It was reasonably still first thing so meant some nets could be opened before the wind got up and Bee caught 4 birds including juvenile Dunnock and Goldfinch. By the afternoon it was very windy, but no rain arrived as was forecast.

It’s a lovely time of year to see all the baby birds starting to appear and from the car park hide there were Shelduck ducklings and Coot chicks. The Spoonbill weren’t in their usual spot feeding on the Broadwater but we found them foraging on the beach in the afternoon. It was quite a good day for Swift and we had at least 30 feeding over the grazing marsh. There was also a Cuckoo in the dunes.

It was another busy moth trap this morning with 5 Shore Wainscot, 1 Small Elephant Hawk, 8 Willow Beauty, 2 Sharp-angled Peacock, 3 Cinnabar, 4 White Ermine, 8 Turnip, 3 Common Wainscot, 3 Sand Dart, 4 Middle-barred Minor, 1 Small Blood-vein, 11 Mottled Rustic, 2 Heart and Dart, 1 Eyed Hawk, 1 Dark Arches, 1 Marbled Minor agg., 1 Giant Rush Veneer, 2 Treble Lines, 1 Buff Tip, 1 Large Yellow Underwing, 1 Silver Y, 1 Black Cloak, 1 Silver-barred Moss Moth, 1 Blushed Knot-horn, 1 Common Pug, 2 Common Swift, 2 Brimstone, 1 Silky Wainscot, 1 Fern, 2 Scorched Wing, 1 Marsh Pearl, 1 Barred Straw, 2 Bordered White, 2 Brown House Moth, 1 Privet Hawk, 1 Poplar Grey, 1 Breckland Plume, 2 Cnephasia agg., 2 Large Pale Masoner, 1 Purple Bar, 1 Pine Nut Moth, 1 White Pinion-spotted, 1 Small Dusty Wave, 1 Sharp-angled Peacock, 1 Pine Hawk, 1 Saltmarsh Plume, 1 Small Mottled Willow and 1 Heart and Club.

The highlight of the morning for me was the 2 Scorched Wing, they are one of my favourite moths! We also caught this Saltmarsh Plume, which has a very distinctive resting position with V-shaped wings, that remind me of a sling shot! As the name suggests they are mainly found on or near coastal saltmarshes as their foodplant is Sea-lavender.

Saltmarsh Plume

Shannon & Bee

NORFOLK BIRDNEWS FROM RAREBIRD ALERT

Norfolk Quail male singing Kelling in field near Crankham Barn audible from Meadow Lane at 11.45am c52.9504,1.1070

Norfolk BLACK-WINGED KITE ad east of Lessingham still 12.47pm at Hempstead Marshes north of junction of Hickling Lane +Stalham Road 52.7854,1.5838. Use Sea Palling carpark NR12 0AL

Norfolk Common Crane ad Rawhall still at Old Beetley at School Road Flash at 10.15am 52.7302,0.9077 Viewed from 52.7296,0.9054

Norfolk Montagu’s Harrier ringtail flew north over Winterton North Dunes at 10am c52.7279,1.6883

Norfolk Quail flew over Sheringham at 2.20am c52.9449,1.2139

Norfolk Montagu’s Harrier flew south over Winterton North Dunes at 9.45am c52.7279,1.6883

Norfolk Montagu’s Harrier Horsey still 9.30am south of Nelson Head track c52.7469,1.6437

Norfolk BLACK-WINGED KITE ad east of Lessingham till c9.20am at Hempstead Marshes north of junction of Hickling Lane +Stalham Road then flew north 52.7854,1.5838. Use Sea Palling carpark NR12 0AL

Norfolk BLACK-WINGED KITE ad east of Lessingham still at Hempstead Marshes north of junction of Hickling Lane +Stalham Road at 8.39am 52.7854,1.5838. Use Sea Palling carpark NR12 0AL

Norfolk Montagu’s Harrier Horsey south of Nelson Head track at 8.30am c52.7469,1.6437