Folkestone & Hythe Birds

19th - Oblique Striped at Horn Street was a new species for the area and Spinach, Dun-bar, Short-cloaked Moth, Ectoedemia decentella (Sycamore-seed Pigmy) and Stigmella aurella (Golden Pigmy) were also additions to the year list there (Paul Howe). Blue-bordered Carpet, Dot Moth, Orthotaenia undulana (Woodland Marble) and Rosy-striped Knot-horn (Oncocera semirubella) were new for the year at Hythe (Ian Roberts).

18th -  A Little Ringed Plover and 2 Lapwings at Donkey Street (Ian Roberts).

A Brown Hawker at Horn Street (Paul Howe).

17th - A Little Ringed Plover and a Green Sandpiper at Donkey Street. A Ringed Plover and 200 Common Scoter at the Hythe Redoubt. 102 Swifts flew west (Brian Harper).

The second area record of Blotched Emerald was trapped at Seabrook (Paul Howe). The first Marbled White of the year was at Hythe Roughs, with the first Meadow Browns by the Aldington Road (Brian Harper).

16th - Pseudosciaphila branderiana (Great Marble) and Elegia similella (White-barred Knot-horn) at Folks’ Wood were new species for the area, whilst Red-necked Footman, Beautiful Golden Y, The Suspected, Brindled White-spot, Grey Arches, Epagoge grotiana (Brown-barred Twist), Apotomis capreana (Sallow Marble) and Ancylis laetana (Aspen Roller) were amongst the additions for the year (Brian Harper / Kevin Button / Ian Roberts). 2 Diamond-back Moths at Seabrook where Leopard Moth, Lozotaeniodes formosana (Orange Pine Twist) and Acrobasis marmorea (Marbled Knot-horn) were new for the year, as were Eucosma campoliliana (Marbled Bell) and Teleiodes vulgella (Common Groundling) at Horn Street (Paul Howe). The Clay and Synaphe punctalis (Long-legged Tabby) were also additions at Hythe (Ian Roberts).

15th - A Blotched Emerald at Kiln Wood was a new species for the area, whilst Lobster Moth, Rosy Footman and Apotomis turbidana (White-shouldered Marble) were amongst other additions to the year list. Eudonia lacustrata (Little Grey) at Hythe was also new for the year (Ian Roberts). Lobster Moth and Spilonota ocellana (Bud Moth) at Seabrook and Pandemis corylana (Chequered Fruit-tree Tortrix) at Horn Street and were new for the year . A male Banded Demoiselle at Hythe seafront was an unusual record (Glenn Tutton).

14th - A Hobby at Nickolls Quarry and 38 Swifts flew over West Hythe (Brian Harper).

The Phoenix, Metzneria metzneriella (Meadow Neb) and Yponomeuta malinellus (Apple Ermine) at Horn Street were new for the year (Paul Howe).

13th - Small Blood-vein and  Scythropia crataegella (Hawthorn Moth) at Cheriton were new for the year (Brian Harper). A Diamond-back Moth and 3 Silver Ys at Hythe where Least Carpet was new for the year (Ian Roberts).  2 Silver Ys and 3 Diamond-back Moths at Seabrook where Swallow-tailed Moth was new for the year, also a Painted Lady at Horn Street (Paul Howe).

12th - Purple Clay, Dwarf Cream Wave, Agapeta zoegana (Knapweed Conch) and  Metzneria lappella (Burdock Neb) at Horn Street and Gypsonoma dealbana (Common Cloaked Shoot) at Seabrook were new for the year (Paul Howe).

11th - A Honey Buzzard flew east at Samphire Hoe (Paul Holt). 3 Lapwings at Abbotscliffe (Mark Kennett) and 6 Lapwings, including 3 chicks, at Donkey Street (the first successful breeding locally since 2011) (Ian Roberts).

Clouded Brindle at Horn Street was new for the year (Paul Howe).

10th - A Quail was heard calling as it flew inland over Nickolls Quarry at 01:00 (Brian Harper / Ian Roberts).

A Zelleria oleastrella at Hythe was the first area and county record. Trapping at Nickolls Quarry produced another two firsts for the area - Cosmopterix lienigiella (Fen Cosmet) and Brachmia inornatella (Fen Crest), amongst numerous additions to the year list including Water Ermine, Tinagma ocnerostomella (Bugloss Spear-wing), Hedya salicella (White-backed Marble), Pammene aurana (Orange-spot Piercer), Anania perlucidalis (Fenland Pearl), Anania crocealis (Ochreous Pearl), Scoparia subfusca (Large Grey) and Schoenobius gigantella (Giant Water-veneer) (Brian Harper / Ian Roberts). A Rusty-dot Pearl and 3 Diamond-back Moths at Horn Street, where Bordered White, Small Emerald, Buff Arches, Barred Straw and Dioryctria abietella (Dark Pine Knot-horn) were also new for the year. 5  Diamond-back Moths at Seabrook (Paul Howe).

