Last updated: 21st January.

21st – A Little Gull, a Shelduck and 9 Brent Geese flew past Princes Parade. A Water Rail at Seabrook. A Little Owl and a Firecrest at Beachborough (Brian Harper/Chris Gillard). A Shelduck, 9 Brent Geese and 204 auks flew east past Samphire Hoe (Mark Kennett). 5 Brent Geese, 13 Ringed Plovers, 20 Razorbills, 28 Great Crested Grebes and 300+ auks in the Folkestone Beach/Harbour Arm area (Steve Wood/Adam Marek).

Tortricodes alternella (Spring Harbinger) at Heane Wood was new for the year (Ian Roberts).

20th – A Pale-bellied Brent Goose by Botolph’s Bridge Road. A Curlew and 56 Lapwing at the Willop Basin. A Shoveler at Nickolls Quarry. 2 Gadwall at the Canal Cutting (Brian Harper/Ian Roberts). A Black Redstart at Samphire Hoe, where 29 Common Gulls, 55 Kittiwakes and 120 Brent Geese flew east (Pete Coleman).

19th – A Curlew, a Shoveler and 36 Lapwings at the Willop Basin and 2 Shoveler, 6 Gadwall and 55 Teal at the Cutting Canal, where a Great White Egret flew east (Ian Roberts).

Spring Usher at Seabrook (Paul Howe) and Ypsolopha ustella (Varied Ochre) at Cheriton (Brian Harper) were new for the year.

18th – A 2CY Glaucous Gull, a Pale-bellied Brent Goose, 2 Dark-bellied Brent Geese and 34 Lapwings at the Willop Basin and 2 Green Sandpipers, 3 Jack Snipe, 4 Shoveler and 40 Redwings at Nickolls Quarry (Ian Roberts). 130 Kittiwakes flew east at Samphire Hoe (Mark Kennett).

17th – A Black Redstart at Samphire Hoe, where 36 Brent Geese flew east and 54 Red-throated Divers flew west (Mark Kennett). 2 Mandarin Ducks at Folks’ Wood (Brian Harper).

16th – A Shoveler, 2 Egyptian Geese and 4 Gadwall at the Canal Cutting, a Curlew and 24 Lapwing at the Willop Basin, 6 Redshank at the Willop Outfall and 200+ Razorbills flew west at the Dymchurch Redoubt (Ian Roberts). A Shelduck flew west at Seabrook (Paul Howe).

15th – A Little Gull and 8 Kittiwakes off Princes Parade (Brian Harper/Ian Roberts).

Pale Brindled Beauty and Dark Chestnut at Seabrook were new for the moth year list (Paul Howe).

14th – A Great White Egret at the Aldergate Bridge (Brian Harper). 2 Green Sandpipers, 17 Lapwing and 40 Wigeon at the Willop Basin (Ian Roberts).

13th – A female/immature Goldeneye, 2 Green Sandpipers and 9 Shoveler at Nickolls Quarry. A Dunlin, a Curlew, 2 Shoveler and 100+ Teal at the Willop Basin. A Tufted Duck, a Shoveler, 2 Egyptian Geese, 4 Gadwall and 35 Teal at the Canal Cutting. 2 Wigeon at Donkey Street (Brian Harper/Ian Roberts).

Winter Moth at Seabrook (Paul Howe) and the Chestnut at Cheriton (Brian Harper) were among additions to the moth year list.

12th – A Tufted Duck, 2 Egyptian Geese, 4 Gadwall and 8 Wigeon at the Canal Cutting. 8 Egyptian Geese flew west at Nickolls Quarry. 2 Shoveler, 20 Lapwing, 52 Wigeon and 75 Teal at the Willop Basin (Ian Roberts). A drake Gadwall on the canal by the Hythe Imperial Golf Course (Brian Harper). A Little Egret at Copt Point (Alistair Mackay).

11th – A Red-breasted Merganser, a Fulmar, 4 Little Gulls, 5 Wigeon, 7 Pochard, 8 Shelduck and 10 Teal flew past Princes Parade (Brian Harper/Ian Roberts). 4 Shelduck and 4,353 Cormorants flew past Seabrook (Paul Howe). 20 Brent Geese, 21 Gannets and 715 Cormorants at Samphire Hoe (Pete Coleman).

