There’s definitely a chill in the morning air recently which is a sign that summer is over and autumn is here! Like many humans who jet off for some sun in warmer places during the winter, many birds choose to migrate south too. We have already said goodbye to our cuckoos and turtle doves. Hirundines such as sand martins and swallows are gathering in their large numbers over Dungeness to feed before setting off to Africa…

Over the last 10 days we have had some bumper bird sightings here at Dungeness! It all kicked off with an American black tern last week - lost on it's path and only a handful of these sighted in the UK (the first for Kent!) it has been hanging out with the regular black terns we have here. 

American black tern - Graham Parry

As well as this, we were also surprised by a roseate tern on Burrowes Pit over the bank…

This weekend we have seen an influx in migrant birds stopping at Dungeness before their arduous journey to Africa for the winter. We've had over 2,000 sand martins feeding around our Denge Marsh area last week and by now these would have crossed the Channel and be flying over Europe. These incredible birds are the first to leave us when the summer comes to an end. Sand martins are the smallest European hirundines …

The rain has been welcomed to the reserve this week (although typically landing on days that we are running special events!) and we are slowly starting to creep into early - dare I say it? - Autumn migration. Many wading birds will pass through Dungeness back to their winter pastures and we've seen a few stop here to feed. 

Some wader species we have had on the reserve recently include, but are not limited to; wood…

After a few days of rain to wet the soil, we are back to scorching sunny weather again. Insects such as crickets, grasshoppers and beetles are thriving in the dry weather. Look out for great green bush crickets here on the reserve - they are huge!

Although the adult cuckoos have bred, laid their eggs and left, the juveniles are still around. Cuckoos are fantastic birds and are brood parasites, journeying all the way…

Thinking of buying binoculars or a telescope? Some price reductions started this week so why not pop in to the RSPB Dungeness visitor centre this weekend and take a closer look.

Price reductions

£50 off RSPB WPG binoculars

8x32 was £195 now £145

8.5x42 was £205 now £155

10.5x42 was £215 now £165

Kowa 883 telescope reduced from £2549 to £2299

Swarovski CL…

Phew, it's hot. But we are actually experiencing a 'proper summer' so how can we complain? Endless sunshine, warmth, trips to the beach and BBQs - what's not to love?

This month is all about our insects, our flowers and the rest of our non-avian species. We cannot stop banging on about how amazing our reserve looks at this time of year and our photographs of the gorgeous wildflowers do not do it justice…

Thinking of buying binoculars or a telescope? 

Whether you know a bit or don't know where to start, come to the RSPB Dungeness Visitor Centre and get some hands on advice from our friendly, knowledgeable team and have the chance to try the products out.

We are holding events on some Wednesday afternoons and one some weekends – our friendly staff and volunteers will be on hand to give advice and answer any queries.…

For those of you who have never visited Dungeness before, it is an incredibly fascinating reserve rich in history and wildlife. Miles of protected, vegetated shingle important for a variety of rare lichens, mosses and insects blends into fields of wildflowers humming with life. Open water pits and reedbed areas are dotted throughout the reserve, providing a home to high numbers of waterfowl and wading birds. During the…

Thinking of buying binoculars or a telescope? 

Whether you know a bit or don't know where to start, come to the RSPB Dungeness Visitor Centre and get some hands on advice from our friendly, knowledgeable team and have the chance to try the products out.

We are holding events on some Wednesday afternoons and one some weekends – our friendly staff and volunteers will be on hand to give advice and answer any queries.…

There is so much life on the reserve at the moment! Birds are still raising their chicks, flowers are in full bloom and bees, butterflies and dragonflies surround us when we walk the nature trail. This is the perfect time to experience RSPB Dungeness in all its colourful glory so please check out the events listed below for this month.

All of these events require booking in advance. Please call the reserve on 01797 320588…

This half term we've been getting the kids outdoors and discovering pond minibeasts. Included in our Wild Challenge activities, pond dipping is a great activity to get children (and adults!) interested in wildlife and learn about what is under the surface of the pond. We are always amazed to find so much! This week, the highlights of our pond dip included; tiny newt tadpoles, a great silver diving beetle, a water…

Thinking of buying binoculars or a telescope? 

Whether you know a bit or don't know where to start, come to the RSPB Dungeness Visitor Centre and get some hands on advice from our friendly, knowledgeable team and have the chance to try the products out.

