Late morning update from Dungeness Point Osprey out to sea 4 Crossbills (part of a flock of 7), 100+ Siskins Whinchat, Lesser Whitethroat, Firecrest and 3 Goldcrests Chiffchaffs and Blackcaps a good spread in the Trapping Area #kentbirding

Even on a quieter day for visitors on Dungeness - there is always one A couple which thought they could drive closer to the sea to have their picnic 🤦

UK is well on course for losing Willow Tit, Spotted Flycatcher & Wood Warbler as breeding species in our lifetime. Wood Warbler already virtually gone from England. I think Willow Tit would be first extinction of a resident bird since Capercaillie in 1700s or White-tailed Eagle in 1918. #ornithology

The ‘Lifeboat Pool’ - Dungeness

6/ Upland bird populations have fallen by 11% in the UK since 1994. Upland specialists - the species characteristic of open moorland, such as Curlew, Dotterel and Wheatear - have shown the steepest declines, by 21% since 1994.

5/ The UK Seabird Indicator, comprising 13 species, has declined by 37% since 1986. Showing a shallow decline since 2000, the index has taken a sharper downward turn in the last five years which likely reflects the impact of Avian Flu. #Seabirds

4/The UK Breeding Wetland Bird Index of 26 species has declined by 10% since 1975. Birds of wet grasslands show declines of almost 50% & birds of fast-flowing streams by 11%. However, birds of reedbeds increased by 40% & birds of standing/slow waters are up by 6% after an increase and then decline.

3/ UK woodland birds are down 32% since 1970 & 3% in the last five years. Specialists, such as long-distance migrants Spotted Flycatcher & Wood Warbler, show steep declines, along with Willow & Marsh Tit. While Chiffchaff, Blackcap, Nuthatch & Great Spotted Woodpecker numbers have more than doubled.

2/ Farmland bird populations declined by 62% since 1970 & by 11% in just the last five years. Specialists like Turtle Dove, Tree Sparrow, Grey Partridge, Corn Bunting & Starling are down by more than 80% since 1970. Generalist species such as Woodpigeon, Jackdaw & Goldfinch have more than doubled.

1/ The Wild Bird Indicators, using BTO data, have been updated today by Defra! ⬇️ Sadly, the ‘all bird species’ index, comprising the population trends of 130 species, has been in a slow continuous decline in the UK since the 1970s, down by 18% and by 4% in the last five years. 📉 #Ornithology

First Brent Goose and Redpoll of the autumn past Dungeness for me With small numbers of Siskins and a trickle of Chiffchaffs and Blackcaps Then Colin Holter finding a Buff-breasted Sandpiper in the same field (and field of view) as the American Golden Plover at Jurys Gap, East Sussex #ukbirding

I caught a Darter species (Sympetrum) in the Littlestone, SE Kent garden moth trap last night I did spend too much time checking and photographing it this morning - as I rarely get any dragonfly bycatch But it is a Common Darter (Sympetrum striolatum) #dragonfly @britishdragonflies.bsky.social

Dave Bunney found an Asian Hornet in his garden on Dungeness this afternoon It was was feeding on bees on the flowering Ivy and he took this pic He also found the first Asian Hornet record for Kent on 11th October 2018 @kentfieldclub.bsky.social

Red-backed Shrike remains in same(ish) area east of the top Long Pits, Dungeness this morning - present since 9 Sep Hundreds of Chiffchaffs and Blackcaps across the Point and thousands of hirundines moving S/SE out to sea Spot Fly and Redstart at Concrete Blocks, top of Long Pits #kentbirding

My first Marsh Mallow moth of the year in the Littlestone garden, SE Kent last night Just about annual for this Red Data Book moth Our house is called Marshmallows and there is plenty of foodplant in the garden - so trying to do my bit for the moth Moth plank out for its picture #mothsmatter

Dungeness had its first Grey Phalarope of the year off the boats and by the Seawatch hide this morning Popped over to see a Spoonbill on the RSPB reserve and a Honey Buzzard flew over The Red-backed Shrike is still east of the Long Pits - north of the Wigwams late pm Sun was shining #kentbirding

