A few highlights from a recent visit to Cantley Beet Factory. Great to see the Crane family from Strumpshaw thriving there, plus two Whimbrel and lots of Lesser Emperor Dragonfly. The Cattle Egret flock there has reached over 40! #NorfolkBirding

A female Bishop's-mitre Parasite Fly (Cistogaster globosa) I believe. Another rare one for our #wildspace garden this afternoon unless the my id is wrong . @dipteristsforum.bsky.social @norfolknats.bsky.social @chrismothman.bsky.social

Calling all freshwater experts - what is this squiggly, enteromorphic, intestinal-looking alga floating in a #Broadland dyke on Langley Marshes, Norfolk? @danhoare.bsky.social @carlsayer.bsky.social @ukceh.bsky.social @freshwaterbio.bsky.social @frogsatuea.bsky.social @norfolknats.bsky.social

We are delighted to have been able to recognise the significant contributions to conserving, recording and educating people about Norfolk's wildlife made by Carl and Alice by awarding them the Sydney Long Medal (a joint venture with NWT): www.norfolkwildlifetrust.org.uk/news/prestig...

Prestigious Norfolk nature award winners announced | Norfolk Wildlife Trust

Norfolk's highest accolade for naturalists, the Sydney Long Memorial Medal, has been awarded to two recipients - Carl Chapman and Alice Liddle - in recognition of their outstanding contributions to th...

norfolkwildlifetrust.org.uk

Cut-leaved Teasel in the Norwich hinterlands today. Found recently by a sharp-eyed @jeremybartlett.bsky.social @norfolknats.bsky.social

A wider, un-zoomed shot of the same deer. I think people often assume this part of West Norfolk is just flat Fenland...

Roe Deer buck on my stroll yesterday evening. They always keep an eye (and ear) on you as pass by #ukwildlife #mammal

Into birds? Been to Holkham? Signings 16th Aug & in autumn, of superb new book 'Wetland Wings' by Andy Bloomfield, full of insights & anecdotes about his life helping Spoonbills & other wildlife, now out. holkham.co.uk/whats-on/boo... +@ Holkham gift shop. @tonyjuniper.bsky.social

Book signing with Andy Bloomfield - Holkham

Meet Nature Reserve warden, Andy Bloomfield as he joins us in the Gift Shop on 16th August, signing copies of his new book, Wetland Wings.

holkham.co.uk

Common Sandpiper at Felbrigg NT. On most occasions only one or two have appeared but just for a change five turned up. After standing on the dam wall for a short time they procced to fly circuits around the lake.

I think these are small ermine moths ... Yponomeuta ... and probably reasonable to expect more next year ... @norfolknats.bsky.social

@norfolknats.bsky.social Clouded yellows at NWT Ringstead Downs.

@norfolknats.bsky.social Apparently fewer than 400 UK records of the Queen of Spain fritillary in 300 years. One today at NWT Ringstead Downs. There have been up to three.

Stem #gall on Creeping Thistle (Cirsium arvense) caused by the tephritid fly Urophora cardui. Horsey, Norfolk on @norfolknats.bsky.social walk. #Diptera

Shaded Broad-bar, Scotopteryx chenopodiata. Seen at Horsey, Norfolk, on Sunday's @norfolknats.bsky.social guided walk. #TeamMoth #UKMoths

Up to two Queen of Spain Fritillaries Ringstead Down today, together with Clouded Yellow, Painted Lady and Hummingbird Hawk Moth @norfolkbutterflies.bsky.social @norfolknats.bsky.social

We also see records sent to your local record centre or via iNaturalist (which will also help with ID) or BirdTrack (which is quick & easy if you use it regularly for birds and only occasionally watch dragonflies). Basically we love to see #dragonfly records, however they reach us!

A quick reminder that it's easy to submit records of your #dragonfly & #damselfly sightings online. We recommend irecord which has a special form for easy entry of multiple odonata sightings at the same spot. Your local dragonfly recorder will see it & if you include a photo they can help with ID.

Matted Sea Lavender (Limonium bellidifolium) also in the upper salt marsh at Holme. @bramblebotanist.bsky.social @ians4ad.bsky.social @norfolknats.bsky.social

Thornham & Holme - Ergot (Claviceps purpurea)? on Marram Grass, Columnar Rust Sp? on Shrubby Sea-blite (Sueda vera), Blow Lugworm (Arenicola marina) & the tall towers of the Sand Mason Worm (Lanice conchilega) @ians4ad.bsky.social @bramblebotanist.bsky.social @norfolknats.bsky.social

A Norfolk speciality - Intermediate Sea Lavender (Limonium intercedens) on the upper salt marsh nestled in amongst the Shrubby sea-blite (Sueda vera) A gorgeous day out with @bramblebotanist.bsky.social & @ians4ad.bsky.social @norfolknats.bsky.social

A quick check of Gorse bushes at NWT Sweet Briar Marshes today and I found my first Gorse Lacebugs (Dictyonota strichnocera) and the capsid bug Platycranus bicolor (at least I think it is!).

A Mullein plant at NWT Sweet Briar Marshes, Norwich yielded some nice finds today - Mullein Aphids (Aphis verbasci), Ant Nest Ladybird (Platynaspis luteorubra) and Lacebug Acalypta parvula. I have seen lots of reports of the ladybird this year so it was really great to find one (only my second).

Our third Musk beetle (Aromia moschata) of the year seen yesterday near Barton Turf. Spectacular creatures, I never tire of seeing them! This one was on Angelica sylvestris. Some years we don't see any then others there's a run of them! #beetle #norfolkwildlife

Apologies if Norfolk/Suffolk/Cambs moth websites are running slow. It’s very busy on the websites at the moment, and unfortunately the CPU on one of the server banks has had enough! Not helped by Googlebots spamming the site (now blocked) hopefully things should improve. Thanks for your patience.

Lucerne fields at Sparham held 9 Clouded Yellows today along with a Hummingbird Hawk Moth @norfolkbutterflies.bsky.social @norfolknats.bsky.social

Rubus intensior with #NorfolkFloraGroup at Filby today. A Corylifolii with intense prickles grading into pricklets, flattish leaves and white petals. A northwestern species scarce in the east but seen several times this year in Norfolk

As always, amazing to be at Snettisham over high tide. Great to see an adult White-rumped Sandpiper, 3 Little Stint, Curlew Sandpiper, 7 Spotshanks, 26 Spoonbill and an out of season Brent Goose this morning

Progress since 17th July to now. This Hawk-moth larva has been feeding voracious on Honeysuckle leaves in our garden - species possibly Broad-bordered Bee Hawk-moth? @norfolkmoths.bsky.social @jamescbr.bsky.social @norfolkbutterflies.bsky.social @norfolknats.bsky.social

The National Trust has launched a fundraiser to restore Dunwich Heath. This fire is a warning we should not have needed. www.nationaltrust.org.uk/support-us/a...

Devastating fire sweeps Dunwich Heath

Support the Dunwich Heath Fire Appeal. Your donation will help restore damaged habitats, protect vulnerable wildlife, and aid long-term recovery efforts.

nationaltrust.org.uk

A quartet from Cley Yellow Wagtail (Motacilla flava), Marsh Harrier (Circus aeruginosus), Goldfinch (Carduelis carduelis) & Green Sandpiper (Tringa ochropus) @norfolknats.bsky.social