Spotted Redshank at Thornham

Spotted Redshank, Thornham, 25th January 2015

A Waxwing in Hunstanton

This pretty beast attracted a steady stream of admirers today..........

Waxwing, Hunstanton, 22nd January 2015

An unhealthy holly!

I have a holly bush tucked away in a corner of my garden. The holly doesn't get much light or nutrients and as a result it seems to be prone to pests as I discovered when I reached it on my pruning rounds today.  A few of the leaves had "mines" being made by the leaf miner fly Phytomyza ilicis.  However, many more leaves were infested with scale insects.  These live on the under-surface of the leaf.  They secret honeydew which promotes the growth of a black sooty mould.

Holly Leaf Miner Phytomyza ilicis

Scale insects on Holly with black sooty mould (Both species not named!)

Alexanders and its rust

I am always amazed at how well the Alexanders Smynium olusatrum stands up to the cold weather. It provides an abundance of fresh green leaves throughout the winter. There were even a few plants in flower on New Year's Day. Today I noticed that a number of plants had the rust Puccinia smyrnii growing on them.

January 17th

A day spent looking for leaf mines and new birds for the year, with highlights including Treecreeper, Nuthatch & Marsh Tit in the Downs, a Green Sandpiper at Holme Marsh and a new beetle for the patch in the guise of Anchomenas dorsalis.

Mine of Golden Pygmy Moth, Stigmella aureola, Holme village, 17th January 2015

Mine of the Dipteran Phtomyza ilicis, Holme Churchyard, 17th January 2015

Mines of the Chrysomellid beetle Apteropeda orbicula on Cowslip, Ringstead Downs, 17th January 2015

Black Snail Beetle, Silpha atrata, Ringstead Downs, 17th January 2015

Anchomenas dorsalis, Ringstead Downs, 17th January 2015

Orange footed Pink-foot?!?

Firethorn Leaf-miner

Following Robert's suggestion today we looked for - and immediately found, Firethorn Leaf-miner  Phyllonorycter leucographella on some Pyracantha shrubs growing on Holme Marsh. The moth's caterpillar is rather oddly-shaped, with a black, flattened and pointed head.

Firethorn Leaf-miner Phyllonorycter leucographella, Holme Marsh, 12th January 2014

2670 species found on the patch in 2014

Species Group	Total number of species recorded on patch in 2014		Species Group	Total number of species recorded on patch in 2014
Mammals	28		Cnidarians	8
Birds	227		Bryozoans	4
Reptiles	2		Silverfish	1
Amphibians	4		Fleas	1
Fish	19		Scorpionflies	1
Butterflies & Moths	562		Stoneflies	2
Beetles	583		Caddisflies	1
Hempiterans	169		Lacewings	1
Hymenopterans	49		Collembolans	1
Dipterans	113		Crustaceans	16
Orthopterans	12		Annelids	3
Dragonflies	15		Vascular Plants	567
Molluscs	62		Bryophytes	33
Arachnids	36		Algae	17
Ctenophorans	1		Fungi	129
Echinoderms	3		GRAND TOTAL	2670

Summaries for 2014. Part 10: Plants and Fungi

Between us, we recorded 746 Vascular Plants, Lower Plants, Algae and Fungi on the patch in 2014:

544 Vascular Plants in flower in an apparently wild state

 23 Vascular Plants not in flower (including 7 Ferns)

 33 Mosses and Liverworts

17 Algae

129 Fungi and Lichenised Fungi

A productive weekend...considering the relentless wind

After a late start on Saturday, I spent some time watching the grazing marshes from various vantages but saw rather little other than a lone male Marsh Harrier, quartering the marshes. I hadn't been in the hide long at all in the early afternoon though when a Bittern flew slowly across the pond at Holme Marsh and was to be seen briefly foraging at the edge of the reed island. On Sunday, the 20 or so Snow Buntings on the beach at Holme looked fine indeed, whilst a superb Stoat on the north-facing slopes of Ringstead Downs was in its winter ermine, save for a black tail tip, brown ears and a pale brown smudge over its back. It was visiting the numerous rabbit burrows, no doubt in search of a tasty morsel. Two Tundra Bean Geese were with a flock of about 300 Pink-footed Geese in the field opposite the water tower at the south end of Hunstanton. Spring was just about in evidence with the first Winter Aconites of the year opening in Holme Village and a small number of Snowdrops in flower in Ringstead Downs. There was also an open Hazel catkin here with abundant Lords and Ladies pushing up through the leaf litter. Several Alexanders were in flower on the verge between Hunstanton Old and New Towns. The undoubted highlight though was an egg case of the Lesser Spotted Dogfish. Ive found them before but they are unusual !

