Dungeness Bird Observatory
Dungeness Bird Observatory has been monitoring birds on the Kent coast since 1952, with hostel style accommodation available to all. Follow for info on the obs and sightings from the local area. More info on our website: http://www.dungenessbirdobs.org.uk
- A brilliant recovery of a Dungeness ringed Blackcap. It was ringed as a young male on 20th September last year, it has been caught again at Jew's Gate, Gibraltar on the 19th January 2026. Travelling 1720km SSW during its autumn migration, to where it is now presumably wintering.
- Recent sightings. Red-throated Divers, a few Brent Geese among the Gulls on the sea. Firecrests, Chiffchaffs in the Trapping Area and Bewick and Whooper Swans, Tree Sparrows, Yellowhammers and Corn Buntings near Midley.
- A big Thank you to everyone who has renewed their ‘Friends’ for 2026. A gentle reminder to those who haven’t yet. The cost is just £20.00.
- A Happy and Bird filled New Year to all our ‘Friends’ and supporters.
- A Very Happy and Peaceful Christmas to all our Friends and Supporters.
- It’s easy to support the Observatory by online shopping through Give As You Live.
- Amazing sunset over the reserve last night
- An improvement today with more birds on the move including 1225 Starlings and 233 Chaffinches arriving in-off the sea and going W/NW between the wintry showers. While a Serin also came in, briefly lingering in the Moat before leaving again. #kentbirding
- Siberian Chiffchaff half way up the northern Long Pit on the eastern side #kentbirding
- The Pallas's Warbler is still in the Moat this morning #kentbirding
- Serin flew north over the Long Pits amongst a flock of Goldfinches at 08:22hrs #kentbirding
- The ringed Pallas's Warbler is still in the Moat today and a Yellow-browed Warbler is in the Trapping Area #kentbirding
- Sunday's ringed Pallas's Warbler has reappeared in the Moat this morning #kentbirding
- Pallas's Warbler trapped and ringed in the Moat and will be shown at the Observatory at 12:40hrs #kentbirding
- Reposted by Dungeness Bird Observatory[Not loaded yet]
- Now two Pallas's Warblers in the recording area today with a second unringed individual in the Old Lighthouse garden! #kentbirding
- A great morning so far with 2 Yellow-browned Warblers and a Pallas’ Warbler trapped and ringed among lots of Goldcrests
- A good diversity on today's seawatching, particularly with wildfowl. Over the morning, plenty of birds arriving with Thrushes, 2300 Starlings, 200 Chaffinches and 40 Bramblings plus an increase in Robins and Wrens. Still plenty of Goldcrests and Firecrests in the bushes too. #kentbirding
- A nice arrival of birds into the recording area with a Woodlark, a minimum of a dozen Firecrests and plenty of Goldcrests while a Yellow-browed Warbler was ringed this afternoon. A Crimson Speckled moth was found near the Sanctuary and is now at the Observatory #kentbirding
- This morning's seawatch totals with the highlights being a Leach's Petrel west and over four thousand Starlings in-off the sea #kentbirding
- Very little to be seen in the bushes today apart from four Firecrests and a Woodcock. The sea was busy again however with over 2400 Razorbills going west as well as a Sooty Shearwater and a Black-throated Diver. The Crossbill movement continues with five over the area. #kentbirding
- Today was another brilliant all-day seawatch from the Fishing Boats, with the highlights being two White-fronted Geese, a Puffin, a Little Auk, a Great Northern Diver and two Sooty Shearwaters amongst a good variety. Constant flocks of Starlings and some Chaffinches arriving too. #kentbirding
- An all day seawatch with birds moving from dawn till dusk with the highlights being a Grey Phalarope, 61 Little Gulls, 3332 Razorbills, three Little Auks, a Leach's Petrel and two Sooty Shearwaters west. 3757 Starlings arrived in-off the sea as well as smaller numbers of Skylarks. #kentbirding
- Much improved seawatching so far today with a Leach's Petrel west at 08:05hrs the highlight #kentbirding
- A trickle of inbound vismig with two Woodlarks, 930 Starlings, 160 Chaffinches and 19 Bramblings in-off and north west this morning. 235 Stock Doves and 12 Swallows attempted to go out but doubled back west. A Little Owl around the Old Lighthouse is the most surprising record. #kentbirding
