Startling movement of Common Gulls over Cley early this evening. Large flocks seen across a broad front (over Walsey Hills & also over the church) ~ 1000s of birds surging northwards into a cold, brisk wind, from a long way inland, in no time at all w/a very high % of 2cy birds.

It took a while to find an Adder today but in the warmest spot on the heath, we eventually discovered a single snake in a dry gorse thicket. Still a total buzz to see these gorgeous creatures & an absolute privilege too...

Out of the north wind & in the shelter of gorse thickets & bluebell woods, Lynnette & I were pleased to see four different micros today: Grapholita internana, Adela reaumurella & Cydia ulicetana shown below. Eventually a nice variety of butterflies too, six species noted.
#cmo

Truth be told, little (or no...)
'Magic of the Cup' ™ on show today at Wem-ber-lee as two billionaire clubs went head to head in a bit of a bore, bar a hopeless No. 15 in sort of a No. 9 position & a penalty that wasn't (or was). Glimmer of something special tomorrow though...

Hi folks. I'm looking for hi-res images of Black-tailed Godwits, both islandica & limosa, particular summer adults & also juveniles as well. Ideally taken in the UK, but that's not essential.
Please DM me if you have anything that may be helpful. Thanks in advance, Mark

If you've had a Friday to forget or just want to enjoy a bit of something that's simply lovely, here's a half a minute of a mellow, chilled Snipe out on the marsh last night. Doesn't do much but it doesn't half too. Snipe rock👌
Cool soundtrack too 😎

A mass of butterflies yesterday in the Brecks with Mick, including our first Green-veined Whites & Red Admirals (late to the party). The absolute star turn was Brimstone. We saw so many yesterday & this one, close by on a dandelion, was simply spectacular 💛

Special shout out to the Yellowhammers at Lynford yesterday. Underrated...
Classy birds.

A cracker of a day in the Brecks y'day with tour leader Mick Saunt 🇵🇸. A chilled day in excellent company w/delish veggie pasty for breakfast, yummy lunch too (Tunnocks always a highlight 😋). And birds & butterflies too! Goshawk, Stone Curlew, Tree Pipit, Woodlark + Tree Sparrow👌

Best of the rest from this morning ~ Common Carpet, Acleris logiana, Agnopterix arenella & the eternally intriguing Bee Moth : all four were new for the year today👌
#cleymothobs

Couldn't get enough of this perfect Pale Prominent this morning ~ throwing the classic full-on Potoo shapes too 😎
#cleymothobs
#mothsmatter

Mullein
Cley Moth Obs
April 13 2024

No doubting the Moths du Jour @ CMO HQ this morning, Mullein & Pale Prominent. Both new species for the year here (two of six this morning, in a total of 25/20). Amazing moths, sublime looking creatures both...
#cleymothobs

Also seen as we walked down OWL ~ a stunning Esperia sulpherella (Sulphur Bark Moth). I've seen a couple on the heath recently but this one was outrageously co-operative...
A micro moth of hedgerow & lanes, I'm not sure Lynnette & I have seen one this well👌
#cleymothobs

Managed an hour out around the block before the train into the northwest. Very happy we wandered ~ an incredible 34 Holly Blues just along Old Womans Lane (w/more on Anterton Hill) before the sun went in. Our largest single count of these beautiful Blues here ~ azuretastic 🩵

Fair amount of excited looks at CMO this week when we found only our 2nd new-for- garden species of 2024 ~ Agnopterix ocellana (Red-eyed Buff). A scarce moth in TG04 & we also found the 1st Cley square Adela cuprella (Sallow Longhorn) behind Daukes' this week too!
#cleymothobs

Purple Haze 💜
CMO absolutely rockin' the best Streamer ever seen, anywhere.
With the look of a cloak belonging to regal 60s hippie royalty, awash in violet & mauve crushed velvet, blended with precise fractals of coal black, dove grey, chalky white & pastel olive.
#cleymothobs

Common Lizard
Cley NWT
April 10 2024