"For now we are young let us lay in the sun and count every beautiful thing we can see" Neutral Milk Hotel.

Thursday 22 January 2015

A Waxwing in Hunstanton

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

Waxwing, Hunstanton, 22nd January 2015


Wednesday 21 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!)

Sunday 18 January 2015

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.


Saturday 17 January 2015

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


Monday 12 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




Sunday 11 January 2015

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


Tuesday 6 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/ClassOrderTaxonVernacularFirst patch
(incomplete)record
Annelida/ClitellataArhynchobdellidaErpobdella testaceaA carnivorous leech23.06.2014
Annelida/PolychaetaCapitellidaArenicola marinaLugworm28.12.2014
Annelida/PolychaetaOrbiniidaScoloplos armiger08.03.2014
Arthropoda/CrustaceaAmphipodaBathyporeia sarsi08.09.2014
Arthropoda/CrustaceaAmphipodaTalitrus saltatorSand-hopper02.03.2014
Arthropoda/CrustaceaDecapodaMacropodia rostrataLong-legged Spider Crab08.09.2014
Arthropoda/CrustaceaDecapodaHyas araneusGreat Spider Crab06.12.2014
Arthropoda/CrustaceaDecopodaCrangon crangonCommon Shrimp11.08.2014
Arthropoda/CrustaceaIsopodaPorcellio scaber27.10.2014
Arthropoda/CrustaceaIsopodaAsellus aquaticusWater Louse03.11.2014
Arthropoda/CrustaceaIsopodaIdotea linearis01.06.2014
Arthropoda/CrustaceaIsopodaTrichoniscus pusillus01.03.2014
Arthropoda/CrustaceaIsopodaPhiloscia muscorum30.12.2014
Arthropoda/CrustaceaIsopodaOniscus asellus03.03.2014
Arthropoda/CrustaceaIsopodaLakanesphaera rugicauda15.09.2014
Arthropoda/CrustaceaIsopodaArmadilidium vulgare01.03.2014
Arthropoda/CrustaceaMysidaPraunus flexuosusChameleon Shrimp08.09.2014
Arthropoda/CrustaceaSessiliaBalanus balanusBarnacle21.12.2014
Arthropoda/CrustaceaSessiliaElminius modestusBarnacle21.12.2014
Arthropoda/EntognathaCollembolaOrchesella cinctaA springtail20.11.2014
Arthropoda/InsectaMecoptera - ScorpionfliesPanorpa germanica/communis/cognataScorpion Fly27.04.2014
Arthropoda/InsectaNeuroptera - LacewingsChrysoperla carnea27.10.2014
Arthropoda/InsectaPlecoptera - StonefliesLeuctra fusca17.10.2014
Arthropoda/InsectaPlecoptera - StonefliesNemurella pictetii (ex- inconspicua)17.10.2014
Arthropoda/InsectaSiphonaptera - fleasHystrichopsylla talpae talpae10.11.2014
Arthropoda/InsectaTrichoptera - CaddisfliesLimnephilus lunatus03.11.2014
Arthropoda/InsectaZygentoma - SilverfishLapisma saccharinaSilverfish21.03.2014
Bryozoa/GymnolaemataCheilostomataBugula plumosa08.03.2014
Bryozoa/GymnolaemataCheilostomataFlustra foliaceaHornwrack02.03.2014
Bryozoa/GymnolaemataCtenostomatideaAlcyonidium diaphanumSea Chervil02.03.2014
Bryozoa/GymnolaemataCtenostomatideaVesicularia spinosa13.12.2014
Cnidaria/AnthozoaActiniariaSagartia elegansAn anemone15.09.2014
Cnidaria/AnthozoaAlcyonaceaAlcyonium digitatumDead Men's Fingers06.12.2014
Cnidaria/HydrozoaLeptothecataNemertesia antenninaSea Beard06.12.2014
Cnidaria/HydrozoaLeptothecataAbietinaria abietinaA feather-fan hydroid28.12.2014
Cnidaria/HydrozoaLeptothecataAmphisbetia operculata28.12.2014
Cnidaria/HydrozoaLeptothecataSertularia cupressinaWhiteweed06.12.2014
Cnidaria/ScyphozoaSemaeostomeaeChrysaora hysoscellaCompass Jellyfish11.08.2014
Cnidaria/ScyphozoaSemaeostomeaeAurelia auritaCommon Jellyfish11.06.2014
Ctenophora/TentaculataCydippidaPleurobrachia pileusSea Gooseberry???
Echinodermata/EchinoideaCamarodontaPsammechinus miliarisSea Urchin10.02.2014
Echinodermata/EchinoideaSpatangoidaEchinocardium cordatumSea potato29.11.2014
Echinodermata/AsteroideaForcipulataAsterias rubensCommon Starfish15.09.2014


