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Andy Appleton @andyappleton.bsky.social · 01/10/2026

I wonder if this is the most understated birding post of the year. Wowser, and well done Hugh!

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Andy Appleton @andyappleton.bsky.social · 30/09/2026

Sunfish must have been hungry. It presumably waved to say thank you for its breakfast.

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Kevin Thornton @lowcarbonkev.bsky.social · 29/09/2026

#KentBirding visitors to Thanet, you can have a say. 10 days left: yourvoice.thanet.gov.uk/en-GB/projec...

yourvoice.thanet.gov.uk

Citizen engagement platform

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Andy Appleton @andyappleton.bsky.social · 30/09/2026

I strongly urge anyone interested in wildlife to take part in the survey as a matter of urgency! It took less than 5 minutes of my time.

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Dungeness Bird Observatory @dungenessbirdobs.bsky.social · 28/09/2026

Big Kent Bird Migration Day. Participants enjoyed Seawatching and Vis Migging and watched a ringing demonstration at the Observatory. Thank you helpers and Peter Eerdman from KOS for the organisation.

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Andy Appleton @andyappleton.bsky.social · 27/09/2026

Not sure how I managed to miss those posts, thank you!

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Ian Beavis @ianbeavis.bsky.social · 24/09/2026

Another Ivy Bee nesting aggregation, this time in St James' churchyard, Tunbridge Wells. There are probably about 400 individual burrows here, some so close together there's no bare ground between the heaps of spoil

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Andy Appleton @andyappleton.bsky.social · 27/09/2026

I think that’s what is also present at St James’ church #TunbridgeWells - photo from this morning. I need to pop back with the camera!

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Dungeness Bird Observatory @dungenessbirdobs.bsky.social · 27/09/2026

First two Redwing of the autumn as well as 5 Song Thrush, Firecrest, Lesser Whitethroat and an arrival of Chiffchaff and Blackcap in the bushes so far today. Overhead there has been a trickle of Swallow and Meadow Pipit, plus singles of Tree Pipit and Grey Wagtail. #kentbirding

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Brendan Ryan @brendanryan1.bsky.social · 27/09/2026

Bockhill so far today. 2 Grasshopper Warblers,,whitethroat, Ls Whitethroat, 45 Blackcaps, 27 Chiffchaffs, 15 Stonechats, 1 wheatear, 300 Meadow pipits . 11 Pied Wagtails. #kentbirding #TheBigKentMigrationDay

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Andy Appleton @andyappleton.bsky.social · 27/09/2026

A single Siskin SW over the house as I sat having a leisurely breakfast - the best so far for #TheBigKentBirdMigrationDay in #TunbridgeWells - and not atypical for this time of year. #KentBirding

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Andy Appleton @andyappleton.bsky.social · 24/09/2026

egret sp (looked GWE) south past Ravenscar just now #YorkshireBirding

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Chris van Swaay @chrisvanswaay.eurosky.social · 22/09/2026

This is most probably C hyale, which is a highly mobile migrant species from C Europe. Adults cannot be distinguished from C alfacariensis. However that seems to be a sedentary species from calcareous grassland with Hippocrepis, hardly known from outside its habitat patches.

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Andy Appleton @andyappleton.bsky.social · 20/09/2026

Very nice indeed Steve. Just shows what can be seen my putting some effort in.

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Kent Ornithological Society @kentishplover.bsky.social · 17/09/2026

KOS Weekly Highlights: an excellent week, particularly at Dungeness, with a Brown Booby, Western Bonelli’s Warbler, Red-necked Phalarope and more. Read all details on kentos.org.uk. #kentbirding

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Tom Rosas @tomrosas.bsky.social · 15/09/2026

I was very happy to find a Western Bonelli’s Warbler at Dungeness yesterday. Thanks to @charlottefoote.bsky.social for refinding and helping to get others on it. Very pleased to see it in the hand this morning. #kentbirding

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Andy Appleton @andyappleton.bsky.social · 12/09/2026

Quality, although I suspect the last pic’ may be a skua 😀 - an amazing afternoon for sure!! Not jealous at all

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Owen Leyshon @dungenessowen.bsky.social · 12/09/2026

I do think about maybe and what if too much Managed to see the Brown Booby off Dungeness this pm Found by @neilburt.bsky.social had a phone call by @ploddingbirder.bsky.social - it was around for just under 30mins over by the fishing boats - abit of a mad dash from top of the Estate #KentBirding

The Brown Booby local crowd - fishing boats, Dungeness

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Ploddingbirder @ploddingbirder.bsky.social · 12/09/2026

Dungeness: Some highly cropped images of the fantastic Brown Booby, that was brilliantly picked out by @neilburt.bsky.social in among a large distant feeding flock of Gannets this afternoon off the fishing boats. Despite woeful phone signal at Dunge most the of the locals connected thanks to radio.

