...a few alternate takes on the Emperor Moth from this afternoon. @linnetincley.bsky.social #cleymothobs #norfolkmoths #teammoth

Ooooof! His Imperial Majesty has paid us a visit 🙂 A pristine, simply stunning ♂️ Emperor in the garden this afternoon. @linnetincley.bsky.social #cleymothobs #norfolkmoths #teammoth

A beautiful, slightly breezy Cley day today. We headed around the back to the Iron Road then home with a nice selection of birds including our first Whimbrel & Common Whitethroat of the year, plus Wheatear, a few hirundines + Chiffs & Blackcaps. @linnetincley.bsky.social #norfolkbirding #cleybirds

A snippet of my favourite bird sound anywhere... This noisy nominate limosa was one of c25 seen in our two days around the Washes - this one on the Cambridgeshire side on Monday night, where godwit display calls filled the air 🙂 @linnetincley.bsky.social @cambsbirdclub.bsky.social #cambsbirding

Chilly again last night, the temperature barely crawling above 5 degrees after a muggy day. Smaller number of moths (22/12) but our 1st Lunar Marbled Brown of 2026 was so smart. Gorgeous moth (someone could make a nice jumper from that pattern). @linnetincley.bsky.social #cleymothobs #norfolkmoths

Our top three macros from last night at CMO. Another take of the beautiful Lunar Marbled Brown, a smart Pine Beauty (the 3rd of the year) & also a Swallow Prominent (like the Lunar Marbled Brown this was another NFY species for us). @linnetincley.bsky.social #cleymothobs #norfolkmoths #teammoth

Moon shot moth! Our very own furry rocket preparing for blast off from the garden launch pad this morning, Lunar Marbled Brown taking to the air with a calling card left for good measure (it's what I'd do before lift off I'm sure...). @linnetincley.bsky.social #cleymothobs #norfolkmoths #teammoth

The CMO micro moth parade from this morning, all bar one deciding to face left 😅 Caloptilia semifascia, Elachista rufocinerea, Elachista canapennella & Plutella xylostella (English names in ALT). @linnetincley.bsky.social #cleymothobs #norfolkmoths #teammoth

Moth of the Day at CMO today was this superb Caloptilia semifascia (Maple Stilt). One of seven NFY's today in our total of 64/24, the most diverse day of the year so far (with a few micros in the mix which was good to see). @linnetincley.bsky.social #cleymothobs #norfolkmoths #teammoth

...also at CMO HQ this morning, the first Diamond-back of 2026, likely a migrant off the warm southerly airflow of the last couple of days. @linnetincley.bsky.social #cleymothobs #norfolkmoths #teammoth

Macros today included two NFY's, a slightly battered Dotted Chestnut (likely our only one for the year), two more Streamers, an immaculate Frosted Green and our 1st Powdered Quaker of 2026. @linnetincley.bsky.social #cleymothobs #norfolkmoths #teammoth

Ring Ouzels were a highlight today ~ four seen this afternoon: one near Salthouse & three west of Blakeney this evening (& ♂️ Common Redstart too). Add in a pair of Garganey, 2 Spotted Redshanks + Chiffs & Blackcaps galore on a grand TG04 day. @linnetincley.bsky.social #norfolkbirding #cleybirds

Likely the warmest day of 2026 so far around Cley & we had a 17k step day from home up to the heath, through Salthouse & back. Butterflies were slightly fewer in number than we hoped for, but we still recorded 78/9 over the day, including this rather snazzy Speckled Wood. @linnetincley.bsky.social

Yellow-barred Brindle was the second New for Year moth here last night. Just like the Streamer, this one was pretty much pristine. Another very smart looking April moth. @linnetincley.bsky.social #cleymothobs #norfolkmoths #teammoth

We do have a lot of favourite moths & this one is a long way up the list ~ Streamer to the actinic last night on an otherwise fairly quiet evening. @linnetincley.bsky.social #cleymothobs #norfolkmoths #teammoth

Streamer Cley Moth Obs April 7 2026 @linnetincley.bsky.social #cleymothobs #norfolkmoths #teammoth

