Last updated: 26th July.
26th – Dotted Fan-foot at Hythe (Ian Roberts) and Epinotia solandriana (Variable Bell) and Galleria mellonella (Wax Moth) at Seabrook (Paul Howe) were new for the year.
25th – Additions to the moth year list included Ypsolopha dentella (Honeysuckle Moth), Oxypteryx wilkella (Painted Neb), Batrachedra praeangusta (Poplar Cosmet) and Epiblema costipunctana (Ragwort Bell) at Folks’ Wood (Brian Harper / Ian Roberts).
24th – A Willow Warbler and 3 Sedge Warblers at Abbotscliffe, where a Yellow Wagtail flew west and 3 Sand Martins flew out to sea (Mark Kennett). 4 Oystercatchers flew east at Seabrook (Paul Howe). A Common Sandpiper at Folkestone Warren (Ian Roberts).
Additions to the moth year list included Raspberry Clearwing, Gypsy Moth, Tree-lichen Beauty and the Magpie at Seabrook (Paul Howe), Tree-lichen Beauty at Cheriton (Edward Piper) and Cnaemidophorus rhododactyla (Rose Plume), Eupoecilia ambiguella (Vine Moth), Pempeliella ornatella (Ornate Knot-horn), Sitochroa palealis (Sulphur Pearl), the Magpie, the Olive and Dotted Clay at Folkestone Warren (Ian Roberts / Seb Buckton).
22nd – A Willow Warbler, a Little Egret and 4 Black Redstarts at Samphire Hoe, where a Whimbrel flew west (Mark Kennett). A Green Sandpiper at Nickolls Quarry (Ian Roberts).
Additions to the moth year list were Tawny Speckled Pug at Hythe (Ian Roberts) and Neofriseria peliella (White-spot Groundling) at Cheriton (Brian Harper).
21st – A Yellow Wagtail flew west at Abbotscliffe (Mark Kennett).
Roeslerstammia erxlebella (Copper Ermel) at Black Hill, Pedlinge was new for the moth year list (Ian Roberts).
20th – Additions to the moth year list included the Passenger at Folkestone (Julian Clarke), Six-belted Clearwing at Seabrook (Paul Howe) and Samphire Hoe (Simon Warry), August Thorn, Chalk Carpet, Double Kidney, the Blackneck, Recurvaria leucatella (White-barred Groundling), Yponomeuta plumbella (Black-tipped Ermine) and Promalactis procerella (Kent Tubic) at Peene (Brian Harper), Sciota rhenella (New Poplar Knot-horn) and Rhyacionia pinicolana (Orange-spotted Shoot) at Hythe, and Pimpinel Pug, the Blackneck, Acompsia schmidtiellus (Marjoram Crest), Cochylimorpha alternana (Kentish Conch) and Eudonia lineola (White-line Grey) at Abbotscliffe (Ian Roberts).
19th – 2 Barn Owls near the junction of Lower Wall Road and Donkey Street (Dylan Wrathall).
Additions to the moth year list included Red-tipped Clearwing at Seabrook (Paul Howe), Grapholita janthinana (Pale-bordered Piercer) at Cheriton (Brian Harper), Dioryctria sylvestrella (New Pine Knot-horn) at Hythe and Caryocolum alsinella (Narrow Groundling) and Caryocolum vicinella (Coast Groundling) at Hythe Ranges (Ian Roberts).
18th – 3 Honey Buzzards flew over Samphire Hoe (Paul Holt).
The first White Admiral of the year at Folks’ Wood, whilst additions to the moth year list included Shaded Broad-bar at Folkestone Warren (Tony Poole), Bulrush Wainscot, Webb’s Wainscot, Oxypteryx atrella (Two-spotted Neb), Acleris kochiella (Elm Button) and Acrobasis consociella (Broad-barred Knot-horn) at West Hythe (Brian Harper / Ian Roberts).
17th – A juvenile Yellow-legged Gull and a Corn Bunting at Abbotscliffe, where 2 Yellow Wagtails and 3 Sand Martins flew west (Mark Kennett).
