27/07/2025

4 Smart looking Cattle Egrets with a Great White Egret from Hanson this morning

With a light NW wind the sea was as expected very quiet. There were a few migrants trapped at the observatory, the first Grasshopper Warbler, Garden Warblers, Common and Lesser Whitethroats, Willow Warblers and some local Tits. A count of 220 Curlew, 320 Oystercatchers and 143 Sandwich Terns at Kerton Road by JY was good. At Burrowes 2 Wood Sandpipers, 2 Greenshanks, Common Sandpipers and a couple of Dunlin. A Green Sandpiper was on the ARC this afternoon.

A skulking Garganey from Hanson this morning

The 2 Avocet chicks are flapping there wings and managing to fly a few yards, so wont be long before they fledge, then maybe more waders might stay at the ARC instead of being chased off by very protective Avocet parents.

Tufty is still holding on to her 3 Ducklings at the ARC

Wood Sandpiper from Firth late afternoon

 

26/07/2025

My first Golden Plover of the Autumn at the ARC from Hanson this morning

At the ARC today the usual Waders and Wildfowl along with the 3 species of Egret. 4 Cattle Egrets were seen at Boulderwall per NB. On Burrowes Little Stint, Red Knot, Wood, Green and Common Sandpipers per NB, DB & BW but no sign of the Night Heron at Hookers today, though it could easily still be lurking.

At the fishing boats this afternoon 7 Black Terns were the highlight with a trickle of Sandwich and Common Terns. At the observatory a few migrant Reed,Sedge and Willow Warblers along with Stonechat were ringed, Jacob found a Whinchat in The Desert today hopefully many more to come.

Juvenile Common tern at the fishing boats this afternoon

A beautiful 4lb 9oz Bass was landed by this gentleman st the fishing boats this afternoon, who then returned it safely to the sea, there are nit many anglers that come to Dungeness that would do that.

A worn Scorched Carpet in my trap this morning, barely annual for me.

 

25/07/2025

The sea is still very quiet especially now that The Patch is no more. The first autumn Pied Flycatcher turned up yesterday with presumably another today with handful of Willow Warblers. There have been a couple of Wood and Green Sandpipers around the reserve also up to 20 Common Sandpipers, the 2 Avocet  chicks seem to be growing well at the ARC. where there are also 2 Garganey present but wader passge is slow at the moment.

Night Heron at Hookers this afternoon

Pied Flycatcher briefly on The Point this morning

One of 4 Great White Egrets at the ARC

 

Poplar Kitten (left) Sallow Kitten (right)

Tree-liched Beauties

Scarce Chocholate Tip

Jersey Tiger

21/22/07/2025

Yestrerday mornings sea watch saw a reasonably close West bound Balearic Shearwater as the highlight, among a few west bound Sandwich and Common Terns, Gannets and Kittiwakes. 

From Hanson the usual Avocets and Garganey up to 4 Green Sandpipers, 10 Common Sandpipers, 2 Black-tailed Godwits and a Cattle Egret of note.

On Burrowes The Little Stint, Wood Sandpiper, 2 Greenshank, several each of Ringed and Little Ringed Plovers, a Little Gull and c50 Common Terns and the usual wildfowl. Today was basically a repeat of yesterday without the Little Stint but other waders drop in and out through the day, Whimbrel, Turnstone, Knot, Redshank and Dunlin.

Little Stint at Firth yesterday, but no sign of it today.

Little Stint at Firth yesterday

                                Little Stint and a Wood Sandpiper at Firth yesterday

Wood Sandpiper at Firth yesterday

One of a several thunderstorms that skirted the northern edge of the peninsular

A pristine Gypsy Moth, the highlight of a meagre haul in my trap this morning 

20/07/2025

 

The young Avocets at the ARC weren't enjoying the rain and were trying to shelter under mum but she was not letting them.

The last 2 mornings I have been hoping in vain that the rain would drop migrants onto the peninsula, maybe tomorrow which seems to be something I say to myself everyday. There has been a Wood Sandpiper at Firth along with a Greenshank, Little Ringed Plovers and a couple of Whimbrel, which are probably the same birds seen at the ARC. 

Fed up Avocet chicks

The rain didn't bother the Garganey

The single Wigeon at the ARC was not bothered by the rain

Little Ringed Plovers at Firth

Common Scoters passing the fishing boats this afternoon

At the fishing boats this afternoon 52 Common Scoter flew West, also my first Balearic Shearwater of the season with a few Common and Sandwich Tern, while a juvenile Yellow-legged Gull also put in an appearance. This morning Jacob also saw 2 Manx Shearwaters.

My first Gem of the year

My first and probably only Lunar Thorn of the year, not annual in my trap

18/07/2025

Despite the last 2 days being very warm there has been no sea watching due to the fog that has persisted most of each day.

Wood Sandpiper at the ARC yesterday

1 of 3 Wood Sandpipers over the ARC yesterday

This morning a Wood Sandpiper was on Burrowes from Firth along with a Greenshank, Redshank, Little Ringed Plovers a Ringed Plover and a flyover Whimbrel. Apart from the few Common Terns nesting on the island at Dengemarsh the reserve was very quiet avian wise, but there are plenty of insects and plants to see and identify. Hopefully tonights rain will drop some waders on the ARC and Burrowes and passerines in the bushes.🤞

On the bright side there is one less Mink on the reserve as this one was a road casualty on the visitor entrance track this morning.

A nice flyby Great White Egret from Hanson this afternoon

Great White Egret roosting on the ARC this afternoon

Mum and Dad Avocet escorting a Great White Egret away from there chicks

The 2 Avocet chicks

Avocet

Juvenile Common Tern at Dengemarsh

Jersey Tigers have just started appearing in my trap

Gysonoma aceriana a relatively common micro in my trap

16/07/2025

Newly fledged Chiffchaff at the ARC

Avocet with one of the fast growing chicks at the ARC

Eclipse drake Garganey at the ARC

A trickle of returning migrant waders with a Wood Sandpiper, 2 Greenshanks, 10+ Common Sandpipers, 6+ Little Ringed Plovers and a Ruff around the reserve. The bushes and sea remain very quiet, but I'm sure migration will pick up in the next couple of weeks.

An overload of juvenile Yellow-legged Gulls at the fishing boats. to be fair there is not much else there to look at yet.

Clavigesta pudeyi (Pine Leaf Mining Moth) not a particularly scarce species but quite atractive.