9th – A Woodcock and 3 Shoveler at Nickolls Quarry (Brian Harper). 2 Redshank at Folkestone Harbour (Steve Wood).

8th – A Fulmar, 2 Little Egrets, 2 Black Redstarts, 11 Kittiwakes, 14 Ringed Plovers and 39 Great Crested Grebes in the Folkestone Harbour/Copt Point area (Steve Wood). 3 Water Rails and 3 Blackcaps along the canal between Hythe and Seabrook (Brian Harper).

7th – A Gadwall and 6 Tufted Ducks at Nickolls Quarry, a Tufted Duck and 9 Gadwall at Botolph’s Bridge, 4 Golden Plovers and 12 Lapwing at the Willop Basin and 40 Oystercatchers at the Willop Outfall (Ian Roberts). A Tawny Owl at Lympne (Phil Sharp). A Black Redstart at Folkestone Beach (Brian Harper).

6th – 20 Golden Plovers and 48 Lapwings at the Willop Basin. 2 Shelduck, 17 Sanderling and 19 Oystercatchers at the Willop Outfall. 2 Golden Plovers and 7 Lapwings flew in off the sea at Dymchurch Redoubt. 6 Tufted Ducks at Nickolls Quarry. A Gadwall at Botolph’s Bridge. A Firecrest and 3 Little Egrets at West Hythe dam (Brian Harper/Ian Roberts). 100+ Lapwings at Pent Farm (Sarah Montgomery). 6 Lapwings at Samphire Hoe (Phil Smith). 2 Little Grebes on the canal at Seabrook (Tony Poole). 3 Stonechats at Folkestone Sunny Sands (Steve Wood).

5th – 2 Redshank, 2 Sanderling, 10 Golden Plovers and 52 Lapwing at the Willop Basin/Outfall, 5 Gadwall at Botolph’s Bridge and 5 Tufted Ducks at Nickolls Quarry (Ian Roberts). A Firecrest, 4 Snipe and 32 Meadow Pipits at Abbotscliffe (Mark Kennett). 20+ Lapwings at Beachborough (Tony Poole). A Woodcock at Bartholomew’s Wood and 2 Woodcock at Thorn Wood (Brian Harper).

4th – A Marsh Tit at Postling Wents, where 19 Golden Plover flew over and 2 Snipe flew over Samphire Hoe (Ian Roberts). 4 Snipe at Cock Ash Lake and 6 Siskin at Horton Priory (Derek Smith). A Black Redstart at Samphire Hoe (Mark Kennett).

3rd – A Green Sandpiper, 3 Shoveler and 8 Gadwall at Botolph’s Bridge, 6 Lapwings at Donkey Street and a Woodcock at Fairmead Farm, Westenhanger (Ian Roberts).

2nd – A Black Redstart, 2 Rock Pipits, 4 Redshank, 6 Linnets, c.12 Razorbills and 15 Ringed Plovers in the Folkestone Harbour area and a Brent Goose flew east. 3 Shoveler at Nickolls Quarry (Steve Wood/Ian Roberts). A Woodcock and a Blackcap at Bluehouse Wood (Brian Harper). A Teal, 3 Redpolls, 4 Greylag Geese, 32 Canada Geese, 34 Lapwings and 220 Fieldfares in the Cock Ash Lake/Horton Priory area (Derek Smith).

Mottled Umber at Seabrook was the first moth species of the year (Paul Howe).

1st – 2 Egyptian Geese at Nickolls Quarry, a Green Sandpiper, 2 Wigeon, 8 Gadwall, 14 Fieldfares and 40 Teal at Botolph’s Bridge, 2 Water Rails and 5 Chiffchaffs at the Willop Sewage Works, 2 Shoveler, 40 Lapwing and 46 Teal at the Willop Basin and 4 Common Scoter off the Dymchurch Redoubt (Brian Harper/Ian Roberts). 2 Kingfishers, 6 Linnets and 300+ Cormorants at Folkestone Harbour (Steve Wood). A Little Auk reported off Folkestone Harbour Arm (per BirdGuides).

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January to December 2025 sightings have been archived – click on the links for the reviews of bird and lepidoptera sightings in 2025 to date.

For the reviews of sightings in 2024 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.