Another blustery south westerly wind at the Observatory, but stronger than yesterday. The rain lingered well into the morning. Difficult conditions for birding, and quiet for birds. We had 2 Cattle Egret, 2 Great White Egret, 1 Grey Heron and a Little Egret all together over the grazing marsh which was nice to see.

The Lapwing chicks at Redwell are still going strong, and were feeling the effects of the wind/rain and needed to be brooded by one of the parents.

Lapwing chicks being brooded after some solo exploring

Quieter in the moth traps today with 4 Flame Shoulder, 1 Light Brown Apple, 1 Sharp Angled Peacock, 1 Lime Speck Pug, 1 White Ermine, 2 Common Wainscot, 2 Vine’s Rustic, 3 Treble Lines, 1 Brown Moss Moth, 1 Small Elephant Hawk, 1 Large Yellow Underwing and the highlight of the day, a Breckland Plume! This is a locally distributed moth in Norfolk, though in recent years has been more well recorded.

Breckland Plume Moth

We did a bit more deer deterrence fencing to try and get some vegetation to regenerate and I had a pink grasshopper! This is the second I’ve seen at Holme. I’m unsure of which species but the colour is apparently a genetic mutation known as erythrism, which causes too much red pigment and not enough black.

Pink Grasshopper

Similar butterflies to yesterday though harder to see in the windy condition. There are still some Brown Argus hanging around the pond, and we also had lots of Large Red Damselflies and Blue-tailed Damselflies.

Shannon Clifford – Assistant Warden

NORFOLK BIRD NEWS FROM RARE BIRD ALERT

Norfolk Booted Eagle juv pale morph Bayfield still 2.07pm flew NW viewed from just south of Bayfield Hall c52.9235,1.0463

Norfolk Hawfinch reported West Runton c52.9412,1.2504

Norfolk Temminck’s Stint Titchwell RSPB still on freshmarsh from main path c52.9689,0.6062. Viewed from c52.9588,0.6046

Norfolk BOOTED EAGLE juv pale
south of Kelling again north of Holgate Hill Road by Holt Garden Centre at 9.57am c52.9294,1.1155. Viewed from 52.9288,1.1161

Norfolk BOOTED EAGLE juv pale morph west of Kelling still 9.19am drifting south from A149 c52.9441,1.1081

Norfolk BOOTED EAGLE juv pale morph drifting SW over Kelling still at 9.10am c52.9424,1.1148

Norfolk BOOTED EAGLE juv pale morph between Kelling +Weybourne over Muckleburgh Hill at 8.54am c52.9491 1.1298

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

MEGA Norfolk Booted Eagle just west of Kelling north of A149 landed in field N of pine belt at 08.20am but no further sign by 8.31am c52.9450,1.1119

Norfolk probable Booted Eagle just west of Kelling landed at 8.20am c52.9424,1.1177