This week, we've barely seen the sun. However, we have had a few good bird sightings to make up for it - particularly today!

Firecrests and goldcrests are everywhere at the moment, often seen in our Discovery Area in the gorse bushes, by the bird feeders in the car park and over in the Willow Trail at the ARC. These tiny and beautiful birds are seen more often this time of year as we get large numbers of winter migrants…

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 binocular and telescope events from end of November through to beginning of January (dates below)

We stock the RSPB range of binoculars and telescopes…

Grab a bargain with our Black Friday deals – reductions on gifts as well as calendars, Christmas crackers, wrapping paper and napkins until 4th December 2018

The visitor centre and shop at the RSPB Dungeness Nature Reserve is open daily from 10am to 4pm.

I think we were all a bit shocked by the cold wet weather and freezing wind which has hit us here at Dungeness this week. However, much needed rainfall has helped raise the water levels of the pits and also wet up our fields a bit too. 

Bewick's swans have arrived at Dungeness; a small group of 5 birds have been seen almost daily on the reserve. Bewick's swans spend their summers in Russia, they are the smallest swans…

Yesterday, we had our first sighting of three female smew on Burrowes Pit. Smew is a winter visitor in small numbers from Scandinavia and Russia. Sometimes birds move here from Holland and Denmark to escape freezing weather there and will get to the southern most points of the UK to rest and feed over the winter. Approximately 180 birds winter in the UK and little is known about the bird on their breeding grounds. Dungeness…

Come to the RSPB Dungeness visitor centre, away from the hustle and bustle of the high streets, for your Christmas shopping

The shop in the visitor centre has Christmas cards, wrapping paper, crackers, calendars, decorations and gifts.

The visitor centre at RSPB Dungeness is open from 10am to 4pm

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.

On the weekend of 17^th and 18^th November the Viking Optical rep will also be in attendance.

We stock the RSPB range of binoculars and telescopes, including the top of…

This week's half term has hosted lots of activities for families. We've been hunting for spooky spiders around our trail. Finding newts, snakes and toads in our Discovery Area, mixing up bird feeders in cauldrons and creating monsters from dead plant material.

Thanks to all the families who took part and supported the RSPB over the autumn half term. We had some great feedback so I am really pleased that they…

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 one weekend in November/December – our friendly staff and volunteers will be on hand…

I always think myself lucky to live in the south of England where the weather is considerably warmer than the north most of the time. We surely are getting some incredibly warm weather this month and after another week of dry, sunny weather I feel that winter will hit us hard down here at Dungeness!

By now, our summer visitors should have left us but we are still receiving reports of swallows and whitethroats here! We…

So, it's this time of year. Hallow's eve is creeping up fast and a certain autumnal drink is back in a popular coffee shop again. As the pumpkins and squashes ripen in the fields, birds are gorging on autumn berries. After an early abundance of blackberries on the reserve it is hawthorn, blackthorn and sea buckthorn berries that are ripe at the moment.

Which mammal do you think has been feasting on berries here…

Thinking of buying binoculars or a telescope? We are holding an optics event this coming weekend 6^th and 7^th October between 10am and 4pm, so why not pop in to the RSPB Dungeness visitor centre and take a closer look.

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

We are also holding events on some Wednesday…

Spoonbills are in the genus Platalea, which are large long-legged wading birds. The genus name Platalea derives from Latin and means "broad", referring to the distinctive shape of the bill. They pass through the reserve every spring and autumn on migration to and from their breeding and wintering grounds. We seem to get a small handful each time and this week we had 5 spotted feeding around the reserve for a few days…

Many birds have bid for the bushes as the first (and no doubt last) of the seasons storms hit the UK this week. Is it just me or have the storms only been worse since we started naming them? The north of the country have clearly had the worst luck with the wind but many birds have been hunkering down here out of the gusts. One surprising arrival today was the emergence of a new Egyptian goose family! Having bred and successfully…

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…