Lords and Ladies, Cuckoo-pint, Wake Robin or ?

Arum maculatum is known by all the above names plus many more.  I saw my first plant of the year in flower today (rather late this year) in Ringstead Downs.  It is certainly one of our more unusual native plants, with the flowering organs, spadix, enveloped in a characteristic sheath-like bract called a spathe.  The upper part of the spadix is cylindrical club-shaped and usually chocolate-purple; the lower part is hidden in a cup.  The leaves are arrow-shaped to triangular and a bright green, often with purple spots.  The red berries, in a dense spike, are a common autumn sight.
According to Culpepper's Herbal - The berries or roots beaten with hot ox-dung, and applied, easeth the pains of the gout. The roots and fresh cow dung were both available at the Downs, but seeing as I don't have gout I couldn't try out the remedy!

Arum maculatum

One of the 5 British White Cattle in Ringstead Downs

Pied Flycatcher

This cracking 1st summer male Pied Flycatcher found by Gary was showing down to 8ft this evening!

Meadow pipits a plenty in the rain

Hunstanton Cliffs

Counting period: 06:20 - 08:20 Count type: coastal vismig (landbased birds only) Weather: wind var2, cloud-cover 8/8, precipitation drizzle Observers: Gary Hibberd and Robert Smith S N S N S N Little Egret    1    -    House Martin    2    -    Linnet    146    -    Lesser Black-backed Gull    2    -    Wheatear    2    -    redpoll sp.    11    -    Collared Dove    1    -    flava wagtail sp.    2    -    Goldfinch    22    -    Rook    3    -    alba wagtail sp.    9    -    Siskin    144    -    Sand Martin    1    -    Meadow Pipit    1378    -       Swallow    22    -    Tree Pipit    1    -       Totals: 1747 individuals, 16 species, 2:00 hours Bold = Remarkable observation (scarce or rare species or large number) Comments: Wind direction variable, from SW to SSE. A nice count of meadow pipits which was not witnessed on Scolt Head to the east which was a surprise.

Garganey

A pair last week were seen to come in off by a visiting birder during a late morning sea watch and appear to drop in on the reserve pools!  The birds slept in front of hide three (Hun Pool) before swimming out of sight late evening.  The pair were not seen again till the following evening when Philip relocated them on Broadwater.

Other recent birds include two Black Redstarts, two-three Redstarts, multiple Ring Ouzel and Wheatears, two Firecrests, small numbers of Yellow Wagtails dropping in the feed in our Konik paddock and best of all a Muscovy Duck and Bar Headed Goose!

Cliffs, Thursday 7th April 2016

Thursday 7 April 2016

Counting period: 06:25 - 07:25 Weather: wind WSW5, cloud-cover 2/8, temperature 4 ℃ Observers: Andy Brown S N S N Collared Dove    2    -    Meadow Pipit    10    -    Jackdaw    2    -    Chaffinch    1    -    Carrion Crow    1    -    Greenfinch    2    -    Swallow    1    -    Linnet    285    -    Starling    8    -    Goldfinch    20    -    alba wagtail sp.    6    -    Siskin    12    -    Totals: 350 individuals, 12 species, 1:00 hours Bold = Remarkable observation (scarce or rare species or large number)

Cliffs, Wednesday 6th April 2016

Wednesday 6 April 2016

Counting period: 06:30 - 08:00 Count type: coastal vismig (landbased birds only) Weather: wind WSW2, cloud-cover 8/8 Observers: Andy Brown, Gary Hibberd, Gary Elton S N S N S N Common Gull    2    -    Sand Martin    14    -    Meadow Pipit    773    -    Herring Gull    16    -    Swallow    21    -    Chaffinch    3    -    Lesser Black-backed Gull    2    -    House Martin    10    -    Brambling    1    -    Woodpigeon    11    -    Starling    14    -    Linnet    308    -    Collared Dove    1    -    Fieldfare    2    -    redpoll sp.    1    -    Rook    4    -    flava wagtail sp.    1    -    Goldfinch    56    -    Carrion Crow    5    -    alba wagtail sp.    14    -    Siskin    64    -    Totals: 1323 individuals, 21 species, 1:30 hours Bold = Remarkable observation (scarce or rare species or large number)

