Last updated: 8th May.
8th – A Red Kite flew north over Newington and 6 Swallows flew over Princes Parade (Steve Wood). A Yellow Wagtail arrived in off the sea at Capel-le-Ferne (Ian Roberts).
Additions to the moth year list included Ruby Tiger at Seabrook (Paul Howe) and Scorched Wing and Brown Silver-line at Heane Wood (Ian Roberts).
7th – The first Garden Warbler at Bluehouse Wood and singles of Green and Common Sandpiper at Nickolls Quarry (Brian Harper). The first Sand Martin and a Red Kite at Church Hougham (Mark Kennett). 5 Swifts over Park Road (Glenn Tutton) and 12 over South Road in Hythe (Martin Whybrow). A drake Mandarin in a garden at Lympne (Phil Sharp).
Small Purple-barred at Folkestone Downs (Tony Poole), Broad-barred White at Hythe and Hysterophora maculosana (Bluebell Conch) at Folks’ Wood (Ian Roberts) were new for the year, as were Clouded Yellow (var. helice) and Small Blue at Samphire Hoe (Phil Smith).
6th – A Spoonbill flew west over Samphire Hoe (Paul Holt), where a Yellow Wagtail arrived in off the sea and 7 Oystercatchers and 80 Common Scoter flew east, whilst a Wheatear was at Abbotscliffe (Mark Kennett). A Nightingale at Horn Street and 4 Avocets and 6 Whimbrel at Nickolls Quarry (Brian Harper). A Corn Bunting at Abbotscliffe (Chris Gillard).
Additions to the moth year list included Buttoned Snout at Cheriton and Puss Moth at Horn Street (Brian Harper), Foxglove Pug and Treble-lines at Seabrook (Paul Howe) and Ethmia bipunctella (Bordered Ermel) and Lobesia reliquana (Oak Marble) at Hythe (Ian Roberts).
5th – 4 Swifts at Folkestone (Elliot Ranford).
May Highflyer and Maiden’s Blush at Seabrook (Paul Howe) and Light Feathered Rustic and Marbled Coronet at Hythe Ranges (Ian Roberts) were new for the year.
4th – A Pied Flycatcher reported at Samphire Hoe (per Paul Holt).
Pale-shouldered Cloud at Cheriton and the Mocha and Small White Wave at Bartholomew’s Wood (Brian Harper), Pyrausta nigrata (Wavy-barred Sable) at Folkestone Downs (Tony Poole) and Cacoecimorpha pronubana (Carnation Tortrix) at Seabrook (Paul Howe) were new for the year.
3rd – A Cattle Egret and 2 Dunlin at Nickolls Quarry (Ian Roberts).
A Hoary Footman, a Diamond-back Moth and 6 Silver Ys at Hythe and a Poplar Lutestring at Bargrove Wood (Ian Roberts). A Diamond-back Moth and 3 Silver Ys at Cheriton, where Cochylichroa atricapitana (Black-headed Conch) and Light Brocade were new for the year (Brian Harper).
2nd – Additions to the moth year list included the Seraphim at Cheriton (Brian Harper), Phtheochroa rugosana (Rough-winged Conch) at Seabrook (Paul Howe) and Phylloporia bistrigella (Striped Leaf-cutter), Dusky Hook-tip, Scalloped Hook-tip, Grey Birch and Lunar Thorn at Gibbin’s Brook (Ian Roberts). Migrant totals were one Dark Sword-grass, 6 Diamond-back Moths and 11 Silver Ys.
1st – A Greenshank at Nickolls Quarry (Brian Harper).
Additions to the moth year list were Psychoides filicivora (Fern Smut) and the Rivulet at Seabrook (Paul Howe), Lime-speck Pug and Willow Beauty at Cheriton (Brian Harper), Dark Sword-grass and Small Waved Umber at Hythe and Elachista subocellea (Brown-barred Dwarf) and Cryptic Fern at Folkestone Warren, and Pyrausta despicata (Straw-barred Pearl), Pyrausta aurata (Small Purple & Gold) and Common Heath at Folkestone Downs, where 14 Silver Ys were of note (Tony Poole). Additions to the butterfly year list were Wall at Folkestone Downs and Dingy Skipper and Green Hairstreak at Folkestone Downs and Warren (Tony Poole / Ian Roberts).
April
30th – A Cuckoo and 2 Common Sandpipers at Nickolls Quarry (Ian Roberts). 3 Brent Geese flew east at Seabrook (Paul Howe). 2 Siskins at Capel-le-Ferne.
