07/07/2026

An hours sea watch from the hide this morning was as expected very poor, the upside was the very pleasant sea breeze. The highlight was this quite far out juvenile Yellow-legged Gull my first of the autumn.

Juvenile Yellow-legged Gull off shore with 3 Herring Gulls

I could only find 3 Hummingbird Hawkmoths along the east facing perimeter wall, most of any nectaring plants have shrivelled up in the heat and wind.

There was very little news from the reserve and surrounding area apart from the elusive female Garganey still present on the ARC.

A juvenile Corn Bunting at Scotney

There were lots of Corn Buntings and Yellow Wagatils at the back of Scotney but no sound of any Quail.

A juvenile Yellow Wagtail at Scotney

A Bright Wave just about annual in my trap this morning

Syncopacma larseniella apparently only the second Greater Dungeness area record was in my trap last Friday. Many thanks to Sean Clancy for sorting the ID.

05/07/2026

The superb Caspian Tern at Dengemarsh from Springfield Bridge for its 5th day. It spends much more time sitting on a distant island on Burrowes, so sometimes a long wait to see it at Dengemarsh, the views make the wait worthwhile.

Caspian Tern preparing to dive into Dengemarsh

Emerging from the lake after its dive

Just a Cow chilling in Dengemarsh lake

7 stunning Icelandic Black-tailed Godwits from Hanson, some Little Ringed Plovers there and gemale Garganey.

 

Small Red Eyed Damselfly from Hanson

One of many stunning Yellow Wagtails at the back of Scotney

Scotneys seemingly resident Spoonbill

Emperor Dragonfly, a new visitor to my moth trap

A good turn out for the DBO Moth event. A superb number and range of Moth species were shown and photographed. Many thanks to all who came and to the locals fro bringing there traps.

Rose Plume a gorgeous moth.

Leopard Moth, another stunner

02/07/2026

After doing the moth traps early morning I made my way to the reserve where the Caspian Tern was still loitering on the islands from Dennis's picnic site, it frequently went on fishing forays over to the ARC, Boulderwall, Lydd Fields and Dengemarsh but always came back to Burrowes eventually. At one stage I could see my house and the the Tern in the same field of view, apparently that is not allowed as a garden tick. There were pulses of Sand Martins pushing South West all day, also a few pulses of Swifts. Apart from the Tern there was not a great deal to see avian wise.

 

27/06-01/07/2026

One of the Quail that I found at Scotney. This excellent image courtesy of Graham Parry taken in near darkness. The Tree Sparrows seem to have had a very good season so far, I counted 100+ and it looks like they are having another brood. Also young Yellow Wagtails and Wheatears there with lost of Corn Buntings. Each evening I have been seeing a Hobby hunting at last light suggesting its breeding nearby.

Spoonbill in its usual pose on the western back lake, plenty of Herring Gull chicks there but no Avocets or

terns.

  Kentish Plover at Lade Sands yesterday, another excellent find by Jacob

Caspian Tern found by Gary Johnson which frequented Burrowes most of the day, image taken from the Dennis's picnic area.

One of several Six Belted Clearwing at the ARC

A few moths from last nights catch

Small Marbled

Sussex Emerald

July Highflyer

27/06/2026

Persistence paid off when a Quail started calling at the back of Scotney Farm last evening. A short video of it calling in the background. You will need to turn your volume up.
 

Whilst I was trying to record the Quail this Barn Owl came past behind me.

There were several young Yellow Wagtails present, also 2 young Wheatears 

The Spoonbill on  the Western back pit last evening

Little Owl in the fast fading light last evening

A Lunar Hornet Clearwing that came to a pheremone lure in my garden

This Horehound Plume was a huge surprise in my trap, a first for Kent I'm lead to believe

The 3rd Scallop Shell this year in my trap. The last time before this year I caught one of these woodland specialists was in 2016.

A Small Purple Barred another very scarce moth on the shingle

26/06/2026

Due to the hot weather my birding has been mainly limited to evenings when its cooler. Several visits to the back of Scotney have all drawn blanks on Quail, though it was still nice to see reasonable numbers of young Yellow Wagtails out there, also a juvenile Wheatear there, the Tree Sparrows seem to be having an OK breeding season and both Peregrine and Raven were successful. The only notable was the Spoonbill that is coming and going to Scotney.

Little Egret from Firth

Spoonbill at Scotney

One of the local Swallows 

 Myself, Owen, Colin and John visited Orlestone today to look for Purple Emporer and failed unsurprisingly in the very high temperatures. I think all the Butterflys were looking for shade by 09.30 so few were seen, I dare say we will have another try in the very near future.

Marbled White

Brimstone

White Admiral

Purple Hairstreak