Last updated: 28th November.
Forthcoming survey – local volunteers required for January 2024: www.bto.org/our-science/projects/winter-gull-survey/taking-part or get in touch for further details.
28th – A Barn Owl at the Donkey Street/Lower Wall Road junction, a Woodcock, a Little Egret and 2 Goosanders along the canal between the Aldergate Bridge and West Hythe and 14 Yellowhammers at the Aldergate Lane/Lower Wall Road junction (Dylan Wrathall). A Black Redstart at Folkestone Harbour Arm (Adam Marek). 2 Firecrests at Lympne churchyard (Phil Sharp).
27th – 5 Firecrests at Enbrook Park (Chris Gillard).
26th – A Caspian Gull, a Sandwich Tern and 4 Razorbills off Mill Point (Ian Roberts). A Little Owl at Church Hougham churchyard, where a Crossbill flew west (Mark Kennett). A Sandwich Tern and 2 Shelducks flew west at Seabrook, where 28 Great Crested Grebes were on the sea (Paul Howe). A Razorbill off Hythe (Glenn Tutton).
25th – A Waxwing arrived in off the sea at Mill Point, where an Avocet flew west. A ring-tail Hen Harrier flew over Kiln Wood and 3 Egyptian Geese at Cock Ash Lake (Ian Roberts). A Short-eared Owl and 2 Jack Snipe at Donkey Street, 2 Gadwall at Hoorne’s Sewer and a Gadwall at Botolph’s Bridge (Brian Harper). A Red-breasted Merganser, 2 Brent Geese, 4 Mute Swans and 114 Cormorants flew past Hythe (Glenn Tutton). 4 Common Scoter, 5 Brent Geese and 10 Shelduck flew past Seabrook (Paul Howe). 2 Chiffchaffs at Radnor Park (Steve Wood). 15 Ringed Plovers at Folkestone Beach (Tony Poole).
24th – A Great Northern Diver off Folkestone Beach. A Short-eared Owl flew in off the sea at Mill Point. A Black Redstart at Folkestone Harbour (Ian Roberts / Elliot Ranford). 630 Cormorants off Seabrook (Paul Howe). A Black Redstart and 3 Firecrests at Port Lympne (Pete Coleman).
A Palpita vitrealis (Olive-tree Pearl) at Seabrook (Paul Howe).
23rd – A Dartford Warbler at Creteway Down (Brian Harper). 2 Swallows flew west at Samphire Hoe (Paul Holt).
3 Rusty-dot Pearls at Seabrook (Paul Howe).
22nd – A Snow Bunting and 6 Redpolls flew over Samphire Hoe, also a Black Redstart, 2 Teal and 4 Shag there, and 15 Common Scoter, 21 Shelduck and 22 Brent Geese flew east. 80 Skylarks at Abbotscliffe (Mark Kennett). 2 Corn Buntings at Abbotscliffe, where 2,000 Starlings arrived in off the sea (Ian Roberts). 4 Brent Geese and 25 Common Scoter flew past Battery Point (Chris Gillard). A Woodcock, 2 Firecrests and 3 Fieldfares at Port Lympne (Pete Coleman).
21st – 58 Skylarks and 522 Starlings arrived in off the sea at Seabrook (Paul Howe). A Shag at Samphire Hoe, where 12 Brent Geese flew east and large numbers of Starlings arrived in off the sea (Phil Smith).
A Palpita vitrealis (Olive-tree Pearl) at Seabrook (Paul Howe).
19th – A Red Kite at Donkey Street. 4 Little Gulls at Haguelands Farm. 6 Little Gulls at Botolph’s Bridge. A Dunlin and 14 Sanderling at the Willop Outfall (Ian Roberts). An Arctic Skua and 5 Little Gulls flew west past Samphire Hoe (Mark Kennett). 4 Sandwich Terns at Princes Parade (Chris Gillard). 28 Great Crested Grebes at Folkestone Harbour Arm (Tony Poole).
A Rusty-dot Pearl at Seabrook (Paul Howe).
