Jay feather The Hangs, Cley July 11 2026

The exquisite feather from a Jay. There's been plenty of noisy clamour from our local loquacious Jays around the back at the moment & it was thrilling to find this little piece of turquoise & jet magic from one of them, glistening in the grass on a grey day on the coast. Breathtaking simple beauty.

Red-tipped Clearwing Cley Moth Obs July 10 2026 A bit of a surprise this afternoon, likely our latest ever example of the super moth. @linnetincley.bsky.social #cleymothobs #norfolkmoths #teammoth

Langmaid's Yellow Underwing is a moth I became a bit obsessed with over the years, w/some near-miss intergrades last summer. An excellent in-field tutorial @dungenessbirdobs.bsky.social & finding them at Sandwich had them back on the radar... @linnetincley.bsky.social #cleymothobs #norfolkmoths 1/3

Stunning complimentary colours on the garden lavender & a Box-tree Moth taken late last night. First recorded in Norfolk in 2013, this beautiful adventive species (that's not seen as beautiful by everyone) has now established itself countywide. @linnetincley.bsky.social #cleymothobs #norfolkmoths

Very warm again at Cley this morning but feeling fresher thanks to an easterly breeze that helped to keep things bearable. Nice to find a single adult limosa amongst the Icelandic Black-tailed Godwits + 2 Spoonbills, 5 Ruff, 275 Lapwings & around 150 Sand Martins by the windmill sluice. #cleybirds

Two Marbled Clover from the garden. Locally, quite a common on the north Norfolk coast nowadays and this year appears to be a good one for this classy looking macro. @linnetincley.bsky.social #cleymothobs #norfolkmoths #teammoth

A few shots of our first August Thorn of the year. The name is something of a misnomer really, there are already plenty of records online on #norfolkmoths from June and July. Lovely moth. Actually, a lovely group of moths full stop to be fair. @linnetincley.bsky.social #cleymothobs #teammoth

Two super-smart Sandwich micro moths from y'day. These two had a featherweight battle for Moth of the Day. In the white & gold corner, Argyresthia brockeella (Gold W) & the orange & yellow corner, Psuedargyrotoza conwagana (Yellow-spotted Tortrix). Two knockout moths! @linnetincley.bsky.social #SBBO

Star of the show today was our annual ♀️ Oak Eggar - dwarfing everything else in the MV (bar the Privet Hawk-moth). Close on 100 species recorded, with a whole host of micros being noteworthy (E. hoehenwartiana & E. cana appearing in numbers now). @linnetincley.bsky.social #cleymothobs #norfolkmoths

It was full-on doofus mode this evening after getting home. I forgot to put the plate on the old scope, so balancing it on the tripod to look at the startling Squacco Heron on the Quags was all rather frustrating. And wobbly. And a bit sweary 😂 @linnetincley.bsky.social #cleybirds #norfolkbirding

With hundreds of moths to choose from (out of some 115 species), it was tough to pick a favourite from the morning's haul, but I think that it's hard to beat Pyrausta purpuralis (Common Purple & Gold). Such a cool colour scheme. @linnetincley.bsky.social #kentmoths #SBBO

A funky bug day around the Bay: first is Mogulones geographicus, a weevil found on Viper's Bugloss that has a restricted UK range ~ love the distinctive etched-patterning of this one. Also, a Tortoise Shieldbug species (either Eurygaster maura or E. testudinaria). @linnetincley.bsky.social #SBBO

Sallow Kitten is such a lovely moth & this one from the MV was our 2nd of the trip here at Sandwich Bay. The three Kitten species are surely some of the smartest moths there are that can be seen at this time of year. Gorgeous thing! @linnetincley.bsky.social #kentmoths #teammoth #SBBO

An increasingly hot, hot, hot day at Sandwich was livened up by over 50 Med Gulls flying above the car park & then - boom! - the 1st Sallow Clearwing for the Obs recording area in to SYN lure, also in the car park (too hot to go much further this avo)... @linnetincley.bsky.social #kentmoths #SBBO

A very smart Small Red-eyed Damselfly showing wonderfully well on the car park pond at Sandwich Obs. This was a super obliging individual ~ grabs taken from phone video. @linnetincley.bsky.social #SBBO

Baking hot day at the Bay but these Marsh Helleborines were worth a little stroll in the midday sun. Well over 30 spikes, with many already looking frazzled & burnt off after days & days of heat adn intense sunshine. @linnetincley.bsky.social #SBBO

