A good day, the sun was shining, with lots of moths, mostly Common Quakers, in the trap. Out and about there were a few butterflies, Peacock and several Small Tortoiseshells and an arrival of spring migrant birds. A walk up the golf course in the morning produced 9+ Chiffs, three each Wheatears and Black Redstarts, a male Stonechat, a White Wagtail and a cracking Firecrest. The best was yet to come when after a period of sky gazing in the garden over a mug of coffee, I’d just gone back in when Tony rang to say there was an Alpine Swift 250m away over the village! Despite rushing out and getting down to the coast in minutes there was inevitably no sign of it, though a Swallow was some compensation.
Putting the news out straight off paid dividends when it was refound flying west over the Runtons so a quick drive – if you can call it that, stuck behind a cement lorry- got me to West Runton where it showed brilliantly over the pub. Everybody happy especially when it flew back east and showed well over Cromer round the church, so I did see it on the patch. However, its not even a patch tick as it’s the second we’ve seen since moving, not bad considering I never got close to one in Essex. The wonders of Norfolk!
Meanwhile, in the garden a hovering bee-like fly seems to be Merodon equestris, a bee-mimicking hoverfly.
Presumed Merodon equsetris
24th March
More moths in the trap including our first Norfolk Lead-coloured Drab, a moth we’d seen a few times in Essex. Frog spawn is increasing rapidly in the pond while we found lots more frogs in a pond opposite the golf course entrance.
A much quieter walk up the golf course with only a couple of Chiffs singing, but another Firecrest lit up the western end of the old railway line. Primroses along there are very late though they are now flowering along the Northrepps footpath, so I’ll wait for some decent light and have a go with the 5D.
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