18th – An Arctic Skua, an Oystercatcher, 11 Sandwich Terns, 18 Brent Geese and 54 Little Gulls flew past Princes Parade and a Little Gull at Botolph’s Bridge (Brian Harper / Ian Roberts).
2 Rusty-dot Pearls at Cheriton (Brian Harper).
17th – A Short-eared Owl flew over East Cliff, Folkestone (David Featherbe).
Scarce Umber at Cheriton was new for the year (Brian Harper).
16th – 20 Brent Geese flew past Princes Parade (Chris Gillard).
A Rusty-dot Pearl at Seabrook (Paul Howe).
15th – A Woodcock at Abbotscliffe, where 2 Lapland Buntings flew west (Dale Gibson). A Short-eared Owl, a Jack Snipe, a Woodcock and a Black Redstart at Samphire Hoe, where 3 Shags, 4 Sandwich Terns and 18 Brent Geese flew west (Mark Kennett). 2 Sandwich Terns at Battery Point, where 3 Little Gulls and c.100 Starlings flew west (Chris Gillard).
14th – The adult Sabine’s Gull flew west past Samphire Hoe, also a Shag and a Sandwich Tern (Phil Smith). 6 Little Gulls flew west past Battery Point (Chris Gillard / Ian Roberts). A Sandwich Tern and 21 Great Crested Grebes at Folkestone Harbour Arm (Steve Wood).
Based on analysis of photographs, it would appear that the Sabine’s Gulls seen at Battery Point and Samphire Hoe were the same individual, with a distinctive ‘nick’ in the left wing. Furthermore, it would seem that it was previously seen at Dungeness.
13th – An adult Sabine’s Gull off Battery Point until at least 14:30. A Storm Petrel flew east past Princes Parade and a Red-breasted Merganser, 5 Little Gulls, 9 Pintail and 21 Dunlin flew west. An Egyptian Goose at Cock Ash Lake.
12th – A Ring Ouzel at Samphire Hoe, where a Great Skua, a Curlew, a Sandwich Tern, 2 Little Gulls, 2 Arctic Skuas, 9 Pintails, 95 Kittiwakes and 366 Brent Geese flew west. A Chiffchaff at Hythe (Ian Roberts). At least 375 Gannets feeding off Seabrook (Paul Howe). A Firecrest at Folkestone Warren (Mike Fitch).
11th – 2 Redpolls, 4 Corn Buntings, 7 Bramblings and 17 Stock Doves flew west at Abbotscliffe and 21 Skylarks, 90 Starlings and 462 Chaffinches arrived in off the sea (Ian Roberts). A Brambling flew over Lympne, but no sign of the Cattle Egret (Phil Sharp).
10th – The Cattle Egret still at Berwick Farm, Lympne (Phil Sharp). 2 Firecrests at Enbrook Park and 3 Sandwich Terns off Sandgate (Ian Roberts).
9th – A Shag, a Sandwich Tern, 2 Little Gulls and 13 Ringed Plovers in the Folkestone Pier/Beach area (Brian Harper). An Arctic Skua, a Sandwich Tern and 5 Shelduck off Seabrook (Paul Howe). The Cattle Egret still at Berwick Farm, Lympne (Ian Roberts).
8th – A Short-eared Owl at Samphire Hoe, where a Little Gull flew west (Mark Kennett). An Arctic Skua, a Grey Plover, 3 Little Gulls, 3 Sandwich Terns, 37 Kittiwakes and 200 Gannets flew west past Princes Parade and 190 Starlings arrived in off the sea (Ian Roberts).
7th – The Cattle Egret still at Berwick farm, Lympne (Phil Sharp). 2 Egyptian Geese flew east at Hythe, also several Sandwich Terns there (Glenn Tutton). A Ring Ouzel at Abbotscliffe, where a Golden Plover, 2 Swallows, 3 Bramblings, 6 Corn Buntings, 14 Redpolls, 15 Siskins, 175 Chaffinches, 183 Stock Doves and 280 Starlings flew in/west, and 5 Chough (originating from the Wildwood introduction project) also flew west (Ian Roberts). A Barn Owl in the Hougham Valley opposite the Plough and another 3 Swallows, 9 Goldcrests and 70 Skylarks at Abbotscliffe (Mark Kennett). A Sandwich Tern and a Razorbill off Seabrook (Paul Howe).
