Winterton Dunes - Insect Life

Lots of Kite-tailed Robberflies, Bee-wolf Wasps, Four-spotted Chasers were joined by various Grasshoppers (to be IDed), Small Heath, Small Copper, Large Skipper, Forrester Moth, Silver Leaf -cutter Bees and Astata boops (a red-tailed burrowing sand species)

Winterton Dunes - Habitat and Flowers

It is not often that there is an ecosystem small enough to do a reasonable survey of the plants and insects in a day. Winterton Dunes are unusual in that they support acidic plant communities, such as heathers and ferns, rather than the dunes on the North Norfolk Coast - where the sand is calcareous. There are areas of dune heath, wet 'slacks' between dunes and dune grassland which grades into grazing marsh and birch woodland.

Plants shown here Marram Grass, Yellow Bedstraw, Polypody Fern, Hare's foot clover, Cross-leaved Heath, Bell Heather, Yellow Rattle, Centaury, Royal Fern and sheep's Bit Scabious.

Little Terns and Seals at Winterton

On Saturday, as high temperatures were forecast, I decided on a trip to Winterton (I was staying in Norwich); this proved a good move as there was a cooling sea breeze for the day. The colony of Little Terns (plus occasional Sandwich and Arctic Terns) rested on the beach and then flew around in a large flock when anyone approached. A couple of Seals joined in the fun for a time. Into the light and with light behind gave totally different image styles.

 

Titchwell RSPB beach and Insects

We spent a couple of hours on the beach as the tide receded and the birds visited the mussel beds. The razor shells and old posts set the scene. Finishing with a few insects from the reserve.

RPS Nature Group at Titchwell

Eleven members of the Nature Group visited Titchwell yesterday on a beautiful day - sunny but with a cooling breeze. Birds shown - flying Sanderlings, Oystercatchers, Juvenile Herring Gull, Blackheaded Gull, Avocet, Marsh Harrier, Black-tailed Godwit, Lapwing,  and Knot.