I’m hopeless with flies - but I was struck by this fly sitting in the top of the garden actinic moth trap - Littlestone, Kent My book/internet searches come to Dark Waspgrabber (Lepoldius calceatus) ? An European sp spreading north with UK records from 2018 #diptera @kentfieldclub.bsky.social

A White-line Snout was the star moth at Dave Bunney’s actinic Dungeness garden It is the 2nd record of the wider Dungeness recording area 9 Dark Sword Grass, 1 Pearly Underwing, 1 Scarce Bordered Straw, 1 vitrealis, 40 noctuella, 1 Silver Y the padders @migrantmothuk.bsky.social #mothsmatter

Back in South Wales for the weekend So did a cheeky trip down my old birding patch from the 1980’s - the Ogmore Estuary near Bridgend So I could enjoy the Greg Phalarope found this morning My phone pics don’t do it justice… 🤦😂 @deanbolt.bsky.social #birdingWales

While dodging the showers on Dungeness A juv Long-tailed Skua came along the beach to the seawatch hide - chased a tern and then headed back west at 08.18 A juv Shag floated past the Buoy which is a scarce bird on Dungeness Saw a brief Pec Sandpiper at Hanson hide, Dungeness RSPB #kentbirding

Oak Lutestring in the Littlestone garden moth traps last night Can’t remember catching one before in the garden - It is a scarce moth across the wider Dungeness recording area #mothsmatter

The White Stork flock flew down the Long Pits, Dungeness this lunchtime and then gained height and went out to sea I am going for 53/54 (ish) in the group Red-backed Shrike east of the top Long Pits this morning #kentbirding

Finally made the pilgrimage to Purflleet for Sciocoris sideritidis and Southern Sickle-bearing Bush Cricket with @sjb2010.bsky.social today.

Checked a single actinic moth trap in Dave Bunney’s garden on Dungeness Only the third time this summer/autumn the trap has run 5 Dark Sword Grass, 1 vitrealis, 35 noctuella and 5 ferrugalis A fresh Radford’s Flame Shoulder was my first of the autumn @migrantmothuk.bsky.social #mothsmatter

It’s Vintage Bus Rally Day on Dungeness

It was anglers today with their stuck vehicle on Dungeness NNR…

Quick dash over to Jurys Gap, near Camber this afternoon to see a moulting American Golden Plover in with a small group of Golden Plovers in a ploughed field (opp the Lydd MOD Ranges) #ukbirding #sussexbirding

My first Wryneck of the year at Dungeness Behind Prospect Cottage out towards railway line and then into Gorse patch in Desert at 09.25 My award winning shot… 🤦 @dungenessbirdobs.bsky.social #kentbirding

Kent Botanical Recording Group Limonium meeting at Samphire Hoe, Dover today As is traditional on the last field meeting of the year - we had Mince Pies to go with the Welsh Cakes at the end…. @bsbibotany.bsky.social @wccpnews.bsky.social

The last Kent Botanical Recording Group Field Meeting of 2025 It was another year trying to work out Limoniums (Sea-lavenders) on the coast 🤦 - lead by Sue Buckingham We were at the wonderful Samphire Hoe, near Dover dodging the showers @bsbibotany.bsky.social @wccpnews.bsky.social

Little and Large… Beet Moth (Scrobipalpa ocellatella) in a pot Then an Old Lady on ‘moth plank’ Both new for the year in Littlestone garden, SE Kent #mothsmatter

Just one vehicle stuck in the shingle on Dungeness NNR today - beautifully finding the gap between the cones, rope and sign…

Littlestone (SE Kent) garden moth traps in the torrential showers through the night Blackneck Not on my radar in September and I usually only get 1-2 a year - although this year has been blank so far Books suggest possible 2nd generation in early autumn #mothsmatter

The Dungeness wider recording area total has crept up by two new birds in August to 222 They were an Icterine Warbler and a Zitting Cisticola (Fan-tailed Warbler) which was also new for Dungeness In comparison to the last 5 years this is about 5 species more at this time of the year #kentbirding

