Western Conifer Seed bug

Sent from my iPhoneCame across this W.C. Seed bug whilst gardening in Little Hadham on Tuesday. Only my 2nd record in the parish, so good to see. Looking for a good hibernation site, I suspect.

Red Kite

Whilst wandering up to Little Hadham Place to check for leaf miners yesterday afternoon, I chanced upon one of the local red kites. The light was good so a few photos. Unfortunately, the closest it came was when I had the sun directly between me and the magnificent bird. However, a few pleasing snaps.

Flyby male kestrel, too

Norfolk Day

A not too early start and then a queue due to a serious accident near Mildenhall meant I arrived at Holkham Bay at 10.15. Leaving the car in Lady Anne's Drive and immediately registering wigeon and pink footed geese, I set off, firstly through the woods for firecrests but only goldcrests heard and seen. I headed to where a large flock of shore lark had been reported. They were still present, but distant so not really worth taking photos. In total I estimated around 80, the largest flock I have seen since the 1990's, so a great start to the day. The light was fantastic as I headed to the dunes for a sea watch.

Lady Anne's Drive wigeon

Brent geese at Holkham Bay

Distant shore lark

As close as I wanted to get!

The sea was full of common scoter, with a solitary red breasted merganser whilst several red throated divers were seen further out. As usual, sanderling ran around in the surf and oystercatechers roosted on a rapidly disappearing sand bar. Meadow pipits and skylark overhead. A flyby gaggle of brents.

easterly herring gull

few of the 100's of common scoters

Sanderling flock

Sanderling

And another sanderling

After several hours enjoying the beach I headed back to the car and off to Cley. After a pastie I checked the 3 main hides in the middle of the reserve but very little of interest, so continued to Sheringham with a view to finish the day with a sea watch as the tide would be high about half an hour before dusk. Turnstones, as usual on the promenade lent themselves to a few photos but no sign of purple sandpiper in its usual winter haunt outside the Funky Mackerel cafe. Very little of note out to sea, so a change of plan. I headed back to Cley beach where I could sea watch and check the area to the west for short eared and barn owls. Nothing really happened so eventually packed up and headed home.

Jackdaw at Holkham

Cley scrape from Daukes Hide

drake teal at Cley

Solitary black tailed godwit in fading light

Black headed gull at Sheringham

Confiding turnstone, Sheringham

Looking west from Sheringham promenade

Leaf Mining Days

Last Sunday, 6th Nov, we met up in Millennium Wood for a leaf mining search. Leaf mines are marks left on leaves from where moth, fly and beetle caterpillars and larvae eat their way around the leaf, between the 2 layers. By autumn these tracks have become clearly visible as the leaf fades to autumnal colours. 10 children, accompanied by adults, spent an hour wander ing around the wood, collecting bags of leaves to be checked. Between Graeme Smith and myself we managed to identify 20 species of micro moth from the leaves discovered.
To identify these firstly you need to know the tree from which the leaf was taken and then each caterpillar makes a track that is often specific to that species. www.leafminers.co.uk is a most helpful site to help with identification.
I then spent time in local woods where I have run moth traps to add to the year list. Still have several larger woods to check in the next few days, before all the leaves disappear.

Millennium Wood path

Guelder rose berries

Glorious morning in the wood

Leaf mine on hazel of Phyllonorycter coryli, the nut blister moth

On hazel, Phyllonorycter nicellii

Stigmella aceris on field maple

Several species have mined this hazel leaf.

Waxwing Photos

Last Sunday a solitary first year female waxwing showed up in Bishop's Stortford. I managed to get a few photos in dreadful light but today I had time to return and, in brilliant light managed a pleasing set of shots.