Autumn Fruits No. 3

Beech, Ringstead Downs, 7th September 2014

 Sycamore, Holme NWT, 8th September 2014

Buckthorn, Redwell Marsh, 7th September 2014

Dogwood, Holme NWT entrance track, 7th September 2014

Japanese Rose, Holme NWT entrance track, 7th September 2014

Bramble sp. (looking rather like Dewberry) Paddocks,  Holme NWT, 7th September 2014

Yew, Holme NWT (pines), 7th September 2014

Guelder-rose, Holme NWT entrance track, 7th September 2014

Moth update..........

Blood-vein, Hunstanton, 6th September 2014

Archer's Dart, Holme NWT, 6th September 2014



Canary-shouldered Thorn, Holme NWT, 6th September 2014



Convolvulus Hawk, Holme NWT, 6th September 2014



Privet Hawk, Holme NWT,  6th September 2014



Pebble Hook-tip, Hunstanton, 6th September 2014

Spruce Carpet, Hunstanton, 6th September 2014

Sea-dipping session number 2

A superb sea-dipping session over the turn of the spring tide today produced some great finds as well as thousands of Brown Shrimps........

Brown Shrimp, Crangon vulgaris, Holme NWT, 8th September 2014

Herring, Holme NWT, 8th September 2014

Idotea linearis, Holme NWT, 8th September 2014

Lesser Pipefish, Holme NWT, 8th September 2014

Lesser Pipefish, Holme NWT, 8th September 2014

Dover Sole, Holme NWT, 8th September 2014

Brill, Holme NWT, 8th September 2014

Spider Crab, Holme NWT, 8th September 2014



Little Cuttlefish, Sepiola atlantica,  Holme NWT, 8th September 2014

Chameleon Shrimp, Praunus flexuosus, Holme NWT, 8th September 2014

No Slender Hare's-tail . . . but what a spider!

I met Phil at Thornham harbour today to search for Slender Hare's-ear.  While looking through the long grass I came across a very large spider which Phil identified as a Wasp Spider.  I hadn't seen one before and was massively impressed by its size and markings.  Apparently the male is a small brown individual which is often eaten by the female.  Phil had seen Wasp Spiders previously down south.  According to the Norfolk spider recorder Wasp Spiders have been spreading north over the last few years.  Last year he had records from Strumpshaw, the Brecks and Horsey.  Last Friday he received a photo of one seen near Great Yarmouth.  The one at Thornham today is more evidence of their northward advance.

 

 

 

Female Wasp Spider Argiope bruennichi

 

6/9/14 Holme

It's took a couple of days put the migrants finally showed with 7 Pied flycatchers, 3 Whinchats, Redstart, Wryneck, Blackcap, Wheatear & Grey Wagtail (west) recorded on the reserve today.

The moths put in a good show too with 20 species out of 41 moths.  The best by far was this rather smart Convolvulus Hawk-moth pictured below...

The now compulsory good moth selfie...

Two identified insects, an unidentified insect and an unidentified arachnid

Ceraleptus lividus, Holme NWT, 1st September 2014

Podops inuncta, Holme NWT, 1st September 2014

A pseudoscorpion, Holme NWT, 1st September 2014

 Pilophorus sp Capsid bug),  Tescos, Hunstanton, 1st September 2014

Insects - some unidentified !

Quite a few insects flying around in the sunshine at Ringstead Downs today. Most escaped my camera but here are a few which I managed to snap.

A hover-fly possibly Syrphus ribesii

The ground beetle Curtonotus aulicus 

A black ichneumon?

An old female blue, probably a Common (but could it be a Chalk-hill?)

The weevil Otiorhynchus sulcatus on my kitchen wall!

September 1st weevil hunt leads to astonishing discovery

During one of their now regular Monday forays in search of wildlife, Steve Lane and Andy Brown today inadvertently made what must surely be one of the most exciting archaeological discoveries in the area since what became known as 'Holme Henge' rose from the Holme sands and (the even more bizarre) Wasp Henge was discerned in the Holme 'forestry' during a hunt for Assassin Bugs. The pair were astonished as they traced the fossilised, though nevertheless unambiguous remains of early Hunstanton-Holme 'man' in the sands at the foot of the famous red and white chalk cliffs at Hunstanton. The find provides archaeologists with their 'missing link' and ends their quest to determine the exact nature of the creatures which must have gathered, on alternate Thursdays, at the two ceremonial grounds known in the area. The remains are symmetrically displayed, clearly indicating that the creature either met its end as a sacrificial offering or fell to its end whilst attempting to plunder the nests of the Fulmars which attend the cliffs in some numbers. Specialists believe the former hypothesis to be hardened fact as the remains are at least 6,500 years old whereas Fulmars did not nest on the cliffs until 1965. 

Holme-Hunstanton Man, Hunstanton 1st September 2014

Recent Bugs and Beetles

Rhombic Leatherbug, Holme NOA, 31st August 2104

Corizus hyoscyami, Holme NOA, 31st Aug 2014

Panagaeus crux-major, Holme NWT, 1st September 2014

Ilyocoris cimicoides, Redwell Marsh, 1st September 2014

 Tescos Green Weevil Polydrusus formosus, Hunstanton Tesco, 1st September 2014

Giant Tesco Weevil Otiorhynchus armadillo, Hunstanton Tesco, 1st September 2014