Autumn

 Sunday October 20

Active birders are in pursuit of the Yellow-browed Warblers, Dusky Warbler and Humes' Yellow -browed seen along the coast from Cley to Holme.  There have been reports of the first thrushes coming in too. We managed a small flock of Redwings near Abbey Farm. Our day was remarkable for the lack of passerines. Probably the other most surprising omission was Carrion Crow.

Pam now tells me that she saw a couple near home when I was asleep (3 hours sleep last night). One Robin, one Blackbird, one Blue Tit, a singing Wren and fly past Goldfinches were the list padders.

The highlight for me was, when parked at Hunstanton Lighthouse car park, two Glossy Ibis flew overhead. Pam followed them, seeing three more join them as they flew out over the Wash. I didn't immediately identify the the birds, it's the first time I've seen them in flight above me. Broad wings and a steady flap, no glide. The Fulmar aren't back on the cliffs yet, small huddles of Feral/Rock Doves the only inhabitants of the nesting ledges.

The small car park at North Point Pools was full, no birders in sight. I surmised that they had walked to the Garden Drove area where the Humes and other wablers were being seen. Reading Sue Bryan's Blog later, she wrote of finding horse boxes and large 4x4s occupying Garden Drove parking area and a man on a quad bike layng a scent trail for a pack of hounds to follow. 

The pools were almost empty of any birds at all, a real surprise, they're always full of the commoner ducks, geese, and gulls. Gradually, as they moved through the long grass, the small group of cattle present revealed five Cattle Egrets, always a pleasure, however regular a sighting of them has become. I couldn't resist taking a few photos despite the poor light and looking over a hedge and tall grasses, which makes automatic focussing difficult

 

 

 

I've been looking for an L-Album Wainscot in our traps since the first one appeared in Norfolk a very few years ago. This year, many of our moth-ing group have trapped one.  Our first wasn't even in the trap, Pam found it on the lighting unit.

 We saw our first at Dungeness pre Covid, 2019.

Norfolk status
New resident? Migrant from northern Europe, resident in southern England where it is known to breed.
Norfolk records initially of vagrants or migrants, with probable colonisation now occurring. Recent colonist in Suffolk where it can be common at coastal sites. First seen in  Norfolk in 2011. (Norfolk Moths)

Another nice Autumn moth, The Mallow.