringed Plovers, 

at least 2 pairs of Avocets, several each of nesting Lapwing, Redshanks and Oystercatchers all seemingly being successful 😊 there are plenty of Hirundines over the pools and Reed beds. Surprises are still coming, todays surprise was a female Montagu's Harrier found hunting over The Desert late morning by Josh, not the news I wanted to here as I walked around the local garden centre with Sally, fortunately it was slow moving North and I caught up with it over the fields to the north of Cockles Bridge where distant hazy views were had.

Female Montagu's Harrier. Images courtesy of Graham Parry

I couldn't resist snapping this posing Common Whitethroat

All along the track to Dengemarsh the warblers are singing, Stonechats and Linnets on the Bramble and Gorse. In the reed beds Reed and Sedge Warblers along with Bearded Tits, Marsh Harriers and regular sightings of Bitterns, now that the hot weather has arrived most of the Hobbys have moved onto there breeding grounds.

One of several Lesser Whitethroats singing along the track to Dengemarsh

The elusive Wood Sandpiper on Boulderwall flood yesterday

Common Terns from Dengemarsh Hide, c20 birds have taken up residence on the new Tern rafts here

Redshanks with 4 chicks on the Boulderwall Flood

Whimbrel on the Scotney Sward

A cycle ride around the Scotney complex last night found good numbers of Yellow Wagtails and Corn Buntings, some Tree Sparrows, Ravens and a couple of Peregrines but sadly no Barn Owls, i'm hoping that due to the cold weather they were late laying so aren't feeding young yet. A late Whimbrel on the sward was a surprise as was an appearance of a Little Owl.

Yellow Wagtails

Little Owl 

Four-spotted Chaser at the ARC

The ARC is relatively disappointing at the moment as most the nesting Black-headed Gulls along with the Avocets all abandoned in one night, I'm guessing due to predators (Fox, Badger, Heron etc)

A Norfolk Hawker at the ARC just wouldn't pose for me in the open

24/05/2026

Standout highlight of the weekend was the Greenish Warbler found by Jacob this morning which is a Dungeness ✅ for me and for most of the Dunge regulars.

An arrival of Honey Buzzards late morning involving 4-5 birds, also 2 Red kites and 2 White Storks. Early afternoon 2 Bee-eaters arrived and lingered long enough for all those turned to see.

Greenish Warbler in the trapping area

Greenish Warbler

 

One of the 2 Bee-eaters that spent an hour or so at Kerton Road this afternoon

The 2 Honey Buzzards that came over my house late this morning

One of at least 3 Redshank chicks on the Boulderwall Flood today, also probably 2 pairs of Little Ringed Plover, a Wood sandpiper and a drake Garganey there. Nearby a Bittern gave a flyby and several Hobbys.

White Stork from the garden yesterday

A Hobby at the ARC a couple of days ago

8 of a family of 10 Bearded Tits at the ramp yesterday

Great-crested Grebes on the Boulderwall flood yesterday

Bittern over the Boulderwall Flood yesterday

                                                      A well fed Peregrine at Scotney

A well fed Peregrine at Scotney

Many Yellow Wagtails at Scotney the other evening

21/05/2026 Calais

On Thursday myself, Chris, Jacob, Richard and Jonathan went on a day trip to the Calais area, it is always great to go there but it does make me realise how nature depleted we are in the UK. At one small marsh we saw several Marsh Warblers, a flock of 6 Cuckoo's, Turtle Doves, Honey Buzzards, Bluethroat, Short-toed Treecreepers, Spotted Flycatchers and lots more. At another site more Honey Buzzards, Melodious Warblers, along with lots of the common warblers and finches, it seems everywhere you stop there are birds and parking seems to be free. At Oye Plage Zitting Cisticolas were plentiful, also a couple of Icterine Warblers, Grasshopper Warblers, Stilts, Black-necked Grebes, Kentish Plovers, a Montagu's Harrier and lots more. We even made it back to the observatory in time to see the Red-breasted Flycatcher go to roost.

A singing White-spotted Bluethroat

At least 8 Honey Buzzards were noted on this trip

Singing Melodious Warbler

A Swallowtail Butterfly

Spotted Flycatcher

Marsh Harrier

Lots of Zitting Cisticolas on the coastal strip

A 2nd calendar year Montagu's Harrier was probably the biggest surprise of the day

Spoonbill

16-17/05/2026

A sea watch this morning produced 8 Manx Shearwaters and an Arctic Skua of note,

A fairly quiet weekend on the peninsula with little new to be seen, 4-5 brief Spotted Fycatchers were about as good as it got.

Great-crested Grebe feeding chicks on the Boulderwall Flood

Struggling to swallow the fish

Try again 

Success on its way down

 Spoonbill and Garganey on the ARCSpoonbill on the ARC

Spoonbill over Boulderwall

Drake Garganey at the ARC

These 2 Wigeon were a surprise on the ARC this morning, the first I have seen for several weeks.