It was much breezier today and not suitable for ringing so I made the most of birding in the morning and then spent the afternoon working on the moth report for our 2025 annual report. It was another mild, sunny and pleasant day at the Obs with another strong haze over the reserve caused by the southerly wind and dust from the Saharan desert. It reached 15 degrees in the afternoon!

There were 5 Avocet on the car park pools, 2 Oystercatcher and a lovely group of 57 Curlew dropped in whilst I was sitting in the hide. There was also a stunning drake Pintail passing close by the hide giving great views. A Great Egret was sat out on the bank preening. A Water Rail was screeching from the Broadwater in the afternoon. There were at least 3 Chiffchaff today, no obvious noticeable increase in numbers yet though this is difficult to judge without ringing.

The warm winds and good thermals were good conditions for raptors on the wing and I had 7 Buzzard all together circling high over the Obs, to be joined by 4 Red Kite. When I was walking back from Redwell Marsh I had 4 noisy Med Gull overhead.

There were lots of Goldfinch, Greenfinch and Chaffinch in the Pines all singing, and a Woodcock shot out the Pines in the afternoon. The Skylark and Meadow Pipit were all singing between the grazing marsh and dunes, a lovely spring soundtrack.

We had a single Early Grey in our first moth trap. As the name suggests, it’s one of the earlier species to be on the wing, the larvae feed on Honeysuckle. We also had the first Brimstone and Peacock butterflies of the year in the afternoon. I counted 6 Smooth Newt in the pond, though no doubt there’s many more as they’re so well camouflaged!

Newts in the pond

Shannon

NORFOLK BIRD NEWS FROM RARE BIRD ALERT

Norfolk Common Crane ad Rawhall still at Old Beetley at School Road Flash at 10.30am 52.731,0.9071: Viewed from 52.7294,0.9062

Norfolk 3.Tundra Bean Geese Snettisham Coastal still at Ken Hill Marshes at south end c52.8876,0.4625

Norfolk 3.Glossy Ibises just east of Stiffkey still on flood south of A149 at 9.49am c52.9541,0.9431

Norfolk FERRUGINOUS DUCK drk Holkham Hall still on The Lake on west bank opposite monument at 10.20am c52.9528,0.8006 Viewed from c52.9529,0.7990

Norfolk Scaup fem Titchwell RSPB still on Tidal Marsh. 10.Long-tailed Ducks still on sea c52.9724,0.6067. Park at c52.9629,0.6063

Norfolk Hawfinch Lynford Arboretum still in alley south of Shepard’s Bar from 5-bar gate at 7.57am c52.5103,0.6805

Norfolk Tundra Bean Goose on Tuesday Holkham Freshmarsh c52.9701,0.7912

Norfolk 4.Tundra Bean Geese on Tuesday Cantley Marshes RSPB still c52.5813,1.491