Struggled to find anything new at Dungeness last week. The Cattle Egrets were still around with around 3 Great White Egrets. However, I did manage to see a few Common Crossbills at Hemsted Forest near Benenden, together with a few Redpolls. A Tawny Owl called there too. This morning the previously reported Whimbrel was just west of the slipway. The Highland Cattle are back on the West Flood.

 Common Crossbill

Whimbrel

Highland Cattle

Still no moths. Last week at Dungeness I did manage to see the Woodlark at Pigwell and 2 Goosanders on the RSPB Reserve. The 4 Cattle Egrets were still along the road between Lydd and Boulderwall and about 3 Great White Egrets were seen around the area. A couple of Goldeneye were seen. Today I went looking for Crossbills at Challock-failed to see any but 2 Marsh Tits, 20+ Siskin and a Lesser Spotted Woodpecker were nice to see. Failed with Penduline Tit at Grove Ferry but a Kingfisher was the first I've seen this year.

Kingfisher

 Goldeneye (female)

Great White Egret

No moths yet despite some milder nights. Last Friday's visit to Dungeness mainly involved seeing some of this winter's regulars: Great White, Little and Cattle Egrets, 2 Whooper Swans, Corn Buntings, Marsh Harriers, and a Cetti's Warbler that showed briefly from the Hanson Hide. Yesterday I was the first car in the car park at Reculver and the 2 Snow Butings were on the path between the towers and Coldharbour Lagoon.

Snow Bunting

Cetti's Warbler

We've reached the end of another year. For the moth trap it's been a very good year with the warm week in April and the long hot summer producing a record total for me of 397 species recorded including 27 new species for the garden list, taking the grand total to 626. Best record of the year ws probably The Mocha, but I was also pleased to record several common species that have eluded me till now. The 13 new macro species were: Autumnal Rustic, Beautiful Hook-tip, Coxcomb Prominent, Dark Umber, Dusky Thorn, Kent Black Arches, Leopard Moth, Lunar Marbled Brown, Thye Mocha, Oak beauty, Plumed Fan-foot, Pine Beauty, and Powdered Quaker. Best bird of the year was the White-billed Diver off Thanet in early November. However, for me it was never really close enough for a decent photo. However, the 2 Bluethroats in the Dengemarsh Gully at Dungeness in March were very obliging.

The Mocha

 White-billed Diver

 Bluethroat