6th – A Cattle Egret at Berwick farm, Lympne (Phil Sharp). A Little Gull, 4 Sandwich Terns and 290 Gannets flew west past Mill Point. 125 Fieldfares flew west at Selby Farm. 7 Green Sandpipers at Botolph’s Bridge. The drake Mandarin again at the Willop Basin (Ian Roberts). A Ring Ouzel, a Shag, a Sandwich Tern, 4 Little Egrets, 6 Siskins and 12 Redpolls at Samphire Hoe (Mark Kennett). 2 Bramblings and 100 Fieldfares at Creteway Down (Brian Harper).
5th – 3 Cranes flew over Newingreen (Phil Sharp). A Great Northern Diver, a Sandwich Tern, 2 Little Gulls, 2 Swallows, 98 probable White-fronted Geese and 165 Gannets flew west at Seabrook and 202 Starlings flew in/west there (Paul Howe). A Chiffchaff, 4 Little Gulls and 5 Green Sandpipers at Botolph’s Bridge. A Jack Snipe, a Little Gull, a Corn Bunting, 3 Swallows and 9 Snipe at the Willop Basin. 24 Little Gulls at Abbott’s Court Farm, Lower Wall (Brian Harper / Ian Roberts). 3 Swallows at Copt Point, where c.200 probable White-fronted Geese flew west (Dale Gibson).
4th – An Arctic Skua, 6 Sandwich Terns and 15 Little Gulls off Princes Parade and a Little Gull and 2 Sandwich Terns at Hythe (Ian Roberts).
3rd – A Storm Petrel, a Sandwich Tern, 2 Oystercatchers, 4 Swallows, 12 Brent Geese and 15 Little Gulls flew past Mill Point. 2 Rock Pipits at Folkestone Pier. 7 Redpolls at Princes Parade. 9 Little Gulls off the Willop Outfall, also a Rock Pipit and a Sanderling there and 15 Lapwings at the Willop Basin. 3 Green Sandpipers at Botolph’s Bridge (Brian Harper / Ian Roberts).
2nd – 2 Storm Petrels, 3 Leach’s Petrels and 2 Little Gulls flew east and an Arctic Tern, 3 Shelduck and 6 Sanderling flew west past Hythe, also a Great Northern Diver on the sea there (Ian Roberts / Sean McMinn). A Storm Petrel and at least 5 Leach’s Petrels flew east and a redhead Goosander, 3 Shelduck, 4 Dunlin, 10 Brent Geese and 36 Common Scoter flew west past Princes Parade (Chris Powell / Ian Roberts / Brian Harper / Chris Gillard / Julian Russell). A Storm Petrel flew west at Seabrook (Paul Howe) and 3 Storm Petrels were seen off Mill Point (Julian Russell). A Sandwich Tern and 42 Brent Geese flew past Hythe (Dave Brown).
1st – A Sandwich Tern, 2 Little Gulls, 2 Arctic Skuas, 2 Wigeon, 25 Kittiwakes, 57 Dunlin and 425 Gannets flew west past Princes Parade, where 120 Starlings arrived in off the sea. A drake Mandarin Duck at the Willop Basin (Brian Harper / Ian Roberts).
A Uresiphita gilvata (Yellow-underwing Pearl), a Rush Veneer, 2 Palpita vitrealis (Olive-tree Pearl), 3 Scarce Bordered Straws and c.100 Rusty-dot Pearls at Samphire Hoe (Tony Rouse).
January to October 2023 sightings have been archived – click on the links for the review of bird sightings or lepidoptera sightings in 2023 to date.
For the reviews of sightings in 2022 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.