Winter Aconite, Holme, 10th January 2015

Hazel, Ringstead Downs, 11th January 2015

Fungus (to be identified), Ringstead Downs, 11th January 2015

Egg-case of Lesser Spotted Dogfish, Holme, 11th January 2015

Summaries for 2014. Part 9. Other animal taxa

Between us we recorded 43 'other' animal species on the patch in 2014 - a Leech, 2 Polychaetes, 2 Amphipods, 3 Decapods, 8 Isopods, a Mysid, 2 Barnacles, a Collembolan, a Scorpionfly, a Lacewing, a Caddisfly, 2 Stoneflies, a flea, a Silverfish, 4 Bryozoans, 2 Jellyfish, 2 Anemones, 4 Hydrozoans, a Ctenophoran, 2 Urchins and a Starfish.

Phylum/Class	Order	Taxon	Vernacular	First patch
			(incomplete)	record
Annelida/Clitellata	Arhynchobdellida	Erpobdella testacea	A carnivorous leech	23.06.2014
Annelida/Polychaeta	Capitellida	Arenicola marina	Lugworm	28.12.2014
Annelida/Polychaeta	Orbiniida	Scoloplos armiger		08.03.2014
Arthropoda/Crustacea	Amphipoda	Bathyporeia sarsi		08.09.2014
Arthropoda/Crustacea	Amphipoda	Talitrus saltator	Sand-hopper	02.03.2014
Arthropoda/Crustacea	Decapoda	Macropodia rostrata	Long-legged Spider Crab	08.09.2014
Arthropoda/Crustacea	Decapoda	Hyas araneus	Great Spider Crab	06.12.2014
Arthropoda/Crustacea	Decopoda	Crangon crangon	Common Shrimp	11.08.2014
Arthropoda/Crustacea	Isopoda	Porcellio scaber		27.10.2014
Arthropoda/Crustacea	Isopoda	Asellus aquaticus	Water Louse	03.11.2014
Arthropoda/Crustacea	Isopoda	Idotea linearis		01.06.2014
Arthropoda/Crustacea	Isopoda	Trichoniscus pusillus		01.03.2014
Arthropoda/Crustacea	Isopoda	Philoscia muscorum		30.12.2014
Arthropoda/Crustacea	Isopoda	Oniscus asellus		03.03.2014
Arthropoda/Crustacea	Isopoda	Lakanesphaera rugicauda		15.09.2014
Arthropoda/Crustacea	Isopoda	Armadilidium vulgare		01.03.2014
Arthropoda/Crustacea	Mysida	Praunus flexuosus	Chameleon Shrimp	08.09.2014
Arthropoda/Crustacea	Sessilia	Balanus balanus	Barnacle	21.12.2014
Arthropoda/Crustacea	Sessilia	Elminius modestus	Barnacle	21.12.2014
Arthropoda/Entognatha	Collembola	Orchesella cincta	A springtail	20.11.2014
Arthropoda/Insecta	Mecoptera - Scorpionflies	Panorpa germanica/communis/cognata	Scorpion Fly	27.04.2014
Arthropoda/Insecta	Neuroptera - Lacewings	Chrysoperla carnea		27.10.2014
Arthropoda/Insecta	Plecoptera - Stoneflies	Leuctra fusca		17.10.2014
Arthropoda/Insecta	Plecoptera - Stoneflies	Nemurella pictetii (ex- inconspicua)		17.10.2014
Arthropoda/Insecta	Siphonaptera - fleas	Hystrichopsylla talpae talpae		10.11.2014
Arthropoda/Insecta	Trichoptera - Caddisflies	Limnephilus lunatus		03.11.2014
Arthropoda/Insecta	Zygentoma - Silverfish	Lapisma saccharina	Silverfish	21.03.2014
Bryozoa/Gymnolaemata	Cheilostomata	Bugula plumosa		08.03.2014
Bryozoa/Gymnolaemata	Cheilostomata	Flustra foliacea	Hornwrack	02.03.2014
Bryozoa/Gymnolaemata	Ctenostomatidea	Alcyonidium diaphanum	Sea Chervil	02.03.2014
Bryozoa/Gymnolaemata	Ctenostomatidea	Vesicularia spinosa		13.12.2014
Cnidaria/Anthozoa	Actiniaria	Sagartia elegans	An anemone	15.09.2014
Cnidaria/Anthozoa	Alcyonacea	Alcyonium digitatum	Dead Men's Fingers	06.12.2014
Cnidaria/Hydrozoa	Leptothecata	Nemertesia antennina	Sea Beard	06.12.2014
Cnidaria/Hydrozoa	Leptothecata	Abietinaria abietina	A feather-fan hydroid	28.12.2014
Cnidaria/Hydrozoa	Leptothecata	Amphisbetia operculata		28.12.2014
Cnidaria/Hydrozoa	Leptothecata	Sertularia cupressina	Whiteweed	06.12.2014
Cnidaria/Scyphozoa	Semaeostomeae	Chrysaora hysoscella	Compass Jellyfish	11.08.2014
Cnidaria/Scyphozoa	Semaeostomeae	Aurelia aurita	Common Jellyfish	11.06.2014
Ctenophora/Tentaculata	Cydippida	Pleurobrachia pileus	Sea Gooseberry	???
Echinodermata/Echinoidea	Camarodonta	Psammechinus miliaris	Sea Urchin	10.02.2014
Echinodermata/Echinoidea	Spatangoida	Echinocardium cordatum	Sea potato	29.11.2014