We don't see many Rhurbarb & Custards (the Rosy Knot-horn - Oncocera semirubella) at home or away, and we've not had two in the same trap until today. What a cool moth this is ~ gorgeous! @linnetincley.bsky.social #kentmoths #SBBO

Monster moth session w/friends at Sandwich today. Up at 5am, finished the final trap of eight sometime around 1pm ~ a frenetic morning, full to bursting with quality. Small Marbled in our trap was a cracker, while a Goat Moth was at the other end of the moth-y size scale. @linnetincley.bsky.social

Beautiful cooling breeze along the beach at Sandwich Bay this afternoon. This pristine Brown Argus was one of the highlights amongst this vibrant beach habitat. So much to see ~ we could have walked for miles! @linnetincley.bsky.social #SBBO

Record shots but I'm still v. happy as it's taken (off & on) five days to find one of these amazing moths at Sandwich. This is Cynaeda dentalis (Starry Pearl), flitty in stands of beach marram grass (after hours looking around their Viper's Bugloss food plant). @linnetincley.bsky.social #kentmoths

We've seen a few nice dragonflies since we've been in Kent & this fine male Red-veined Darter was very obliging near the Restharrow Scrape this evening. @linnetincley.bsky.social #SBBO

Caspian Gull Restharrow Scrape, Sandwich Bay, July 3 2026 @linnetincley.bsky.social #kentbirds #SBBO

There were just 11 large gulls on the Restharrow Scrape at Sandwich early evening but one of them was this rather nice 2CY Caspian Gull which eventually stopped snoozing & showed well ahead of heading off over the scrape & down towards Deal. Bonus bird! @linnetincley.bsky.social #kentbirds #SBBO

Lift-off! Spurge Hawk-moth Sandwich Bay July 2 2026 @linnetincley.bsky.social #kentmoths #teammoth

...as for the moths, there could only be one highlight for us today, this pristine Spurge Hawk-moth, back at base at SBBO. We've long hoped to see a Spurge somewhere & Sandwich came good today. What a stunning, stunning moth! Wowsers. Spurge!!! @linnetincley.bsky.social #kentmoths

An absolute highlight from Ham Fen was this Wasp Spider & its entombed damselflies in the ultra-distinctive criss-cross web. We've seen numerous Wasp Spiders in the past but never with additional damselfly prey items. Remarkable to see up close. @linnetincley.bsky.social @dungenessowen.bsky.social

We enjoyed a super time on Ham Fen not far from Sandwich today learning so much from some local botany experts (their knowledge is on a different level). Plants, dragonflies & damselflies in abundance plus lots of butterflies & funky bugs! Thx @dungenessowen.bsky.social 👍 @linnetincley.bsky.social

Here at Sandwich Bay, this has to be one of the funkiest little things we've seen in ages. An Elm Zig-zag Sawfly larvae showing off it's amazing leaf-cutting prowess. Not necessarily a good thing for the trees: it's an invasive species & can be damaging to weakened elms. @linnetincley.bsky.social

The Dungeness day-trip came with some top drawer moths courtesy of @dungenessbirdobs.bsky.social staff Dave & Jacob. Three stunners stood out: White Spot, Rose Plume & Sussex Emerald. Superb, each one. Thanks also @ploddingbirder.bsky.social & @dungenessowen.bsky.social 🤝 @linnetincley.bsky.social

A few days in Kent & an away day to Dungeness today ~ perfectly timed too with a beefy Caspian Tern on Burrowes Pit on the RSPB reserve. Never anything other than really smart, even in the shimmery heat haze of late morning. @linnetincley.bsky.social #kentbirds #ukbirding 1/2

Pretty sure that this wins "bug of the day" award here ~ three of these amazing looking weevils in the garden - we think this is Curculio venosus (a type of acorn weevil) or a close relative. Giving it maximum Gonzo at the front end. Superb! @linnetincley.bsky.social @norfolknats.bsky.social

Hot weather means moths & it was another 100+ species night for us last night. Super micro mix ~ Eudemis profundana (Oak Marble), Pammene fasciana (Acorn Piercer), Endotrichia flammealis (Rosy Tabby) & Thiodia citrina (Canary Tortrix). @linnetincley.bsky.social #cleymothobs #norfolkmoths #teammoth

Highlight of another busy trap (less frenetic than recent days but still busy) was this female Ghost Moth. Still a very rare moth here, only the second we've had before ~ GM #1 was on the same date last year, June 27. @linnetincley.bsky.social #cleymothobs #norfolkmoths #teammoth

