Moth night.

Loads of new moths for the year to the trap last night. A spectacular large emerald and an equally smart swallowtailed moth were roosting outside the trap. Inside, new for year moths included shoulder striped wainscot, dot moth, scalloped oak and a yet to be identified, ermine micro species.

dot moth

large emerald

shoulder striped wainscot

scalloped oak

swallowtailed moth

Norfolk Coastal Path: Day 3

After the extravagance of 20 miles, our final day was just a 14 mile wander. This was to be the main birding day, starting at The George and wandering along the East Bank at the NWT Reserve. Perhaps the most famous bird walk in Britain, definitely England. I knew that I would be lagging behind and so it proved. Wendy was almost at Salthouse beach by the time I finished birding at Arnold's Marsh. Bearded reedling, marsh harrier, greenshank, spotted redshank, ruff and bar tailed godwits were all noted around Arnold's before I climbed on to the shingle, a stretch of 5 miles of hard walking.

mute swan

mute swans

5 spoonbills

avocets and a few black tailed godwits

black headed gulls, black tailed godwits, sandwich terns et al

common tern.
 

The main attraction at Arnold's Marsh was 5 spoonbills. In over 40 years of birding this patch I have never seen so many of these. They appear to be breeding at Holkham and, I suspect, will continue to become an even more regular sight, in much the same way little egrets did in the 1980's.
Along the shingle was tough with grey wagtail and another stonechat being noted around Kelling. The climb into Sheringham deserved refreshment, so off to the splendid Lobster pub for a pint of Wherry before the climb up to Beeston bump. From here, through the woods behind East and West Runton and down into Cromer, finishing with another pint at the pier. Job done and all credit to Wendy for her amazing efforts with such sore feet. Another 6 hours of walking must have been most uncomfortable. However, we raised over £700.00 for a local charity, kisses4kids and it is not too late to make a kind donation: www.justgiving.com/jonathan-wendy

6 spot burnet moth

 

 Bird List Day 3:
bearded tit, greenshank, bar tailed godwit, spotted redshank, ruff, grey wagtail, buzzard, gannet, rook and great spotted woodpecker.
Final total, 77 species of bird.

Total butterfly list:
common blue, small white, green veined white, large white, small tortoiseshell,dark green fritillary, painted lady, red admiral, peacock, small heath, small skipper, large skipper, meadow brown, speckled wood, white admiral, ringlet. A most pleasing 16 species.

Others: common toad, common frog, broad bodied chaser dragonfly, rabbit, moles, 6 spot burnet moth, various grass micro moths, few wave species (small fan foot wave, dwarf cream wave,) cinnabar moth.

Just 44 miles to go

hard wandering; sand dunes

Day 2, just another 10 hours of walking.

More sand and heat.

5 miles of shingle

The end: Cromer pier

Norfolk Coastal Path; Day 2

After a fine breakfast of smoked haddock, poached eggs and plenty of coffee we took the coasthopper bus back to Burnham Deepdale for the 20 mile walk back to Cley. Wendy had already gained a few blisters and her feet were wrapped in lint and plasters. Looked uncomfortable to me but not a single moan.
 A sedge warbler welcomed us on to the sea defence path that took 2 hours to take us to Burnham Overy Staithe. Here, little terns were fishing and avocets were sweeping. Off to the beach and a surprise bird: a spoonbill. Also overhead were sand martins, cormorants and sandwich terns. A wander through Holkham pines gave up goldcrest and we stopped to lunch near a small pond, but no new birds. After this, through the woods to Wells for a pint. In the woods regular birds got on to the trip list: jay, robin and blue tit.
The pint of Doom Bar was most welcome before the next stage to Stiffkey along the marsh path, then Morston and on to Blakeney. At Stiffkey Fen the first black tailed godwits were noted along with several gadwall.


