29/07/2026

The sea is still unproductive to those who have bothered to look.

Tree Sparrows Walland Marsh

Several cycle rides out around the back of Scotney Farm, found plenty of Tree Sparrows, though they have now split up into smaller feeding groups around Walland. Yellow Wagtails still in good numbers and Corn Buntings. Around the lakes up to 10 Common Sandpipers, a Green Sandpiper, 24 Dunlin, 11 Avocets, the Curlew Sandpiper appears to have departed. At least 2 juvenile Marsh Harriers were quartering the fields.

Yellow Wagtails are still feeding young in the Bean fields at Scotney

Reed Bunting in the Bean Field

 

Some of the 14 Cattle Egrets on Boulderwall yesterday

There is still at least 1 juvenile Black Tern on Burrowes with plenty of Common Terns, along with up to 7 Common Sandpipers, a Turnstone,  2 Black-tailed Godwits, a Greenshank and Redshank. The ARC has been fairly quiet the last couple of days.

Cattle Egret

      Dialectica Scalariella, a first for my trap. The only known breeding is on the shingle at Dungeness

27/07/2026

A 45 minute sea watch early this morning showed n improvement on the last few mornings.

Next was the ARC where my first Common Snipe of the Autumn was feeding at the back, 3 Great White Egrets and a single Dunli with 3 Common Sandpipers.

After breakfast I cycled out to Scotney complex and around the farm, where yesterdays Curlew Sandpiper was still present though somewhat distant, likewise 10 Avocet, 12 Dunlin, 2 Black-tailed Godwits and 12 Dunlin, a Green Sandpiper and at lest 6 Common Sandpipers, around the fields the usual Yellow wagtails and Tree Sparrows.

It was a pleasant surprise to go to the reserve late afternoon and find a Little Stint at Firth my first of the autumn associating with 2 Dunlin and a Turnstone, also 2  Black-tailed Godwits there. A few minutes later a juvenile Black Tern appeared also my first of the Autumn.

Little Stint (right) with 2 Dunlin at Firth

Little Stint at Firth

                                                    Little Stint (right) with 2 Dunlin over Burrowes

 

Juvenile Black Tern over Burrowes

Juvenile Black Tern with Common Terns at Firth

Black-tailed Godwit at Firth

Polish Ringed Black-headed Gull at Firth, I also recorded this bird in August 2023 and August 2024

When I got back from my cycle ride around Scotney early afternoon I found this lovely Striped Hawkmoth on my hedge 

26/07/2026

A rvery quiet day around the peninsula avian wise, despite a change in the weather.

Red-crested Pochard viewed from Hanson this morning

Green Sandpiper from Hanson this morning

 

Striped Hawkmoth in the trap this morning

A Lunar Thorn from this mornings catch

25/07/2026

After getting the moth traps sorted most of my day was taken up with domestic stuff, so didn't get out till this evening. Yesterdays Curlew Sandpiper at the ARC left overnight, but it or another was located at The Midrips per Sean O this afternoon.

The ARC held Common and Green Sandpipers, Greenshank and Black-tailed Godwits, there was similar fare on Burrowes per Neil B. A short sea watch by John Y was unproductive.

The 2 Garganey from Hanson this evening

A bit of a discussion about these 2 Garganey among the locals. My personal feelings are the left hand bird is and adult drake in eclipse and the left hand bird a an adult female in eclipse not a juvenile as I first thought, though I am happy to be corrected.

A Czech ringed Mediterranean Gull ZAN5 from Hanson this evening

 

24/07/2026

A n early morning visit to the ARC saw 2 Garganey despite the appalling light from Hanson hide in the mornings, other than 3 Common Sandpipers there was very little else of note there early on. A message from Richard a couple of hours later that he had found a Curlew Sandpiper from Hanson, enticed me back for a second look, the Curlew Sandpiper showed quite well but the morning light ruined any chances of a decent photograph.

A fresh juvenile Garganey at the ARC this morning

A worn adult female Garganey at the ARC this morning

Moulting adult Curlew Sandpiper descovered by Richard at the ARC this morning

This German ringed 2nd calendar year Mediterranean came into roost on the ARC for a while

One of 3 Great White Egrets from Hanson this morning

A near pristine Painted Lady was in the Willow Trail

A Dunlin on the Midrips

A cycle ride to The Midrips and Wickes this afternoon in the hope of finding a rare Sandpiper on the now virtually dried up pools was in vain. A few Dunlin, Ringed and Little Ringed Plovers,  Whimbrel, Yellow Wagtails, Mediterranean Gulls and Sandwich Terns was about as good as it got.

Apart fro 150 Common terns on Burrowes nothing else was reported on the peninsula.

Juvenile Ringed Plover

Little Ringed Plover

2 Whimbrel at the Midrips

Common Sandpiper playing with a feather at Scotney beside the cycle path

22/07/2026

This gorgeous Wood Warbler was briefly in Dave Scotts Greatstone garden yesterday, many thanks to him for sending me this image and letting me use it on the blog.

Nightingale

Thanks to Jacob for letting us know he had trapped this lovely Nightingale in the TA early this morning, a trio of locals got to the Obs quickly enough to see it just before release.

This Fox cub seems to be the new resident at the Obs

A very quiet day today with little in the way of new birds arriving, though I did see my first returning Willow Warbler at he ARC. The usual July invasion of Sand Martins continues todaywith a few less due to marauding Hobbys on the reserve, 1 was taken over the VC car park. Waders are still thin on the groundbut this will hopefully soon improve. 

The Garganey at the ARC from Hanson this morning

20/07/2026

A very bedraggled young Herring Gull, who I'm guessing was on its maiden flight from the power station and crashed landed in the sea, in a most undignifyed manner. A parties of 2 & 13 Common Scoter flew East, a few each of Sandwich and Common Terns were feeding off shore, 3 Oystercatchers flew east but nothing of note was seen. Another watch from the fishing boats this afternoon saw even less.

Presumably last years White-cheeked Pintail returning for another visit to the ARC, the Garganey was still present along with 2 Great White Egrets and the usual Feral Geese and eclipse ducks. A few Common sandpipers , Ringed and Little Ringed Plovers were present and 11 Black-tailed Godwits.

Bar-headed Goose from Hanson

A male Brown Hawker settled along the track to Hanson

1 of 14 Black-tailed Godwits around the reserve today

You do not want to be bitten by this monster at Dengemarsh. A Marsh Horsefly

The local Little Owl is still present despite much disturbance

A gorgeous Peach Blossom from yesterdays trap

18/07/2026

These 2 Great Spotted Woodpeckers came out of the Lighthouse Garden and paused at West Beach before heading towards The Moat.

The sea watching continues to be poor, though there are probably birds out there as in the case of the Gull-billed Tern that was briefly in front of Hanson Hide, an excellent find by Peter Eerdmans, I was unfortunately at The Midrips when he found it.

There were 3 juvenile Black Redstarts along the perimeter wall behind the sea watch hide

Wigeon at the ARC

There are a few waders appearing around the reserve. Black-tailed Godwits, Redshank, Common and Green Sandpipers, Ringed and Little Ringed Plovers, Ruff, Turnstone, Dunlin, Lapwing etc.

Hopefully in the nest few days young bright yellow Willow Warblers will start appearing along with Redstarts , Winchats and flycatchers and hopefully something better.

Ruff from Firth 

Hummingbird Hawkmoth nectaring on my Budlia in the garden

A few moths for last nights catch

Acrobasis tumidana

Bordered Straw

Cydia amplana

Latticed Heath

Lobesia reliquana

Lozotaeniodes formosana