2 Rusty-dot Pearls at Folkestone Warren, where additions to the moth year list included Pine Hawk-moth, Knot Grass and Sallow Kitten (Brian Harper / Ian Roberts). A Silver Y at Seabrook (Paul Howe).
29th – A Ring-necked Parakeet at Cheriton (Ralph Thorogood). A singing Nightingale between Sellindge and Monks Horton, at the junction of Blindhouse Lane and Broad Street (Sarah and Peter Montgomery). A Common Sandpiper along the canal at Seabrook (Paul Howe). A Whimbrel flew over Samphire Hoe (Mark Kennett). A Swift over Folkestone (David Featherbe).
Small Heath at Folkestone Downs (Tony Poole), Pale Mottled Willow at Seabrook (Paul Howe) and Tawny Shears at Hythe (Ian Roberts) were new for the year.
28th – A Great Skua and a Whimbrel flew east at Princes Parade. A Cuckoo, a Dunlin, a Redshank, 2 Common Sandpipers and 3 Swifts at Nickolls Quarry (Ian Roberts). 3 Arctic Skuas, 4 Oystercatchers and 16 Sandwich Terns flew east at Samphire Hoe, also a Wheatear there (Mark Kennett).
5 Silver Ys at Hythe, where Chamomile Shark was new for the year (Ian Roberts). A Silver Y at Seabrook (Paul Howe).
27th – 2 Little Terns, 2 Bar-tailed Godwits, 3 Whimbrel, 4 Common Terns, 16 Brent Geese and 41 Sandwich Terns flew east past Princes Parade (Brian Harper). 5 Avocets and 23 Common/Arctic Terns flew east past Mill Point, also a House Martin and 2 Yellow Wagtails arrived in off the sea there, and a Yellow Wagtail arrived in off the sea at Abbotscliffe (Ian Roberts). 2 Swallows arrived in off the sea at Folkestone Harbour (Elliot Ranford).
A Hummingbird Hawk-moth at Saltwood was new for the year (Colin Dunster).
26th – A Cuckoo, a Common Sandpiper and a Ringed Plover at Nickolls Quarry (Brian Harper). 11 Whimbrels flew east at Samphire Hoe (Ian Roberts). A Little Egret and 8 Swallows at Abbotscliffe (Elliot Ranford).
Iron Prominent at Seabrook (Paul Howe) and Shuttle-shaped Dart at Hythe (Ian Roberts) were new for the year.
25th – 2 Greylag Geese, 9 Whimbrel, 14 Sandwich Terns, 49 Common Scoter and 63 Brent Geese flew east past Mill Point. A Bar-tailed Godwit, a Common Sandpiper and a Green Sandpiper at Nickolls Quarry (Ian Roberts).
Chocolate-tip at Seabrook (Paul Howe) and Anthophila fabriciana (Common Nettle-tap) at Nickolls Quarry (Ian Roberts) were new for the year.
24th – 3 Bar-tailed Godwits and 6 Whimbrel flew north over Hythe (Glenn Tutton). A Green Sandpiper, 2 Common Sandpipers and 2 Bar-tailed Godwits at Nickolls Quarry (Brian Harper / Ian Roberts).
23rd – A Common Sandpiper, a Green Sandpiper, a Bar-tailed Godwit and a Swift at Nickolls Quarry (Ian Roberts). c.50 House Martins at Abbotscliffe (Steve Wood).
22nd – A Wheatear and a Willow Warbler at Abbotscliffe, where a Yellow Wagtail, 2 House Martins and 31 Swallows arrived in off the sea, and 2 Greylag Geese flew east (Mark Kennett). A Bar-tailed Godwit and a Green Sandpiper at Nickolls Quarry (Ian Roberts).
21st – A Swift, a House Martin, a Corn Bunting and 2 Swallows at Abbotscliffe (Steve Wood). A Bar-tailed Godwit at Nickolls Quarry (Brian Harper). A Willow Warbler, a Siskin and 2 Black Redstarts at Samphire Hoe, where a Greylag Goose, 6 Sandwich Terns and 10 Common Scoter flew east (Mark Kennett). 3 Greylag Geese arrived in off the sea at Hythe and 6 Oystercatchers flew east (Glenn Tutton).
20th – A Black Redstart and 2 Lesser Whitethroats at Abbotscliffe, where 2 House Martins arrived in off the sea and 2 Siskins flew east (Ian Roberts). A Ring Ouzel reported at Crete Road East. 2 Greylag Geese flew east at Seabrook (Paul Howe).
Additions to the moth year list included Common Pug at Seabrook (Paul Howe), the Nutmeg at Hythe and Dew Moth (larvae: video) at Abbotscliffe (Ian Roberts).
