Finally, a break in the windy conditions meant a good morning to focus on some ringing before the wind got up late morning! It was an early start to get to the Observatory well in time before sunrise and the van said it was 6 degrees first thing, so it was feeling very autumnal.

It was a productive morning with 59 birds caught, 52 new and 7 retraps. For new birds we caught 2 Wren, 8 Chiffchaff, 2 Willow Warber, 11 Blue Tit, 6 Reed Bunting, 7 Reed Warbler, 12 Blackcap, 3 Meadow Pipit, 2 Dunnock and 1 Garden Warbler. So really nice to catch some birds on the move! For retraps there was 2 Chiffchaff, 2 Great Tit, 2 Blue Tit and 1 Blackcap.

A beautiful morning ringing 

Otherwise around the reserve, the Redstart was being really showing around the Obs on and off most of the day and there was a report of two further birds in the dunes. No Pied Flycatchers were seen today. There were 3 Greenshank and a Spotted Redshank calling over the grazing marsh. There was a bit of Hirundine movement with 55 Swallow and 2 Swift over the Broadwater west first thing this morning. There was 11 Wigeon and 2 Pintail on the Broadwater. A Whinchat was reported in the afternoon from the NWT dune boardwalk.

Redstart

Another quiet night in the moth traps and likely due again to the clear nights and large moon (which has been really impressive but not ideal for catching moths!). We had 16 Beet Moth, 1 Square Spot Rustic, 4 Archers Dart, 1 Rosy Rustic, 14 Large Yellow Underwing, 1 Bright-line Brown-eye, 1 Turnip, 1 Ruby tiger, 1 Flounced Rustic, 1 Oak Longhorn, 1 Shuttle Shaped Dart and an A. geniculea.

Shannon Clifford – Assistant Warden

Norfolk bird news from RareBirdAlert

Norfolk 7.Glossy Ibises flew north over Hickling Broad NWT this a’noon c52.7392,1.6039 Park at c52.7421,1.5948

Norfolk BLACK-WINGED KITE Hickling Broad NWT still 2.04pm SE of visitor centre in dead trees viewed from east end of Brendan’s Marsh 52.7331,1.6084. Park at 52.7422,1.5949. Viewed from 52.7388,1.6077

Norfolk possible White-tailed Eagle west of Holme flew south over The Wash at midday tho distant 52.9759,0.5237

Norfolk 7.Glossy Ibises Buckenham Marshes RSPB again early morning then flew west (juv.Curlew Sand still on main scrape by hide at 12.30pm) 52.5866,1.4734

Norfolk BLACK-WINGED KITE Hickling Broad NWT still 12.14pm SE of visitor centre in dead trees viewed from east end of Brendan’s Marsh 52.7331,1.6084. Park at 52.7422,1.5949. Viewed from 52.7388,1.6077

Norfolk Short-toed Lark Burnham Deepdale on sea wall at 12.10pm then flew to field c52.9696,0.6883

Norfolk Red-necked Phal Titchwell RSPB still late morning on Freshmarsh at SW end from West Bank +Glossy Ibis (+Curlew Sand juv.Wood Sands) c52.9677,0.6047. Park at c52.9629,0.6063

Norfolk BLACK-WINGED KITE Hickling Broad NWT still 11.12am SE of visitor centre in dead trees viewed from east end of Brendan’s Marsh 52.7331,1.6084. Park at 52.7422,1.5949. Viewed from 52.7388,1.6077

Norfolk Honey Buzzard juv dark morph Waxham flew over dunes at 10.52am c52.7796,1.6197

Norfolk Pec Sand Titchwell RSPB still 10.10am on Freshmarsh c52.9677,0.6047. Park at c52.9629,0.6063

Norfolk BLACK-WINGED KITE Hickling Broad NWT still 10.20am SE of visitor centre in dead trees viewed from east end of Brendan’s Marsh 52.7331,1.6084. Park at 52.7422,1.5949. Viewed from 52.7388,1.6077

Norfolk BLACK-WINGED KITE Hickling Broad NWT still SE of visitor centre in tree on SW side of Brendan’s Marsh at 9.51am tho distant 52.7331,1.6084. Park at 52.7422,1.5949. Viewed from 52.7388,1.6077

Norfolk 2.Red-necked Grebes (both ads) Titchwell RSPB on sea c52.9738,0.6055

Norfolk BLACK-WINGED KITE y’day Hickling Broad NWT still 7.22pm flew WSW along south side c52.7317,1.5872. Park at 52.7422,1.5949

Norfolk Pec Sand Titchwell RSPB still on Freshmarsh at 7.09am c52.9677,0.6047. Park at c52.9629,0.6063

Norfolk Red-necked Phal Titchwell RSPB still on Freshmarsh at SW end from West Bank at 7.10am c52.9677,0.6047. Park at c52.9629,0.6063