With predicted light winds in the morning (following easterlies through the night with drizzle), it was the perfect morning for ringing and what a day it was! We ended up processing 128 birds, our busiest day of the year so far. There was noticeable arrival of thrushes and Robins with 18 Blackbird, 4 Song Thrush, 2 Redwing and 27 Robin! We also had a bit of a Holme rarity (in terms of ringing) with a Starling! The first since 2022. There was a nice little passage of Chiffchaff too, with 10 ringed across the day and we managed to catch a whopping 17 new Long-tailed Tit!

A beautiful Starling! Showing off it’s iridescent purple-green feathers

Ringing totals for the day

Away from the nets there were some lovely birds around, including another Yellow-browed Warbler in the village, a Richard’s Pipit which was first heard going over the dunes and later relocated at Thornham (we assume the same bird), our first White-fronted Geese of the year with at least 42 in the recording area, 2 ringtail Hen Harrier over the grazing marsh and a flyover Woodlark. The two Shore Lark and Snow Bunting were still on the beach too, and a single Jack Snipe was back on show again from NWT hide 3. There was a steady stream of migrants over with small flocks of Redwing, Chaffinch, Brambling and Redpoll (including a single flock of 25 birds) and two Woodcock dropped into the pines. There were also 7 Tufted Duck back on the Broadwater.

With easterlies and more rain forecast for tomorrow, no doubt there will be more good birds on offer!

In the moth traps we had a quiet morning with 2 Beet Moth, 6 Dark Chestnut, 20 Large Wainscot, 3 Large Yellow Underwing, 1 Turnip, 1 White Point, 1 Narrow-winged Grey and a rather nice Grey Shoulder-knot.

Grey Shoulder-Knot

Shannon

NOROFLK BIRD NEWS FROM RAREBIRD ALERT

Norfolk 112.Russian White-fronted Geese Kelling Water Meadows flew in off sea late a’noon c52.9560,1.1164

Norfolk 30.Russian White-fronted Geese Gorleston-on-Sea flew south past promenade at 4.09pm c52.5707,1.7339

Norfolk Ring Ouzel male Hickling Broad NWT around visitor centre tho elusive c52.7420,1.5947

Norfolk 2.DUSKY WARBLERS Blakeney Point in Plantation (1.still showing at 3.20pm) 52.9752,0.9757

Norfolk DESERT WHEATEAR male Cley still 3.40pm just east of beach car park on pillbox c52.9649,1.0509

Norfolk Siberian Chiffchaff Waxham c150yds south of Shangri-La chalet at 3.36pm 52.779,1.6215

Norfolk ISABELLINE WHEATEAR Winterton Dunes NNR again mid a’noon at South Dunes along valley near start of Winterton Valley Estate c52.7137,1.6961. Use beach carpark NR29 4AJ

Norfolk Coues’s Redpoll (form exilipes) Wells Woods still just east of The Dell in birches +showing well (+c25.Mealy Redpolls) c52.9722,0.8426 Park at c52.9724,0.8482

Norfolk Y-br.Wblr Holme Dunes NWT near Lavender Marsh in paddocks at 1.10pm c52.9740,0.5517

Norfolk Y-br.Wblr 1ml east of Cley still 3.09pm south of A149 at Walsey Hills NOA in willows at SW corner 52.9536,1.0676 Park at c52.9546,1.0669

Norfolk Rose-coloured Starling juv Happisburgh still 3pm on metal fence at Lighthouse Lane +showing well 52.8215,1.5339. Use beach carpark

Norfolk Bluethroat Kelling Water Meadows still 2.50pm at north path c52.9493,1.1170

Norfolk Richard’s Pipit Holme Dunes at Thornham Point flew SW towards old harbour at 2.58pm c52.9740,0.5690

Norfolk no further sign of Bluethroat Kelling Water Meadows north of path by mid a’noon 52.9500,1.1166

Norfolk Water Pipit Horsey flew SE over Horsey Gap c52.7597,1.6527

Norfolk Rose-coloured Starling juv Happisburgh still 2.20pm on metal fence at Lighthouse Lane +showing well 52.8215,1.5339. Use beach carpark

Norfolk Y-br.Wblr Hickling Broad NWT c52.7420,1.5947

Norfolk DESERT WHEATEAR male Cley still 1.45pm just west of beach carparkby tractors c52.9657,1.0458