17th – A Yellow Wagtail arrived in off the sea at Abbotscliffe, also a Wheatear, 2 Corn Buntings, 3 Swallows and 4 Willow Warblers there, a Redpoll flew over and 5 Red-breasted Mergansers flew east (Mark Kennett). A Red Kite at Crete Road West (Chris Gillard).
Lesser Swallow Prominent at Seabrook was new for the year (Paul Howe).
16th – A Brambling in a garden in Seabrook (Louise Gower). A Wheatear, a Lesser Whitethroat, a Black Redstart and 4 Whitethroats at Samphire Hoe (Phil Smith). 5 Mediterranean Gulls flew west at Hythe (Glenn Tutton). A Lesser Whitethroat at Copt Point (Dale Gibson).
15th – 2 Sandwich Terns at Hythe (Glenn Tutton)
Pebble Prominent at Cheriton was new for the year (Brian Harper).
14th – A Short-eared Owl, a Willow Warbler, 3 Siskins and 4 Wheatears at Abbotscliffe (Mark Kennett). A Common Sandpiper, a Wheatear, a Black Redstart, 2 Little Ringed Plovers, 3 Common Terns and 3 Swallows at Hythe Ranges (Sean McMinn). 2 Wheatears at Princes Parade (Brian Harper). 2 Sandwich Terns and 4 Oystercatchers flew east past Hythe (Glenn Tutton).
The earliest records of Channel Islands Pug and Tachystola acroxantha (Ruddy Streak) at Seabrook (Paul Howe) and Common Carpet at Hythe (Ian Roberts) were new for the year.
13th – A Lesser Whitethroat at Abbotscliffe, where a Shelduck flew east. 2 Wheatears at Samphire Hoe, where 15 Brent Geese flew east (Mark Kennett). A Red Kite flew north over Folkestone (Neil Frampton).
Adela reaumurella (Green Long-horn) at Pedlinge (Brian Harper), Flame Shoulder at Seabrook (Paul Howe) and Bright-line Brown-eye at Hythe (Ian Roberts) were new for the year.
12th – A Sedge Warbler at Nickolls Quarry (Brian Harper). 2 Willow Warblers at Capel-le-Ferne (Mark Kennett). A Willow Warbler and 2 Red Kites at Port Lympne (Pete Coleman).
A Blossom Underwing and the first 2 Diamond-back Moths of the year at West Hythe, where additions to the year list included the earliest records of Red Twin-spot Carpet and Pale Prominent. A Rusty-dot Pearl and 3 Silver Ys at Cheriton. 3 Silver Ys at Hythe (Brian Harper / Ian Roberts).
11th – A Willow Warbler at Botolph’s Bridge and 2 Willow Warblers at Nickolls Quarry (Ian Roberts). A Barn Owl at West Hythe (Brian Harper / Ian Roberts). A Wheatear at Copt Point (Alistair Mackay).
10th – A Reed Warbler at Botolph’s Bridge Road and a Green Sandpiper at Nickolls Quarry (Ian Roberts). 2 Sandwich Terns off Hythe (Glenn Tutton). A female Marsh Harrier at Donkey Street (Steve Wood).
The earliest ever records of Pale Tussock at Seabrook (Paul Howe) and Common Wave at Hythe (Ian Roberts).
9th – Silver Y at Cheriton was new for the year (Brian Harper).
8th – 4 Wheatears at Abbotscliffe (Pete Coleman) and a Wheatear at Princes Parade (Tony Poole). A Swallow at Lympne (Phil Sharp). A House Martin at Pent Downs, Postling (Sarah Montgomery).
The first Large White and Holly Blue of the year at Seabrook (Paul Howe).
7th – A Willow Warbler in a garden in Cheriton (Brian Harper). A Swallow at Crete Road East (Tony Poole).
The first Orange-tip of the year at Cheriton (Tony Poole). Caloptiia rufipennella (Small Red Slender) and White-spotted Pug at Cheriton (Brian Harper) and Esperia sulphurella (Sulphur Tubic) at Seabrook (Paul Howe) were new for the year.
6th – A Marsh Harrier and a Whitethroat at Botolph’s Bridge, and a Willow Warbler and a Green Sandpiper at Nickolls Quarry (Brian Harper).
2 Dotted Chestnut and 11 Frosted Green at Folks Wood, where additions to the year list included Peach Blossom and Orange Footman (Brian Harper / Ian Roberts).
2nd – A Little Ringed Plover and 3 Green Sandpipers at Nickolls Quarry (Brian Harper).
1st – 2+ Little Ringed Plovers, 2+ Green Sandpipers and 5 Snipe at Nickolls Quarry (Ian Roberts).
January to March 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.