There was a reasonable westerly this morning which meant seawatching! It was a pretty good morning and across the 3 hours we recorded over 30 species with highlights including 1 Manx Shearwater, 1 Guillemot (really close in drifting east!), 106 Common Scoter (a single bird was drifting west on the sea having a snooze), 1 Marsh Harrier (past close in low to the sea), 2 Arctic Tern, 5 Arctic Skua, 3 Snipe, 10 Teal, 8 Red-throated Diver and 2 Razorbill.

It was a good day for Swallow moving too with many passing west out to sea with 58 recorded (more were also seen later in the day along with smaller numbers of House Martin). The wind dropped off as the morning progressed but we got the feeling that the wind wasn’t quite strong enough (nor northerly enough) to bring something really special!

There were a few Sanderling on the beach at high tide which are looking fantastic at the moment and a joy to watch them running along and dodging the waves.

Marsh Harrier on the move! A bird we see here virtually daily but not usually on the sea…. photo by S. Clifford

A very close in Guillemot! So close that we could see it’s little feet paddling away behind it – photo by S. Clifford

Sanderling amongst the waves – photo by S. Clifford

On the Broadwater, Little Grebe numbers are building with 12 recorded, there was also 7 Greenshank together in a little group along with a Common Sandpiper. Whilst Bee and I were fixing a bit of loose wire on the car park hide boardwalk, a Barn Owl came flying past close in and was later foraging over the grazing marsh. There was 2 Wheatear and a Lesser Whitethroat in the dunes.

A very autumnal moth trap today for our Wednesday morning moth group with 34 Beet Moth, 1 Vetch Moth, 1 Beaded Chestnut, 2 Chevron Grass-moth, 2 Broad-bordered Yellow Underwing, 1 Delicate, 2 Lunar Underwing, 12 Large Yellow Underwing, 2 Setaceous Hebrew Character, 5 Rush Veneer, 1 Small Dusty Wave, 5 Small Mottled Willow, 22 Square Spot Rustic, 2 Turnip and 1 White Point.

First Beaded Chestnut of the autumn – photo by S. Clifford

Shannon & Bee

NORFOLK BIRD NEWS FROM RAREBIRD ALERT

Norfolk Red-necked Phalarope juv Holkham Freshmarsh still 2.22pm on pool SW of Joe Jordan Hide 52.9689,0.7893: Viewed from 52.9701,0.7912. Park at c52.9663,0.8143. Management work will be undertaken here later today

Norfolk BLACK-WINGED KITE ad Sea Palling still SW of The Marrams in hawthorn viewed from double metal gates tho distant NR12 0AL 52.7914,1.5854: Park at 52.7894,1.6013; Viewed from 52.7949,1.5893

Norfolk Garganey Strumpshaw Fen RSPB still from Tower Hide c52.6074,1.4429 Park at c52.6071,1.4566

Norfolk Pec Sand juv Cley NWT still 2.19pm east of north end of East Bank at Arnold’s Marsh c52.9603,1.0674

Norfolk Spotted Crake Titchwell RSPB still on freshmarsh from Island Hide (+Curlew Sand) c52.9679,0.6046 Viewed from c52.9673,0.6048 Park at c52.9629,0.6063

Norfolk Red-necked Phalarope juv Holkham Freshmarsh still 11am on pool SW of Joe Jordan Hide but no sign of juv.Pec Sand c52.9690,0.7893Park at c52.9663,0.8143. Management work will be undertaken here later today

Norfolk FERRUGINOUS DUCK ad.drk Rollesby Broad till 12.17pm then flew south 52.6782,1.6404

Norfolk Caspian Gull 1w y’day Cromer on beach in a’noon c52.9288,1.3147

Norfolk FERRUGINOUS DUCK ad.drk Rollesby Broad at 11.46am 52.6783,1.641

Norfolk Caspian Gull 1w Sheringham flew west past shelter 52.9459,1.2069

Norfolk Pec Sand juv Cley NWT still 10.33am on Pat’s Pool from Bishop’s Hide c52.9567,1.0565. Viewed from c52.9562,1.0582. Park at c52.9544,1.0567

Norfolk Black Tern Sheringham flew past shelter 52.9459,1.2069

Norfolk Pec Sand Cley NWT east of East Bank at The Serpentine at 10.08am 52.9589,1.0658: Viewed from 52.9591,1.0651

Norfolk Red-necked Phalarope juv Holkham Freshmarsh still on pool SW of Joe Jordan Hide early morning +juv.Pec Sand still c52.9690,0.7893Park at c52.9663,0.8143. Management work will be undertaken here later today

Norfolk 4.Glossy Ibises Salthouse again flew west at 9.07am c52.9543,1.0820 Park at c52.9534,1.0806

Norfolk 5+Caspian Gulls y’day Cley NWT in evng c52.9591,1.0553