"For now we are young let us lay in the sun and count every beautiful thing we can see" Neutral Milk Hotel.

Wednesday 30 March 2016

Cliffs 29th March

    Tuesday 29 March 2016


Counting period: 06:30 - 08:30
Count type: coastal vismig (landbased birds only)
Weather: wind SW2, cloud-cover 0/8
Observers: Andy Brown, Gary Hibberd, Chris Mills and Robert Smith

SNSNSN
Great Crested Grebe  1  -  Blue Tit  1  -  Greenfinch  9  -  
Mediterranean Gull  2  -  Great Tit  8  -  Goldfinch  33  -  
Lesser Black-backed Gull  1  -  Magpie  3  -  Siskin  18  -  
Woodpigeon  204  -  Rook  8  -  Linnet  38  -  
Skylark  2  -  Carrion Crow  1  -  redpoll sp.  -  1  
Meadow Pipit  206  -  Starling  1  -  Reed Bunting  3  -  
Grey Wagtail  1  -  Tree Sparrow  29  17    
alba wagtail sp.  10  -  Chaffinch  20  -    

Totals: 617 individuals, 22 species, 2:00 hours

Bold = Remarkable observation (scarce or rare species or large number)
Comments: A blocking front along the south coast blocked lots off, however bright conditions effected observations as lots went overhead, but not counted. 

Tuesday 29 March 2016

Butterflies and bees

Friday 25th March was one of the few warm sunny days so far this Spring. As such I spent a bit of time in the garden and couldn't help noticing the large number of bees visiting the flowers on the winter-flowering heaths.  Most were Honey Bees but there were also two Buff-tailed Bumblebees and a Tree Bumblebee (which didn't stay long enough for a photo).  Two Small Tortoiseshell butterflies settled on the gravel briefly before flying off to pastures new.  A reminder that the UKBMS butterfly transects start again for this year on 1st April.






Sunday 27 March 2016

Gadwall

Gadwall, holme NWT, 27th March 2016


Tufted Duck

Tufted Duck, Holme NWT, 27th March 2016



Woodlarks

Woodlarks, Holme NWT, 27th March 2016







Little Grebe

Little Grebe, Holme NWT, 27th March 2016



Sunday on the Cliffs

    Sunday 27 March 2016


Counting period: 06:35 - 08:35
Count type: coastal vismig (landbased birds only)
Weather: wind SW3, cloud-cover 0/8
Observers: Andy Brown, Gary Hibberd, Chris Mill and Robert Smith

SNSNSN
Dark-bellied Brent Goose  -  10  Fieldfare  8  -  Tree Sparrow  59  32  
Lesser Black-backed Gull  2  -  Redwing  5  -  Chaffinch  19  -  
Stock Dove  1  -  Chiffchaff/Willow Warbler  1  -  Greenfinch  6  -  
Woodpigeon  295  -  Blue Tit  1  -  Goldfinch  30  -  
Swallow  1  -  Great Tit  15  -  Siskin  66  -  
Meadow Pipit  329  -  Jackdaw  1  -  Linnet  37  -  
alba wagtail sp.  32  -  Rook  4  -  Reed Bunting  1  -  
Blackbird  1  -  Starling  6  -    

Totals: 962 individuals, 23 species, 2:00 hours

Bold = Remarkable observation (scarce or rare species or large number)

Saturday 26 March 2016

Swallows, martins, warblers, 134 Tree Sparrows and much else over the cliffs

    Saturday 26 March 2016


Counting period: 05:49 - 08:49
Count type: coastal vismig (landbased birds only)
Weather: wind SW5, cloud-cover 8/8, High cloud but gradually thickening as am went on.
Observers: Andy Brown, Gary Hibberd, Chris Mills and Robert Smith

SNSNSN
Golden Plover  9  -  alba wagtail sp.  87  -  Tree Sparrow  134  -  
Lapwing  4  -  Blackbird  5  -  Chaffinch  38  -  
Curlew  7  -  Fieldfare  257  -  Brambling  2  -  
Lesser Black-backed Gull  6  -  Redwing  75  -  Greenfinch  26  -  
Woodpigeon  36  -  Chiffchaff/Willow Warbler  3  -  Goldfinch  368  -  
Skylark  5  -  Great Tit  7  -  Siskin  346  -  
Sand Martin  16  -  Jackdaw  3  -  Linnet  119  -  
Swallow  3  -  Rook  8  -  redpoll sp.  7  -  
House Martin  1  -  Carrion Crow  1  -  Yellowhammer  1  -  
Meadow Pipit  264  -  Starling  188  -  Reed Bunting  7  -  

Totals: 2033 individuals, 30 species, 3:00 hours

Bold = Remarkable observation (scarce or rare species or large number)
Comments: A really nice morning with good variety and decent nos of some species. The first three common hirundines on the same day is quite likely a first for us. The tree sparrow count was the third biggest, while the goldfinch total was decent for March. The phylloscpus warblers was also very unusual, flying through strongly with no hope of identifying them. 

