Yesterday was a catch-up day for me on our other reserves, with lots of practical habitat management to be kept busy with (mainly strimming). Everything grows so fast at this time of year so it’s quite a job maintaining paths and net rides, especially at Walsey!

A quiet day generally for birds here at the Observatory today, the persistent northerlies are not great for bringing in new birds. A Common Sandpiper has been busy calling up and down the Broad Water most of the day. It feels like there’s a Sedge Warbler in every bit of reed along the Broad Water, with some doing some great mimicry, one was doing a great impression of a Greenshank! There have been 30 House Martin flying really low feeding over the Broad Water for most of the day.

Quiet again for moths as the night-time temperatures have been quite low for the time of the year. We had 5 Cinnabar, 5 Muslin and 2 Northern Drab, a big improvement to yesterday’s one Cinnabar! Butterflies were low in number too (not surprising as it’s been quite chilly, overcast and rainy here today) with only Wall Brown and Small Copper seen today.

Northern Drab

The pond is looking lovely at the moment with the Yellow Irises just starting to flower, the pond is full of Smooth Newts and Frogs!

Yellow Iris

Pond full of life!

Shannon Clifford – Assistant Warden

NORFOLK BIRD NEWS FROM RARE BIRD ALERT

Norfolk Garganey drk Welney WWT still from Main Observatory 52.5278,0.2775. Park at 52.5266,0.2785

Norfolk Turtle Dove Kelling Heath still c52.9319,1.1216

Norfolk Velvet Scoter Weybourne still on sea off Weybourne Camp c52.9517,1.1301. Park at 52.9485,1.1398

Norfolk RED-FOOTED FALCON fem Hickling Broad NWT still 1/3ml ESE of visitor centre at Brendan’s Marsh in dead tree from viewing mound at 12.30pm tho distant c52.7357,1.5992. Viewed from c52.7387,1.5973. Park at c52.7422,1.5949

Norfolk 3+Wood Sands Snettisham Coastal Park still at Ken Hill Marshes c52.8876,0.4625

Norfolk 1+Garganey Titchwell RSPB still on Reedbed Pool. c52.9662,0.6082 Park at c52.9629,0.6064

Norfolk Little Stint Holkham Freshmarsh on scrape from Joe Jordan Hide 52.9696,0.7902. Park at 52.9664,0.8143. Viewed from 52.9701,0.7911

Norfolk 8.Wood Sands Holkham Freshmarsh on scrape from Joe Jordan Hide 52.9703,0.7907. Viewed from 52.97,0.7912

Norfolk Garganey y’day Hickling Broad NWT still 1/3ml ESE of visitor centre at Brendan’s Marsh c52.7393,1.5981. Park at c52.7422,1.5949