Everyone needs some bugling Whooper Swans in their lives at the moment. Last night on the Ouse Washes, as the sun set, these marvellous birds just did their thing. Iceland awaits for these magical, stunningly graceful birds. Perfect... (Sound up...) @linnetincley.bsky.social #cambsbirding

This must be one of the most fantastic things I've seen in all my 30+ years watching limosas. Away from the throng of 900+ islandicas, this pair of L3 quietly began a short display & copulation quickly followed (all-grey ♀️ in the background). @linnetincley.bsky.social #norfolkbirding #L3 #welney

What an incredible last two days ~ another fantastic annual early spring limosa top-up around the Fens: y'day it was Ouse Washes, today Welney & a minimum of 23 nominate birds logged plus well over 1100 islandicas. Highlight of 2026 so far. @linnetincley.bsky.social #norfolkbirding #cambsbirding #L3

A superb late afternoon & early evening at the superb Ouse Washes RSPB reserve. So many birds. One of the undoubtedly highlights was the pair of Garganey that Lynnette picked up as I was headlong in L3 heaven 🙂 Great find in the throng. @linnetincley.bsky.social @cambsbirdclub.bsky.social #ukbirding

Brownsea birds #1 Out on the lagoon, around 240 Icelandic Black-tailed Godwits, many of which were super-smart adults already in largely full summer plumage, well ahead of their breeding ground arrival c.1200 miles to the NNW. @linnetincley.bsky.social @harbourbirds.bsky.social #brownseaisland

NFY today were two Alucita hexadactyla, the Many-plumed Moth. Both super-fresh & very smart ones indeed. Not much else, bar the bat (!) last night, but there's always variety... @linnetincley.bsky.social #cleymothobs #norfolkmoths #teammoth

A few more of one of our Many-plumed Moths from last night. @linnetincley.bsky.social #cleymothobs #norfolkmoths #teammoth

Pale Pinion was NFY this morning ~ we'd been hoping for own this week but the weather has been bobbins for mothing really ~ so this was a nice surprise today. Not a frequent moth here (average of 3 or 4 a year), bar 2022 when we had 8. @linnetincley.bsky.social #cleymothobs #norfolkmoths #teammoth

The second Acleris cristana of 2026 was, typically, very different from the other one (right hand pix). Tufted Tortrix really is an appropriate common English name 👌 Super micro this... @linnetincley.bsky.social #cleymothobs #norfolkmoths #teammoth

...and, an hour later, the cloud had cleared & the sun began to properly drop below the skyline, viewed from West Bank, Cley at around 7.15pm. A lovely calm evening and so nice not having to be battered by the wind again. @linnetincley.bsky.social

And the ♂️ parent was here in March 2021! It had spent time in the Brecks (after heading NE from the Somerset) & took in Suffolk, Essex & Kent before heading to the continent (seen in Denmark, Germany, Netherlands, Belgium & France) repeating the journey the following year (to Sweden too).

The White-tailed Eagle was a 2CY male, fledged in Dorset last summer, the 1st breeding record there in 240 years. The parents were released on IOW in 2020, before pairing in Dorset in 2023. Juv ♂️ is ringed, G834 (& parents are ♂️ G463 & ♀️ G466). @linnetincley.bsky.social #norfolkbirding #cleybirds

Relevant to #teammoth -ers, many of whom are birders etc.

Out wandering when what's most likely an Isle of Wight White-tailed Eagle dropped onto the reserve ~ we saw it leaving North Scrape & off over Hilltop (passing a few birdwatcher Coast Road houses in the process) from the windy beach. x20 video 😅 @linnetincley.bsky.social #norfolkbirding #cleybirds

Keeping out of the perpetual wind, we headed into the valley again today & it was good! Two Great Egrets, several Red Kites, at least four Marsh Harriers, a couple of dozen Buzzards, six or seven Chiffchaffs, a pair of Ravens. Great patching 🙂 @linnetincley.bsky.social #norfolkbirding #cleybirds

The anti-mothing weather continues on the coast ~ not much to report recently with micros especially hard to come by on windy, cool nights. Here's a nice example of Agonopterix propinquella (the Black-spot Buff), the 2nd of 2026 for us. @linnetincley.bsky.social #cleymothobs #norfolkmoths #teammoth

