I was off yesterday, and our volunteer and trustee Roger and Gary were here ringing and got some interesting recoveries! In the nets yesterday there was a Common Whitethroat first ringed here in 2022 and a Lesser Whitethroat ringed as a juvenile last year by me.

We were up early for ringing this morning, but it didn’t last long as a brisk easterly whipped up. Despite the limited time, we caught two Lesser Whitethroat, two new birds. The undoubted highlight, however, was a Chiffchaff bearing a French ring! Of course, we know that almost all our Chiffchaff pass through or winter in France, but it doesn’t make it any less exciting when we get a foreign control bird. We will update you with details as soon as we hear more about it. In total we caught 20 birds, including 5 Chiffchaff (one Chiffchaff was a returning bird from 2021), 6 Sedge Warbler, 2 Lesser Whitethroat, 2 Linnet, 1 Robin, 1 Goldfinch, 1 Wren and 1 Woodpigeon! Despite the sheer number of Woodpigeon around the area generally, they’re a relatively scarce bird to catch and ring here, due to their amazing ability to escape nets!

Woodpigeon before release

It was fairly quiet around the reserve and in the dunes, but still lots of nice birds to find. Roger had 1 Cattle Egret and 3 Yellow Wagtail first thing with the cattle off the main entrance track. He also had 5 Yellow Wag flying overhead at Gore Point, and 1 Green Sandpiper. On a morning seawatch Roger had 8 Fulmar, 1 Red-breasted Merganser, 14 Sandwich Tern, 1 Common Tern, 3 Great Crested Grebe and 5 Common Scoter.

We had a nice Wheatear in the dunes and 2 Cuckoo, one of which was at the entrance gate in the morning and gave great views. The best birding to be had was at Thornham in the afternoon. There was a fabulous flock of no less than 67 Whimbrel in the company of a fine summer plumaged Bar-tailed Godwit. On the pools nearby were single Ruff and Little Ringed Plover and a male flavissima Yellow Wagtail alighted briefly too before heading off strongly west. We also had 3 Great White Egret.

Whimbrel and Yellow Wagtail

The moth traps were quiet, but it got pretty chilly overnight and went down to at least 4 degrees overnight, so I was pleasantly surprised with the numbers. We had 14 moths of 4 species, including 8 Muslin, 3 Northern Drab, 1 Powdered Quaker and 2 Hebrew Character. We had 3 day flying Cinnabar today, they’re lovely moths! For butterflies, we had 1 Green Hairstreak, 2 Small Heath (the first of the year), 1 Peacock and 1 Small Copper.

Cinnabar moth

Shannon Clifford – Assistant Warden

NORFOLK BIRD NEWS FROM RARE BIRD ALERT

Norfolk American Wigeon 1w.drk Salthouse still mid a’noon east of Iron Road 52.9566,1.0831. Park at 52.9534,1.0806

Norfolk Wryneck Cley still 12.45pm in front gardens at Stonerunner/ Gerrans. View only from road c52.9559,1.0497

Norfolk American Wigeon 1w.drk Salthouse still on pool east of Iron Road 52.9566,1.0831. Park at 52.9534,1.0806

Norfolk 3.Wood Sands Buckenham Marshes RSPB still on flood midway between hide +windpump c52.5890,1.4690. Park at 52.5981,1.4698

Norfolk Wryneck Cley still late morning in front gardens at Stonerunner/ Gerrans. View only from road c52.9559,1.0497

Norfolk Wryneck Cley still c10.15am in front garden at Thrums. View only from road c52.9559,1.0497

Norfolk Hoopoe Burnham Overy Dunes still 10.15am midway between boardwalk +west end of Holkham Pines c52.9767,0.7710

Norfolk Wryneck Cley in front garden at Stonerunner/ Gerrans. View only from road c52.9559,1.0497

Norfolk Hoopoe Burnham Overy Dunes again c400yds east of boardwalk bushes at 9.40am c52.9767,0.7710

Norfolk Wood Sand y’day Sheringham c52.9449,1.2139

Norfolk 2.Ring Ouzels Roydon Common NNR still on ridge 52.7735,0.4853. Park at 52.7783,0.4898

Norfolk 2.Wood Sands Burnham Overy Dunes flew west just south of Gun Hill c52.9772,0.7587

Norfolk 1+Wood Sand Buckenham Marshes RSPB still on flood midway between hide +windpump c52.5890,1.4690. Park at 52.5981,1.4698

Norfolk Garganey drk Buckenham Marshes RSPB still on windpump pool at 8am 52.5880,1.4748. Park at 52.5981,1.4698

Norfolk Wood Sand Cley NWT from Teal Hide 52.9577,1.0545 Park at 52.9544,1.0567

Norfolk Little Gull Titchwell RSPB on Freshmarsh 52.9667,0.6060 Park at 52.9629,0.6063

Norfolk 3.Wood Sands y’day Buckenham Marshes RSPB still c52.5890,1.4690. Park at 52.5981,1.4698