Cliffs, Tuesday 5th April 2016

Tuesday 5 April 2016

Counting period: 06:35 - 08:35 Weather: wind SW3, cloud-cover 2/8, temperature 7 ℃ Observers: Robert Smith, Frank Branch, Robert and Andy Brown S N S N S N Woodpigeon    111    -    Swallow    12    -    Linnet    217    -    Collared Dove    3    -    Starling    2    -    redpoll sp.    4    -    Jay    1    -    flava wagtail sp.    4    -    Goldfinch    109    -    Jackdaw    4    -    alba wagtail sp.    6    -    Siskin    49    -    Rook    9    -    Meadow Pipit    148    -    Yellowhammer    1    -    Blue Tit    1    -    Chaffinch    1    -    Reed Bunting    2    -    Sand Martin    9    -    Greenfinch    1    -       Totals: 694 individuals, 20 species, 2:00 hours Bold = Remarkable observation (scarce or rare species or large number) Comments: 2 Sandwich Tern were feeding offshore

The first Stonefly of the year

Nemurella picteti, Holmhurst Track, 3rd April 2016

The first sawfly of the year........

Aglaostigma aucupariae, Holmhurst Track (north end), 3rd April 2016

A stellar cast of early spring invertebrates from Holme, Monday 4th April

Coastal Flat-body, Agonopteryx yeatiana, Holme NOA, 4th April 2016

Emperor, Holme NWT, 4th April 2016

Cheilosia grossa, Holme NWT, 4th April 2016

Cliffs, Monday 4th April 2016

Monday 4 April 2016

Counting period: 06:30 - 08:30 Weather: wind South2, cloud-cover 8/8 Observers: Andy Brown, Gary Elton, Gary Hibberd, Robert Smith S N S N S N Woodpigeon    21    -    Wheatear    1    -    Greenfinch    2    -    Sand Martin    14    -    Goldcrest    1    -    Goldfinch    27    -    Swallow    23    -    Jackdaw    8    -    Siskin    73    -    House Martin    2    -    Rook    2    -    Linnet    70    -    Meadow Pipit    973    -    Carrion Crow    2    -    redpoll sp.    8    -    Grey Wagtail    1    -    Starling    15    -       alba wagtail sp.    11    -    Chaffinch    2    -       Totals: 1256 individuals, 19 species, 2:00 hours Bold = Remarkable observation (scarce or rare species or large number) Comments: Wind dropped before end of count as did numbers

Little Ringed Plover over Hunstanton - Sound and Sonogram by Gary Elton

Dead Fish of the Day

Dogfish, Holme NWT, 3rd April 2016

Sunday Moths

A nice catch of moths in one of the NOA traps included the first Oak Beauty and Pale Pinion of the year, 5 Hebrew Characters, 4 Red Chestnuts, a March Moth and a very scarce micor-moth, the Sallow Button.

Red Chestnut, Holme NOA, 3rd April 2016

Pale Pinion, Holme NOA, 3rd April 2016

Oak Beauty, Holme NOA, 3rd April 2016

Sallow Button, Acleris hastiana, Holme NOA, 3rd April 2016

Cliffs, Sunday 3rd April 2016

Sunday 3 April 2016

Counting period: 06:30 - 09:00 Count type: coastal vismig (landbased birds only) Weather: wind SW2, cloud-cover 8/8 Observers: Andy Brown, Gary Elton, Gary Hibberd, Chris Mills, Robert Smith S N S N S N Little Ringed Plover    1    -    flava wagtail sp.    2    -    Tree Sparrow    4    -    Golden Plover    1    -    Grey Wagtail    2    -    Chaffinch    4    -    Mediterranean Gull    2    -    alba wagtail sp.    29    -    Greenfinch    5    -    Lesser Black-backed Gull    2    -    Redwing    1    -    Goldfinch    52    -    Woodpigeon    11    -    Magpie    2    -    Siskin    143    -    Collared Dove    1    -    Jackdaw    4    -    Linnet    40    -    Skylark    1    -    Rook    4    -    redpoll sp.    7    -    Meadow Pipit    763    -    Starling    21    -       Totals: 1102 individuals, 23 species, 2:30 hours Bold = Remarkable observation (scarce or rare species or large number)

