It was a day to focus on ringing with both the Obs and Walsey covered, with light southerlies forecast first thing, which meant we could get the nets open at sunrise for quite a few hours before the wind picked up. It was a beautiful pink sunrise over the Obs.

I was ringing at the Obs and we caught 55 new birds of 15 species and 9 retraps of 5 species including 9 Willow Warbler, 2 Chiffchaff, 10 Sedge Warbler, 4 Reed Warbler, 2 Whitethroat, 8 Blackcap, 5 Robin, 1 Cetti’s Warbler, 10 Blue Tit, 1 Goldfinch, 2 Stonechat, 5 Reed Bunting, 2 Dunnock and 1 Wren. The stars of the day at the Obs were a young Treecreeper and Great Spotted Woodpecker!

Great Spotted Woodpecker – photo by Rachel Cooper

Otherwise around the Obs it was a good day for vis mig with a noticeable movement of Hirundines, with 896 Swallow, 82 House Martin and 8 Sand Martin reported, and 9 Whinchat on the grazing marsh. On the sea 8 Pintail and 3 Arctic Skua were reported. There was also a good number of raptors with 12 Buzzard moving through (including 8 together), 7 Red Kite and a Hobby. An Osprey was also seen at Thornham Harbour.

Bee was ringing at Walsey and caught 28 new birds of 9 species and 6 retraps of 4 species including 2 Wren, 9 Chiffchaff, 1 Reed Warbler, 5 Goldfinch, 1 Chaffinch, 2 Whitethroat, 6 Dunnock, 5 Great Tit, 1 Robin, 1 Blue Tit and the star of the day at Walsey, a young Kingfisher! Amazingly this is the first modern day record of a bird ringed at Walsey, with the only other I can see being one ringed in 1971 (though there may be other historical records that haven’t yet been digitised). A very special bird indeed.

Kingfisher – photo by Birgitta Bueche

Well.. it was a very memorable day for moths! Due to the busy-ness with ringing (some late busy rounds with lots of birds followed by the wind picking up which meant all nets had to be shut), I didn’t get round to doing the moths until late morning. I went through one trap (the one at the ringing shed) with a few members and said “before moving on I need to check the shed as we often have things land on there…” And as soon as I went to check I spotted a massive moth, a Clifden Nonpareil!!! I can’t believe it was right in front of me the whole time I was doing the trap, I must’ve been suffering from the early start with no coffee! I ran off to get a pot (as the ones I brought were all too small) and it was great for everyone to see it. Such a huge impressive moth. It had a very tatty worn wing. This is only the third record of one at the Obs, with the other two recording being singles caught in 2 separate days in October 2021. There was a bonus Gold Spot next to the Clifden Nonpareil on the shed and other moths caught included 5 Chevron Grass-moth, 41 Large Yellow Underwing, 34 Beet Moth, 2 Flounced Rustic, 1 Vine’s Rustic, 1 Delicate, 2 Pale Mottled Willow, 10 Square Spot Rustic, 1 Lime Speck Pug, 1 Centre-barred Sallow, 3 Rush Veneer, 1 Lesser Broad-bordered Yellow Underwing, 2 Yellow Belle, 2 Small Mottled Willow, 4 Archer’s Dart, 1 Single Dotted Wave and 1 Saltmarsh Knot-horn.

Clifden Nonpareil having a little break on Shannon’s shoulder before flying off! – photo by Rachel Cooper

Yellow Belle – photo by Shannon Clifford

Two Hummingbird Hawk Moth were flying very low to the ground around the Obs, appearing to be ovipositing. There were 2 Willow Emerald Damselfly seen mating in the NOA staff car park. Common Darter were seen all over the Observatory reserve. Butterflies today were quiet with only White sp and Wall recorded.

Shannon – Warden

NORFOLK BIRD NEWS FROM RAREBIRD ALERT

Norfolk 2.Spotted Crakes (1+juv) Titchwell RSPB still 2.39pm on back bund from Island Hide +footpath c52.9684,0.6069 Viewed from c52.9673,0.6048 Park at c52.9629,0.6063

Norfolk Spotted Crake juv Titchwell RSPB still 2.22pm on back bund from Island Hide +footpath at 8.34am +showing well 52.9684,0.6069: Viewed from 52.9673,0.6048 Park at c52.9629,0.6063

Norfolk Sooty S’water flew past Winterton North Dunes c52.7179,1.6982

Norfolk BLACK-WINGED KITE ad Sea Palling still SW of The Marrams on wires viewed from double metal gates at 12.36pm NR12 0AL 52.7888,1.585. Viewed from 52.7948,1.5892. Park at c52.7892,1.6016

Norfolk 3.Wood Sands Titchwell RSPB flew west c52.9738,0.6055

Norfolk 2.Caspian Gulls Cromer still on beach this morning c52.9288,1.3147

Norfolk 2.Glossy Ibises Cley NWT flew east +may have landed on Arnold’s Marsh at 11.11am 52.9576,1.0559 Park at c52.9550,1.0646

Norfolk 2.Spotted Crakes (1+juv) Titchwell RSPB at 11.07am: 1.on back bund from Island Hide, 1.on north side of freshmarsh 52.9671,0.6059 Viewed from 52.9673,0.6048 Park at 52.9628,0.6065

Norfolk Spotted Crake juv Titchwell RSPB still on back bund from Island Hide at 8.34am +showing well 52.9684,0.6069: Viewed from 52.9673,0.6048 Park at c52.9629,0.6063

Norfolk Wryneck Beeston Bump behind Beeston Regis Holiday Park at 8.10am c52.9404,1.2318