Too windy for ringing today, so instead more time for birding! First, there was a report of an Osprey heading this way from Titchwell and despite lots of looking, no one managed to pick it up going past Holme and was last seen going west of Thornham Harbour.

At 1145 there was a report of a White-tailed Eagle going very high west over Blakeney point. Just before 1300, I was walking in the dunes when I seen a massive silhouette of a raptor being mobbed by numerous Red Kites (which all looked tiny)… A White-tailed Eagle!! Magical. It gave great views over the marsh and dunes, at one point flying directly over my head.

Can’t complain with the views… At one point it was just about too close to focus!

It was seen to catch prey (possibly a leveret) and then thought to land in some of the tall trees across the marsh. At about 1430 it reappeared again and flew straight over the Observatory and west over the pines and it was eventually lost to view over Gore Point. Upon looking through my pictures I realised the bird was ringed, and you can just about make out the number/letters so we’re trying to track down the origin of the bird, but it’s possibly an Isle of Wight bird.

White-tailed Eagle and a Red Kite… Massive!

There was a lovely male Wheatear sheltering in the dunes, 3 Cattle Egret with the cattle and a Spoonbill over the marsh flying west.

There was 12 individuals of 5 species in the moth traps today, 2 Cinnabar, 5 Hebrew Character, 3 Muslin, 1 Red Chestnut and 1 lovely Powdered Quaker. There was Brimstone, Peacock, Green Hairstreak and Small Copper on the wing today.

Powdered Quaker

Shannon Clifford, Assistant Warden

NORFOLK BIRD NEWS FROM RARE BIRD ALERT

Norfolk Wryneck Horsey on fence then flew inland c52.7469,1.6437

Norfolk Wood Sand Hickling Broad NWT 1/3ml ESE of visitor centre at Brendan’s Marsh 52.7393,1.5981. Park at c52.7422,1.5949

Norfolk Garganey drk Earsham GP at Earsham Wetland Centre c52.4515,1.4197

Norfolk 2.Russian White-fronted Geese (both ads) Nar Valley Fisheries still with Greylag Geese c52.6923,0.4842

Norfolk Black Redstart reported Snettisham Coastal Park at Ken Hill Marshes c52.8735,0.4525

Norfolk Black Redstart reported Cawston Heath c52.7668,1.2019

Norfolk White-tailed Eagle Holme Dunes at north fields at 12.52pm c52.9748,0.5542

Norfolk 2.Black Redstarts (both fem/1w.male) Waxham Sands Holiday Park by northern toilet block at 11.50am c52.7639,1.6422. View only from dunes, do not enter holiday park. Walk north from Horsey Gap

Norfolk White-tailed Eagle Holkham Pines flew west over west end at 12.13pm c52.9719,0.7815

Norfolk 2.Garganey (1.drk) Hickling Broad NWT on Brendan’s Marsh at 11.48am +Spotted Redshank. 52.7392,1.5982: Viewed from 52.7387,1.5974

Norfolk Ring Ouzel male East Rudham still 12.53pm at cricket pitch 52.8153,0.7026: Park at 52.8165,0.7044; Viewed from 52.8155,0.7038

Norfolk Glossy Ibis Strumpshaw Fen RSPB from Fen Hide this morning 52.6049,1.4501

Norfolk White-tailed Eagle Beeston Bump flew west over sea c52.9435,1.2244

Norfolk Ring Ouzel West Rudham still 9.08am 52.8152,0.7022

Norfolk 3+Garganey Cley NWT on North Scrape c52.9609,1.0574

Norfolk Ring Ouzel Kelling north of A149 at Kelling Water Meadow 8.30-8.40am then flew south c52.9493,1.1170

Norfolk Black Redstart Overstrand in beach car park c52.9196,1.3426