A really hot day at the Observatory today reaching 21 degrees with a WNW wind. The Spoonbill was still in front of the car park hide. There was also Avocet chicks with the parents viewable from the car park hide, very cute! There was a Little Gull on the Broad Water in the afternoon. A lot more juvenile birds around today, which is lovely to see. There was a family of very recently fledged juvenile Wren just off the main path to the Observatory.

Avocet chicks – photo by Seamus Griffin

Very quiet in the moth traps and a dramatic change from yesterday, with 1 Cinnabar, 1 Small Umber, 2 Small Elephant Hawk, 1 White Ermine, 1 Privet Hawk, and 1 Heart and Club. Heart and Club are a common and widespread moth in Norfolk and are often recorded at coastal sand dune sites.

Very quiet for other insects, especially butterflies in the windy conditions, however there was a good number of Small Heath about and a few Common Blue around the Observatory where it was much more sheltered.

Shannon Clifford – Assistant Warden

NORFOLK BIRD NEWS FROM RARE BIRD ALERT

Norfolk Pec Sand Hickling Broad NWT still 1/3ml ESE of visitor centre at Brendan’s Marsh from 1st viewing platform at 10.10am tho elusive c52.7406,1.6007 Park at c52.7422,1.5949

Norfolk repeat: ELEONORA’S FALCON dark morph Walcott flew west over beach at 9.25am c52.8425,1.5012

MEGA Norfolk ELEONORA’S FALCON Walcott flew west over beach at 9.25am c52.8425,1.5012