It was a much more pleasant day at the Obs with no rain and turning pretty sunny in the afternoon with a continuing blustery wind which meant it was too windy for ringing. On the sea it was a productive day for seawatching with 4 Fulmar, 3 Gannet, 1 Med Gull, 1 Auk sp, 7 Little Tern, 8 Common Tern, 30 Sandwich Tern and a Shag! Two Spoonbill flew west over the grazing marsh in the afternoon.

The moth traps were busier than yesterday with 1 Uncertain/Rustic agg., 2 Large Pale Masoner, 1 Blushed Knothorn, 2 Bramble Shoot Moth, 9 Large Yellow Underwing, 1 Mottled Rustic, 2 Common Swift, 1 Pale Prominent, 3 Meadow Grass-moth, 2 Cnephasia gg., 1 Heart and Dart, 2 Marbled Minor agg., 1 Ringed China Mark, 1 Willow Beauty, 1 Striped Wainscot, 1 Treble Brown Spot and 1 Diamondback.

It was a pretty exciting day for dragonflies with a Norfolk Hawker (I think a female) around the pond in the afternoon. Although they have been recorded here before they aren’t frequently seen around the Obs and the last record I could find was 2024. It was so active foraging over the pond, I had to wait at least 20 minutes for it to settle on some vegetation to check it was definitely a Norfolk Hawker! There was also a Brown Hawker towards Thornham at the sluice. There were Blue-tailed, Large Red and Azure Damselflies active around our little pond too. At the moment it’s a lovely place to spend some time seeing what turns up.

It was also a good day for toads with Natterjack Toad and Common Toad on the move, one Natterjack had decided the Obs door was a good place to hide first thing this morning!

There were quite a few Meadow Brown on the wing today, and we also recorded Red Admiral, Painted Lady, Small Heath, Large Skipper and Large White. The Cinnabar caterpillars have began to appear on the Ragwort around the Obs.

Very hungry Cinnabar caterpillars!

Shannon

NORFOLK BIRD NEWS FROM RAREBIRD ALERT

Norfolk RED-FOOTED FALCON 1s.male Strumpshaw Fen RSPB still 1.37pm from visitors centre 52.6046,1.4543

Norfolk RED-FOOTED FALCON 1s.male Strumpshaw Fen RSPB still 10.55am over Meadow Trail +showing well 52.6046,1.4543

Norfolk Common Crane ad Rawhall again at Old Beetley at School Road Flash at 10am 52.7305,0.9083

Norfolk BLACK-WINGED KITE ad east of Lessingham still 9.47am at Hempstead Marshes north of junction of Hickling Lane +Stalham Road 52.7854,1.5838 Viewed from c52.7845,1.5848

Norfolk RED-FOOTED FALCON 1s.male Strumpshaw Fen RSPB still 9.19am from Meadow Trail +showing well 52.6046,1.4543

Norfolk BLACK-WINGED KITE ad east of Lessingham still at Hempstead Marshes in hawthorn by steel gate beyond The Acre at 8.05am 52.7923,1.5833

Norfolk Glossy Ibis ad Cley NWT on Whitwell Scrape from Avocet Hide at 7.34am c52.9586,1.0537

Norfolk RED-FOOTED FALCON 1s.male Strumpshaw Fen RSPB still from Fen Hide at 6.29am 52.605,1.4487