On the 25th Brian and I went to the Burgh Castle Roman Fort site. I have had permission to survey the site for several years now. But have never gone before. There is a lot of public access and the path by the reed-bed used to connect two pubs but since the demise of one there is no longer much risk of drunken mis-behaviour on the long footpath along the large reed-bed and foot of the hill where the the fort walls still remain. Driving into the site between a gap in the ruins we set up along the western side where the hill and fort overlooks the marshes, which was the sea in Roman times and it remains one of the best, if not the best view in the entire Norfolk/Suffolk broads.
We had to find shelter from the breeze but there was plenty of places to trap and it was our best night to date with 140 species. Plenty came to the exposed position of the sheet trap including singles of Red-necked Footman and Water Ermine. Several Silky Wainscot and more Dotted Fan-foot than I’d seen anywhere before came to the reedbed traps. One trap on the high ground did especially well and was very busy. Small Elephant Hawk-moth was seen along with Peach Blossom, lots of Striped Wainscots and later in the night Shoulder striped Wainscots too. In my actinic when packing up I spotted a Plume moth but it was impossible to pot as 5 seconds per glance was all I could manage to see and breathe through the huge cloud of midges the trap had attracted, so not much seen there, but in my reedbed footpath trap I was lucky enough to have a similar looking Plume and it was easy to pot and a new one for us both being Mugwort Plume, Hellinsia lienigianus. The highlight of the night.
A solo effort on Saturday 27th June and back on the Estate at Blocka Fen. Four traps placed in darker spots on the track as it was quite a clear night with some thin high cloud at times filtering the moonlight. Temperature dropped off quite quickly but was warm on arrival. Lights on at 22.30 the best two moths of the night were in one trap by 23.00. Endothenia nigricostana the top moth also Brachmia inornatella which I was hoping for after seeing several records recently on Norfolk moths which made me think I should be looking out for it. Also seen O. sparganella, A capreana, all four China marks, Purple Clay, Pinion-streaked Snout. 85 species total. The bats just before dusk at the footbridge that crosses Blocka run, the run off from Fritton Lake that meanders through Blocka Carr then Scale marsh were great and in your face so to speak, as they were when I returned on Monday evening to return moths taken home, when I had an even better sight as my Jack Russell wanted a view from the bridge, and holding her aloft a movement through the reeds stopped just two feet from the bridge and up popped an Otter, head and shoulders out of the water, staring back at us before diving with a loud plop and rushing off back towards the Carr.