12/04/2026

Some of the 1,000+ Gannets that moved East on Saturday morning

Saturday was probably the best sea watch so far this year, though it was all but done and dusted by 09.00, 

Considering there was over 3,000 birds logged there was very little variety, a few Skuas, 1,000+ Sandwich Terns and Gannets with 100s of Common Scoter and a lone Red-necked grebe in the afternoon. Today provided some more Skuas and some Manx Shearwaters but little else.

On the land an increase in Swallows and Painted Ladies. The Large Tortoiseshell was still by the Long Pits today. 

On the reserve 5+ Water Pipits, a few Avocets, 3+ Little Ringed Plovers and Ruff, all the usual Warblers are now in, Bearded Tits can be readily seen and heard and a Bittern at Dengemarsh is calling regularly.

Dark phase Arctic Skua

Pale phase Arctic Skua

Some of the 100s of Common Scoter that East on Saturday morning

Dutch training vessel the Thalassa coming inshore for some shelter from the strong winds

Avocets on Hayfield 1

There was an arrival of Painted Ladies onto the Peninsula this weekend

09/04/2026

A shift in the wind and very poor air quality made for an uninspiring sea watches today, however the warmer temperatures made it a little more comfortable. 

Richard did a complete circuit of the reserve but was unable to find any new birds there.

A cycle ride to the back of Scotney found reasonable numbers of Tree Sparrows, along with good numbers of Yellow Wagtails, Corn Buntings, Reed Buntings and Skylarks.

Yellow Wagtail at Scotney

Black-necked Grebe at Sconey

Raven with a full crop at Scotney, the young have all fledged from the nest.

2 Woodlarks were found by the railway this afternoon, my photographic efforts on this very scarce bird at Dungeness were disastrous.

A Lesser Swallow Prominent the highlight from my VC15 trap last night, less than annual for me.

08/04/2026

 Most of today was taken up with sea watching which was quite fruitful, highlights being a very early first Pomarine Skua of the spring, a lovely male Hen Harrier going out to sea, 100s of Scoter and Sandwich Terns, also my first Black-throated Diver of the year. The land was fairly quiet, though a Common Redstart was trapped in The Moat. 

A quick check at Scotney saw an increase in Yellow Wagtails, several Reed Warblers in the ditches, Corn Buntings and Tree Sparrows. 

The first Chough to have occurred at Dungeness, albeit from the Dover reintroduction scheme. Shame about having to watch it looking straight into the sun.

One of at least 2 Black Redstarts behind the sea watch hide

One of several Yellow Wagtails at Scotney today

07/04/2026

A Ring Ouzel that was trapped in The Moat early this morning by the DBO ringing team

A party of 5 Velvet Scoters moving East past the sea watch hide this morning

Spring sea watching picked up a little today, the highlight being 7 White-beaked Dolphins moving East, a full list below.

This Gannet appeared to have a very large fish head stuck in its throat, after much head shaking it eventually freed itself.

The first Common Whitethroats, Reed Warblers and House Martins were seen today, though the land was generally fairly quiet.

2 Little Ringed Plovers on hayfield 1 

Redshank at Dengemarsh 

Corn Bunting at Galloways

05/04/2026

Sea watching these last few days has been tediously slow, though I'm ever hopeful it will be better this week.

On the land a small trickle of Swallows today, plenty of Sedge Warblers but still no Garganey on or around the reserve, just a single Little Ringed Plover on the Boulderwall flood albeit briefly. Usually by the end of March there are Yellow Wagtails at Scotney but still none today. At least the Water Pipits are quite reliable at Dengemarsh. Surely with some easterlies forecast for this week passerines will arrive.

The first Great Skua of the spring, hopefully plenty more to come.

There has been a trickle of Willow Warblers through this weekend

Willow Warbler

02/04/2026

Another day of northerly winds produced another very poor sea watch and very few new migrants on the land,  a very small number of Willow Warblers, Chiffchaffs and Blackcaps were trapped. 5 Black-necked Grebes were still on the ARC also 5 Goldeneye. The Whooper Swans are still hanging on at Jurys Gap but still no Yellow Wagtails around Scotney, most of the wildfowl has left there with just a handful of Wigeon and Teal remaining also a Green Sandpiper.

At Dengemarsh a Bittern was booming, Bearded Tits were pinging allround, a Kingfisher was using the road pins to fish from and at least 4 Water Pipits were there but as usual quite mobile.

Water Pipit

Water Pipit

Water Pipits

Water Pipit

Whooper Swans

31/03/2026

Sea watching continues to be a fruitless persuit, maybe improvement in the next few days.

On the land the highlight was a newly arrived male Ring Ouzel which I missed due to my being a little too laid back about it🙄. There were 5 Black-necked Grebes on the ARC though always distant, a Spoonbill visited Dengemarsh where the Water Pipits continue to be seen on and off. A couple of Blackcaps and a Willow Warbler were trapped and ringed but very little else. The family of 3 Whooper Swans continue to feed on and around the Jurys Gap sandpit, good numbers of Corn Buntings were seen there.

Whooper Swans at the Sandpit

Corn buntings at the Sandpit

2 of the 5 Black-necked Grebes at the ARC

 

29/03/2026

Sea watching at Dungeness the last 3 days in the cold NW winds has been pitiful with absolutely nothing of note seen, while our friends the other side of the channel at Cap Gris-nez and Sangatte have been loving life with excellent sea watches.   

Linnet and Wheatear  behind the sea watch hide

It seems every year I get excited when a few Wheatears, Chiffchaffs, Firecrests and Hirundines arrive in late March, when I know that not a great deal happens before the 3rd week of April🙄. The first Sedge Warblers and Blackcaps have been singing on the reserve, the first Willow Warbler was heard at the Long Pits today but it is barely a trickle of migrants. Highlights have been a Black-necked Grebe on Burrowes, several Water Pipits around the reserve and a flyover Common Crane. The family of 3 Whooper Swans were still in the fields by the sand pit on the 27th.
 

A Skylark over Kennys Field

Ravens at Dengemarsh

White Wagtail on the new Boulderwall flood

Avocets at the ARC from Hanson

26/03/2026

With a stiff NNW wind blowing and only 2º, it wasn't surprising that I was on my own at the sea watch hide for a the poorest sea watch of the year. When I left the hide I joined Dave Bunney for a chat and a warming cup of tea, sitting in the sun staring out across the shingle not seeing any wheatears, though an hour later there was c20 of them along the beach.

I went to the DMG and found a minimum of 10 newly arrived Wheatears but very little else.

Wheatears around the DMG

Wheatears around the DMG

 

A Raven giving a Common Buzzard grief at Dengemarsh

While I was at Dengemarsh news from Ray O'reilley that there was a Hooded Crow near the VC but no sign by the time I arrived.

The family of 3 Whooper Swans at the old sand pit Jurys Gap

A late afternoon stroll up to the Water Tower was rewarded by a phone call from Richard telling me that there was a Crane circling high over Burrowes, when I eventually locked onto the bird it was over Kerton Road heading for Lade where I lost it in the haze.

The Lesser Whitethroat still present for its 87th day but becoming very elusive