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

Saturday 31 October 2015

Water Pipit

What's normal a tricky patch species to see four have hit the nets in the NOA in the past week!  Away from the there individuals have been seen along Thornham Bank and on the pools from the NWT hides.




Thursday 29 October 2015

Wednesday 28 October 2015

Larkspur..........an unusual plant in the dunes between Old Hunstanton and Holme

Larkspur, Hunstanton, 27th October 2015



Cliffs Vis. Mig. update

    Saturday 24 October 2015


Counting period: 07:15 - 09:45
Count type: coastal vismig (landbased birds only)
Weather: wind SSW1, cloud-cover 8/8
Observers: Andy Brown, Gary Hibberd, Chris Mills, Robert Smith, Hilary Shipton, Nick Pomiankowski and Richard Belter

SNSNSN
Pink-footed Goose  155  -  Blackbird  3  -  Greenfinch  26  -  
Woodpigeon  40  -  Redwing  1  -  Goldfinch  11  -  
Collared Dove  3  -  Goldcrest  2  -  Siskin  34  -  
Skylark  4  -  Jackdaw  22  -  Linnet  20  -  
Meadow Pipit  36  -  Starling  1264  -  redpoll sp.  1  -  
Rock Pipit  3  -  Chaffinch  1840  -  Yellowhammer  1  -  
alba wagtail sp.  1  -  Brambling  51  -  Reed Bunting  6  -  

Totals: 3524 individuals, 21 species, 2:30 hours

Bold = Remarkable observation (scarce or rare species or large number)
Comments: A bunting that "ticked" caused some frustration as seen late!

    Sunday 25 October 2015


Counting period: 06:20 - 08:50
Count type: coastal vismig (landbased birds only)
Weather: wind SW1, cloud-cover 1/8
Observers: Andy Brown, Gary Hibberd, Chris Mills, Robert Smith, Hilary Shipton, Nick Pomiankowski and Richard Belter

SNSNSN
Little Egret  -  2  Mistle Thrush  2  -  Brambling  24  -  
Woodpigeon  83  -  Goldcrest  1  -  Greenfinch  210  -  
Collared Dove  8  -  Long-tailed Tit  10  -  Goldfinch  15  -  
Skylark  15  -  Jackdaw  8  -  Siskin  29  -  
Meadow Pipit  38  -  Carrion Crow  1  -  Linnet  5  -  
Rock Pipit  4  -  


  -  Yellowhammer  1  -  
alba wagtail sp.  1  -  Starling  2303  -  Reed Bunting  20  -  
Redwing  2  -  Chaffinch  4285  -    

Totals: 7071 individuals, 23 species, 2:30 hours

Bold = Remarkable observation (scarce or rare species or large number)
Comments: A really good chaffinch day, and another even more frustrating bunting that ticked twice as it went over and watched albeit briefly by two observers. 


    Monday 26 October 2015


Counting period: 06:35 - 08:35
Weather: wind SSE2, cloud-cover 8/8
Observers: Andy Brown, Gary Hibberd, Chris Mills, Robert Smith, Hilary Shipton, Frank Branch and Richard Belter

SNSNSN
Spoonbill  -  1  Grey Wagtail  5  -  Chaffinch  1811  -  
Sparrowhawk  -  1  alba wagtail sp.  1  -  Brambling  29  -  
Lapwing  357  -  Blackbird  3  -  Greenfinch  49  -  
Snipe  46  -  Fieldfare  6  -  Goldfinch  1  -  
Curlew  1  -  Redwing  11  -  Siskin  56  -  
Mediterranean Gull  -  1  Mistle Thrush  7  -  Linnet  1  -  
Woodpigeon  70  -  Goldcrest  1  -  redpoll sp.  4  -  
Skylark  123  -  Long-tailed Tit  12  -  Lapland Bunting  1  -  
Swallow  3  -  Jackdaw  35  -  Yellowhammer  2  -  
House Martin  1  -  Rook  4  -  Reed Bunting  10  -  
Meadow Pipit  16  -  Carrion Crow  5  -    
Rock Pipit  7  -  Starling  14545  -    

Totals: 17226 individuals, 34 species, 2:00 hours

Bold = Remarkable observation (scarce or rare species or large number)


    Tuesday 27 October 2015


Counting period: 06:34 - 08:34
Count type: coastal vismig (landbased birds only)
Weather: wind SE2, cloud-cover 8/8
Observers: Andy Brown, Gary Hibberd, Chris Mills, Robert Smith, Hilary Shipton, John Baker and Richard Belter

SN
Snipe  1  -    
Skylark  1  -    
Meadow Pipit  4  -    
Blackbird  2  -    
Redwing  1  -    
Starling  12782  -    

Totals: 12791 individuals, 6 species, 2:00 hours

Present: Chiffchaff 1

Bold = Remarkable observation (scarce or rare species or large number)
Comments: Misty thoughout the count period, with starling the dominant feature. 

