With lots of seabirds moving around in the North Sea, and some favourable northerly winds forecast, seawatching was the main focus of activity today at the obs. There was a steady movement of Common and Sandwich Tern, and some light duck passage which included a single Tufted Duck, Shoveler, 91 Teal and 290 Common Scoter, whilst a single Eider was on the sea. Other birds of note included 2 Great Skua, 5 Arctic Skua, 3 Kittiwake and a single Red-throated Diver. A monster of a Peregrine caused panic amongst the small flocks of waders on the beach whilst we were in the dunes watching the sea and was later seen at the NOA carpark.

Three Golden Plover went over  the Obs in the afternoon and 3 Common Sandpiper around today. The northerly winds meant that passerines were thin on the ground, with singles of Willow Warbler, Lesser Whitethroat and Common Whitethroat the only obvious migrants.

Given the heavy rain and strong winds overnight, the moth traps were a bit quieter again today, with no notable difference in numbers or species compared the previous few nights, with 3 Shuttle Shaped Dart, 1 Common Wave, 9 Small Mottled Willow, 2 Straw Underwing, 15 Flounced Rustic, 9 Setaceous Hebrew Character, 2 Lesser Broad-bordered Yellow Underwing agg., 6 Turnip, 1 Garden Pebble, 1 Delicate, 2 P. alpinella, 1 Smaller Waved Umber, 7 Vine’s Rustic, 7 Large Yellow Underwing, 9 Archer’s Dart, 1 White Point, 2 Common Masoner, 2 Common Wainscot, 1 Bright-line Brown-eye, 15 Beet Moth, 1 Pale Mottled Willow and 2 Square-spot Rustic. 

Pale Mottled Willow

For butterflies there were Small White, Small Heath, Brown Argus and Common Blue recorded today.

Shannon

NORFOLK BIRD NEWS FROM RAREBIRD ALERT

Norfolk Caspian Gull juv Walcott on beach c52.8425,1.5012

Norfolk 3.Caspian Gulls Sheringham flew past seawatching shelter c52.9458,1.2069 Park at c52.9451,1.2067

Norfolk BLACK-WINGED KITE ad Sea Palling still SW of The Marrams viewed from double metal gates at 1.45pm NR12 0AL c52.7922,1.5842 Viewed from c52.7949,1.5891 Park at c52.7892,1.6016

Norfolk Glossy Ibis Welney WWT still from Friends Hide at 10.54am 52.5352,0.2846

Norfolk 2.Glossy Ibises Salthouse again east of Gramborough Hill again on grazing marsh at 11.30am c52.9526,1.1071 Park at c52.9542,1.0964

Norfolk Caspian Gull juv y’day Cromer still on beach in evng c52.9333,1.3017

Norfolk 2.Garganey (ad +juv) Cley NWT still at Pat’s Pool at 11.20am +Wood Sand c52.9570,1.0568 Viewed from c52.9562,1.0582 Park at c52.9544,1.0567

Norfolk Long-tailed Skua juv Sheringham on sea briefly 9.30am c52.9458,1.2069 Park at c52.9451,1.2067

Norfolk Spotted Redshank Welney WWT from main observatory at 9.59am c52.5312,0.2813

Norfolk Pom Skua Cley flew east past beach carpark at 8.55am c52.9656,1.0492

Norfolk Caspian Gull juv Cley off beach car park at 8.12am c52.9653,1.0482

Norfolk Long-tailed Skua juv Cley flew east past beach carpark by 6.30am c52.9656,1.0492

Norfolk Cory’s S’water flew west past Scolt Head Island at 6.45am c52.9831,0.706