The August rainfall total for Littlestone, SE Kent was 19.5mm 1mm of rain till 28 August and then unsettled for the last few days The last two summer months for comparison were July - 130mm June - 46mm

An adult Dotterel with 89 Golden Plover at Jurys Gap, Lydd MOD Ranges, East Sussex Distant but still present at 12.00 Greenshank, Dunlin, Sanderling, 16 Ringed Plover and 3 Avocet at Midrips/Wicks which has a little bit of water in after big tides last week #sussexbirding

First ‘autumn’ seawatch at Dungeness with wind and rain where I needed a coat and got there too early Hiding in the seawatch hide with the regulars…. Up to c15 Balearic Shearwaters, c25 Arctic Skuas, 2 Bonxies, c6 Black Terns, Little Tern and then hundreds of terns and c100 Gannets #kentbirding

Dungeness early this morning before the sunshine broke through Two very distant Balearic Shearwaters going West the only thing in an hour Then appreciated one of four Grasshopper Warblers being released in the Trapping Area - thanks to Jacob/Charlotte Home for domestic duties… #kentbirding

Littlestone garden moth traps, SE Kent Five Latticed Heaths, 2 Four-spotted Footman, Clay Triple-lines indicate wanderings from somewhere… Rosy Rustic heralds ‘moth autumn’ for me #mothsmatter @migrantmothuk.bsky.social

Just in case it's needed, a quick comparison of I guess 'typical' Oak Hook-tip (above) and Spiny Hook-tip (below). Beware of intermediates which will boil your brain! 😆 #MothsMatter

Dungeness Point/NNR on a hot sunny Bank Holiday weekend Worked all three days with multiple cars stuck in the shingle, sorting out rubbish and finishing off with a road closure to pull out a scaffolding lorry from a private house 🤦 Keep smiling…. 😬

Littlestone (SE Kent) garden moth traps had bits and pieces First Restharrow of the year First Four-spotted Footman since mid June First (probably) Cryptic Fern of the year Plus Scarce Bordered Straw, 2 noctuellas (Rush Veneer) #mothsmatter @migrantmothuk.bsky.social

One of the biggest highlights today though, the superb hospitality of Dave and Sheila at Dunge 🥰👍👌

My kind of pug…. big and easy Bordered Pug in Littlestone garden (SE Kent) - new for the year #mothsmatter However, just had to pot up and release this beast a little bit further than the garden moth trap 😬 Green-fanged Tube Web Spider (Segestria florentina) #spiders

I have not posted a ‘bird video’ for ages and today I post the Bramble patch with the Dungeness Power Station in the background early this morning at Galloways, Lydd MOD Ranges You can’t actually see any bird 🤦 - just the Fan-tailed Warbler/Zitting Cisticola calling #ukbirding #rarebirdsuk

Memorable early morning down Galloways, Lydd MOD Ranges watching the Fan-tailed Warbler singing and moving around the grassy landscape for over an hour on my own It was showing every 5-10mins Bird below and left of the Whinchat on top of Bramble bush… 🤦 #kentbirding #ukbirding

Owen’s choice from the Littlestone (SE Kent) garden moth traps this morning is a fresh Chocolate tip #mothsmatter

Just a heads up for any Fan-tailed Warbler lookers at Galloways, Lydd MOD Ranges - no problem for access all week and the whole of the Bank Holiday weekend - then closed for firing next week

Autumn Lady’s-tresses have appeared at Littlestone (SE Kent) on lawns and verges in their hundreds I would mention that New Romney Town Council agreed 10 years ago to not mow the memorial garden for 2 months to help the orchids #wildflowerhour @wildflowerhour.bsky.social @bsbibotany.bsky.social

Dungeness: A very heavily cropped image of todays Fan-tailed Warbler (Zitting Cisticola) and excellent find by @birdingbazzer.bsky.social at Galloways, pity my image doesn't do it justice. 🤷‍♂️ #Kentbirding #UKBirding