An early start and today we were focussed on ringing with the northerly wind and overcast conditions as most of the nets are sheltered. We caught 21 birds; a high proportion were retraps with 14, and only 7 new birds. For new birds we had: 2 Lesser Whitethroat, 2 Reed Warbler and 3 Goldfinch. For retraps we had 1 Blackcap, 2 Chiffchaff, 2 Sedge Warbler, 1 Coal Tit, 1 Lesser Whitethroat, 1 Cetti’s Warbler, 2 Blue Tit, 3 Goldfinch and 1 Reed Warbler. All of the birds we caught were showing signs of breeding (lots of well-developed brood patches!), which is great, but very few migrants about which isn’t surprising with the wind direction recently. We also caught our first few juvenile birds of the year with 2 young Goldfinches and 1 Dunnock!! Lovely.

The Cuckoo is still around and occasionally giving great views flying into the free in front of the Obs on the Broad Water.

The moth traps had decent numbers despite the cool temperatures/wind with 4 Cinnabar, 1 Bordered White, 1 Small Elephant Hawk, 1 Pine Beauty, 3 Treble Lines, 2 Flame Shoulder, 1 Narrow-winged Grey, 3 White Ermine, 1 Purple Bar, 1 Muslin, 1 Fern, 1 Vine’s Rustic, 1 Light Brown Apple moth and 1 Black Cloak. Butterflies were a bit few and far between around the Observatory today with only 1 Speckled Wood and 1 Wall Brown.

Fern

Shannon Clifford – Assistant Warden

NORFOLK BIRD NEWS FROM RARE BIRD ALERT

Norfolk Little Stint Snettisham RSPB c52.8541,0.4451. Park at 52.8685,0.4526

Norfolk 4.Garganey (3.drks) Hockwold Washes still 9am c52.4504,0.5245. Park at 52.4481,0.5287

Norfolk Bee-eater Salthouse flew west over Iron Road at 11.21am [heard only] 52.9566,1.0831. Park at 52.9534,1.0806

Norfolk 5.Temminck’s Stints Cley NWT still 11.07am on Pat’s Pool at north end from Teal Hide 52.9577,1.0545. Park at c52.9544,1.0566

Norfolk 5.Temminck’s Stints Cley NWT still on Pat’s Pool at north end from Teal Hide (3.Wood Sands from North Hide) 52.9577,1.0545. Park at c52.9544,1.0566