It was a bit of an overcast start today with heavy showers at the Observatory, turning warmer and sunnier in the afternoon. I’ve been on annual leave for the past week but my first day back today was a good one with the annual checking of the Barn Owl boxes that we monitor. We had two boxes occupied. One only had one chick which we were able to ring, and the other box had three chicks which were too small, so we have to go back in a few weeks to ring them. We did, however, get the adult which was in the box when we were checking for chicks, which I had ringed almost a year ago to the day last year (when they were again successful in raising three chicks)! Lovely to know they seem to be very successful in this box and have returned for a second year.

Barn Owl

There was 9 Dunlin, 4 Black-tailed Godwit, c70+ Redshank and a lovely Curlew Sandpiper from the car park hide! There was a flock of 40+ Avocet going about on the Broad Water.

There was 23 species in the moth traps today including 8 Ruby Tiger, 4 Common Footman, 13 Scarce Footman, 1 Bird Cherry Ermine, 2 Haworth’s Pug, 9 Uncertain/Rustic agg., 1 Large Yellow Underwing, 1 Ermine agg., 3 Garden Grass Moth, 2 Smoky Wainscot, 1 Orange Pine Tortrix, 1 Rufous Tortrix, 2 Marbled Minor agg., 1 Garden Straw, 1 Broad Bordered Yellow Underwing, 1 Cyclamen Tortrix, 1 Buff Footman, 1 Least Carpet, 1 Small Umber, 1 Willow Ermine, 1 Dark Arches, 1 Oak Eggar and 1 Pine-blossom Knot-horn, which is nationally scarce.

Oak Eggar

Gatekeeper are the most numerous butterfly species on the wing at the moment, with good numbers of Meadow Brown, Ringlet, Red Admiral, Peacock and Large/Small Whites on the wing too.

Shannon Clifford – Assistant Warden

NORFOLK BIRD NEWS FROM RARE BIRD ALERT

Norfolk Curlew Sand Holme Dunes NWT on Broadwater from 1st hide c52.9733,0.5515

Norfolk Cory’s S’water flew east past Sheringham at 7.30am c52.9459,1.2069

Norfolk Honey Buzzard fem 1.25mls ESE of Fulmodeston again at Swanton Great Wood from Swanton Novers raptor watchpoint by Hindolveston Road c52.8390,0.9878. Viewed from 52.8323,0.9823

Norfolk White Stork (metal-ringed) Welney still viewable from A1101/ Station Road junction 52.514,0.2606: Viewed from 52.5117,0.261

Norfolk Balearic S’water flew east past Holme Dunes at 7am c52.9755,0.5563

Norfolk probable Cory’s S’water flew east past Cromer at 7.34am c52.9327,1.3

Norfolk no sign of ad.Lesser Yellowlegs Cley NWT by 8.53am