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