A highly cropped image of a Brown Booby viewed from the Dungeness fishing boats.

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Andy Appleton @andyappleton.bsky.social · 12/09/2026

Massive congratulations Neil, I doubt you’ll forget that in a hurry!

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Andy Appleton @andyappleton.bsky.social · 10/09/2026

Today is ‘Mistle Thrush Thursday’: Three flew south over Dunorlan Park #TunbridgeWells first, then a group on nine birds roughly ESE a bit later. Song Thrush: not noted so far this month. Blackbird: two this morning was, sadly, a slightly above average count for recent weeks. #KentBirding

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Nige Jarman @nigej.bsky.social · 08/09/2026

As there have been so many Clouded Yellow this year, here are comparisons with normal (top) vs helice (bottom).

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Dungeness Bird Observatory @dungenessbirdobs.bsky.social · 08/09/2026

Come join us for the Big Kent Bird Migration Day at Dungeness Bird Observatory! There will be lots going on, with a guided walk, visible migration watches, seawatching and hopefully bird ringing if the weather allows. We hope to see you there! #kentbirding

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Andy Appleton @andyappleton.bsky.social · 06/09/2026

I feel the stress of that drive south Jon, great pic’s, as usual. I was surprised to see that it’s still in the same area this morning!

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Andy Appleton @andyappleton.bsky.social · 05/09/2026

Hard work out today. There were several Clouded Yellows and, as is more usual for this time of year, lots of Migrant Hawkers. Garden Warbler (just one) the avian highlight and only six Blackcap (thats just one bird an hour) and no other sylvia’s - that’s not normal. #KentBirding #KentNature

Small White - the only butterfly more numerous than Clouded Yellows today!

My attempt at a flight shot of a Migrant Hawker

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Andy Appleton @andyappleton.bsky.social · 04/09/2026

Sand Martins were the order of the day with a flock of 22 over #DunorlanPark this morning and a couple over the garden a bit later. That’s more than I’ve seen in #TunbridgeWells ever. Willow Warbler and a couple of Sparrowhawk also noted thus morning but I wouldn’t mind something slightly better…

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Andy Appleton @andyappleton.bsky.social · 03/09/2026

So difficult to photograph, for an amateur like me at least. That second pic’ is a winner for me, very nice indeed!

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Andy Appleton @andyappleton.bsky.social · 02/09/2026

There haven’t as many local migrant birds as I have hoped for but a couple of Sand Martins on Monday evening and again this morning were notable at #DunorlanPark Merlin app thinks Wren is bird of the day above Cattle Egret which would be a patch tick - the sound was presumably Grey Squirrel.

I put Merlin on as I thought I heard Treecreeper. The app is quite useful for higher pitched sounds. I presume and hope that I didn’t actually miss a flyover Cattle Egret!

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Andy Appleton @andyappleton.bsky.social · 02/09/2026

A cloudy helice sounds like a plan I would like, as does a Camberwell B’

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Andy Appleton @andyappleton.bsky.social · 02/09/2026

Norfolk at the weekend. The 38 Barnacle Geese that flew south over Horsford Woods about 8am on Monday were the biggest surprise. #norfolkbirding

38 Barnacle Geese of presumed dubious origin, Horsford, 31/08/2026

One of a large number of Grey Heron in the Norfolk Broads

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Andy Appleton @andyappleton.bsky.social · 27/08/2026

Yeah, I heard this. Only one species of duck but interesting there have been huge (by Dunorlan’ standards) numbers of Mallard over the last couple of weeks - 150-200 varies each day a bit. Compared to the normal 10-30 😟

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Andy Appleton @andyappleton.bsky.social · 26/08/2026

A few bits from around #TunbridgeWells over the last few days. I almost forgot about Autumn Ladies Tresses until I saw some photos online but found just three - although if I had arrived at the cemetery a few more minutes before closing time I may have found a few more.

