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Rob Smith

@robertsjsmith.bsky.social

200 followers 330 following 69 posts

🔬 Naturalist 📍 Norfolk & occasionally beyond 💼 Wildlife conservation - 10+ years ➕️Pan-species listing, 🏋‍♂️Crossfit, ⚽️ KLTFC 💻 https://rs-ecology.blogspot.com/

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Rob Smith @robertsjsmith.bsky.social · 10h

A quick post-work bash at Waxham last night in hopes of digging out a Yellow-browed Warbler — no luck there, but a nice fresh arrival of Goldcrests made up for it, along with Redwing, Song Thrush, Siskin, and a Chiffchaff.

Rob Smith @robertsjsmith.bsky.social · 3d

A slow but pleasant morning at Waxham with 220+ Siskin and a single Swallow north. Moved on to Gt. Yarmouth where the Red-footed Falcon was still showing nicely, then home just in time to catch a couple of Crossbill over the pad!

Video grab of juvenile Red-footed Falcon in Great Yarmouth.

Rob Smith @robertsjsmith.bsky.social · 3d

Pleased to catch up with the Snettisham Short-toed Lark yesterday — it spent most of the evening feeding along the strandline before moving to the footpath, where it showed beautifully! Just a shame the light had gone 🙄
#Norfolkbirding

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Rob Smith @robertsjsmith.bsky.social · 16d

Sods to pick up but over 40 Crossbills south through Waxham so far this morning.

Rob Smith @robertsjsmith.bsky.social · 16d

After a busy week of pond restorations, it was nice to get out and do some birding! Like most, I headed to Winterton where the Lesser Grey Shrike showed cripplingly well, and an Arctic Skua dropped onto the Natterjack pools!

Rob Smith @robertsjsmith.bsky.social · 26d

I’m not sure if I’ve made this up, as I can’t find a reference to it, but a UV torch! We recently found them by crawling through the Wormwood at Thornham on our hands and knees

Rob Smith @robertsjsmith.bsky.social · Sep 11

Thanks, Carl — I wasn't there myself, but Gary and @andyinnorfolk.bsky.social were. Hopefully, one of them will be along soon to give an idea of its size.

Rob Smith @robertsjsmith.bsky.social · Sep 10

@wildnorfolk.bsky.social

garyhibberd.bsky.social @garyhibberd.bsky.social · Sep 10

This mystery cetacean passed Hunstanton Cliffs this am (c0800hrs), the dorsal broke the surface about eight times during its slow movement north. Any thoughts #CarlChapman

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Rob Smith @robertsjsmith.bsky.social · Sep 7

Nice to be on the other side of the Black-winged Kite twitch tonight and not worry about car parking etc. Arrived with everyone leaving as it had flown high south but a look at 100 Acre Deadwood and there it sat! It remained till c.1930 before vanishing low south after several hovers.

Rob Smith @robertsjsmith.bsky.social · Sep 3

Took a lunchtime stroll along the riverbank at Riverside, Norwich yesterday, where @tim-hodge.bsky.social found Norfolk’s latest botanical newcomer — Salvia hispanica.

Rob Smith @robertsjsmith.bsky.social · Sep 1

A trip to the seaside this evening - Ray's Knotgrass, Shrubby Hare's-ear and White Stonecrop.

Rob Smith @robertsjsmith.bsky.social · Sep 1

A gorgeous intermediate juvenile Long-tailed Skua was the highlight of a few hours afloat off the North Norfolk coast yesterday.
📷 David Bratt

Rob Smith @robertsjsmith.bsky.social · Aug 25

I never saw it myself but eggs and 'pillars have been recorded on the Fennel plant at Hickling by the Cadbury's hide.

Rob Smith @robertsjsmith.bsky.social · Aug 24

Lost count of the Elms I've checked but finally found the mines of the Zig-zag Elm Sawfly (Aproceros leucopoda) at a local dog park this morning.

Rob Smith @robertsjsmith.bsky.social · Aug 17

Birding was a bit quiet yesterday, so we wandered the saltmarsh at Thornham instead. Paid off nicely with a few North Norfolk specials – including these four gems: Pseudaplemonus limonii, Campiglossa absinthii, Marram Grass Chelifer and the Wormwood Case-bearer.

Rob Smith @robertsjsmith.bsky.social · Jun 24

Highlights from todays fieldwork...Cyperus Sedge, Emperor Dragonfly and Meadow Barley.

Rob Smith @robertsjsmith.bsky.social · Jun 24

Hard and Soft Rush from todays survey.

Rob Smith @robertsjsmith.bsky.social · Jun 24

A small passage of Butterflies recorded moving thru the Dunes including lots of Red Admirals, Whites spp. and Painted Ladies. Dark Green Frits but on a good show up towards Horsey but would not settle for a pic in the blazing heat.

Rob Smith @robertsjsmith.bsky.social · Jun 24

Spent a crippling hot day in Winterton Dunes over the weekend on the hunt for the recently sighted Vagrant Emperors. Whilst they didn't show themselves a Lesser Emperor did as well as 5+ Red-veined Darters, a Brown & 2 Norfolk Hawkers.

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Rob Smith @robertsjsmith.bsky.social · Jun 23

We were too late getting to Cley for the Night Heron, and real bogey of mine, but made up for it with a picnic dinner watching over Arnold's, Hattie seeing her first Yellow horned-poppies and the escapee Greater Sea Kale in the VC CP.

Rob Smith @robertsjsmith.bsky.social · Jun 22

Hatties latest find. 😅

Signal Crayfish, River Yare, Norfolk.

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Rob Smith @robertsjsmith.bsky.social · Jun 22

Marsh Cinquefoil (Comarum palustre) from Strumpshaw Fen y'day. It was a species I always hoped to come across whilst working at Hickling but never did.

Rob Smith @robertsjsmith.bsky.social · Jun 20

Can I tick it? 😋

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Rob Smith @robertsjsmith.bsky.social · Jun 19

NFG 😄

Six-belted Clearwing, Sprowston.

Rob Smith @robertsjsmith.bsky.social · Jun 18

Had a great couple of days surveying meadows in South Norfolk and seeing the results from green hay but it's back to e-mails and boring office admin now!

📷 Dyer's Greenweed (Genista tinctoria) & Spiny Restharrow (Ononis spinosa)