Monday 5 January 2015

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





Sunday 4 January 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 – SpidersAgelenidaeTegenaria gigantea31.12.2014
Araneae – SpidersAmaurobiidaeAmaurobius fenestralis30.11.2014
Araneae – SpidersAraneidaeAraniella cucurbitana or opisthographa10.05.2014
Araneae – SpidersAraneidaeCyclosa conica20.11.2014
Araneae – SpidersAraneidaeGibbaranea gibbosa24.11.2014
Araneae – SpidersAreneidaeAgalenatea redii10.11.2014
Araneae – SpidersAreneidaeAraneus diadematus14.09.2014
Araneae – SpidersAreneidaeArgiope bruennichi08.09.2014
Araneae – SpidersClubionidaeClubiana stagnatilis15.12.2014
Araneae – SpidersLinyphiidaeGonatium rubens01.09.2014
Araneae – SpidersLinyphiidaeMicrolinyphia impigra19.06.2014
Araneae – SpidersLinyphiidaeNeriene clathrata15.12.2014
Araneae – SpidersLinyphiidaeStemonyphantes lineatus11.12.2014
Araneae – SpidersLycosidaeAlopecosa pulverulenta22.12.2014
Araneae – SpidersLynyphiidaeNeriene clathrata29.11.2014
Araneae – SpidersMimetidaeEro fulcrata22.12.2014
Araneae – SpidersPholcidaePholcus phalangioides30.12.2014
Araneae – SpidersPisauridaePisaura miribalis30.11.2014
Araneae – SpidersSalticidaeHeliophanus flavipes11.6.2014
Araneae – SpidersSalticidaeSalticus scenicus28.06.2014
Araneae – SpidersTetragnathidaePachygnatha degeeri22.12.2014
Araneae – SpidersTetragnathidaeTetragnatha montana11.05.2014
Araneae – SpidersTheridiidaeEnoplognatha ovata18.06.2014
Araneae – SpidersTheridiidaeSteatoda albomaculata14.7.2014
Araneae – SpidersThomisidaeDiaea dorsata02.10.2014
Araneae – SpidersThomisidaeXysticus cristatus15.12.2014
MitesAceria ulmicola11.05.2014
MitesEriophyes tiliae11.05.2014
Opiliones (Harvestmen)NemastomatidaeMitostroma chrysomelas30.12.2014
Opiliones (Harvestmen)NemastomatidaeNemastoma bimaculatum03.11.2014
Opiliones (Harvestmen)PhalangiidaeOligolophus tridens08.11.2014
Opiliones (Harvestmen)PhalangiidaeParoligolophus agrestis08.12.2014
Opiliones (Harvestmen)PhalangiidaePhalangium opilio29.11.2014
PseudoscorpionidaCheliferidaeDactylochelifer latreillei01.09.2014
PseudoscorpionidaChthoniidaeChthonius ischnocheles01.09.2014
PseudoscorpionidaChthoniidaeLamprochernes nodosus or chyzeri22.09.2014