Butterflies etc. at Ringstead Downs

The UKBMS butterfly transects began on 1st April and so as today was sunny and quite warm I walked my first transect of 2016 at Ringstead Downs.  Not many flowers out to provide food for the butterflies, except for the many plants of Ground-ivy Glechoma hederacea which suddenly seem to have covered the north bank of the valley.  It was among these that I came upon my first butterfly, a beautiful male Brimstone flying between the flowers (unfortunately I only managed to get a rather over-exposed, poorly focussed photo of it!)  Further east along the valley there were several Commas and Peacocks flying or soaking up the warmth of the sun. Altogether on the transect I recorded 1 Brimstone, 4 Peacocks and 5 Commas; not bad for the first week in April.  There were also several Buff-tailed and Red-tailed Bumblebees visiting the Ground-ivy and a few Bee-flies.
After finishing the transect I went to check whether the Gooseberry Ribes uva-crispa bushes at the top of the south bank had opened their flowers (there were a few) and also found a number of flowers on the European Larches Larix decidua.  The Gorse bushes were crawling with 7-spot ladybirds.
When I got back home there was a Small Tortoiseshell in my garden.

Brimstone on Ground-ivy

Peacock

Comma

Gooseberry

Larch

Mediterranean Gull over Hunstanton Cliffs

Click on the link to a recording made by Gary Elton on 29th March :

https://soundcloud.com/user605645275/med-gull-hunstanton-cliffs-29032016

Cliffs, Saturday 2nd April 2016

Saturday 2 April 2016

Counting period: 06:30 - 09:00 Count type: coastal vismig (landbased birds only) Weather: wind SSE3, cloud-cover 8/8 Observers: Andy Brown, Gary Elton, Gary Hibberd and Robert Smith S N S N S N Marsh Harrier    1    -    alba wagtail sp.    18    -    Goldfinch    29    -    Curlew    9    -    Fieldfare    5    -    Siskin    476    -    Woodpigeon    127    -    Rook    2    -    Linnet    73    -    Collared Dove    5    -    Starling    4    -    redpoll sp.    3    -    Sand Martin    21    -    Chaffinch    6    -    Reed Bunting    5    -    Swallow    17    -    Brambling    2    -       Meadow Pipit    540    -    Greenfinch    2    -       Totals: 1345 individuals, 19 species, 2:30 hours Bold = Remarkable observation (scarce or rare species or large number) Comments: A nice strong SW wind overnight displaced a few birds our way. Best meadow pipit day of the year so far and siskins picked up as the morning went on. The marsh harrier flying into The Wash had green wing tags but these were unreadable. A female Black Redstart was present - possibly yesterday's bird -and both Wheatear and Chiffchaff were on the cliff top.

Cliffs, Friday 1st April

Friday 1 April 2016

Counting period: 06:25 - 08:25 Count type: coastal vismig (landbased birds only) Weather: wind SE3, cloud-cover 3/8, temperature 4 ℃ Observers: Robert SJ Smith and Andy Brown S N S N S N Woodpigeon    57    -    Black Redstart    1    -    Chaffinch    4    -    Collared Dove    1    -    Blue Tit    1    -    Greenfinch    2    -    Sand Martin    2    -    Great Tit    1    -    Goldfinch    64    -    Swallow    1    -    Jackdaw    20    -    Siskin    173    4    Meadow Pipit    37    -    Rook    6    -    Linnet    18    -    Grey Wagtail    1    -    Starling    16    -    redpoll sp.    5    -    alba wagtail sp.    7    -    Tree Sparrow    11    -    Reed Bunting    1    -    Totals: 433 individuals, 21 species, 2:00 hours Bold = Remarkable observation (scarce or rare species or large number) Comments: The Black Redstart was nice - there was another in my street on my walk home

Cliffs, Wednesday 30th March

Wednesday 30 March 2016

Counting period: 06:42 - 08:42 Count type: coastal vismig (landbased birds only) Weather: wind WSW2, cloud-cover 0/8 Observers: Andy Brown, Greg Beeton, Gary Hibberd S N S N S N Mute Swan    1    -    Meadow Pipit    182    -    Greenfinch    4    -    Lesser Black-backed Gull    1    -    alba wagtail sp.    9    -    Goldfinch    37    -    Stock Dove    1    -    Jackdaw    3    -    Siskin    26    -    Woodpigeon    46    -    Rook    6    -    Linnet    60    -    Collared Dove    3    -    Tree Sparrow    1    -    Reed Bunting    2    -    Swallow    3    -    Chaffinch    20    -       Totals: 405 individuals, 17 species, 2:00 hours Bold = Remarkable observation (scarce or rare species or large number) Comments: A dribble of migrants today.