Owls on the beach

During a walk along the dunes from Hunstanton to Holme NWT on Tuesday 27th October, I found 2 Short-eared Owls and 2 Long-eared Owls - one of the former was clearly exhausted and both of the latter flew straight from the sea up the beach to land on the first dune they could find.

Long-eared Owl, Holme NWT, 27th October 2015




Three recent moths

Pearly Underwing, Holme NOA, 24th October 2015 - a scarce lat autumn migrant


Merveille du Jour, Hunstanton, 28th October 2015 - one of the best looking of the autumn moths


Yellow-line Quaker, Hunstanton, 28th October 2015 - common enough in Norfolk but very scarce on our patch. This was the first Ive caught, just 2 days after one was at the NOA - the first in several years there.




Friday 23 October 2015

Vis. Mig. at the Cliffs, Friday 23rd October 2015

    Friday 23 October 2015


Counting period: 07:15 - 09:15
Count type: coastal vismig (landbased birds only)
Weather: wind SW2, cloud-cover 4/8, temperature 10 ℃, Calm morning with light SW winds
Observers: Andy Brown, Gary Hibberd and Chris Mills

SNSNSN
Little Egret  1  -  Grey Wagtail  1  -  Brambling  39  -  
Lapwing  16  -  alba wagtail sp.  5  -  Greenfinch  478  -  
Stock Dove  1  -  Blackbird  5  -  Goldfinch  45  -  
Woodpigeon  131  -  Redwing  12  -  Siskin  40  -  
Collared Dove  7  -  Jackdaw  82  -  Linnet  12  -  
Skylark  33  -  Carrion Crow  5  -  Yellowhammer  1  -  
Meadow Pipit  43  -  Starling  1758  -  Reed Bunting  18  -  
Rock Pipit  2  -  Chaffinch  1731  -    

Totals: 4466 individuals, 23 species, 2:00 hours

Bold = Remarkable observation (scarce or rare species or large number)
Comments: The flock of 80 jackdaws was certainly noteworthy. 

Thursday 22 October 2015

Vis. Mig. starts on the cliffs - at last !!

      Never have we had such a late start to the autumn visible migration season. These are the first suitable conditions (wind with a southerly component) of the autumn. And it wasn't the greatest start either......

      Wednesday 21 October 2015


    Counting period: 07:30 - 09:30
    Count type: coastal vismig (landbased birds only)
    Weather: wind SW4, cloud-cover 8/8, precipitation rain
    Observers: Gary Hibberd, Robert Smith

    SNSNSN
    Lapwing  10  -  Meadow Pipit  2  -  Jackdaw  1  -  
    Curlew  1  -  Rock Pipit  1  -  Starling  3006  -  
    Black-headed Gull  1  -  Blackbird  12  -  Chaffinch  3  -  
    Herring Gull  6  -  Fieldfare  17  -  Goldfinch  1  -  
    Great Black-backed Gull  2  -  Song Thrush  2  -    
    Skylark  1  -  Redwing  2  -    

    Totals: 3068 individuals, 16 species, 2:00 hours

    Bold = Remarkable observation (scarce or rare species or large number)
    Comments: The first days visible migration for three weeks!!


    Thursday 22 October 2015


Counting period: 07:15 - 09:15
Count type: coastal vismig (landbased birds only)
Weather: wind WSW4, cloud-cover 4/8, temperature 10 ℃
Observers: Andy Brown & Chris Mills & Richard (later)

SNSNSN
Woodpigeon  105  -  Blackbird  5  -  Brambling  9  -  
Skylark  1  -  Song Thrush  1  -  Greenfinch  194  -  
Meadow Pipit  16  -  Redwing  8  -  Goldfinch  23  -  
Rock Pipit  3  -  Jackdaw  2  -  Siskin  21  -  
Grey Wagtail  2  -  Starling  371  -  redpoll sp.  1  -  
alba wagtail sp.  3  -  Chaffinch  661  -    

Totals: 1426 individuals, 17 species, 2:00 hours

Bold = Remarkable observation (scarce or rare species or large number)
Comments: 70 Pinkfeet in off the sea 

Monday 12 October 2015

Various invertebrate finds from Monday 12th October

Figwort Sawfly larva, Holme NOA, 12th October 2015


False Ladybird Endomychus coccineus, Holmhurst Track, 12th October 2015


Bronze Shieldbug, Troilus luridus, Holmhurst Track, 12th October 2015



Pantilius tunicatus, Holmhurst Track, 12th October 2015



Lesser Thorn-tipped Longhorn, Holmhurst Track, 12th October 2015



Sunday 4 October 2015

Showy Bittern

This bird spent most of  Saturday in front of hide one fishing along the reed edge of Christie's Pool.