C-r Twite, Thornham Harbour

NWT Holme Dunes

Sunday 22 November 2015

Counting period: 07:25 - 14:55 Count type: seawatch Weather: wind North3 Observers: Robert Smith, Gary Hibberd, Andy Brown, Greg Beeton, Mark ??? and Fiona ??? SW NE SW NE SW NE Red-throated Diver    10    -    Mallard    23    -    Dunlin    53    -    Great Northern Diver    1    -    Pintail    11    -    Great Skua    6    -    Great Crested Grebe    8    -    Tufted Duck    9    -    Black-headed Gull    265    -    Fulmar    5    -    Eider    53    -    Glaucous Gull    1    -    Gannet    10    -    Long-tailed Duck    1    -    Kittiwake    5    -    Dark-bellied Brent Goose    92    -    Common Scoter    198    -    Guillemot    15    -    Shelduck    740    -    Velvet Scoter    4    -    Razorbill    2    -    Wigeon    651    -    Goldeneye    19    -    Razorbill/Guillemot    13    -    Gadwall    12    -    Red-breasted Merganser    46    -    Black Guillemot    8    -    Teal    171    -    Goosander    3    -    Starling    8400    -    Totals: 10835 individuals, 30 species, 7:30 hours Bold = Remarkable observation (scarce or rare species or large number) Comments: Probably the biggest passage of Shelduck in Norfolk for 40 years and just 30 short of Norfolks highest ever count.

Glaucous Gull

During the weekends sea watching this bird briefly pitched down on the tideline before heading off west and then back east an hour or so later.

Hunstanton Cliffs

Saturday 21 November 2015

Counting period: 08:30 - 11:30 Count type: seawatch Weather: wind North7 Observers: Gary Hibberd, Andy Brown, Pete Clements and Robert Smith S N S N S N Red-throated Diver    -    1    Common Scoter    -    127    skua sp.    63    -    Manx Shearwater    -    2    Goldeneye    7    -    Kittiwake    62    4    Gannet    4    148    Red-breasted Merganser    8    2    Razorbill    -    2    Shelduck    12    -    Pomarine Skua    16    -    Razorbill/Guillemot    5    2    Wigeon    126    -    Arctic Skua    2    -    Starling    385    -    Teal    8    -    Great Skua    57    6       Totals: 1049 individuals, 17 species, 3:00 hours

Dune Cup

Dune Cup, Mobile Dune, 16th November 2015

A Vine Weevil

Vine Weevil, Otiorhynchus sulcatus, Hunstanton, 8th November 2015

A few fungi at Holme Dunes

On our West Norfolk NWT Group walk today we found numerous fungi, mostly in the pines and dunes. We were able to identify a few but most had to be left unidentified. 
Just on the top of the sand to the east of the sand ladder I found a stinkhorn which I am pretty confident is a Dune Stinkhorn, even though it was past its best.

There were quite a good number of Scaly Stalkballs in the dunes.

In the pines we found Collared Earthstars

and Sessile Earthstars.

The week's vis. mig. data for the cliffs

Wednesday 28 October 2015




Counting period: 06:36 - 08:36 Count type: coastal vismig (landbased birds only) Weather: wind SSE2, cloud-cover 8/8 Observers: Andy Brown, Chris Mills, Robert Smith, John Baker and Richard Belter S N S N S N Wigeon    34    -    alba wagtail sp.    5    -    Brambling    22    -    Pintail    2    -    Fieldfare    4    -    Greenfinch    16    -    Lapwing    264    -    Redwing    10    -    Goldfinch    1    -    Woodpigeon    96    -    Jackdaw    17    -    Siskin    4    -    Skylark    9    -    Carrion Crow    1    -    Linnet    3    -    Meadow Pipit    11    -    Starling    36536    -    Yellowhammer    2    -    Rock Pipit    1    -    Chaffinch    241    -    Reed Bunting    4    -    Totals: 37283 individuals, 21 species, 2:00 hours Bold = Remarkable observation (scarce or rare species or large number) Comments: An escaped vasa parrot was also noted!

Thursday 29 October 2015




Counting period: 06:36 - 08:36 Count type: coastal vismig (landbased birds only) Weather: wind SSE2, cloud-cover 1/8 Observers: Andy Brown, Gary Hibberd, Chris Mills, Robert Smith, Hilary Shipton, John Baker and Richard Belter S N S N S N Great Crested Grebe    2    -    Meadow Pipit    15    -    Starling    12172    -    Wigeon    25    -    Grey Wagtail    2    -    Chaffinch    389    -    Common Scoter    50    -    alba wagtail sp.    1    -    Brambling    8    -    Goldeneye    2    -    Fieldfare    1    -    Greenfinch    33    -    Golden Plover    3    -    Redwing    22    -    Goldfinch    5    -    Lapwing    1021    -    Mistle Thrush    1    -    Siskin    30    -    Woodpigeon    3    -    Great Tit    1    -    Linnet    12    -    Collared Dove    3    -    Jackdaw    36    -    redpoll sp.    1    -    Skylark    38    -    Rook    3    -    Reed Bunting    1    -    Totals: 13880 individuals, 27 species, 2:00 hours Bold = Remarkable observation (scarce or rare species or large number)




Friday 30 October 2015




Counting period: 06:45 - 07:45 Weather: wind SSE3, cloud-cover 8/8, temperature 11 ℃ Observers: Andy Brown S N Woodpigeon    24    -       Rock Pipit    1    -       Starling    4980    -       Chaffinch    19    -       Brambling    3    -       Goldfinch    1    -       Totals: 5028 individuals, 6 species, 1:00 hours Bold = Remarkable observation (scarce or rare species or large number) Comments: Very quiet and then rain after an hour - so I left !

Saturday 31 October 2015




Counting period: 06:40 - 08:30 Count type: coastal vismig (landbased birds only) Weather: wind SSE1, cloud-cover 8/8, visibility 1000m, temperature 11 ℃ Observers: Gary Hibberd S N S N S N Grey Heron    5    -    Rock Pipit    2    1    Chaffinch    258    -    Lapwing    203    -    alba wagtail sp.    3    -    Brambling    2    -    Herring Gull    7    -    Blackbird    9    -    Greenfinch    13    -    Woodpigeon    6    -    Redwing    2    -    Siskin    4    -    Wood Lark    1    -    Mistle Thrush    1    -    Linnet    3    -    Skylark    28    -    Jackdaw    2    -    Reed Bunting    3    -    House Martin    -    1    Starling    12250    -       Meadow Pipit    24    1    House Sparrow    1    -       Totals: 12830 individuals, 22 species, 1:50 hours Bold = Remarkable observation (scarce or rare species or large number)

Sunday 1 November 2015

Counting period: 06:55 - 07:55 Weather: wind South1, cloud-cover 2/8, temperature 8 ℃ Observers: Andy Brown S N S N S N Mute Swan    1    -    Fieldfare    10    -    Greenfinch    14    -    Snipe    1    -    Long-tailed Tit    12    -    Goldfinch    2    -    Woodpigeon    130    -    Magpie    3    -    Siskin    4    -    Skylark    2    -    Jackdaw    4    -    redpoll sp.    3    -    Rock Pipit    2    -    Chaffinch    41    -       Grey Wagtail    2    -    Brambling    2    -       Totals: 233 individuals, 16 species, 1:00 hours Bold = Remarkable observation (scarce or rare species or large number) Comments: Fog delayed start and its re-appearance finished the session after an hour. Its also prevented specific ID of a Buzzard which flew low in off the sea.........