Quite a warm summery day at the Observatory today reaching close to 20 degrees in the afternoon. A reasonably quiet day for birds at the Observatory and Norfolk generally. Still, our resident birds were showing well. We had two family groups of Stonechat with fledged young which was lovely to see. We also had our first Coal Tit and Long-tailed Tit fledglings out and about. Still lots of Warblers singing in the sunshine with Reed, Sedge, Chiffchaff, Blackcap, Lesser Whitethroat and Common Whitethroat.

In the moth traps the species were similar today to recent days and we had 22 individuals of 13 species with 3 Cinnabar, 3 Fern, 2 Flame Shoulder, 1 Yellow Belle, 3 Treble Lines, 1 Banded Hedge Grey, 1 Small Elephant Hawk Moth, 2 Common Wainscot, 2 White Ermine, 1 Marbled Minor agg., 1 Shuttle Shaped Dart, 1 Vine’s Rustic and 1 Turnip.

The warmer day made a difference to the insect numbers, and we had decent counts of butterflies including Wall Brown, Common Blue, Small Copper, Small Heath, Green Hairstreak, Red Admiral, and Brown Argus. The Brown Argus were showing well around the pond, and one even landed on a Flag Iris which is the first time I’ve seen them here.

The pond was buzzing with life this afternoon with lots of Smooth Newts and Common Frog. There’s now lots of Large Red, Blue-tailed and Azure Damselflies around the pond. All of the Flag Iris were being visited by Bumblebees and a few of the first Thick-legged Beetle of the year, one was completely inside.

Bumblebee and Flag Iris

Thick-legged Flower Beetle (Oedemera nobilis)

Shannon Clifford – Assistant Warden

NORFOLK BIRD NEWS FROM RARE BIRD ALERT

Norfolk Temminck’s Stint Cley NWT at Arnold’s Marsh this morning c52.9606,1.0651. Park at 52.9549,1.0646

Norfolk probable Marsh Warbler singing Kelling north of A149 at Kelling Water Meadow in NE corner this morning c52.9499,1.1175. Park at 52.9421,1.1146