Come stay at Dungeness Bird Observatory this autumn! There is plenty of availability, and hopefully lots to look at too! #kentbirding

Warbler totals from about the recording area today include 80 Willow Warbler, seven Sedge Warbler, 84 Reed Warbler, 22 Lesser Whitethroat, 75 Whitethroat and a Dartford Warbler. Also the first Whinchat of the autumn and 16 Yellow Wagtails flew over, plus the other nice birds in the nets #kentbirding

Dungeness Bird Observatory@dungenessbirdobs.bsky.social · 4d ago

An excellent start to the day with plenty of birds in the Trapping Area, with a total of 67 birds ringed there. The highlights amongst the Willow and Reed Warblers included 1cy Nightingale, Pied Flycatcher and Black Redstart. #kentbirding

An excellent start to the day with plenty of birds in the Trapping Area, with a total of 67 birds ringed there. The highlights amongst the Willow and Reed Warblers included 1cy Nightingale, Pied Flycatcher and Black Redstart. #kentbirding

A decent arrival today with at least 80 Willow Warbler dotted about the recording area, however apart from a few more Reed Warblers there wasn't much mixed in with them. Overhead passage was reduced to just a handful each of Swallow and Yellow Wagtail. #kentbirding

We have now got the details back on the ringed Gull-billed Tern that was seen briefly on the RSPB Reserve on the 17th. The bird was ringed as a chick in Germany, north-west of Hamburg, on the 12th June 2025 and was then seen in the Netherlands on multiple days in July and August. #kentbirding

A day of ringing gave the year's highest total so far with over 130 ringed, the majority being Sand Martins with 108 ringed (plus two British controls). Nightingale is not an annual bird in the recording area nowadays, so a first-year bird out of the Trapping Area early morning was the highlight.

Dungeness first thing today at @dungenessbirdobs.bsky.social and the Nightingale taken from the nets in the Trapping Area, well done to Jacob for alerting the locals. #birds #birding #kentbirding #ukbirding

Autumn is ticking on with the first Willow, Garden and Grasshopper Warblers being recorded in the last few days, and Sand Martins continue to head out to sea with the peak so far being a thousand on the 17th. Moth traps still producing, an Eastern Bordered Straw the best from last night #kentbirding

After a quiet period at Dungeness, a first of the year Treecreeper at the Long Pits this morning was quickly overshadowed when Peter Eerdmans went on to find a colour ringed Gull-billed Tern on the ARC Pit at the RSPB reserve. Unfortunately no sign since initial sighting at c13:45hrs. #kentbirding

A generally quieter day apart from a good increase in out to sea passage of Sand Martin with 174 recorded. There is still plenty of insects to look at, with at least six Red-veined Darter on one pool as well as lots of butterflies, including a few more fresh Painted Lady today.

The autumn feeling continues to grow with a juvenile Common Redstart in the Trapping Area and a juvenile Yellow-legged Gull at the Fishing Boats. Other bits include Red Kite, two Marsh Harrier, 42 Swift, 46 Sand Martin, five Swallow and three Yellow Wagtail moving overhead.

An excellent turn out for our moth event today, with a nice variety of moths present. Thanks for everyone that attended and we are already looking forward to next year's event!

Chris Corrigan@chriscorrigan3.bsky.social · last mo.

Not in Sussex...but my first Sussex Emeralds (many!) at an excellent Dungenes Bird Obs moth extravaganza this morning! Thanks to the Obs team for organising @dungenessbirdobs.bsky.social

The Dungeness day-trip came with some top drawer moths courtesy of @dungenessbirdobs.bsky.social staff Dave & Jacob. Three stunners stood out: White Spot, Rose Plume & Sussex Emerald. Superb, each one. Thanks also @ploddingbirder.bsky.social & @dungenessowen.bsky.social 🤝 @linnetincley.bsky.social

Another superb day with a flock of Bee-eaters heard over the Trapping Area at 06:50hrs transpiring to be a flock of seven. Further signs of autumn too with 41 Sand Martins out to sea. Then outside the area at Burrowes Pit on the RSPB reserve an adult Caspian Tern spent until at least 6pm there.

Ploddingbirder@ploddingbirder.bsky.social · last mo.

Dungeness. Not sure what was going on with my lens today, out of the 100s of images taken of the Caspian Tern this out of focus image is the only one I’ve kept, simply because it’s the best of a very poor bunch. 🤷🏻‍♂️😢

The Bee-eaters were seen by a visiting birder at 07:50, with seven birds over the Trapping Area but no sign since. Adding to the exciting last two days, a Caspian Tern has been found on the RSPB Reserve at Burrowes Pit this morning #kentbirding

A group of Bee-eaters were heard calling continuously for a short period of time to the west of the Trapping Area at 06:57hrs, but unfortunately could not be seen. #kentbirding

Kentish plover at Lade sands this evening showing well.

A day that started with a few autumn migrants about the recording area, including singles of Tree Pipit, Grey and Yellow Wagtail, plus a trickle of westbound Mediterranean Gull and Common Scoter added to that feeling. A male Red-veined Darter was seen in the Desert, the only insect of note.

We are just one week away from our annual #moth event. Have you signed up to join us? Last year over 200 species were seen during the event! We hope to see you there.

Chrysocrambus linetella was by far the highlight of last nights moth traps at the Observatory. Potentially just the ninth British record?

A Scar Bank Gem was caught by Chris Philpott in his New Romney (SE Kent) garden last night I’ll take it down and leave it at the Dungeness Bird Observatory for Friday - if anyone is interested #TeamMoth @migrantmothuk.bsky.social @trapsite.bsky.social

On what has been a particularly quiet day, the highlight has to go to a male Banded Demoiselle that arrived in off the sea and landed on the first bit of shingle it could find! This is our first record since 2023.

Excellent day in the recording area with the highlight being a stunning first-summer Squacco Heron on the Long Pits before relocating to the ARC Pit. Otherwise, an Eastern Bordered Straw and three Small Mottled Willow out the moth traps, four Lesser Emperor and a Red-veined Darter at the Long Pits.

Ploddingbirder@ploddingbirder.bsky.social · 2mo ago

Dungeness: The gorgeous Squacco Heron at the Long Pits found by Dave Carrington and refound by Jacob. I've still got another 800+ images to look at.

The Squacco Heron has been showing exceedingly well at the top of the Long Pits, but flew high towards the RSPB reserve at 14:30hrs. Back of the camera photograph by Martin Casemore. #kentbirding

Squacco Heron flushed from the Pump House at the Long Pits then flown towards the RSPB reserve! #kentbirding

A video of the beautifully fresh Large Tortoishell at the Long Pits, Dungeness Found by Alan Ward and the two of us watched it feeding and flying around on Willow and Bramble late this afternoon It was in mint condition - gorgeous @savebutterflies.bsky.social

Have you seen that we are running our annual #moth event again over the night of 3rd July and the following morning? Last year over 200 species were seen during the event! The best of last nights catch were singles of Purple Marbled (new for the Observatory traps) and Small Marbled!

Quail flushed from the south-west corner of the Trapping Area #kentbirding

Volunteer at with us this autumn! There are spaces available for September and October. #kentbirding

An excellent day of seawatching provided two Arctic Skua, two Puffin, 39 Fulmar, eight Balearic Shearwater, 324 Manx Shearwater and 163 Swift all passing from the Fishing Boats. Video of Manx Shearwaters passing the Fishing Boats taken by Dave Scott. #kentbirding