Morston

black headed gull

common toad

common toad

diving little tern

solitary oystercatcher on Holkham Beach

sedge warbler

Butterfly wise, the list was increased with 2 really good species: firstly a call from Wendy about a black and white butterfly, a white admiral and then, just after Wells, a dark green fritillary. Both new butterflies for me on this walk. Also, amusingly, we came across a toad just out for an early evening stroll, heading towards Wells on the path. Good to see.
The final 3 miles, Blakeney to Cley was not good for Wendy as her feet and now right knee were beginning to hurt, so after a Mars Bar break, she stoically put her head down and went for it in one go. I lagged behind photographing 2 hunting barn owls. By the time we returned to The George it was gone 9.30pm, we'd been walking for 10 hours and we were both sore. Long soak and a couple of pints of Adnams and Wherry were in order.

white admiral

dark green fritillary

meadow pipit

barn owl

barn owl

diving barn owl

Cley sunset



Bird List: Day 2:

Sedge warbler, great blacked back gull, pheasant, lapwing, teal, mute swan, little tern, avocet, sand martin, spoonbill, cormorant, sandwich tern, goldcrest, robin, jay, blue tit, black tailed godwit, gadwall, barn owl, marsh harrier

Running total: 66 species

 

Norfolk coastal footpath: Day 1

Left Little Hadham at 9 and arrived at Burnham Deepdale ready for the coasthopper bus back to Hunstanton in plenty of time to complete the first 12 miles. The walk begins at the lighthouse at Hunstanton and follows the dunes along the golf course to Holme. Here we took a break at the Norfolk Wildlife Trust HQ for drinks and snacks. En route I had recorded 13 species of bird, including a singing greenfinch as we waited for the bus. On my last wander (2009) I recorded 99 species and missed greenfinch! That was in Sept, migration time, so I was not expecting such a haul on this walk. After Holme, to Thornham and up to Choseley drying barns, where we saw several corn buntings, yellowhammers, red legged partridge and a family group of long tailed tits.
Before Holme we came across pyramidal orchids and common toadflax in amongst the numerous flowering plants. Sea holly and sea buckthorn were everywhere in the dunes, encouraging large numbers of butterflies to feed. These included common blue, small tortoiseshell, small and large skipper, whites and meadow browns in their 100's. However, several painted lady butterflies were the highlight, a first sighting of the year for me.

harebell

lesser whitethroat

honeysuckle

meadow pipit

pyramidal orchid

greenfinch

common toadflax

corn bunting

small skipper

After Choseley the path wends its way through fields with superb verges left to wild flowers. Thousands of butterflies as we headed on to the marsh at Brancaster and a wander to Brancaster Staithe, past the Roman fort site of Branodunum. Waders were becoming more regular, with redshank, curlew, oystercatcher and lettle egrets commonplace. A cettis warbler called as we eventually, some 6 hours after beginning, arrived back at Burnham Deepdale were we took the car to our base for the weekend, The George at Cley. We finished the day off with a pleasant meal at The Dun Cow, Salthouse. Early night in preparation for Day 2, some 20 miles+

goldfinch

sand wasp

house sparrow

oystercatcher

Cley Next the Sea and The George

 

curlew

little egret

Bird List for Day 1:

carrion crow, lesser black backed gull, pied wagtail, wood pigeon, house sparrow, swift, common tern, house martin, kestrel, blackbird, magpie, greenfinch, black headed gull, whitethroat, skylark, oystercatcher, linnet, mallard, goldfinch, stonechat, meadow pipit, lesser whitethroat, great tit, little egret, green woodpecker, redshank, curlew, coot, shelduck, reed warbler, reed bunting, song thrush, dunnock, wren, chiffchaff, chaffinch, red legged partridge, corn bunting, long tailed tit, jackdaw, swallow, cettis warbler, moorhen, starling, greylag goose, grey heron

Village wander

A walk along the ridge footpath, south towards Much Hadham this morning before it became too hot. Very little, as expected on the bird front. A nesting yellowhammer pair, common buzzard, chaffinch, corvids and wood pigeons along with a solitary swallow were about the sum total for 5 miles. However, meadow browns, small and large skippers, ringlets, small and large whites and good numbers of small tortoiseshells were observed. By the River Ash there is a thistle patch that must have held 20 nectaring sm torts. Other insects were noted; 7 spot ladybird and a member of the Cantharidae family, commonly known as soldier beetles. A fox was noted wandering around a field recently mown for hay.

soldier beetle

7 spot ladybird

meadow brown

small tortoiseshell

7 spot ladybird