Echinodermata/Asteroidea

Forcipulata

Asterias rubens

Common Starfish

15.09.2014

My top 10 of 2014 (part 1)

In no particular order here's 5 of my top 10 species of 2014...

1) Whiting - probably one of the biggest surprises from our sea dipping!

2) Wasp Spider - One of my mosted wanted species on the patch - superb find Adrian!

3) Convolvulus Hawkmoth - One of two Hawk-moths in my top ten, always a pleasant to see and a find to boot!

4) Bedstraw Hawkmoth - An absolute stunner!

5) Soldierflies - I've really fallen for this group and cant wait to see more in 2015

Summaries for 2014. Part 8: Arachnids

Between us, we recorded 36 species of Arachnids on the patch in 2014, 26 spiders, 2 mites, 5 Harvestmen and 3 pseudoscorpions.

Araneae – Spiders	Agelenidae	Tegenaria gigantea	31.12.2014
Araneae – Spiders	Amaurobiidae	Amaurobius fenestralis	30.11.2014
Araneae – Spiders	Araneidae	Araniella cucurbitana or opisthographa	10.05.2014
Araneae – Spiders	Araneidae	Cyclosa conica	20.11.2014
Araneae – Spiders	Araneidae	Gibbaranea gibbosa	24.11.2014
Araneae – Spiders	Areneidae	Agalenatea redii	10.11.2014
Araneae – Spiders	Areneidae	Araneus diadematus	14.09.2014
Araneae – Spiders	Areneidae	Argiope bruennichi	08.09.2014
Araneae – Spiders	Clubionidae	Clubiana stagnatilis	15.12.2014
Araneae – Spiders	Linyphiidae	Gonatium rubens	01.09.2014
Araneae – Spiders	Linyphiidae	Microlinyphia impigra	19.06.2014
Araneae – Spiders	Linyphiidae	Neriene clathrata	15.12.2014
Araneae – Spiders	Linyphiidae	Stemonyphantes lineatus	11.12.2014
Araneae – Spiders	Lycosidae	Alopecosa pulverulenta	22.12.2014
Araneae – Spiders	Lynyphiidae	Neriene clathrata	29.11.2014
Araneae – Spiders	Mimetidae	Ero fulcrata	22.12.2014
Araneae – Spiders	Pholcidae	Pholcus phalangioides	30.12.2014
Araneae – Spiders	Pisauridae	Pisaura miribalis	30.11.2014
Araneae – Spiders	Salticidae	Heliophanus flavipes	11.6.2014
Araneae – Spiders	Salticidae	Salticus scenicus	28.06.2014
Araneae – Spiders	Tetragnathidae	Pachygnatha degeeri	22.12.2014
Araneae – Spiders	Tetragnathidae	Tetragnatha montana	11.05.2014
Araneae – Spiders	Theridiidae	Enoplognatha ovata	18.06.2014
Araneae – Spiders	Theridiidae	Steatoda albomaculata	14.7.2014
Araneae – Spiders	Thomisidae	Diaea dorsata	02.10.2014
Araneae – Spiders	Thomisidae	Xysticus cristatus	15.12.2014
Mites		Aceria ulmicola	11.05.2014
Mites		Eriophyes tiliae	11.05.2014
Opiliones (Harvestmen)	Nemastomatidae	Mitostroma chrysomelas	30.12.2014
Opiliones (Harvestmen)	Nemastomatidae	Nemastoma bimaculatum	03.11.2014
Opiliones (Harvestmen)	Phalangiidae	Oligolophus tridens	08.11.2014
Opiliones (Harvestmen)	Phalangiidae	Paroligolophus agrestis	08.12.2014
Opiliones (Harvestmen)	Phalangiidae	Phalangium opilio	29.11.2014
Pseudoscorpionida	Cheliferidae	Dactylochelifer latreillei	01.09.2014
Pseudoscorpionida	Chthoniidae	Chthonius ischnocheles	01.09.2014
Pseudoscorpionida	Chthoniidae	Lamprochernes nodosus or chyzeri	22.09.2014