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

20/06/2026

As today was to hot to do much in the way of birding and I fear the next week will be the same, I make no apology for posting more images of the fabulous Squacco Heron that spent the 16th  around the Long Pits and ARC.

 

 

19/06/2026

I've been spending time out on the marsh listening for but not hearing any Quail, but seeing lots of Yellow Wagtails, Corn and Reed Buntings also Marsh Harriers, Hobby, Tree Sparrows, a Little Owl and superb fly past of a Barn Owl

Barn Owl 

Corn Bunting

Little Owl

At the ARC this morning a Reed Warbler was still nest building but little else noted. On Boulderwall one of the Avocet pairs was close to the road but unfortunately seems to have already lost one of its chicks.

A quick look at the sea was as suspected very quiet and little else was seen on the peninsula.

Reed Warbler with nest material at the ARC

Avocets on the Boulderwall Flood

16/06/2026

A superb day at Dungeness, the undoubted highlight being able to spend an hour with the Squacco Heron at the Long Pits, which was first found early this morning by David Carrington then promptly disappeared then re-found by Jacob at the top end where it showed superbly well fishing from the Lilly Pads, before moving off to the ARC where it has gone to roost.  I still have  800+ images to look at.

Anyone who knows Dungeness would assume this Bittern is over the ARC track, it has in fact just come out of Christmas Dell, the image was taken from Dengemarsh this morning.

7 Cattle Egrets over Boulderwall

Brown Hare at the back of Hookers

Young Bearded Tit at the back of Hookers this morning

Squacco Heron about to strike a small Pike 

The Squacco Heron with its prize

Squacco Heron on on its way to the ARC

14-15/06/2026

I spent several hours last evening walking and cycling around the fields at the back of Scotney, where I was listening for singing Quail but I failed to hear any. There did seem to be good numbers of Yellow Wagtails nesting along with Corn Buntings, Reed Buntings and Skylarks, most of the Tree Sparrow nest boxes that we have put up appear to be occupied, the Raven family and Peregrines were much in evidence, on the down side once again no Barn Owls were seen. 

Yellow Wagtail preening after a bath

Wood Sandpiper at the ARC

After a very slow sea watch this morning I visited the ARC where from Hanson more or less the bird I saw was a Wood Sandpiper, I guessing its a failed breeder returning early. I did manage to overlook an eclipse Red-crested Pochard that Kevin found a few minutes after I left Hanson 🙄

A wander across the reserve found nothing new. A visit this afternoon saw 32 Common Terns had returned to the Island they usually nest on, unfortunately a pair of Lesser Black-backed Gulls are already nesting there, it wont end well.

Common Terns and Lesser Black-backed Gulls on Burrowes

13/06/2026

Its that time of year when the birding becomes very hard work for little reward, though young birds often pose for the camera because they know no better.

A fledgling Sedge Warbler

 

Little Ringed Plover at Boulderwall

Little Ringed Plover

Young Reed Warbler

Cattle Egret over Boulderwall with my house in the background

There are dozens of Norfolk Hawkers around the reserve at the moment

Small Tortoishell on the reserve this morning

Remarkably this is my 5th Striped Hawkmoth this year

Shore Wainscot just about annual in my trap

Large Emerald is just about annual in my trap

Dusky Brocade is barely annual in my trap

Chilo phragmitella a regular in my trap