Ploddingbirder

Dungeness: This afternoon while sea watching at the fishing boats with @stevewg.bsky.social a Grey Phalarope flew in joining the many Little Gulls, giving us some excellent photo opportunities.

Dungeness: A Leech’s Petrel came past the fishing boats relatively close this morning. It afforded excellent telescope views though camera views were not so good.

I chose the comfort of the sea watch hide today for an excellent sea watch with James, 13 Sooty Shearwaters, Storm Petrel, 100s of Gannets, many Little Gulls, Starlings and Finches coming in off the sea and more. Full details are on Trektellen.

Dungeness: Today the peninsula saw an amazing passage of Little Gulls, 140+ sea watching, an incredible 130+ on Burrowes Pit viewed from Dennis's Hide, certainly the most I have ever seen there, a further 22 on the ARC and 40+ on the Scotney Pits, strangely little else was seen.

Dungeness: This marine drone with definite list drifted east past the fishing boats only a few yards off shore this afternoon, apparently costs start at £40,000. Although supposed to stay at sea for months I'm guessing this one was victim of Austen & Boelo. Will probably wash up in Lade/Hythe Bay.

Dungeness: Great Northern Diver is a regular passage migrant at Dunge, rarely do they stop and feed just offshore, this bird had the company of at least 4 Red-throated Divers which are very common here in winter. At the ARC this afternoon in apocalyptic rain I counted at least 532 Shoveler.

Dungeness: After a very run of the mill sea watch apart from the 6 Tundra Bean Geese that flew out towards France, it was a day of domestic duties. Late afternoon at the ARC a colour ringed drake Wigeon which probably acquired its bling in Devon.

Dungeness: A damp dreary day produced some excellent birding. Seehttps://www.trektellen.nl/count/view/2389/20261020 for sea watch numbers 380 Little Gulls the highlight. 5 Tundra Bean Geese were a surprise (very poor image), a smattering of Thrushes, Goldcrests , Chiffchaffs and Black Redstarts.

As it was such a thoroughly miserable day on the peninsula weather wise, I spent most of my time staring out to sea. Highlight for me was seeing Polish ringed Black-headed Gull TJVV back at Dunge for its 7th winter. 750+ Chaffinches came in off the sea this afternoon, 7,000+ were during the day.

The last hurrah in my VC15 trap brought a stunning Merveille du Jour which is by no means annual here, with smattering of migrants which have probably been around a while.

Dungeness: A juvenile Long-tailed Skua that flew across The Point and over the power station this morning. Full details of todays sea watch can be found on Trektellen.

A cycle ride to the Midrips, East Sussex this afternoon, where a juvenile Merlin gave me a superb fly past, also there Grey Plovers, Knot, Green Sandpiper, Greenshank, Redshank, Dunlin, Turnstone, Oystercatchers, Pintail, Sandwich Terns etc. As usual I was the only person there.

Dungeness: With a strong WSW wind and some drizzle sea watching was the order of the day.The first autumn movement of Brent Geese c700 birds & 130 Wigeon. 7 Balearic Shearwaters, a few Arctic Skuas & c800 Gannets.

Dungeness: A striking Common Buzzard that flew through The Desert this morning being harassed by Crows.

The 3rd Dialectica scalariella to turn up in my VC15 trap.

Dungeness. Juvenile Black Tern at the fishing boats this afternoon.

Dungeness. Todays lovely Yellow-browed Warbler caught in the TA by the DBO ringing team. Many thanks to them for showing the bird.

My VC15 trap has been very thin fare just lately. Highlights this morning was Radford's Flame Shoulder and Feathered Thorn new for the year, along with Gem which have been scarce for me this year.

Dungeness: Not a bad day at the fishing boats today, 140 Balearic Shearwaters, 2 Sooty Shearwaters, Arctic Skuas, Little Gulls and more. Full details on Trektellen. I missed the Sunfish taking a long breakfast break.

Dungeness: This Wood Mouse by the track to Hanson appeared to have deformed back legs, it was only able to shuffle along, falling on its side every couple of feet, it did seem to be feeding OK. Somehow I don't think it will be long before something has it for a snack.

Dungeness: The local Little Owl was unusually confiding today.

Dungeness: The elusive Yellow-browed Warbler found by Peter Eerdmans that spent the day in the Old Lighthouse Garden.

I eventually found the American Golden Plover at Jurys Gap, East Sussex this morning in the ploughed field with c350 Golden Plover. At The Midrips, East Sussex there were no waders on the pools despite it being high tide, a Dartford Warbler was feeding among the sea defence rocks there.

I found this gorgeous Beautiful Marbled resting on the rim of my VC15 trap this morning. #Kentmoths @migrantmothuk.bsky.social @trapsite.bsky.social

Dungeness. Glossy Ibis has been very scarce on the peninsula this year, so this one at Dengemarsh today found by @losbirder.bsky.social was welcome.

