Posing common toad

        This common toad was very much the "king of the hill", posing beautifully on top of a mole hill.

  

Off patch - Sheringham beach

    Another night time seach for Nebria livida at the Sheringham end of the soft cliffs. Tom Parkes and I managed to find five, along with a few frogs, sea slater and a superb woodlouse spider. The beetles were again loyal to the seepages and in one case the edge of a pool behind the old sea defences.

Nebria livida - behind old seawall

Common frog - 4 found at base of cliffs

 Sea slater - 8+ scuttling along prom edge

Woodlouse spider spp. - plenty of woodlice present.

Off Patch: Roydon Common

Mitopus morio, Roydon Common, 4th September 2017

Heather Leaf Beetle, Lochmaea suturalis, Roydon Common, 4th Septemebr 2017

Four-spotted orbweb Spider, Araneus quadratus, Roydon Common, 4th September 2017

putative Metallina segmentata, Roydon Common, 4th September 2017

Agalenatea redii, Roydon Common, 4th September 2017

Slow Worm, Roydon Common, 4th September 2017

Great Crested Newt, Roydon Common, 4th September 2017

Coltsfoot and Toad

Common Toad, Ringstead Downs, 25th March 2016

Coltsfoot, Ringstead Downs, 25th March 2016

Sunday 27th December 2015

Natterjacks still active!!

After another balmy winter's day at NWT Holme Dunes I made another search for a "late" natterjack toad just after 9pm. Temperature was around nine degrees so really wasn't expecting to find anything, but just after reaching the ridge to the beach in the pines I came accross this natterjack, running around actively, although a similar size to the animal I saw a few days ago it felt to me to be much fatter and healthier looking.

I then carried along the footpath and back around the west end of the pines and over the established grey dune, really not expecting to find another one, but doing just that! Sat on a small mound of sand as if waiting for the next meal to crawl to him (or her).

Apologies for poor quality of photos but using torch and camera combined as I have no flash in camera.

Late Natterjacks practice their handwriting

Natterjack spawn, Holme NWT, 2nd August 2015

Butterflies, butterflies and more

Having been away and in Scotland for the last 9 days I was keen to get out in the sunshine this afternoon! 

I wasn't disappointed either with a plethora of butterflies, c20 Green Hairstreak, c20 Wall Brown, c10 Small Copper, c15 Small Heath, plus Peacock, Red Admiral and Small tortoiseshell. Also noted on the wing was Hairy Dragonfly.

Birds were secondary but steady stream of Swallow, a few Swifts moved through. Plenty of raptors in the sky and my first patch Hobby was battling with 2 Sparrowhawks. A Wheatear was in the dunes, plus 3+ Cuckoo and Turtle Dove. 

Two reelers one bird and one amphibian, Grasshooper warbler and several Natterjack toads.

Wall Brown

Green hairstreak

Small Copper

Small Heath

Taking away dipping Norfolk's third Alpine Accentor on the patch it was a fine Springs day birding.  We had several Tree Pipits over during the course of the day along with a steady passage of Swallows, three Wheatears were present in the forestry, c50 Yellow Wagtails with the cattle, c30 Ruff on Rowans, several Whimbrel through & Greenshank on North Field.  Three year ticks came in the form of Common Sandpiper, Cuckoo and Reed Warbler.

Non-avian highlights included this obliging Muntjac, Green-veined White, the fly Mesembrina meridiana, and several calling Natterjacks

Mesembrina meridiana

Moths, Butterflies & Pochards.

An odd mix but a good description of my mornings efforts!

The moth trap was out for the first time this year in the garden, having been fitted with a new lamp! A total of 11 moths:-

8 Common Quaker

1 Hebrew Character

1 Early Grey

1 Common Plume

Up at Holme on arrival a flock of c30 Redwing flew overhead although I later spoke with Andy & Robert who had had c100, the most since the autumn. Out on the marsh  I spotted 1 distant Pochard, but shortly after there was a glut of 8 Pochard on the Broadwater, thank goodness after a dearth of this species during Jan & Feb! 

