Tuesday October 12
After a 4 p.m. hairdresser appointment at Walcott, we drove to the sea front parking area. Despit it being past five o'clock. there were still a few cars around. Low, golden sunlight, and enough surf to make the sea interesting, we settled to enjoy the view.
A few small groups of Brent Geese flying west, and the occasional gull were the only fly-bys. Until our eyes were 'in' . We became aware of the Red-throated Divers hugging the surface far out - and then, one appeared close in amongst the surf. An adult in breeding plumage, not a common occurrence. I would wish for better light.
Also bobbing about in the middle distance were small numbers of auks. We identified, Razorbills and Guillemots, a small cluster of three Puffins was the highlight.There appears to be a wreck of emaciated auks along the east coast. We didn't see any on the beach, plenty at Cley it seems. So sad. Something has gone wrong in the food chain.
I didn't see any Gannets, Pam saw one juvenile. When we were last on Hunstanton cliffs, the tide was very low, exposing a sandbank over which the sea was breaking. At least fifty Gannets were plunge diving around the exposed bank, attendant gulls hoping for scraps.
Walcott sea wall is always good for Turnstone waiting for food from passers by. Chips or bread. Very healthy.
No Sanderling yet.
A couple of days ago, Pam found a moth on the trellis near the actinic trap. She potted and fridged it - and forgot it. This morning, she produced it, asking me if we should take it in to NS. As I hadn't seen it before, I used OBSID for the initial identification, before checking in a moth book, and on the Norfolk Moths website. Our NS moth group agreed that it is a Gem. An immigrant new for our garden and to our Norfolk list. We had previously seen one at Dungeness, in Kent. A good find by Pam.
Recent catches have included:
Red-line Quaker
Dusky-lemon Sallow
Mottled Umber
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