SBBOT

An excellent day at Marquenterre, France on a Sandwich Bay members trip! Over 75 species recorded including breeding plumage Black-necked Grebes, Crested Tits, Spotted Flycatchers, plenty of White Storks, Spoonbills and Nightingales. Golden Orioles too! ⁦@Sandwichbirdobs⁩

A Dainty Damselfy emerging from @Sandwichbirdobs a few years ago. A privilege that not many people in recent years have ever witnessed and 📸. View the emergence @ marcheath.blogspot.com/2022/06/a-uk-f…. @BDSdragonflies @smallshire #KentDragonflies

Restharrow Scrape has been alive with gulls for the last few days, culminating today with 10 species present!! Seemingly a new Kittiwake every day and a roving group of Little Gull the definite highlights, plenty of colour-ringed birds to be on the lookout for also 👀

The reason I’ve posted this again isn’t to vilify dogs, which can be wonderful companions. It is to ask dog owners to be aware and kind in this very sensitive season. Ground nesting birds need all the help we can give them, and this is a concrete example of small actions have big consequences. Thank you for caring and keeping dogs under control.

Scarce Blue tailed Damselfly (aurantiaca phase female) from yday @Sandwichbirdobs. NEW photos @ marcheath.blogspot.com. @BDSdragonflies @smallshire @britwildlife @Britnatureguide @BBCSpringwatch #KentDragonflies

A selection of moths from last month where we recorded 819 moths of 97 species. A combination of cold, clear nights and a persistent northerly wind dropped numbers by a third from March, but species diversity tripled. 📸- Emperor Moth/ Lunar Thorn/ Dotted Chestnut/ C. elongella

A bee hard at work at Sandwich Bay Bird Observatory. 🐝 Our thanks to Dean Macey for supplying today's #PhotoOfTheDay 📸

Public urged to report wildlife disturbances after video emerges of jetskiers at Pegwell Bay nature reserve - theisleofthanetnews.com/2026/05/07/pub…

Delightful Cinnabar emergence today @Sandwichbirdobs Early morning sunshine in The Haven. #moths #spring

SCARCE BLUE-TAILED DAMSELFLY seen yesterday by an observer @Sandwichbirdobs. @BDSdragonflies #KentDragonflies

Sadly, Andrew Henderson passed away last night. A huge loss to Kent birding. Andrew contributed hugely to the Kent Bird Report with tireless attention to detail & accuracy of records. Andrew was “Mr Nightingale”, organising many surveys & authoring papers. Condolences to family.

Cuckoo at the dragonfly ponds, Sandwich. Closest I have been to one in years, if not ever, and the sun was in the wrong position! Lots of good stuff at Worth Marshes, look forward to the phone scope / ultra long lens shots... #birds #kent

Want to walk on a shingle beach but not sure where to tread? Swipe to see where Ranger Bronwen shows where is good to walk and where to avoid! #beachaware #dogaware #coastalwalks #coastalconservation #beaches

First swifts of the year for me out over Worth Marshes…. They’re back! House Martins and Swallow too 👍😄

Nice selection at RSPB Worth Marshes this morning - 2x Spotshanks being the highlight, but summer migrants and breeding waders doing their bit to impress. @Natures_Voice @Sandwichbirdobs @KentishPlover #birding @BirdWiseEK

Caught a lovely Stigmella moth on the Moffice this morning, look at that shine! Could be any of the ~60 Stigmella species in the UK, though probably a Stigmella aurella. Only a mere 93 images stacked for this 6mm long moth

Please note Golf Road is to be closed from 8am today until midnight on Tuesday for pothole repair between The Chequers and Royal Cinque Ports Club House. So if you are intending to visit during this time you may need to access from the Sandwich side.

We had our first few migrant moths grace the traps today, including one of my favourites. This Diamondback, one of four, likely riding the strong south-easterly gales overnight. Image stack of 200 photos at 7:1 magnification.

New for me: Cramp-ball Fungus Weevil (Platyrhinus resinosus). Seen yesterday at Sandwich Bay Bird Observatory NR

Please keep an eye out for ringed House Sparrows at Sandwich Bay. The Observatory has been running a special @_BTO RAS project where birds are fitted with unique red-and-white rings that can be read in the field. If you see any please let us know at info@sbbot.org.uk.