Dungeness: Another distant wader pic. A Pectoral Sandpiper first found by @neilburt.bsky.social at Dengemarsh this morning where it promptly went awol. Fortunately for me I re-found it at Xmas Dell this afternoon. The Local Little Owl glaring at me this morning.

A rather distant American Golden Plover in a flock of c250 Euro Golden Plovers in the Ploughed Field immediately west of the old sand pit at Jury’s Gap, East Sussex late this morning. Image taken from the cycle track.

A White-speck one of my most wanted moths finally made it into my VC15 trap last night despite the poor conditions.

A very big surprise on the wall next to my VC15 trap. Very little in the traps after cool clear night on the peninsula.

An Old Lady in the trap this morning was NFY, barely annual in my trap. Another Ni Moth this morning the 4th of the Autumn made it to the slate with a Silver Y for comparison.

Dungeness: I was fortunate enough to be nearby when the Western Bonelli's Warbler was trapped. Many thanks to the ringing team for showing the bird.

On September 16th 1982 I estimated a total of 250,000 Swallows roosted at Barton on Humber with 70,000 still on 29th: tonight 44 years on there was not one! With Spurn Migfest lacking Mig it is obvious we are heading for the precipice like the proverbial lemmings but 99% of Britains don’t care:

Just another day at a drizzly Dungeness. Western Bonelli's Warbler courtesy of Tom Rosas, another White-winged Black Tern, the juvenile Red-necked Phalarope being dive bombed by one other many Sand Martins over the lake, 1 of several Black Terns that passed the fishing boats this afternoon.

The highlight in my VC15 trap this morning was this pristine Convolvulous Hawkmoth. #kentmoths

The American Golden Plover that I last saw on 15/08/2026 at Jurys Gap reappeared today, re-found by KE in the same field as last year. It has moulted considerably since I last saw it.

Dungeness at its very best today, it wasn't just about the sea today. There was several 1,000s of House Martins around The Point. A super Short-eared Owl in The Desert. Several Whinchats around the peninsula. The Red-necked Phalarope was still on the reserve today.

A superb afternoon seawatch didn't have a great deal of birds but it did have excellent quality - the star being a first for Dungeness in the form of an adult Brown Booby! Other goodies included a close juvenile Long-tailed Skua, 15 Black Tern and three Little Gull. #kentbirding

Dungeness: It's the first time I've known a juvenile Long-tailed Skua not to be the main event at Dunge sea watch, also 30+ Arctic Skuas, 15 Black Terns, 100s each of Common and Sandwich Terns.

Dungeness: Some highly cropped images of the fantastic Brown Booby, that was brilliantly picked out by @neilburt.bsky.social in among a large distant feeding flock of Gannets this afternoon off the fishing boats. Despite woeful phone signal at Dunge most the of the locals connected thanks to radio.

Dungeness: Arctic Skua and a Little Tern at the fishing boats this afternoon. A full account of the days sea watch sightings are on Trektellen.

This Wheatear is now into its 3rd day in my handkerchief sized garden. It spends most of its time under the hedge and Nicotiana plants where I run a moth trap.

This worn Bloxworth Snout was the only quality in my VC15 trap this morning. Also another Clancy's Rustic which is fairly regular here.

This lovely pink Vestal was the star in my VC15 trap this morning. With a cold NW wind and a clear night, a whole lot of luck will be required for a Passenger to be in the trap tomorrow. 🤞

While sitting on the bench in my front garden having lunch a movement caught my eye disappearing under my car. Seconds later this wheatear appeared. I've seen a few in the field opposite, from the garden over the years, but never drinking and feeding in the garden until today.

Dungeness: A super juvenile Little Gull at the ARC late afternoon with an adult Black Tern. Also 3 juvenile Black Terns & an adult Little Gull there. Another juvenile Little Gull on Burrowes & at least 8 Black Terns, also the WWB Tern still present.

No sign of yesterdays Red-necked Phalarope at the Jurys Gap sandpit early today, but compensation in the form of a Short-eared Owl over the pit and disappearing towards Camber. During a late morning walk on the east side of the Long Pits I found a juvenile Red-backed Shrike, still present at dusk.

While checking the old Jurys Gap sandpit, East Sussex early afternoon, I came across this gorgeous juvenile Red-necked Phalarope, which as is usual with this species was very confiding. Also Wood Sandpiper, 2 each of Ruff and Common Sandpiper and a juvenile Black Tern.

This worn Pale Shoulder was the star in my VC15 trap last night. @migrantmothuk.bsky.social @trapsite.bsky.social

Dungeness: A few bits from Firth today. 34 Knot with 2 Curlew Sandpipers, a Dunlin and Black Tern. A flyby Whimbrel. A juvenile White-winged Black Tern. A juvenile Black Tern.

Dungeness: A distant Storm Petrel passing the sea watch hide this morning. Second image for scale and distance with a Gannet top left, Stormy bottom right. 🫣 Balearic Shearwater from the fishing boats this afternoon.