At least 25 Avocet were out on the pools, a Sparrowhawk  was perched on the fence line and the Marsh Harrier.

The Obs trap had a few more moths Shoulder stripe, March Moth, Mottled Grey and Dotted Border.

The walk back produced Comma and Small Tortoiseshell and plenty of writhing Toad activity.

Comma

Early grey

Shoulder Stripe

Cool sunny raptor day

Whilst it wasn't so warm as Sunday, today was a lovely day, with sunny spells and warm out of the cool NE wind. The NE breeze chilled everything down considerably, especially if the sun was hidden!

On arrival at the Beach road, I was immediately greeted by a singing Chiff-Chaff, from the big main car parking area. Plenty of Linnets and Mipits through the dunes and forestry, but nothing to set the pulse racing. I flushed 3 Grey partridge and in the dunes was disappointed to see how shallow the pools were that supported oodles of spawn last spring!

Quick scans over the grazing marsh and ridge pointed to plenty of Marsh Harrier & Buzzard activity with 6 of each in the air minimum, plus the Harriers in full display and sky dancing!

The grazing marsh pools still held c500 Wigeon, c100 Golden Plover & a mix of wintering and displaying Lapwing.

Up at the Obs a Lesser Redpoll showed well, and after a quick cuppa I settled into scanning the skies. As the sun warmed the air, there was lots of activity, and soon Kestrel, Sparrowhawk, Marsh harrier & Buzzard had all been noted high in the skies, then a flashing Peregrine and eventually Steve Chapman pulled out a Red Kite. First over the village, then 15 minutes later nice and close over Thornham Bank. At least 25 Avocet were seen rising and falling from the NWT pools. 

A Dotted Border was the only moth from the traps. I set off to head back, just as 2 Rooks flew low overhead, my first of the year!

Along the River Hun there was lots of Toads, dangerously close to being trod on and many in true pornographic poses! Also 3 Gadwall on Redwell.

Dotted Border 11th March

Small Tortoiseshell 9th March

Rust Gall on Alexanders Puccinia smyrnii 9th March

First visible migration watch of the spring today

With the wind forecast to be in the southeast, I was up and out by dawn ready for the first vis-mig count of the season. Nothing earth-shattering, but a nice start, with good variety typical on these winds. An adult Med Gull on the green by lighthouse was a bonus. Few birds seen during rest of day,  with a Peregrine in the harbour and a Woodcock in the forestry being the highlights. A Common Quaker, a Mottled Grey and a March Moth caught by Sophie in the NOA trap, 2 toads and my first frogspawn of the year were the non-avian delights. Here's the vis-mig count with a link through to Trektellen.nl, the visible migration website, which, for those not familiar with it, has a mass of data from visible migration watchpoints all over Europe.

Hunstanton Cliffs (Norfolk, England) Saturday 8 March 2014

Counting period: 6:12-8:12 Weather: wind SSE3, cloud-cover 7/8 Observers: Andy Brown

S N S N S N Lesser Black-backed Gull 2 - alba wagtail sp. 33 - Chaffinch 3 - Woodpigeon 654 - Jackdaw 6 - Greenfinch 11 - Collared Dove 3 - Rook 6 - Goldfinch 57 - Skylark 5 - Carrion Crow 1 - Siskin 82 - Meadow Pipit 104 - Starling 3 - Linnet 72 - Rock Pipit 3 - Tree Sparrow 13 - redpoll sp. 1 - Totals: 1059 individuals, 18 species, 2:00 hours Bold = Remarkable observation (scarce or rare species or large number)

Comments: First watch of the spring and a nice start. An adult Med Gull was by the lighthouse with c200 Black-headed Gulls ad 5 Common Gulls Common Toad, Holme NWT, 8th March 2014 Egg sacs of the Polychaete worm Scoloplos armiger beach pool, Hunstanton, 8th March 2014 Queen Buff-tailed Bumblebee Bombus terrestris, Hunstanton 8th March 2014