Just love the blue-hued & tinted darker bits and blobs on a Leopard Moth... @linnetincley.bsky.social #cleymothobs #norfolkmoths #teammoth

Knocking on the door of 100 species again today & this Leopard Moth was one of our highlights, the first we've had so far in 2026. @linnetincley.bsky.social #cleymothobs #norfolkmoths #teammoth

The textbooks & ID guides all say how variable Acleris variegana - the Garden Rose Tortrix - and today's sensational individual really was something else. Far more like the books was a smart Acleris forsskaleana - Netted Tortrix. @linnetincley.bsky.social #cleymothobs #norfolkmoths #teammoth

Lilac Beauty was one of the most eye-catching moths from another super impressive night last night, 527/124 the final tally. We've only had this gorgeous moth in three of our previous five years we've run the traps ~ totalling 7 in all. @linnetincley.bsky.social #cleymothobs #norfolkmoths #teammoth

Stone Pit's Silver-washed Fritillaries went dayglo this afternoon ~ eye-poppingly orange in the late afternoon sun. Maybe a dozen seen, plus the W-LH & a single White Admiral too (along with plenty of Ringlets, Meadow Browns + Large Skippers. @linnetincley.bsky.social @norfolknats.bsky.social

White-letter Hairstreak Stone Pit Heath June 25 2026 @linnetincley.bsky.social @norfolknats.bsky.social @savebutterflies.bsky.social

Like the Purple Hairstreaks on Salthouse, the White-letter Hairstreak (looks like just one on underwing patterns) on the meagre Stone Pit Heath brambles was fabulously showy this afternoon. Such a buzz to see W-LH up close ~ so few locally now. @linnetincley.bsky.social @norfolknats.bsky.social

Purple Hairstreaks Salthouse Heath June 25 2026 Only one got anywhere close to opening it's wings but such a treat to see these gorgeous butterflies at eye level. One tree in particular favoured over other oaks nearby... @linnetincley.bsky.social @norfolknats.bsky.social @savebutterflies.bsky.social

Super afternoon on the heaths at Salthouse & Stone Pit. Wonderful views of Purple Hairstreak (left) & White-letter Hairstreak (right): several Purples low down on the oaks with at least one White-letter on brambles. @linnetincley.bsky.social @norfolknats.bsky.social @savebutterflies.bsky.social

Big ole fret sitting offshore with the fresh easterly today. On the marsh, three Ravens cruised over the hides & South Pool - still such a treat to see them locally, especially over the reserve. Much the same elsewhere, with 10+ Spoonbills snoozing out on Pat's Pool. #cleybirds #norfolkbirding

Another night with a count north of 100+ species & the star was another new moth for TG04 ~ Glyphipterix thrasonella (Eyed Rush Moth). Also NFG was the dainty Elachista triatomea (Triple-spotted Grass-miner), two recorded so far. @linnetincley.bsky.social #cleymothobs #norfolkmoths #teammoth

It was another 100+ species night here last night & a couple of subtle micros to enjoy. Zeiraphera isertana (Mottled Oak Tortrix) & what could be a NFG species, Acleris notana (Tawny Birch Tortrix) - it's also possibly A. ferrugana. @linnetincley.bsky.social #cleymothobs #norfolkmoths #teammoth

Black Rustic is always one for the Goth Moth label but it's not just the dark lord of autumn that is so deserving of that epithet. Here's a summer Dot Moth, the first of 2026 here, looking so sharp & absolutely perfect. Bauhaus anyone? @linnetincley.bsky.social #cleymothobs #norfolkmoths #teammoth

Another hot day at Cley. Views across the old allotment, along Barn Drift & looking north (into the lovely breeze!) out across the marsh from the Skirts. Glossy Ibis, 9 Spoonbills & 5 Ruff the primary highlights of a quick look from Wiggy Hide. #cleybirds #norfolkbirding

The morning's highlight today was a stunning Norfolk Hawker that alighted on blackthorn along the Skirts. As well as glowing green eyes, note the small yellow isoceles triangle shaped mark near the top of the abdomen, that's reflected in the dragonfly's scientific name too. @norfolknats.bsky.social

A compendium of Cley Clearwings. Yesterday's NFG (& still a big surprise) the Red-belted Clearwing took our garden total to 8 species of these amazing diurnal mystery moths. Hard to think we can get another species but you never know... @linnetincley.bsky.social #cleymothobs #norfolkmoths #teammoth