Apus melba

Rare but regular vagrant

 2023 Upper Hale Farm, Brooksend, single bird, 7th April.
  North Foreland, single bird, 7th April.
  ARC Pits, Dungeness, single bird, 3rd April.
  Dungeness area, two birds, 1st April.
  Darenth Lakes, single bird, 25th March.
  Bockhill/South Foreland, single bird, 25th March.
  New Hythe GP, single bird, 22nd-26th March.
  North Foreland/Foreness, up to 3 birds, 21st-26th March.
  Minnis Bay/Reculver Marshes, two birds, 20th March.
  Worth Marshes, single bird, 19th March.
  Stodmarsh NNR, single bird, 19th March.
2017

Bockhill, single bird, 1st October.

 

Bockhill, single bird, later seen over Worth Marshes, 16th April.

 

Margate, single bird, later seen at Shuart, 14th April.

2014

Kingsdown, single bird, 9th April.

2013

Dungeness RSPB, single bird, 17th-18th March.

 

Cliftonville, single bird, 17th March.

2010

Biddenden, single bird, 26th May.

 

Folkestone, single bird, 4th-8th April.

 

Dungeness, single bird, 31st March to 1st April.

 

Thanet, single bird, 29th March to 1st April.

 

Larkfield, single bird, 27th March.

2007

Sandwich Bay, one flew north, 4th July.

2006

Bockhill, single bird, 17th April.

2004

Bockhill, 7th May.

2003

Foreness, 8th-9th March.

2002

Bockhill, flying South-East, 17th May.

 

Bockhill, 10th April, presumed same bird.

 

Capel-le-Ferne, flying North-East, 10th April.

1995

Abbotscliffe, Capel-le-Ferne, 10th July.

1994

Capel-le-Ferne and Folkestone, 19th-20th May.

 

Capel-le-Ferne, 23rd April.

1993

Cheriton, 20th September.

 

Capel-le-Ferne, 29th June.

 

Reculver, 2nd May.

 

Reculver, two, 23rd-26th April.

 

Worth, 16th April.

1992

Foreness, 3rd October.

 

Dungeness, 2nd May; probably same Folkestone, 2nd-3rd, Dover, 3rd,

Minnis Bay and Reculver, 4th.

 

Foreness, 22nd-23rd April; another 23rd; presumed one of same Minnis Bay 23rd.

1990

St. Margaret's, 4th October.

 

St. Margaret's, 1st July.

 

Sandwich Bay and Kingsdown, 26th April.

 

North Foreland, 24th March.

1989

Folkestone, 22nd May.

1988

Folkestone, 16th May.

 

Sandwich Bay, 21st April.

 

North Foreland, 17th April.

 

North Foreland, two, 24th-28th March, one of which was later found dead on 26th.

1987

Whitstable, 14th October.

 

Foreness, 16th September.

 

Dungeness, 21st July.

1986

Foreness, 13th May.

1984

Dungeness, 3rd June.

1983

Dungeness, 11th August.

 

Dungeness, 8th May, also in East Sussex.

1982

Botany Bay area, 26th September to 1st October.

 

Dungeness, 9th April, also in East Sussex.

1981

Hayesden Water, 25th-26th July.

1980

Sandwich Bay, 27th September.

1978

Richborough and Pegwell Bay, 13th-17th August.

1975

Kingsgate Bay, Thanet, 19th-20th July.

 

Dover, 7th June.

1972

Kingsdown, 27th May.

1971

Dungeness, 1st August.

1970

Fan Bay, Dover, 13th September.

1969

Dover, 15th-18th March, died.

1967

Ramsgate, 28th June.

1962

Deal, 24th June.

1961

Cliffe, 7th October.

1947

Reculver, 26th April.

1916

Hythe, nine, 16th May.

1902

Bromstone, Thanet, 21st October.

1891

Dover, picked up exhausted, 6th July.

1871

No locality, seen, June.

1832

Kingsgate, Thanet, killed early June. The exact date of this bird is uncertain,

but is no earlier than 1829 and no later than 1832.

1830

Dover, caught, 20th August.

No Longer Accepted

1925

Cotman's Heath, Wittersham, seen early June.

1915

Kingsdown, Deal, five, 3rd August.

 

Kingsdown, Deal, five, 22nd July.

 

Kingsdown, Deal, ca. 100, July.

1908

Ebony, between Rye and Tenterden, seen, 3rd August.

The Kent Ornithological Society was founded in 1952

Our aims are to record and monitor the county’s bird life providing both an accurate historical record of Kent’s birds but equally importantly providing data that can be used to help protect valuable habitats from development and other threats.

In doing this, we seek increase knowledge and understanding of birds and their habitats in the county and encourage and support people seeking to take up birdwatching as a hobby.

Membership of the society is open to all and costs £15 a year. Members receive a free copy of the annual Kent Bird Report and regular electronic newsletters. See details

The Society runs regular online talks and an outdoor programme of field meetings. They are opportunities for both beginners and experienced birdwatchers to meet others in the county and to develop their knowledge and skills.

We are a charity regulated by the Charity Commission registered as charity number 212489.