05/09/2025

 This morning with a light West wind  blowing I gave the sea watch a miss and went to the ARC, where I could only find the Garganey and singles of Black-tailed Godwit, Common Sandpiper and a Golden Plover, there were plenty of Sand Martins hawking the lake.

Next stop Burrowes , I had just got to Firth where there were no waders at all when Owen messaged to say he had found a Wyneck in The Desert, a quick about turn and I was soon on site but no bird, I was joined by John ad James and after a few minutes James spotted it sitting up on a Bramble, where it showed nicely if distantly, as often happens it dropped down and melted away.

Wryneck posing with a Stonechat, 

While looking for the Wryneck Jacob radioed that 2 Honey Buzzards were going out to sea, but we were unable to locate them, a while later an Osprey flew West distantly,there were also at least 7 Common Buzzards thermalling over The Desert.

This afternoon I cycled down to Jury's Gap to look for the Dotterel, as I scanned from the bank I thought I could see it so cycled closer and found Ray looking at the same bird, on closer inspection I could see it was not the Dotterel but an American Golden Plover, thankfully it hung around for other locals to see it and it was still present this evening.

American Golden Plover, shame about the horrible heat haze.

American Golden Plover with 3 European Golden Plovers in front of it

There were at leat 50 Yellow Wagtails on the Scotney Sward this afternoon

The Last couple of days.

Good numbers of Balearic Shearwaters have been passing The Point in the last few days

Very good numbers of Arctic Skuas have been seen (Full details are on Trektellen

Arctic Skua

Little Terns have also been seen in good numbers the last few days

Little Tern

Black Terns have been on view from the boats constantly 

Black Tern feeding on the Grey Seals scraps

Whimbrels passing the fishing boats

Several Caspian Gulls have been seen around the fishing boats

Garganey from Hanson

The ARC has not been at its best lately with very few waders Terns or Gulls dropping in there, the Garganey continues to feed there along with a couple of Pintail and the Egrets and wildfowl. 

The weather has made wandering around the reserve challenging and highlighting the impracticability of the Firth Screen,  also the doors on Makepiece Hide which were swinging back and forth and will doubtless damage the frames if they are allowed to continue to do so.

The forecast is for the next couple of days to be calmer so hopefully we can start looking in the bushes again. 

Pintails from Hanson

Black-tailed Godwits on Burrowes from Dennis's Hide

01/09/2025

A Brilliant day of sea watching at Dungeness today, non stop passage of birds. 

                                    Todays Balearic Shearwaters were all a bit distant

   

Little Terns passing the fishing boats

One of the 60+ Arctic Skuas

A flock of Ringed Plovers with a Moulting adult Curlew Sandpiper trying to hide among them

A different angle on a Black Tern

Dutch ringed Caspian Gull limping badly due to the colour ring coming adrift

Juvenile Yellow-legged Gull

There was very little other news today as most of us were sea watching, though the Dotterel was still present at Jurys Gap.

31/08/2025

This Great White Egret was about the only notable bird at the ARC during my visit this morning

I made a quick visit to Jurys Gap late morning to see the Dotterel but all I saw was 11 Golden Plover, typically a little later after I'd gone it was found again.

A full list of todays sea watching numbers

Most of my day was spent sea watching which was quite productive, it was good to see a decent number of birds moving, which will hopefully get better next month.
 

This 3rd calendar year Gannet came into the Gull melee at the fishing boats this afternoon

Juvenile/1w Caspian Gull at the fishing boats this afternoon

Juvenile/1w Caspian Gull at the fishing boats this afternoon

Juvenile/1w Yellow-legged Gull at the the fishing boats this afternoon

One of over 2,000 Sandwich Terns past The Point today

This gorgeous  Striped-Hawk Moth was a big surprise in my trap this morning after last nights strong wind and rain.

30/08/2025

Much time in the last few days has been spent staring out to sea,where at least 50 Balearic Shearwaters have been recorded, as well as 60+ Arctic Skuas, a couple of Bonxies, a juvenile Long-tailed Skua, 1,000+ Sandwich Terns. but only small numbers of Common Terns and Black Terns.

On the land the odd Pied and Spotted Flycatcher, Common redstart, Whinchats and Wheatears, 4 Grasshopper Warblers along with Wiilow, Common and Lesser Whitethroats, Garden Warblers and Blackcaps but again only in small numbers.

Today Owen found a Dotterel at The Midrips which although showed quite well was always distant on the shingle through the heat haze. My first 2 Spotted Redshanks of the year were found on Burrowes by JY early this aternoon, unfortunately an opticians appointment meant icould not spend much time admiring them.

Waders have in general been thin on the ground but a flock of 70 Redshanks at Firth yesterday was exceptional.

One of four Grasshopper Warblers trapped and ringed on the 28th

Balearic Shearwaters

Juvenile Kittiwake

Juvenile Mediterranean Gull moulting into 1st winter plumage

Wheatears by the sea watch hide