We are holding events on some Wednesday afternoons and one some weekends – our friendly staff and volunteers will be on hand to give advice and answer any queries.…

This week we have seen bird and visitor numbers soar here at Dungeness! It all kicked off on Sunday where a Kentish plover was spotted first thing outside Dennis' hide and the visitor centre. Suddenly, a handful of cars in the car park at 9am turned into over 50 cars within an hour. News definitely travels fast! The Kentish plover is a rarity now in the UK as it no longer breeds here. It's last breeding stronghold was…

Here at Dungeness, the breeding season is in full swing! After a very cold start to the spring, the weather is finally cheering up and the wildlife are getting busy. Some birds have had their young already such as our resident geese, coots and swans. Look out for their fluffy chicks paddling behind the adults on our lakes. Some birds are currently on nests such as our gulls out on the islands and our blue tits and great…

Thinking of buying binoculars or a telescope? 

Whether you know a bit or don't know where to start, come to the RSPB Dungeness Visitor Centre and get some hands on advice from our friendly, knowledgeable team and have the chance to try the products out.

We are holding events on some Wednesday afternoons in May – our friendly staff and volunteers will be on hand to give advice and answer any queries.

We stock…

The Easter holidays have come to an end and typically the weather has now improved dramatically. We had over 60 children take part in our annual Easter egg hunt and 10 families had a whale of a time on our Wild Family days which the weather held off for. If you missed these events we have more in the next school holidays, both half-term and the summer holidays! Join us for a week of pond dipping  in May where we will be…

Thinking of buying binoculars or a telescope? 

Whether you know a bit or don't know where to start, come to the RSPB Dungeness Visitor Centre and get some hands on advice from our friendly, knowledgeable team and have the chance to try the products out.

We are holding an event on the weekend of 14^th and 15^th April from 10am to 4pm.

The Viking Optical rep will also be in attendance at this weekend to assist and deal…

With the poor weather we experienced throughout March we hope that April will give us more sunshine and less grey days! Spring migrating birds are slowly starting to fly in. We've seen swallows, sand martins and sandwich terns on the reserve, plus the occasional osprey fly over too. 

Osprey over reserve - Martin Casemore

Heading the other way, we've seen lots of beautiful firecrests around the reserve too. This…

We have one obvious winner for this weeks bird highlight - the white-spotted bluethroat. Seen in a part of our reserve known as Denge Marsh gully these (we've had two - possibly three) birds have been staying in this area for almost a week now. The bluethroat is a small robin-like bird. The male is unmistakable in spring with his bright blue throat, bordered below with bands of black, white and chestnut. Its central throat…

Snipe have been the bird highlight of this week. Particularly in the snowy weather they are a lot easier to see as they come out of their hiding places in search of more food.

Snipe in the snow at RSPB Dungeness - Graham Parry

Snipe are medium sized, skulking wading birds with short legs and long straight bills. They eat small invertebrates, including worms and insect larvae. The UK population of snipe has undergone…

With the freezing temperatures and snow covered ground, wildlife are going to be finding life a lot harder than usual. We are already in the 'hungry gap' for birds; the time of year where the winter berries and seeds have gone and the insects have yet to arrive. You may see more birds coming into your gardens and more urban areas this time of year, looking for shelter and a chance of some food. Feeding the birds has never…

Thinking of buying binoculars or a telescope? 

Whether you know a bit or don't know where to start, come to the RSPB Dungeness Visitor Centre and get some hands on advice from our friendly, knowledgeable team and have the chance to try the products out.

We are holding events on some Wednesday afternoons and Friday mornings and on two weekends in March/April – our friendly staff and volunteers will be on hand to give…

Now is probably one of the best times to view the range of gulls that live here on the reserve as well as ones who visit for the winter. However, telling them all apart can be tricky even for a seasoned birdwatcher. Some of the gulls, like many birds, have summer and winter plumage so look different at different times of year. Other gulls have different plumage depending on how old they are. A one-year old gull can look…

This week, we've been asking you what you can do to help stop climate change. The ideas written on our hearts have been lovely and people of all ages have been making suggestions. From washing clothes at lower temperatures and planting more wildlife friendly flowers to riding your bike to school instead of the car and picking up litter, I hope these sugestions will become a reality for those who have taken part in the…