Field Trip to Dungeness

Event description

Dungeness is the only site in Britain where all three of the recently established Tree Cricket, Sickle-bearing Bush-cricket, and Large Conehead occur together. The observatory warden David Walker, who is very familiar with all three species, has kindly agreed to be on hand to advise.

These scarce insects are most active at night, so we plan to stay on until dusk and use a bat detector to locate any species not found during the afternoon. Dungeness is well known as a bird and insect migration hot-spot, so we will be looking out for various other species including the more common grasshoppers and bush-crickets.

Dungeness Bird Observatory is located close to Dungeness nuclear power station. 4 maps are provided showing names of places used in the following directions.

Take the road from Lydd towards Dungeness, passing both the RSPB reserve entrance and the private power station road on the right (do not go down that road!), then eventually bear right where the road curves left towards the sea and the Pilot Inn. Continue south past the RNLI lifeboat station, past Dungeness Old Lighthouse on the left, before bearing right towards the circular raised bank within which the Observatory is located.

There is a small parking area next to the Observatory. If this is full head back to the Old Lighthouse and park in the large station car park opposite then walk back to the Observatory.

Although the start time to look for Orthoptera is 3:00pm, people are welcome to meet up for lunch beforehand, and look for other insects too. Some of us will be at the Pilot Inn (https://thepilotdungeness.co.uk) from midday until 1:00 pm or thereabouts.

Please register in advance: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/field-trip-to-dungeness-tickets-408741225007