Last updated: 13th May

12th – A Red Kite near Capel-le-Ferne (Steve Wood). A Brent Goose at Nickolls Quarry (Ian Roberts).

Glyphipterix thrasonella (Eyed Rush Moth) and mines of Eriocrania salopiella (Yellow-headed Spring Jewel) at Gibbin’s Brook were new for the year (Ian Roberts).

11th – 2 Egyptian Geese, 2 Reed Buntings, 3 Little Grebes, 11 Tufted Ducks, 24 Greylag Geese, 30 House Martins and 60 Swallows at Cock Ash Lake (Derek Smith).

Cydia pomonella (Codling Moth) at Saltwood was new for the year (Colin Dunster).

10th – A Hobby arrived in off the sea at Seabrook (Paul Howe). A Cuckoo at Palmarsh (Ian Roberts).

Freyer’s Pug, the Campion and Aspila funebrana (Plum Fruit Moth) at Seabrook were new for the year (Paul Howe).

9th – A Hobby flew over the Aldington Road (Ian Roberts). 2 Black Redstarts at Folkestone (Steve Wood).

A Pearly Underwing and 6 Silver Ys at Seabrook, where additions to the moth year list included White Spot, May Highflyer, Sandy Carpet and Alder Moth (Paul Howe). Other additions included Cauchas rufimitrella (Meadow Longhorn) and Scoparia pyralella (Brown-spot Grey) at Folkestone Downs (Tony Poole), Aglossa pinguinalis (Large Tabby) at Cheriton (Chris Gillard), Elachista subocellea (Brown-barred Grass-miner) at Folkestone Warren (Brian Harper) and Evergestis limbata (Dark-bordered Pearl) at Hythe (Ian Roberts).

8th – 2 Common Sandpipers, 2 Wheatears and 3 House Martins at Samphire Hoe (Phil Smith/Pete Coleman). 2 Common Sandpipers and 2 Egyptian Geese at Nickolls Quarry (Ian Roberts).

A very early Large Skipper at Samphire Hoe (Phil Smith) and the first Brown Argus at Beachborough (David Newman), whilst additions to the moth year list included the Shears at Seabrook (Paul Howe), Grey Birch at Saltwood and Glyphipterix fuscoviridella (Woodrush Moth) and Elachista argentella (Silver Grass-miner) at Beachborough (Ian Roberts).

7th – A Red Kite flew over Lympne Church (Phil Sharp). An Arctic Skua, a Bar-tailed Godwit, 4 Grey Plovers, 8 Whimbrels, 12 Swallows and 21 Kittiwakes flew east past Mill Point (Ian Roberts).

Maple Prominent and Marbled Minor at Seabrook were new for the year (Paul Howe).

6th – A Turtle Dove, a Yellow Wagtail and 32 Swallows flew through Abbotscliffe and 40 Swallows at Nickolls Quarry (Ian Roberts).

Crambus lathoniellus (Meadow Grass-moth) at Folkestone Warren was new for the year (Brian Harper).

5th – A Whimbrel and a Wheatear at Samphire Hoe (Phil Smith). 2 Common Sandpipers at Nickolls Quarry and 2 Whimbrels at the Hythe Imperial golf course (Ian Roberts). A Black Redstart at Folkestone Beach (Steve Wood).

Blood-vein and White Colon at Cheriton (Brian Harper), Yellow Belle and Vine’s Rustic at Seabrook (Paul Howe), Pammene argyrana (Oak Gall Moth) and Clouded Border at Gibbin’s Brook, and Garden Carpet at Hythe (Ian Roberts) were new for the year.

4th – A Turtle Dove at Hythe Roughs, where a Yellow Wagtail flew north (Ian Roberts). 6 Red Kites flew east at Abbotscliffe (Mark Kennett). A Mute Swan, a Kingfisher, 2 Little Grebes and 7 Tufted Ducks at Cock Ash Lake (Derek Smith).

Additions to the moth year list included Mottled Rustic and Common Wainscot at Seabrook (Paul Howe), Coxcomb Prominent and Ethmia bipunctella (Bugloss Ermine) at Hythe and Micropterix calthella (Plain Pollen-moth), Mompha locupletella (Flame Mompha) at Gibbin’s Brook (Ian Roberts) and Mother Shipton at Round Hill (Rebecca Levey).

3rd – An Osprey flew over Folkestone (Dale Gibson). A Hobby at Horton Priory and 2 Egyptian Geese at Nickolls Quarry (Derek Smith). An Egyptian Goose, a White Wagtail and 2 Common Sandpipers at Nickolls Quarry and a Wheatear at Hythe Ranges (Ian Roberts). A Red Kite flew west at Seabrook (Paul Howe). 3 Black Redstarts at Folkestone Beach (Steve Wood).

Portland Ribbon Waves at Capel-le-Ferne (Paul Hodkin) and Seabrook were new for the year, with Sallow Kitten also at Seabrook (Paul Howe), Willow Beauty and Rustic Shoulder-knot at Hythe (Ian Roberts) and Foxglove Pug, the Snout and Cochylichroa atricapitana (Black-fronted Straw) at Cheriton (Brian Harper).

2nd – A Yellow Wagtail and 4 Red Kites at Church Hougham (Mark Kennett). A Red Kite flew south-west over Lympne (Phil Sharp). A Cuckoo at West Hythe (Brian Harper). A Common Sandpiper at Nickolls Quarry (Ian Roberts). A Nightingale singing at Hythe Ranges (James Downs).

Additions to the moth year list included Lime Hawk-moth, Peppered Moth and the Cinnabar at Seabrook (Paul Howe), Light Feathered Rustic at Hythe (Ian Roberts), Lime-speck Pug and the Coronet at Cheriton (Brian Harper) and Lace Border at Beachborough (Alfie Gay).

1st – A Lesser Spotted Woodpecker at Gibbin’s Brook (Brad Foster). A Greenshank, 2 Little Grebes and 6 Tufted Ducks at Cock Ash Lake (Derek Smith). A Marsh Harrier arrived in off the sea at Abbotscliffe, an Arctic Skua, 4 Bar-tailed Godwits, 6 Whimbrels, 6 Shelducks, 7 Sanderlings, 105 Sandwich Terns and 118 Common Scoters flew east past Mill Point and a Common Sandpiper and a White Wagtail were at Nickolls Quarry (Brian Harper/Ian Roberts). 2 Yellow Wagtails arrived in off the sea at Samphire Hoe and 3 Whimbrel and 51 Black-headed Gulls flew east, also a Wheatear there (Mark Kennett/Phil Smith). 2 Black Redstarts at Folkestone Beach (Steve Wood).

The 3rd local (and 7th national) record of Willowherb Hawk-moth at Seabrook. Additions to the year list included Oak Nycteoline at Seabrook (Paul Howe), Buttoned Snout, Turnip Moth, Knot Grass and the earliest ever local record of Large Yellow Underwing at Cheriton and White-pinion Spotted and Syndemis musculana (Dark-barred Tortrix) at Shorncliffe Old Redoubt (Brian Harper) and Hysterophora maculosana (Small Bluebell Beauty) at Paraker Wood (Ian Roberts). The first Small Blue of the year and 4 Clouded Yellows at Samphire Hoe (Phil Smith).

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January to April 2026 sightings have been archived – click on the links for the reviews of bird and lepidoptera sightings in 2026 to date.

For the reviews of sightings in 2025 and earlier years visit the “Annual Reports” section.

This website is maintained by Ian Roberts. For enquiries or to report sightings please contact me at ian_rober@yahoo.co.uk.