A quiet night with little to report in the traps. We did have one NFY, our first Muslin Moth of 2026, a nocturnal ♂️ w/soft grey tones & scattered black dots (this is a species w/distinct sexual dimorphism, ♀️ is white, spotty & diurnal). @linnetincley.bsky.social #cleymothobs #norfolkmoths #teammoth

Some Cley square views from the last leg of our 8 miler today: the west end of Sea Pool looking towards Salthouse; westwards along the shingle ridge just north of Arnold's; the view over the Brackish looking SW to the village & Arnold's itself from the East Bank. @linnetincley.bsky.social

Magpie tail iridescence... While looking at roadside plants alongside the edge of the Hangs, I came across a freshly deceased Magpie. The tail looked incredible in the sunlight... @linnetincley.bsky.social #norfolkbirding #cleybirds

A fresh WNW wind & the accompanying chill sent us into the valley today where these stunning Marsh-marigolds gave us a vivid sunburst of colour on a sunny, blustery late March morning. The deep yellows & greens really popped in the sunshine... @linnetincley.bsky.social @norfolknats.bsky.social

The mothy Vulcan bomber, Oak Beauty, was a surprise visitor on an inclement night at CMO HQ last night. The tenacious CEO thought it would be worth running the traps despite the gale-force gusts & rain & the Oak Beauty was best-in-show. @linnetincley.bsky.social #cleymothobs #norfolkmoths #teammoth

Grey Shoulder-knot & Early Grey making for some monochrome morning magic. These are my kind of moths... @linnetincley.bsky.social #cleymothobs #norfolkmoths #teammoth

One of the smartest Clouded Drabs we've had recently. Terrible name for a moth that looks as nice as this... @linnetincley.bsky.social #cleymothobs #norfolkmoths #teammoth

Another highlight from the morning's tally of 44/11 was this NFY Frosted Green ~ another super smart moth, beautifully intricate patterning & such a classy colour scheme (a species we average just under four a year of, so not common). @linnetincley.bsky.social #cleymothobs #norfolkmoths #teammoth

Frosty at CMO last night, the minimum temperature was 0.4 degrees, and the actinic Perspex had a layer of icy frost at 6.30 am. 20/6 ..a few hardy souls, SQ, CQ, HC, Clouded Drab, March Moth and Diurnea fagella. @markgolley.bsky.social #TeamMoth #NorfolkMoths

77/15. at CMO. First outing for the MV this year. The total is combined with the actinic. Nfy Ypsolopha mucronella. (nfg last year) & Agonopterix propinquella. @markgolley.bsky.social #TeamMoth #NorfolkMoths #CleyMothObs

Harlequin Ladybirds from yesterday between Cley & Blakeney, including f. spectablis with its black body & striking large red dots. One long blackthorn hedgerow hosted 100s of Ladybirds (& a number of Andrena bee sp. ~ they're coming next!). @linnetincley.bsky.social @norfolknats.bsky.social

Two species of Andrena bees were very busy on the blackthorn yesterday, one of the species seen being particularly striking. ObsID offered some ideas for both bees, but didn't take them to specific species level. Time to hit the bee books again 🙂 @linnetincley.bsky.social @norfolknats.bsky.social

Common Lizard Cley March 15 2026 @linnetincley.bsky.social @norfolknats.bsky.social

On the way back from the central hides, this Common Lizard was busy taking in the warmth of the sun on the edge of the boardwalk. Totally at ease with me being a bit nosey with the phone...! #cleyherps @linnetincley.bsky.social @norfolknats.bsky.social

Genuinely can't recall the last time I saw frog spawn on the Cley reserve ~ Common Frog is seen far less frequently than Common Toad here, so these two clumps of eggs were quite something. Of course there's an awful lot of waterways we can't see! @linnetincley.bsky.social @norfolknats.bsky.social

Four very smart looking moths from a quiet morning at CMO HQ ~ Twin-spotted Quaker, Hebrew Character, Common Quaker & Early Grey. @linnetincley.bsky.social #cleymothobs #norfolkmoths #teammoth