Dark Umber at Seabrook (Paul Howe), Epinotia nisella (Grey Poplar Bell) at Cheriton, Canary-shouldered Thorn at both sites, and Plain Pug and Aroga velocella (Dusky Groundling) at Hythe (Ian Roberts) were additions to the moth year list.
15th – Four-spotted Footman at Seabrook was new for the year (Paul Howe).
14th – A Willowherb Hawk-moth larva was found in a garden in Hythe – the second area and sixth British occurrence, but the first larval record (David Morris). Cynaeda dentalis (Starry Pearl) at Hythe was new for the year (Ian Roberts).
13th – Agonopterix conterminella (Sallow Flat-body) at Thorn Wood (Brian Harper) and Small Ranunculus at Hythe (Ian Roberts) were new for the year.
12th – A Whimbrel flew over Hythe (Ian Roberts).
Additions to the moth year list included Evergestis pallidata (Chequered Pearl), Marbled Green and Dusky Sallow at Seabrook (Paul Howe), Maple Pug at Cheriton (Brian Harper) and Agonopterix liturosa (Large Purple Flat-body), Blastobasis rebeli (Marsh Dowd) and Wood Carpet at Folkestone Warren (Ian Roberts).
11th – A Spotted Flycatcher at Horton Priory (Derek Smith).
Sallow Clearwing at Sellindge (Derek Smith) was yet another new macro moth for the area, whilst additions to the year list included Agnoea josephinae (Orange-headed Tubic) at Seabrook (Paul Howe), Black Arches, Ypsolopha nemorella (Hooked Smudge) and Gypsonoma dealbana (Common Cloaked Shoot) at Thorn Wood (Brian Harper) and Marbled Beauty, Small Wainscot and Coleophora galbulipennella (Kent Case-bearer) at Hythe (Ian Roberts).
10th – Dingy Shears, Monochroa lucidella (Buff-marked Neb) and Catoptria pinella (Pearl Grass-veneer) at Seabrook were new for the year (Paul Howe).
9th – A Little Ringed Plover and 3 Green Sandpipers at Nickolls Quarry (Ian Roberts).
The first area (and 5th county, 19th national) record of the Latin at Seabrook, where Leopard Moth and Triple-spotted Clay were also new for the year (Paul Howe), as was Pempelia genistella at Hythe (Ian Roberts).
7th – A Black Redstart at Abbotscliffe (Mark Kennett).
Additions to the moth year list included Sussex Emerald and Pigmy Footman at Hythe (Ian Roberts).
5th – Additions to the moth year list included the Festoon, Sub-angled Wave, Nemapogon clematella (Barred White Clothes Moth), Dichomeris alacella (Lichen Crest), Teleiodes luculella (Crescent Groundling), Acleris umbrana (Dark-streaked Button), Apotomis capreana (Sallow Marble), Elegia similella (White-barred Knot-horn) and Acrobasis tumidana (Scarce Oak Knot-horn) at Bargrove Wood (Brian Harper / Ian Roberts) and Aphomia zelleri (Twin-spot Honey) at Seabrook (Paul Howe).
4th – A Whimbrel flew west at Hythe (Glenn Tutton).
Additions to the moth year list included Blotched Emerald at Seabrook (Paul Howe) and Parachronistis albiceps (Wood Groundling) and Piniphila bifasciana (Pine Marble) at Folks’ Wood (Ian Roberts).
3rd – A Corn Bunting and 2 Marsh Harriers at Donkey Street (Steve Wood).
2nd – A Red Kite flew west over Hythe (Sean McMinn). 2 Green Sandpipers and 4 Little Ringed Plovers (3 juveniles) at Nickolls Quarry (Ian Roberts).
Additions to the moth year list included Delplanqueia dilutella (Powdered Knot-horn) at Hythe (Ian Roberts).
1st – c.150 Swifts at Lympne Churchyard (Phil Sharp).
Additions to the moth year list included Acleris sparsana (Ashy Button), Sciota adelphella (Willow Knot-horn) and September Thorn at Seabrook (Paul Howe) and Patania ruralis (Mother of Pearl) at Cheriton (Brian Harper).
January to June 2024 sightings have been archived – click on the links for the reviews of bird sightings and lepidoptera sightings in 2024 to date.
For the reviews of sightings in 2023 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.