Sunrise at Dunorlan’ - despite my best efforts I’ve found precious few migrants over the last week.

Common Blue - a description not just of Tracey’s Ford Puma which this little critter had chosen as a roost site. I don’t remember seeing one in our road previously.

ALT, one of just three noted in a brief visit.

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Russ Blackman @russblackman.bsky.social · 26/08/2026

Always good to see a Hoopoe, at Abbot's Cliff

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Richard Watkins LRPS @losbirder.bsky.social · 24/08/2026

Dungeness - this afternoon, the first long Seawatch of Late Summer, a Sandwich Tern, heading eastward, taken from the Fishing Boats. #birds #birding #kentbirding #ukbirding #porpoise #cetacean

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Andy Appleton @andyappleton.bsky.social · 22/08/2026

Haha, that’s exactly what I did a few years ago in August (and looked for Yellow Warbler obviously) 🙄

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Ploddingbirder @ploddingbirder.bsky.social · 21/08/2026

What I think is a Helice form of Clouded Yellow, at the old sand pit, Jurys Gap, East Sussex today.

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Ian Beavis @ianbeavis.bsky.social · 21/08/2026

Verge Cricket has now turned up on Scilly, where it's apparently been present since at least 2022 but misidentified as House Cricket (which has a long history there)

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Andy Appleton @andyappleton.bsky.social · 21/08/2026

It was still about the same seven years ago but a great island nonetheless. It was also a great feeling to be back safely on the Irish mainland afterwards!

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Andy Appleton @andyappleton.bsky.social · 21/08/2026

I walked out to Whetsted GP’s this morning noting 53 species including two vocal Green Sandpipers, a couple of Sand Martins, Lesser Whitethroat and a Whinchat.

A field on my walk towards Whetsted GP’s

Muscovy Duck in the River Medway. It flew in, but presumably not from too far away.

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Andy Appleton @andyappleton.bsky.social · 19/08/2026

Some recent poor pictures from Dungeness. I understand that Verge Cricket (aka Bordeaux Cricket) hadn’t been recorded in the UK until a few weeks ago - this was the fifth record and there have been several more since. Tapestry Moth (Trichophaga tapetzella) was also @dungenessbirdobs.bsky.social

A juvenile White-winged Black Tern on the RSPB reserve at Dungeness.

I’ve seen 11 of these in the UK, 5 of these at Dungeness but hadn’t seen one for 12 years.

Tapestry Moth chilling out at Dungeness Bird Observatory

Verge Cricket, the second in the Dungeness area, thank you Jacob

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Andy Appleton @andyappleton.bsky.social · 15/08/2026

Target species not seen today but I managed to take one or two pictures that seem to be more in focus than usual - these are all at Haysden.

I understand that this is the largest UK hoverfly: Hornet Plumehorn (Volucella zonaria)

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Ploddingbirder @ploddingbirder.bsky.social · 13/08/2026

Dungeness: This hybrid duck has been around the ARC for a few weeks but very elusive and spends much time diving. It seems to have Pintail in it and possibly Pochard🤔

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Andy Appleton @andyappleton.bsky.social · 09/08/2026

Little Stint with gammy leg on the reserve at Dungeness this afternoon and Wood Sandpiper on ARC (viewed from path to water tower) this evening, also Whimbrel, Greenshank, half a dozen Green Sandpipers and quite a few Yellow Wagtails about. Lots of Painted Lady butterflies too.

Wood Sandpiper (and Green Sand’) on ARC - honest

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Richard Watkins LRPS @losbirder.bsky.social · 07/08/2026

Lydden Temple Ewell NNR, last of the three target butterflies which I hoped for on my visit today, one of a number of Adonis Blue on the wing. #butterflies #kentwildlifetrust

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Andy Appleton @andyappleton.bsky.social · 04/08/2026

We retuned from a week away yesterday noting a certain Long-tailed Shrike (Tracey’s #400, again) and a couple of ‘almost over’ Violet Helleborines en route. A hybrid was unfortunately more than just past its best! 3 Grey Wagtails and a Firecrest were a good start before work today.

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Andy Appleton @andyappleton.bsky.social · 03/08/2026

Hi Jeremy, Are you able and willing to share location details for the E. x Schulzei please? I guess not publicly - I tried to private message but that didn’t appear to work! If the answer is no that’s okay, please just say no. Andy

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