It was a really lovely day spent at the Obs after Sand Martin ringing early this morning (read about our Sand Martin ringing at the quarry this morning here). Four Spoonbill and two Grey Heron were on Broadwater, and they were then joined by the stars of the day with 3 GLOSSY IBIS, which appeared from the west and then circled overhead and dropped onto the Broadwater (viewed from the NOA car park hide). The Glossy Ibis fed for about 5-10 minutes before taking off and moving onto the grazing marsh by the wind pump. A single Green Sandpiper was still on show but from NWT Hide 3 today.

Glossy Ibis

We also had a very surprising record on the beach, a Wood Sandpiper! Not a bird you associate with the coast, it only stayed for less than 10 minutes so likely a bird on passage just having a little rest. It was strange to watch it rhythmically bobbing its tail in amongst a small flock of Sanderling on the beach, looking very out of place, before giving off its distinctive call and flying south. Also on the beach we had 330 Sandwich Tern, 34 Common Tern and 6 Little Tern in roost, along with 1 Knot, 3 Dunlin, 2 Med Gull, 1 Common Gull, 240 Herring Gull, 2 Great Black-backed Gull and 1 Lesser Black-backed Gull. A Chiffchaff was back singing around the Obs and there were good numbers of Black-headed Gull hawking over the grazing marsh in the afternoon.

A very poor photo through the scope, but a record shot of the Wood Sandpiper

Moth traps were steady again with some nice specialist species including Shore Knot-horn, Sandhill Knot-horn and Reed Dagger.

A rare moth restricted to coastal sandhills and coastal sites, the Shore Knot-horn

Shannon

NORFOLK BIRDS NEWS FROM RAREBIRD ALERT            

Norfolk 3.Glossy Ibises Holme Dunes NWT at Broadwater at 9.58am 52.9734,0.5501

Norfolk Wood Sand Welney WWT from main observatory at 9.31am c52.5312,0.2813

Norfolk 3.Glossy Ibises Titchwell RSPB at Reedbed Pool at 7.50am c52.9662,0.6082. Park at c52.9629,0.6064

Norfolk Caspian Gull y’day Norwich at Heigham Waterworks c52.6387,1.2676