It was foggy at the obs this morning, and despite sunrise being at 06:50 we didn’t see the sun until well after 08:30. Once again the thick fog meant few birds were ringed, the highlight being the female Firecrest from yesterday. Totals as follows, with numbers in brackets representing retraps:

Goldcrest – 3

Firecrest – (1)

Long-tailed Tit – (3)

Reed Bunting – 2 (1)

Robin – 1

Blue Tit – 2

Coal Tit – (1)

Goldfinch – 2

Linnet – 1

Dunnock – 1 (1)

Song Thrush – 1

The control Reed Bunting that we caught on Thursday hadn’t come far, from Deepdale Farm in Burnham Deepdale. But, it was ringed in 2023 so has reached a reasonable age!

Once the fog lifted it felt like a typical autumn day around the obs. 4500 Pink-footed Geese arrived just after the fog cleared. Flocks of Redpoll, Chaffinch and Goldfinch were trickling west with the odd Brambling mixed in, there were at least two Firecrest in the pines and the Barn Owl hunted the marsh on and off all day. The sea was like glass so it was nice to be able to get great views of a Great Northern Diver and Slavonian Grebe amongst the Great Crested Grebes and Razorbills sat out there, which were also joined by 15 Little Gulls on the move west as well as a single Fulmar. There was a little arrival of thrushes late afternoon, mainly Blackbird and Redwing, but it was really nice to see a small flock of 5 Fieldfare sat in the bush next to our car park, helping themselves to some berries!

In the moths traps were a few migrants as well as the usual fare: 1 Dark Chestnut, 1 Large Pale Masoner, 9 Large Wainscot, 1 Yellow-line Quaker, 5 Narrow-winged Grey, 1 Olive-tree Pearl (an uncommon migrant though 2026 has been a great year for them across Norfolk), 1 Green Brindled Crescent, 4 Rusty Dot Pearl, 1 Rush Veneer and 1 Black Rustic.

Shannon

NORFOLK BIRD NEWS FROM RAREBIRD ALERT

Norfolk 2.Scaup Holkham Gap on sea c52.9964,0.8298

Norfolk ISABELLINE WHEATEAR Kelling Hard still 1.45pm on NOA field east of Gramborough Hill in dried pond c52.9525,1.1062

Norfolk Waxwing Titchwell RSPB flew over visitor centre at 1.30pm c52.9628,0.6039

Norfolk 4.Tundra Bean Geese flew west Cley NWT at 1.24pm c52.9579,1.0688

Norfolk Rose-coloured Starling juv Happisburgh still 1.38pm briefly on fenced compound by Happisburgh Community Car Park c52.8216,1.5362. Use beach carpark NR12 0PR

Norfolk 22+Twites Salthouse west at end of Beach Road with Linnets at 1.23pm c52.9549,1.0964

Norfolk 7.Twites Salthouse west at end of Beach Road with Linnets at 1.05pm c52.9549,1.0964

Norfolk 2.Shorelarks Kelling Hard on NOA field east of Gramborough Hill at 12.53pm c52.9525,1.1062

Norfolk Black Guillemot Kelling on sea from shingle bank at 12.58pm c52.9540,1.1147

Norfolk ISABELLINE WHEATEAR Kelling Hard still 12.44pm on NOA field east of Gramborough Hill c52.9525,1.1062

Norfolk Puffin Kelling on sea from shingle bank at 12.41pm c52.9540,1.1147

Norfolk Sabine’s Gull juv Titchwell RSPB offshore at 12.29pm c52.9738,0.6055. Park at c52.9629,0.6063

Norfolk 3.Shorelarks Holkham still at Holkham Gap on beach at west end of Gap 52.9763,0.7969

Norfolk 3.Twites Salthouse just west at end of Beach Road with Linnets at 12.46pm c52.9549,1.0964

Norfolk 10.Snow Buntings Holme Dunes NWT c52.9742,0.5525

Norfolk Long-tailed Duck Salthouse on sea at 12.26pm 52.957,1.0978

Norfolk Slav Grebe Holme NOA on sea +Firecrest trapped +ringed c52.9749,0.5556

Norfolk Rose-coloured Starling juv Happisburgh still 12.23pm briefly on wires west of Happisburgh Community Car Park c52.8216,1.5362. Use beach carpark NR12 0PR

Norfolk Puffin Happisburgh drifting east at 11.52am +Snow Bunting on the cliff edge 52.8227,1.5392: Park at 52.8221,1.5377; Viewed from 52.8223,1.538

Norfolk probable Snow Goose flew west Cromer with Brent Geese at 11.40am c52.9343,1.3015

Norfolk ISABELLINE WHEATEAR Kelling Hard still 11.38am on shingle ridge east of Gramborough Hill c52.9540,1.1074

Norfolk Black Redstart male Hunstanton on chalet roof at 8.30am 52.9239,0.4767

Norfolk ISABELLINE WHEATEAR Kelling Hard still on shingle ridge at 10.57am c52.9522,1.1176

Norfolk 2.Snow Buntings Great Yarmouth still at North Denes on beach at 10.20am 52.6316,1.7427

Norfolk Black Guillemot Salthouse off Iron Road drifting east towards Kelling Hard at 10.12am c52.9600,1.0838 Park at c52.9534,1.0806

Norfolk 10.Waxwings Wymondham flew over Ketts Park at 9am 52.5733,1.1328

Norfolk Water Pipit Cley NWT still left of Bishop’s Hide at 9.56am 52.9558,1.0578. Viewed from c52.9562,1.0582. Park at c52.9544,1.0567

Norfolk Rose-coloured Starling juv Happisburgh still 9.43am on wires from Happisburgh Community Car Park c52.8216,1.5362. Use beach carpark NR12 0PR

Norfolk Richard’s Pipit flew east Kelling Water Meadow at 9.34am c52.9493,1.1170

Norfolk Richard’s Pipit flew east Kelling Water Meadow at 9.34am the appeared to drop into north end of Quags c52.9493,1.1170

Norfolk Waxwing flew west Titchwell RSPB at 8.30am c52.9684,0.6109 PE31 8BB

Norfolk c20.Waxwings East Dereham at Tesco Extra car park at 8.30am then flew SE c52.6725,0.9557

Norfolk 2.Shorelark Salthouse briefly on beach at end of Iron Road at 9.25am then seemed to fly inland 52.9622,1.0644

Norfolk c8.Waxwings Spixworth in garden near Park Road/Redwing Gardens junction at 8.48am c52.6854,1.3254

Norfolk Snow Bunting Great Yarmouth at North Denes on beach at north end at 8.17am +Mealy Redpoll 52.6316,1.7427

Norfolk Little Auk Waxham on sea at 8.59am 52.7819,1.6199: Viewed from 52.7803,1.6196

Norfolk probable Isabelline Wheatear north of Kelling Quags again briefly on fence from Meadow Lane at 8.15am tho no sign since c52.9526,1.1141

Norfolk 3.Waxwings Snettisham RSPB still on Shepherds Port Caravan Site adjacent to the RSPB car park/fishing pits at 8.53am c52.8721,0.4512. Park at c52.8685,0.4526. Viewed from 52.8502,0.4458

Norfolk Rose-coloured Starling juv Happisburgh still west of carpark at 8.01am c52.8216,1.5362. Use beach carpark NR12 0PR