9th - 2 Corn Buntings and 3 Lapwings at Donkey Street (Ian Roberts).

A Diamond-back Moth and a Silver Y at Hythe, where Light Arches and The Uncertain were new for the year, as was Six-spot Burnet at Hythe Ranges (Ian Roberts). The Rest Harrow moth at Folkestone was new for the year, with Dew Moth, Green Hairstreak and Small Blue also of note there (Owen Leyshon). Carcina quercana (Long-horned Flat-body) and Aethes beatricella (Hemlock Yellow Conch) at Seabrook and Teleoides luculella (Crescent Groundling), Blastodacna hellerella (Hawthorn Cosmet), Pandemis heparana (Dark Fruit-tree Tortrix) and Cnephasia asseclana (Flax Tortrix) at Horn Street were also additions to the year list.

8th - Eidophasia messingiella (Bitter-cress Smudge) and Yponomeuta evonymella (Bird-cherry Ermine) at Seabrook and Ostrinia nubilalis (European Corn-borer) at Horn Street were new for the year (Paul Howe), as was Burnet Companion at Samphire Hoe (Keith Motion/ Brian Adams). A Silver Y and 8 Diamond-back Moths at Hythe (Ian Roberts).

7th - A Red Kite flew over Horn Street (Paul Howe). Very slightly beyond the northern boundary of the area a Red-rumped Swallow flew west over the entrance to Beachborough Park (Steve Tomlinson).

2 Silver Ys at Horn Street and 2 Diamond-back Moths at Seabrook, with Barred Straw at the former site and Argyresthia pruniella (Cherry Fruit Moth) at both sites being new for the year (Paul Howe). A Diamond-back Moth and 3 Silver Ys at Hythe (Ian Roberts).

6th - 6 Bee-eaters were reported flying south-east over West Hougham at 12:15 (per Paul Holt). A Little Egret, a Lapwing and 2 Teal at Donkey Street (Ian Roberts). A Garden Warbler and 6 Ravens at Beachborough Lakes (Steve Tomlinson).

A  Diamond-back Moth at Horn Street, where Metalampra italica (Italian Tubic) was new for the year, whilst Coleophora alcyonipennella (Clover Case-bearer) at Seabrook was also new for the year (Paul Howe). A Silver Y and 3 Diamond-back Moths at Hythe where Varied Coronet was new for the year, as was Large Skipper at Fisherman's Beach (Ian Roberts).

5th - Epermenia falciformis (Large Lance-wing) and Platytes cerussella (Little Grass-veneer) at Horn Street and Lyonetia clerkella (Apple Leaf Miner) at Seabrook were new for the year (Paul Howe), as were L-album Wainscot and Heart & Club at Hythe (Ian Roberts). 

4th - A Turtle Dove and 2 Cuckoos at Nickolls Quarry (Roger Norman).

Nascia cilialis (Orange-rayed Pearl) at Casebourne Wood was a new species for the area, whilst additions to the year list there included Small Yellow Wave, Scallop Shell, Sloe Pug, Small Clouded Brindle, Green Silver-lines, Olindia schumacherana (White-barred Twist), Pandemis cinnamomeana (White-faced Twist), Ancylis diminutana (Small Festooned Roller) and Epinotia bilunana (Crescent Bell). Dusky Brocade and Pine Carpet at Cheriton were also new for the year (Brian Harper / Ian Roberts). A Diamond-back Moth and a Silver Y at Horn Street, where Phtheochroa sodaliana (Buckthorn Conch), Eudonia delunella (Pied Grey) and Mottled Beauty were new for the year, as was The Fan-foot at Seabrook (Paul Howe). 

3rd - A migrant Reed Warbler was singing from tamarisk at Mill Point (Ian Roberts).

A Diamond-back Moth at Seabrook where Maple Prominent was new for the year. 2 Diamond-back Moths at Hythe where Anania coronata (Elder Pearl) was new for the year (Ian Roberts).

2nd - 2 Diamond-back Moths at Seabrook, where Lozotaenia forsterana (Large Ivy Twist) was new for the year. A Diamond-back Moth at Horn Street (Paul Howe).

1st - A Little Egret flew over Hythe Ranges (Paul Howe).

Map-winged Swift, Green Arches, Ingrailed Clay, Galleria mellonella (Wax Moth) and Udea olivalis (Olive Pearl) at Peene were new for the year (Brian Harper). A Diamond-back Moth at Seabrook where White Satin was new for the year. A Dusky Hook-tip and 3 Diamond-back Moths at Horn Street where Clay Triple-lines was new for the year (Paul Howe).

January to May 2018 sightings have been archived - click on the links for a review of the bird sightings or the moth, butterfly and other sightings for the year to date.

The 2017 Folkestone & Hythe Bird Report and 2017 Non-avian report are available as free downloads (click on the links to open).