26-27/09/2026

Yellow-browed Warbler in the lighthouse garden early afternoon

The best part of today was spent sea watching, not a classic by any means but enough to keep me entertained. Highlights were the first returning flocks of Brent Geese and several flocks of Wigeon, Teal and Pintail along with 4 Balearic Shearwaters, 20+ Arctic Skuas several 100s of Gannets
 

Guillemot diving moments before a wipe out

The Jurys Gap American Golden Plover(centre) with Golden Plover in the ploughed field yesterday and still present today.

Dartford Warbler feeding on the sea defence rocks at The Midrips

There was plenty of water in the 2 main pools at The Midrips but not a single wader. The pools are probably very polluted from the many years as a firing range.

Wheatear at The Midrips

Curlew on the Scotney sward

24/09/2026

A very poor image of a flock of 38 Balearic Shearwaters that flew east past the hide this morning, I think it's largest flock I have seen at Dungeness. There was also between 30 & 40 Arctic Skuas harassing the large numbers of Sandwich and Common Terns feeding off shore, also 3 Black Terns and a Little Gull.

Little Gull in front the sea watch hide this morning

The Pectoral Sandpiper was again on Burrowes Pit today,. The Glossy Ibis was seen at Boulderwall but appeared to fly off NW. Apart from a Dartford Warbler, Whinchat and Wheatears there was little else reported.

Nearby the American Golden Plover was again in the ploughed field at Jury's Gap.

The local Little Owl busy watching for Beetles while ignoring me.

The gogeous Beautiful Marbled moth that was on my trap this morning

 

23/09/2026

Chiffchaff gleaning insects in the brambles

There must have been 100s of Chiffchaffs around the peninsula this morning, every stop I made they were present, all aong the cycle track to Jurys Gap every bush and patch of scrub had Chiffchaffs in, with smaller numbers of Willow Warblers, Common and Lesser Whitethroats, Blackcaps and even 3 Garden Warblers. At least 2 Hobbys and a Merlin were around Scotney, waders were  scarce with a singles of Avocet, Ruff, Spotted Redshank, Common Redshank, Greenshank and unusually a Knot.

Chiffchaff in Sea Buckthorn

A Glossy Ibis on Dengemarsh viewed from Springfield Bridge first seen and reported by RW. The 4 Black-tailed Godwits were still present at Dengemarsh and 3 Great White Egrets, little else of note seen.

Wheatear by the chicken farm

Speckled Wood along the track to Hanson

9 Pintail, 5 Great White Egrets, a Common Sandpiper a Black-tailed Godwit and a Little Gull could be seen from Hanson. Another Osprey flew out to sea early morning.

22/09/2026

The Pectoral Sandpiper at Firth yesterday afternoon moments before it flew off not to be seen again

Bass being hauled in 3 at a time for a while early morning 

A reasonable sea watch this morning despite the flat calm conditions. 14 Balearic Shearwaters, 4 Arctic Skuas, and a few dabblers moving, lots of Harbour Porpoises and the added fun of watching 4 anglers hauling the Bass and then returning them to the sea.👏
 

Another one goes back into the sea👋

A visit to Hanson this afternoon, where Richard found the elusive Garganey, 2 Little Gulls were still present along with a single Common Sandpiper, a few Pintail and Egrets but surprisingly little else. Richards report of his circuit of the main reserve was very disappointing. A Red-backed Shrike was reported this evening only a few hundred yards from house, unfortunately I was in the shower when the message came through, by the time I read it darkness was falling.

20/09/2026

The only wader on the 2 Midrips Pools was this Avocet

Another visit to The Midrips this morning where the Avocet was the only bird in the pools, also of note was a flyover Whimbrel, a Merlin chasing Linnets and a Common Buzzard on sentry duty.

Over the road in the ploughed field there were only c80 Golden Plovers there was no sign of yesterdays AGP though I'm sure it wasn't far away, a juvenile Hobby was sitting in the field, no doubt tomorrow I'll have another look. In the fields around the old sandpit there were good numbers of Starlings, Lapwing and Black-headed Gulls and Corvids with a few Mediterranean Gulls, Ruff, a Sparrowhawk, Marsh Harriers and Common Buzzards, a single Common Sandpiper was at the far end of the sandpit. On my way back home for a late breakfast I paid my regards to the local Little Owl.

The local Little Owl giving me the look!

Neil & Jan Burt found a juvenile Pectoral Sandpiper at Dengemarsh viewed distantly from Springfield Bridge which frustratingly disappeared almost as soon as they found it. This afternoon I decided to cycle to Dengemarsh for a look for it with no luck, so i moved on to Christmas Dell where I found the bird on a small island where it remained all afternoon showing to those who wanted to see it.

Pectoral Sandpiper on on one of the Christmas Dell Islands

 

19/09/2026

An American Golden Plover(centre) with European Golden Plovers at Jury's Gap today

 The reserve has been very quiet the last few days, a White-winged Black Tern was still around on the ARC today though can be very elusive, 3 Little Gulls were still present, late this afternoon a Red-necked Phalarope was found at the southern end of the ARC by James, Tom and Ollie, presumably a different bird to the long staying bird on Burrowes, viewing the southern end is always difficult due to the speed of the traffic. Sea watching has provided Balearic and Sooty Shearwaters along with many Tern and Arctic Skuas along with a single Great Skua this morning. On the land the Hirundines have provided the numbers.

16/09/2026

Common Whitethroat grazing on Blackberries in The Desert

From The Desert I could see 100s of House Martins around the power station chimney, small numbers of Swallows were moving through The Desert. The bushes also held Lesser Whitethroats, Chiffchaffs, Willow Warblers and Blackcaps. 2 Spotted Flycatchers were seen at top of the Long Pits per OL.

The WWBT was still present on the ARC per DW late afternoon. It seems the Red-necked Phalarope has gone.

A Jay popped out of the Pear Tree in The Desert (A scarce bird here)

The Jay flew length of The Desert before heading towards the Long Pits

A Little Owl watching a Common Buzzard fly over

Red Kite over the Long Pits/Desert this afternoon

One of the Balearic Shearwaters from this afternoon sea watch doing a very high sheer

Autumn Lady's Tresses at The long Pits early afternoon

Early this morning I found this huge beast on the wall next to my moth trap

Clifden nonpareil(safely released into Lydd Wood)

14/09/2026

Western Bonelli's Warbler

A drizzly morning was cheered up on the news that Tom Rosas had found a Western Bonelli's Warbler at the bottom end of the Long Pits, fortunately I was very nearby and on site very quickly. My images of this lovely warbler in the dark drizzly conditions do not do it justice. 

Early this morning I found a White-winged Black Tern on the ARC which promptly disappeared when a heavy drizzle shower came through. There were 3 Little Gulls present along with 2 Ruff and Greenshank.

Then news of Bonelli's Warbler came through so the search for the WWBT was abandoned. Later in the day an Osprey flew around the ARC and perched up for a while before disappearing per Ken & Sue.

The WWBT had relocated to Burrowes and later in the day went back to the ARC

The Red-necked Phalarope was still feeding on Burrowes, constantly ducking as Sand Martins flew low overhead

At the fishing boats this afternoon there were many Common and Sandwich Terns feeding as well 10 Arctic Skuas robbing them, a few Guillemots are appearing also there was a constant stream of SWallows and Sand Martins leaving our shores.

One of several Black Terns at the fishing boats this afternoon

A Guillemot close inshore at the fishing boats this afternoon

This Convolvulous Hawkmoth was the star in the trap this morning

This Pink-barred Sallow was new for the year, indeed I seldom see them in my trap