It was an exciting day today, with some excellent moths, butterflies, and birds.

The moth trap, excluding some micros that are still being examined, contained: 1 Buff Tip, 1 Crambidae indet., 10 Common Footman, 2 Privet Hawkmoth, 9 Rustic/Uncertain, 1 Single-dotted Wave, 2 Buff Ermine, 1 Ruby Tiger, 2 Dark Arches, 2 Large Yellow Underwing, 1 Small Magpie, 1 Large Pale Masoner, 2 Satin Grass Moth, 4 Brown-tail, 1 Acrobasis suavella, 1 Bird-cherry Ermine, 1 Common Purple & Gold, 1 Least Carpet, 2 Garden Rose Tortrix, 3 Cnephasia sp., 1 Rosy Footman, 1 Diamond-back Moth, 1 Barred Marble, 1 Amphipoea sp., 1 Smoky Wainscot, 2 Archer’s Dart, 1 Garden Grass-veneer, 1 Southern Wainscot, 1 Haworth’s Pug, 1 Lappet, and 1 Oak Eggar.

I really enjoyed the Lappet, and by coincidence two visitors turned up and asked whether I had ever caught one, as they had never seen a Lappet moth before. They were thrilled when I showed them the moth I had caught that morning—what a coincidence!

The Norfolk Moth homepage states: Very scarce in recent years, Hedgerows, scrub, gardens. Females larger with a wingspan of up to 90mm or more. Resembles dried oak leaves when at rest.

Lappet

It was also a great day for butterflies: 30 Gatekeeper, 4 Red Admiral, 1 Painted Lady, 4 Peacock, 18 Meadow Brown, 11 White sp., 4 Small/Essex Skipper, 1 Ringlet, 1 Brown Argus, and 2 Small Heath.

On my way to the Broadwater hides, I noticed that the Swallows were alarm-calling, so I looked up just in time to see 1 Hobby skim over the grazing marsh. Two visitors also spotted the bird and later joined me and another couple in the NWT hide. The bird highlights on Broadwater were 3 well-grown Avocet chicks, 14 Redshank, 21 Lapwing, 7 Black-tailed Godwit flying east, and 1 Osprey flying west over the grazing marsh and 1 Quail calling in front of the hide.

I also saw 1 Stoat running across the footpath at the NOA.

An eventful day!

Bee

Norfolk Bird News from Rare Bird Alert

Norfolk Quail male singing Holme Dunes NWT c52.9740,0.5517 PE36 6LQ

Norfolk Wood Sand Buckenham Marshes RSPB 52.5941,1.4653

Norfolk Quail singing male y’day Thompson c52.527,0.8508

Norfolk Wood Sand Titchwell RSPB c52.9633,0.6070

Norfolk Common Crane ad Rawhall still at Old Beetley at School Road Flash at 10.10am 52.7304,0.9082: Viewed from 52.7303,0.9102

Norfolk 2.Black-winged Stilts Titchwell RSPB still 11am at Freshmarsh in east compartment from Parrinder Hide (+Wood Sand) c52.9678,0.6111 Viewed from c52.9693,0.6070 Park at c52.9629,0.6063

Norfolk Curlew Sand Cley NWT still at North Scrape from viewing screen at 9.03am c52.9608,1.0576

Norfolk 2.Glossy Ibises Cley NWT still 9.39am on Pat’s Pool from Teal Hide c52.9575,1.0556 Viewed from c52.9577,1.0546 Park at c52.9544,1.0567

Norfolk 2.Glossy Ibises Cley NWT on Pat’s Pool from Teal Hide at 7.05am c52.9575,1.0556 Viewed from c52.9577,1.0546 Park at c52.9544,1.0567

Norfolk 2.Black-winged Stilts Titchwell RSPB still at Freshmarsh in east compartment from Parrinder Hide at 6.12am c52.9678,0.6111 Viewed from c52.9693,0.6070 Park at c52.9629,0.6063