Cliffs: visible migration Wednesday 30th March 2017

Magpie - one of nine that passed through Thursday morning

Cranes at Holme

Cranes, Holme NNR, 22nd March 2017 - Gary Elton

Cranes pass through most springs - presumably birds wandering from the east of the county, but rarely do they travel in such numbers or so low and even more rarely does one of us manage to get a photograph - well done Gary !

Cliffs: visible migration Wednesday 22nd March 2017

Counting period: 06:10 - 08:10 Weather: wind SSE4, temperature 4 ℃ Observers: Gary Elton, Andy Brown and Frank Branch S N S N S N Red Kite    1    -    Carrion Crow    1    -    Chaffinch    2    -    Woodpigeon    289    -    Wood Lark    1    -    Greenfinch    9    -    Collared Dove    8    -    Starling    95    -    Linnet    43    -    Magpie    7    -    Tree Sparrow    7    -    Goldfinch    33    -    Jackdaw    9    -    alba wagtail sp.    47    -    Siskin    24    -    Rook    23    -    Meadow Pipit    80    -    Reed Bunting    5    -    Totals: 684 individuals, 18 species, 2:00 hours Bold = Remarkable observation (scarce or rare species or large number)

Red Kite, Hunstanton Cliffs, 22nd March 2017 - Gary Elton

Tree Sparrow, Hunstanton Cliffs, 22nd March 2017 - Gary Elton

Cliffs: visible migration 16th March 2017

Counting period: 06:05 - 08:35 Weather: wind WSW4, cloud-cover 3/8, temperature 6 ℃ Observers: Andy Brown & Frank Branch S N S N S N Woodpigeon    745    -    Fieldfare    228    -    Linnet    145    -    Collared Dove    1    -    Redwing    1242    -    redpoll sp.    7    -    Magpie    4    -    Tree Sparrow    53    -    Goldfinch    104    -    Jackdaw    9    -    alba wagtail sp.    95    -    Siskin    534    -    Rook    19    -    Meadow Pipit    79    -    Yellowhammer    1    -    Carrion Crow    12    -    Rock Pipit    1    -    Reed Bunting    2    -    Blue Tit    3    -    Chaffinch    44    -       Starling    224    -    Greenfinch    8    -       Totals: 3560 individuals, 22 species, 2:30 hours Bold = Remarkable observation (scarce or rare species or large number)

Cliffs: visible migration Wednesday 15th March

Counting period: 06:10 - 08:10 Weather: wind WSW2, cloud-cover 6/8, temperature 8 ℃ Observers: Gary Elton & Andy Brown S N S N S N Woodpigeon    687    -    Redwing    363    -    Bullfinch    1    -    Collared Dove    3    -    Tree Sparrow    23    -    Greenfinch    1    -    Jackdaw    10    -    Grey Wagtail    3    -    Linnet    127    -    Rook    3    -    alba wagtail sp.    78    -    redpoll sp.    1    -    Carrion Crow    1    -    Meadow Pipit    68    -    Goldfinch    20    -    Starling    72    -    Rock Pipit    1    -    Siskin    233    -    Blackbird    2    -    Chaffinch    40    -    Reed Bunting    2    -    Totals: 1739 individuals, 21 species, 2:00 hours Bold = Remarkable observation (scarce or rare species or large number)

Four Flies

Lispe tantaculata, Holme NWT, 12th March 2017

Hydrophorus oceanus (Dolichopodidae) Holme NWT, 12th March 2016

Unidentified Scathophagid, Holme NWT, 12th March 2017

A Heleomyzid, tentatively identified as  Tephrochlamys tarsalis, Holme NWT VC, 12.03.2017

Spring arrives - and the Environment Agency are out cutting and smashing our native plants into submission on Thornham Bank yet again.

No way to treat a nationally scarce plant: Suaeda vera - part of the special interest of this internationally  important site - smashed to pieces on Thornham bank yet again by the Environment Agency, 12th March 2017.

Saturday 11th March: Kite, Coltsfoot, Bittern and Holly Speckle

Red Kite, Holme NWT, 11th March 2017

Coltsfoot, Holme NWT, 11th March 2017

Bittern, Holme NWT, 11th March 2017

Holly Speckle, Trochila ilicina, Holme NWT, 11th March 2017

Mallow rust

Rust fungus Puccinia malvacearum on Common Mallow on Redgate Hill.  The rust is also found on Hollyhock.

Sweet Violets

Sweet Violet, Viola odorata, Ringstead Downs, 6th March 2016

Off Patch - some beetles from Dersingham Bog

Hyperaspis pseudopustulatus, Dersingham Bog, 6th Martch 2017

Strophosoma melanogrammum, Dersingham Bog, 6th March 2017

Stenolophus teutonus, Dersingham Bog, 6th March 2017

Heather Ladybird, Chilocorus bipustulatus, Dersingham Bog, 6th March 2017

Some recent beetles from Ringstead Downs

Ocypus aeneocephalus, Ringstead Downs, 6th March 2017

Graptus triguttatus, Ringstead Downs, 6th March 2017

Longitarsus dorsalis, Ringstead Downs, 6th March 2017

Rhinocyllus conicus, Ringstead Downs, 6th March 2017

A queen Hornet in the Downs

Hornet queeen, Ringstead Downs, 6th March 2017

Daddy long-legs spider

An inhabitant of our conservatory - Pholcus phalangioides Daddy long-legs spider.

Sparrowhawk feast

This afternoon a female sparrowhawk was feasting on a collared dove kill for over an hour. I didn't see it fly off but only feathers were left behind.  Just a few days ago a male sparrowhawk stunned itself flying into our conservatory window.  After a few short aborted flights it then flew off apparently none the worse for its collision.

(Photos taken through window glass)
[I was hoping to attach a short video but I think it's the wrong file type.]

Crepidula at Holme

A small number of these Crepdula limpets were found inside a tideline traffic cone at Holme in February. They don't look like either of the "British" species - Slipper Limpet Crepidula fornicata or Chinaman's Hat Calyptraea chinensis, though most votes are for very flattened fornicata, which in more usual domed form is abundant here now.

Black Oil Beetle

Black Oil Beetle, Meloe proscarabaeus, Ringstead Downs, 4th March 2017

A scarce Moth and a widespread Rust

Salad Burnet Rust Phragmidium sanguisorbae, Ringstead Downs, 4th March 2017

Mompha miscella, Ringstead Downs, 4th March 2017 (in Rock Rose leaf)

Mompha miscella, Ringstead Downs, 4th March 2017 (in Rock Rose leaf)

A Green Turtle at Holme

Green Turtle, Holme, 27th February 2017

Some beasts from Redwell Marsh, 27th February 2017

Glischrochilus hortensis, Redwell, 27th February 2017

Water Measurer, Hydrometra stagnorum, Redwell, 27th February 2017

Coccidula rufa, Redwell, 27th February 2017

Paedarus riparius, Redwell, 27th February 2017

Winter Aconite, Ringstead Downs, 20th February 2017

Winter Aconite, Ringstead Downs, 20th February 2017