Dungeness

A wader kind of day...

2013-06-19T15:57:52Z

Today four green sandpipers were at ARC viewing screen, a little ringed plover at Dennis's hide and nine black-tailed godwits flew from Denge Marsh to Burrowes pit. A cuckoo was herd along the return trail.

Osprey flying

2013-06-10T14:53:11Z

An osprey flew over ARC in a northerly direction this morning. A bittern was near Makepeace hide today which is a change, as lately they have been mainly viewable at Denge Marsh and Hookers's pits. With lowering of the clouds today the swifts have been flying all over the reserve.

Oh, what a wonderful thing to bee...

2013-06-05T15:46:57Z

Monday afternoon saw the second phase of the re-introduction of the short-haired bumblebee to the UK - right here at RSPB Dungeness. The sun was shining, the bees seemed feisty and the reserve was buzzing with a great sense of excitement. Fingers crossed for a long spell of fine weather so that those 49 queens can get on with nesting and producing the next generation of these wonderful little creatures.

For more info please follow this link to our press release:

http://www.rspb.org.uk/news/347017-hope-for-uks-threatened-bumblebees-as-lost-species-given-second-chance

Treat the birds

2013-06-05T15:19:00Z

Come into the shop at RSPB Dungeness and buy some treats for the birds.

150 suet balls are now on special offer until 25 June 2013 at £19.99 - usual price £25.50.

RSPB suet balls are made with our own unique recipe using premium grade suet, sunflower seeds and cereals. Ideal for feeding from a suet ball feeder or loose, whole or crumbled, on bird tables and ground feeding tables.

Most garden birds will eat many different foods. Here's a quick guide to the birds that particularly enjoy this food, though other species may also enjoy it too:

- Blackbird	- Blackcap	- Blue tit	- Great tit
- House sparrow	- Long-tailed tit	- Robin	- Starling

Hobbies were a sight...

2013-06-01T16:35:59Z

Five hobbies obligingly sitting on posts alongside the main entrance track provided a lovely sight for visitors to get a good view. A garganey was at ARC and a bittern appeared briefly at Hookers's pits. Six Mediterranean gulls were at Denge Marsh and three spotted flycatchers were at Christmas dell and along the footpath to Lydd.

Latest highlights for a sunny Friday

2013-05-31T14:56:31Z

At last the weather seems to be becoming more spring-like and the weather forecast for the weekend looks good. The highlight for today was a Honey buzzard over Hookers Pit where the Bittern continues to boom. Two Hobby's were seen over the track and Yellow wagtails were seen at ARC. Swifts and Sand martins continue to fly across the reserve and unusually a Jay was seen at Hookers Pit.

The nesting Great tits can be seen on the nest-cam in the Visitor Centre, making frequent feeding visits to their young in the nest box and at Denge Marsh hide a Hairy Hawker dragonfly was seen. On the return trail a Small Copper butterfly was seen enjoying the sun.

Good birds to brighten a wet Friday

2013-05-24T13:50:18Z

The weather may still be rather unseasonal but we were treated to a flurry of good birds this morning. A red-rumped swallow showed well in front of Hanson Hide on the ARC site during the morning and a spotted flycatcher was seen there as well. Just off the reserve a bee-eater was seen feeding over the Long Pits before flying off high towards the Dungeness Point. The bittern has continued to boom all week and can be heard from the viewing ramp overlooking Hookers Pit where cuckoos have been putting in an appearance as well. The weather forecast for the weekend looks to be improving so let's all hope we see some sun and some good birds!

Swift, Swallow and house martin...

2013-05-23T15:28:27Z

Swift, swallow and house martin were in abundance over Burrowes pit in the showery weather today. Other sightings included cuckoo, spotted flycatcher in the willow trail at ARC, hobby at Makepeace hide and two little gull at Denge Marsh.

Dungeness and the very blustery day!

2013-05-23T11:52:05Z

What do you do if your Wildlife Explorer group meets at a very windy place?

Make kites, of course!

Whilst the Marsh Harrier team were off surveying breeding bitterns and harriers, the Purple Heron team got down to making Fish Kites. Using wire, sticks, string and crepe paper they produced some amazing kites: colourfully decorated and carefully constructed. They were then off to a suitably windy place to fly them..which they all did beautifully.

Our next meeting will be our annual trip out. On Saturday 22 June 2013 we will be meeting at Bedgebury Pinetum for a day out exploring trees and woodlands. If you are aged 7 to 16 years old and you would like to join us please contact Heather Chantler ( RSPB Dungeness Wildlife Explorer leader) for details on 01797 320588.

Save £10 when you buy two 12.75kg sacks.....

2013-05-23T10:39:35Z

Pop in to the RSPB Dungeness shop and save £10 when you buy any two single 12.75 kg sacks of selected bird seed and seed mixes.

Offer ends 4 June 2013, subject to availability. Offer excludes 12.75kg Premium peanuts, Buggy nibbles and High energy sprinkles.

The shop at RSPB Dungeness is open from 10am to 5pm every day.

Another egret

2013-05-21T14:41:02Z

A cattle egret was found yesterday afternoon (with the cattle!) in a field to the right of the entrance track. It has been present all day today, although it has been disappearing into a ditch fairly regularly. A scaup is still around (currently on the ARC pit) and there are plenty of hobbies hunting over Hooker's pits and Denge Marsh.

Cronk, cronk!

2013-05-17T16:16:53Z

A pretty miserable, cold and grey day was brightened by the news that the local ravens appear to have fledged three young. A good selection of waders (dunlin, sanderling, common sandpiper and black-tailed godwit were on the islands of Burrowes pit and the scaup were still present.

Hobbies

2013-05-16T16:00:09Z

On this bright sunny day with a gentle breeze there has been four hobbies over Denge Marsh and ARC and a merlin seen at Scott hide and Denge Marsh. A pair of Scaup were still on Burrowes pit viewable from Dennis's hide. The bittern continues to boom at Hookers's pits. Other sightings included nine whimbrel at Denge Marsh, Cuckoo and swift at ARC, blackcap near Boulderwall farm and a jay at Scott hide.

Pair of scaup

2013-05-15T15:39:42Z

A pair of Scaup were in view from Dennis's hide again today. With the strong winds and showers, swift, house martin and swallow have been easy to spot over the reserve. Other sightings include a hobby and a merlin over Denge Marsh, a cuckoo at Hookers's pits and nine turnstone on Burrowes pit.

Pectoral sandpiper on Denge Marsh

2013-05-11T15:31:00Z

A pectoral sandpiper was found on Denge Marsh, late morning. This is only our second May record of this scarce visitor. Also on Denge Marsh were three whimbrel, two curlews and a greenshank. Four hobbies were seen over Hooker's pits, where the bittern was booming. Another hobby could be found alongside the entrance track for most of the day. Dunlin, turnstones and Sandwich terns were all seen from the Visitor Centre along with good numbers of swallows and swifts.