A blustery westerly wind meant for some quiet bushes around the recording area today. There was no evidence of movement on land, with little to speak of anywhere we looked. A Green Sandpiper on the Broad Water was about as good as it got. It didn’t take long for us to turn our attention to the sea, which was a little more productive. A decent movement of Sandwich Tern saw us record 357 recorded in just under three hours. The standout highlight though was 5 Pale-bellied Brent Geese which flew west after being seen at Thornham harbour earlier in the day. Others watching the sea also had a single Gadwall and a summer-plumage Black-throated Diver, a scarce description species in Norfolk. The quiet afternoon gave us a chance to do some maintenance work around the obs, including replacing the rope around some of the walkways and giving the main building a bit of a clean.

The 5 Pale-bellied Brent Geese, after us spotting them a little too late for a decent photo.

Unsurprisingly, it was quiet in the moth traps too, with low numbers of the usual species, as follows: 13 Square Spot Rustic, 4 Small Mottled Willow, 8 Lunar Underwing, 19 Large Yellow Underwing, 1 White Point, 1 Beaded Chestnut, 2 Turnip, 5 Beet Moth, 1 Shore Wainscot, 1 Bright-line Brown Eye, 1 Yellowtail, 1 Small Blood Vein, 1 Broad-bordered Yellow Underwing,  The highlights were a very nice Feathered Ranunculs and a Lunar Yellow Underwing. Later in the day, a Hummingbird Hawkmoth found its way into the obs building and had to be rescued, although given the conditions I think it might have preferred to have been left inside…..

Feathered Ranunculus

With more of the same forecast for tomorrow, our attention will likely once again be on the sea!

Shannon

NORFOLK BIRD NEWS FROM RAREBIRD ALERT

Norfolk Curlew Sand Titchwell RSPB still c52.9738,0.6055

Norfolk BLACK-WINGED KITE ad Sea Palling still SW of The Marrams in hawthorn viewed from double metal gates at 1.10pm tho distant NR12 0AL 52.7914,1.5854: Park at 52.7894,1.6013; Viewed from 52.7949,1.5893

Norfolk 2.Glossy Ibises Cley Marshes NWT still c52.9616,1.0573 Park at c52.9544,1.0563

Norfolk Glossy Ibis Salthouse still 12.05pm on marsh SE of Gramborough Hill c52.9532,1.1054

Norfolk Black-throated Diver Holme-next-the-Sea at 10.39am +5.Pale-bellied Brent Geese flew west 52.9764,0.5529

Norfolk Glossy Ibis Salthouse again off Iron Road c52.9543,1.0820 Park at c52.9534,1.0806

Norfolk Garganey Welney WWT from main observatory at 9.39am c52.5312,0.2813

Norfolk 5.Pale-bellied Brent Geese Thornham at 9.20am 52.9789,0.58

Norfolk Red-necked Phalarope juv Holkham Freshmarsh still on pool SW of Joe Jordan Hide at 9am 52.9689,0.7893: Viewed from 52.9701,0.7912. Park at c52.9663,0.8143