- Seawatching improved today, mostly this afternoon with the totals now on @trektellen.bsky.social. A few bits moving on the land, with 420 Stock Doves the main movers as well as a few finches including more Crossbills. A Yellow-browed Warbler was still at the south end of the Long Pits #kentbirding
- Yellow-browed Warbler just north of the pumphouse at the Long Pits. A fair bit of vismig from mid morning with 2400 Chaffinches in off and north-west so far. #vismig #kentbirding
- A good day for the recording area with birds arriving all day. Highlights were the first Woodcock of the autumn, 314 Starlings in-off, 9+ Ring Ouzels, 415 Redwings, 130 Song Thrush, 85 Robins, single Pied Flycatcher and Yellow-browed Warbler, seven Firecrest and 46 Brambling. #kentbirding
- A light passage of Gulls, Gannets and Auks west past the Fishing Boats this morning with the highlights being singles of Sooty and Balearic Shearwater. There was plenty of gulls on the beach however with five Caspian (4 juvs and a 3cy) and four Yellow-legged. #kentbirding
- Reposted by Dungeness Bird Observatory[Not loaded yet]
- A juvenile Pallid Harrier was mobbed over the Trapping Area by a few Carrion Crows for a minute or so, it then departed low to the north and no further sign since. #kentbirding
- Wryneck at the south end of the Teasel Bank #kentbirding
- 13000 Swallows, 500 House Martins 2780 Meadow Pipits, 3 Yellow Wagtails, 50 Skylarks, 100 Siskins and 30 Reed Buntings moving south-east out to sea this morning. Passage still on going. #kentbirdmigrationday
- Another good visible migration morning with 1800 Meadow Pipits, 1450 Swallows and 150 Siskins all heading south-east out to sea. Two Glossy Ibis came in off the sea and went north-west at c11am. Good sprinkling of common migrants on the land also. #kentbirding
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- A good morning in the recording area with an increase in Chiffchaffs, Blackcaps, couple of Firecrests and a few Song Thrushes. Lots of overhead migration too with 7000 Swallows, 570 Siskin and an Osprey (at 08:20hrs) heading out to sea in a E/SE direction the highlights. #kentbirding
- A superb all day seawatch with twelve hours of coverage at the Fishing Boats. The Sooty Shearwater count is the second highest for the Observatory. #kentbirding
- An amazing 82 Sooty Shearwaters have flown west past the Fishing Boats by 9am, mostly very distant. Also two Balearic and a Manx Shearwater. #kentbirding
- Juvenile Turtle Dove flushed out of the Trapping Area, flew once around the Point before going back north #kentbirding
- We have ringed hundreds of Sand Martins this autumn and have caught four with rings on from elsewhere. Three of our birds were caught at Icklesham the night after their capture at Dungeness. Each coloured line shows a Sand Martin, and the details of the controls are as follows:
- Another good day again with 14 Glossy Ibis out to sea SE at c09:20hrs (plus another eight on the RSPB reserve), Wryneck still in the Desert, seven Whinchats, two Redstarts and a Pied Flycatcher amongst a small fall of passerines and over 3500 Swallows through the Point going SE/S #kentbirding
- Some brilliant visible migration of hirdundines today resulted in 15550 Swallows, 6270 Sand Martins (plus another 800 roosted) and 78 House Martins flying S/SE out to sea. One flock of a thousand Swallows was spectacular early in the morning. #kentbirding
- A fantastic morning in the recording area with 94 Arctic Skuas, 61 Balearic, four Sooty and a Manx Shearwater, a Leach's Petrel and 13 Black Terns all heading west. A few raptors going out-east included Osprey, a Hobby and a flock of seven Honey Buzzards at 11:45hrs. #kentbirding
- Some more exciting seawatching today, with plenty more Terns on the move and this brings the month's total of Sandwich Terns to over ten thousand west! #kentbirding
- So far past the Fishing Boats this morning: 31 Black Tern, 7 Balearic, two Manx and 10 Sooty Shearwaters all west. #kentbirding
- Some fantastic seawatching today with all day passage, the highlight being a constant stream of Sandwich Terns heading west with over 6500 recorded but also Curlew Sandpiper, 299 Little Terns, 24 Black Terns, 60+ Arctic Skuas, a Sooty Shearwater and 52 Balearic Shearwaters. #kentbirding
- Osprey south over the Observatory and out over the sea at 11:12hrs #kentbirding