Norfolk Ring Ouzel male Horsey east of Nelson Head pub c52.7463,1.6579

Norfolk Lapland Bunting Salthouse flew west over Beach Road c52.9541,1.1039

Norfolk DESERT WHEATEAR fem north of Wells-next-the-Sea still 1.52pm on beach just north of beach huts 52.9734,0.8518

Norfolk DESERT WHEATEAR male Cley NWT still 1.20pm at Eye Field on fence between beach carpark +North Scrape c52.9651,1.0483

Norfolk ISABELLINE WHEATEAR Winterton Dunes NNR at South Dunes along valley near start of Winterton Valley Estate c52.7137,1.6961. Use beach carpark NR29 4AJ

Norfolk DUSKY WARBLER Blakeney Point in Plantation. 2.Shorelarks on beach 52.9752,0.9757

Norfolk Y-br.Wblr Horsey in bushes south of track to Horsey Gap carpark c52.7597,1.6527

Norfolk Y-br.Wblr 1ml east of Cley still south of A149 at Walsey Hills NOA in willows at SW corner at 1pm 52.9536,1.0675: Park at 52.9546,1.0669

Norfolk Y-br.Wblr Snettisham Coastal Park in sallows by Beach Road at 12.55pm. 2.Hawfinches flew SW at 12.24pm c52.8808,0.4543: Park at c52.8736,0.4473

Norfolk Ring Ouzel male Burnham Overy Dunes at Gun Hill c52.9762,0.7548

Norfolk DESERT WHEATEAR male Cley NWT still 1.05pm at Eye Field on fence between beach carpark +North Scrape c52.9651,1.0483

Norfolk Bluethroat Kelling Water Meadows at north path tho elusive 52.9500,1.1166

Norfolk probable Desert Wheatear Cley at beach on fence at 12.43pm c52.9651,1.0483

Norfolk DESERT WHEATEAR fem north of Wells-next-the-Sea still 12.36pm on beach just north of beach huts c52.9729,0.8502

Norfolk Rose-coloured Starling juv Happisburgh still 12.07pm at Lighthouse Road/ Beach Road junction at building site 52.8215,1.5339. Use beach carpark

Norfolk Richard’s Pipit Holme Dunes again 11.45am flew from east end of dunes towards Thornham Point c52.9740,0.5690

Norfolk DESERT WHEATEAR fem north of Wells-next-the-Sea still 11.41am on beach just north of beach huts c52.9729,0.8502

Norfolk Snow Bunting Salthouse on shingle ridge 500yds east of Gramborough Hill c52.9541,1.1039

Norfolk 3.Sooty S’waters Cley flew east past beach car park c52.9651,1.0483

Norfolk Siberian Chiffchaff Blakeney Point c52.9752,0.9757

Norfolk HUME’S WARBLER between Old Hunstanton +Holme in dune scrub near last beach hut briefly 8.15am c52.9748,0.5542

Norfolk Sabine’s Gull juv flew south past Sea Palling at 10.49am 52.7974,1.5965

Norfolk Black Redstart Old Hunstanton on roof briefly 52.9627,0.5268: Park at 52.9649,0.5259; Viewed from 52.9625,0.5269

Norfolk 2.Lapland Buntings Winterton Dunes between dunes +beach c200yds north of beach carpark at 10.03am NR29 4AJ

Norfolk 3.Shorelarks Holme Dunes still at Thornham Point in dunes at 10am. Richard’s Pipit flew over NWT car park c52.9740,0.5690

Norfolk Rose-coloured Starling juv Happisburgh still 9.45am on wires by Lighthouse Lane 52.8215,1.5339. Use beach carpark

Norfolk Hawfinch Warham Greens at 9.45am c52.954,0.8919

Norfolk DESERT WHEATEAR fem Wells-next-the-Sea still 9.30am on beach by RNLI station c52.9729,0.8502

Norfolk 3.Shorelarks Happisburgh in ploughed field just north of Coastwatch c52.8135,1.5571

Norfolk Rose-coloured Starling juv Happisburgh on metal fence at Lighthouse Lane at 9.08am +showing well 52.8215,1.5339. Use beach carpark

Norfolk DESERT WHEATEAR fem Wells-next-the-Sea still by RNLI station on tideline at 7.45am c52.9729,0.8502

Norfolk 2.Shorelarks Happisburgh in field SE of lighthouse at 7.45am then flew north 52.8185,1.5412: Viewed from 52.8194,1.5434