Friday 25 March 2016

Coltsfoot and Toad

Common Toad, Ringstead Downs, 25th March 2016


Coltsfoot, Ringstead Downs, 25th March 2016


Hunstanton Moonrise

Hunstanton, 25th March, 2016


The first migration count kicks season off to a good (if late) start

    Thursday 24 March 2016


Counting period: 05:50 - 09:20
Count type: coastal vismig (landbased birds only)
Weather: wind SW2, cloud-cover 8/8
Observers: Andy Brown, Gary Hibberd and Robert Smith

SNSNSN
Cormorant  1  -  Redwing  834  -  Chaffinch  3  -  
Red Kite  1  -  Great Tit  14  -  Greenfinch  16  -  
Lapwing  2  -  Magpie  9  -  Goldfinch  57  -  
Woodpigeon  67  -  Jackdaw  5  -  Siskin  181  -  
Collared Dove  5  -  Rook  14  -  Linnet  44  -  
Meadow Pipit  200  -  Starling  22  -  redpoll sp.  1  -  
alba wagtail sp.  46  -  Tree Sparrow  9  -    

Totals: 1531 individuals, 20 species, 3:30 hours

Bold = Remarkable observation (scarce or rare species or large number)
Comments: The first day of suitable SW winds. 

Wednesday 23 March 2016

Three more species recently added to the patch list

Yellow-legged Mining Bee Andrena flavipes, Ringstead Downs, 20th March 2016


The dung beetle Aphodius conspercatus, Holme NWT, 21st March 2016


The leafhopper Eupteryx florida, Peddar's Way, 21st March 2016



Tuesday 22 March 2016

Four mid-March beasties


Shoulder Stripe, Holme NOA, 21st March 2016


Earthstar, Geastrum coronatum, Holme NOA, 21st March 2016


Common Flower Bug, Anthocoris nemorum, Peddar's Way, 21st March 2016


Ichneumon stramentor, Holme NOA, 2st March 2016





Tuesday 15 March 2016

Off patch: Fungi twitch Titchwell



Just passing Titchwell but had been informed by Robert Smith of scarlet elf cap sp along path from car park to visitor centre. Very easy to find on the right hand side as you head west to centre. RS informed me that it's one of two similar species and can only be identified by looking at spores. Who cares which one it is just enjoy it for its striking colour in what still feels like winter.





Monday 14 March 2016

Off patch: The Brecks

Just back in from an absolute superb day down in The Brecks with Steve and Andy.  Highlights included two Otters, Lesser Spotted Woodpecker, three Woodlark, Crossbill, four Hololepta plana (pictured), two Goshawks and 100+ plants of Yellow Star-of-Bethlehem (pictured).



Sunday 13 March 2016

Yew Gall

A Yew gall found by Adrian and caused by the fly Taxomyia taxi (Diptera- Cecidomyiidae), Holme NWT, 12th March 2016



Hints of Spring

Plenty of bird-song today and a few plants noted in flower for the first time included Ground Ivy and the small dandelion which grows in the dunes. A queen Buff-tailed Bumblebee Bombus terrestris was in the forestry and flies were numerous in sheltered areas, including the first Yellow Dung Flies and Eristalis pertinax hoverflies. The Marsh Harriers revelled in the light easterly breeze and displayed for much of the day.

Early Virgin's-bower Clematis cirrhosa, Broadwater Road, Holme, 16th January 2016 (but still out today !)


March Moth, Holme NOA, 13th March 2016


Common Whitlow-grass, Holme NOA, 13th March 2016


A Linnet staking out his territorial claim


Monday 7 March 2016

Off Patch: 2 Beasties from Dersingham Bog

Minotaur Beetle, Typhaeus typhaeus, Dersingham Biog, 7th MArch 2016






Steatoda phalerata (Theridiidae), Dersingham Bog, 7th March 2016