An early start to make the most of ringing before the sun rose… It was a beautiful sunrise, and nice to not have to scrape frost off the van first thing this morning!

We captured 31 birds (ringing up until 1pm), 13 new birds and 18 retraps including 6 Chiffchaff (5 new, 1 retrap), 5 Wren, 2 Blackcap, 4 Cetti’s Warbler, 3 Sedge Warbler (1 new, 2 retrap), 1 Song Thrush, 2 Blackbird, 2 Great Tit, 2 Goldcrest, 1 Dunnock, 1 Coal Tit, 1 Blue Tit and 1 Long-tailed Tit. One retrapped Sedge Warbler was a returning adult from April last year, and the second was an adult from May last year! Neither of these birds were retrapped again until today so it’s unclear if they’ll stick around. The retrap Chiffchaff was a returning juvenile from June last year, hopefully back for it’s first year of breeding at Holme.

We had our first Common Whitethroat of the year appear around the dell hide, and then possibly a second bird was singing from the bushes on East Bank. There was great views of a Barn Owl hunting over the grazing marsh close to the Broadwater. A Ring Ouzel was reported in the dunes West of the NWT Visitor Centre early this morning, but no reports since.

Still quiet in the moth traps with 1 Small Quaker, 5 Hebrew Character, 2 Muslin (bottom right) ,1 Streamer (top) and 1 Shuttle Shaped Dart (bottom left). There was more butterfly activity today with the hottest day of April at the obs so far with 2 Brimstone, 1 Speckled Wood and 2 Peacock. We had 8+ Smooth Newt in the pond and a Common Lizard scurried across the path.

Shannon Clifford, Assistant Warden

NORFOLK BIRD NEWS FROM RARE BIRD ALERT

Norfolk 5.Garganey (4.drks) Hickling Broad NWT 1/3ml ESE of visitor centre at Brendan’s Marsh from mound 52.7393,1.5981. Park at c52.7422,1.5949

Norfolk Long-tailed Duck drk Salthouse still on sea north of Iron Road c52.9593,1.0832

Norfolk Water Pipit Denver Sluice at Tallymore Farm NR c52.5910,0.3454

Norfolk 2.Ring Ouzels East Rudham at SW corner of cricket field c52.8147,0.7027

Norfolk Black Redstart Sheringham by golf course c52.9456,1.2042

Norfolk White Stork flew south over West Walton mid morning c52.6971,0.1789

Norfolk Black Redstart West Runton at end of Water Lane on cliff by shelter mid morning c52.9414,1.2511

Norfolk Black Redstart fem/1w.male Waxham Sands Holiday Park at 10am c52.7639,1.6422. View only from dunes, do not enter holiday park. Walk north from Horsey Gap

Norfolk Water Pipit Haddiscoe still at Thorpe Marshes c52.5302,1.5947

Norfolk Hoopoe Blakeney Point (+Ring Ouzel) c52.9752,0.9757

Norfolk Glossy Ibis Welney WWT c52.5332,0.2814

Norfolk no sign of male.Bluethroat Great Yarmouth at Southtown by The Grayling Pub c52.6008,1.7142

Norfolk Wryneck Kelling Heath along track 50yds south of railway crossing then flew north over railway c52.9292,1.1264. Park at 52.9318,1.1216

Norfolk Ring Ouzel male Weybourne still at Weybourne Camp at west end from beach c52.9503,1.1223

Norfolk Garganey drk Buckenham Marshes RSPB still on windpump pool 52.5880,1.4748. Park at 52.5981,1.4698

Norfolk Glossy Ibis Cley NWT again flew west over Blakeney Bank at 6.41am c52.9614,1.0446