'Killer whale' sighted off Norfolk coast at Sheringham

Reports that a killer whale has been sighted off the Norfolk coast have been described as "highly reliable" by an expert on mammals.

County mammal recorder Dr David Leech said claims of a whale sighting by birdwatchers at Sheringham could be the first ever recorded in Norfolk.

The experience of one observer meant there was good cause to believe the sighting was reliable.

Possible reasons for the whale's presence are food or it was off course.

Birdwatcher Giles Dunmore, who has experience spotting several killer whales around the world, recorded the sighting last Thursday morning while scanning for sea birds with friend Phil Vines.

He said the pair's field notes and sketches were currently being collated to pass on to the Norfolk Biological Information Service (NBIS), at County Hall, to confirm the identity of the wandering whale.

Read on:  http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-norfolk-17011462

Monster from the deep... on the Norfolk coast: 40ft sperm whale washes up on Christmas Eve

It is believed the mammal was dead before it was washed up on the beach


The sand around its tail did not appear disturbed, suggesting the creature was dead before the tide carried it onto the sands at Old Hunstanton, Norfolk.

Large crowds gathered to see the whale, which is near the high tide mark.

A spokesman for the British Divers Marine Life Rescue said it may have been the same whale which had been seen dead on the RAF’s bombing range on the other side of the estuary, at Holbeach, some weeks ago.

Scientists from the Zooological Society have already taken samples from the animal, which will be left to be carried away by the tide to decompose naturally.

A number of whales have been washed up on the North Sea coast in the past year.


They have been especially prevalent around the Humber Estuary.

Conservationists believe the increase in the number of strandings could be explained by a change in sea currents bringing colder streams of Arctic water into the North Sea and with them whales that would not normally pass so close to the UK shoreline.

At the end of September a 33ft mammal, thought to be a Sei whale, was discovered in marshes on the north bank of the River Humber near the village of Skeffling.

Earlier the same month, a young Fin whale - a relative of the Sei - was stranded at Immingham, North East Lincolnshire, and subsequently washed up dead near Spurn Point.

The Yorkshire Wildlife Trust has noted a rise in whale sightings generally in 2011 but no-one is sure why there may be an increase in the mammals in the North Sea.

Over the summer, a pod of up to 10 Minke whales were spotted regularly off the North Yorkshire coast between Whitby and Scarborough.

Whale experts admit they do not know why there has been an upsurge in sightings and strandings.

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2079389/Monster-deep--Norfolk-coast-40ft-sperm-whale-washes-East-Anglian-beach-Christmas-Eve.html?ito=feeds-newsxml

Rare antlions discovered in Norfolk nature reserve

Holkham the second breeding area in Britain for antlions
October 2011: Staff at Natural England's Holkham National Nature Reserve have discovered what is thought to be only the second established breeding area in Britain for the mysterious yet savage antlion, an insect whose larvae excavate cone-like pits and lurk in wait for other insect prey. And its numbers on site appear to be increasing.

There had been reports of antlions skulking in the sandy ground beneath the reserve's pine woods since 2005, but there was uncertainty about the exact species and numbers involved.

In 2008, reserve staff undertook a full survey of the site to identify the species and determine the size and distribution of any population. This survey discovered more than 700 larval pits and confirmed the species as Euroleon nostras, but the scarcity of this insect in the UK meant there was always the chance this could be temporary colonisation.

But this year, a further survey found no fewer than 1,905 larval pits, confirming not only that the colony was still present but had almost trebled in size.

Known for their ferocious young
Although the adults look like small dragonflies, antlions are members of the lacewing family and are chiefly known for their ferocious young.

The larvae's prey includes ants, woodlice and other small invertebrates. Any insect unlucky enough to wander over the rim of the cone shaped burrow finds itself sliding inexorably down the steeply angled, shifting sand.

At the bottom it is seized in the antlion's huge jaws and sucked dry. The larvae live like this for two years before pupating into flying adults in late summer. Like other lacewings, the adults lead much briefer lives than their young - less than a month.

Holkham NNR is such a suitable site for the antlion because it has open banks of sand for the larval pits, abundant prey and pine trees, where the adults mate.

Natural England's senior reserve manager, Michael Rooney said: ‘We're really pleased with what the two surveys revealed: that the antlions are thriving at Holkham, with a sizeable population spreading through the pine woodland. It will be interesting to see what will migrate north to Holkham next.'

The only other known breeding area for the very rare antlion is the Suffolk Sandlings and the confirmation of an established breeding area in Holkham is another great success for the reserve, which also hosts Britain's only breeding spoonbill colony.

All about Holkham's antlion...

• Euroleon nostras is a species of antlion found over most of Europe, but is extremely rare in Britain.
• Adults reach up to 30mm long, with a wingspan of 70mm, and larvae are around 10mm.
• Larval antlions have such efficient digestion that they do not produce solid waste and therefore do not need an anus.
• Antlions remain in their larval stage for two years before pupating. Adults emerge from the pupa towards the end of July or in the first few days of August. They gather in a tall pine tree, and a number of males attempt to attract a single female.
• After mating, the female lays her eggs in the sand. She has to be wary of antlion larvae at this time, the main predators of female adults. Males live for up to 20 days, while females last a little longer, with an average life span of 24 days.

http://www.wildlifeextra.com/go/news/antlion-norfolk.html

Breeding spoonbills return to Holkham

Spoonbills returned and bred for a second year at Holkham National Nature Reserve (NNR), fledging 14 young.
2010 saw the first breeding colony of Spoonbills in the UK for more than 300 years. Natural England staff at Holkham NNR were eagerly awaiting the 2011 season to see if the birds would return and they were not disappointed. The first returning adult was seen on 11th March and this year the colony supported 8 breeding pairs, successfully fledging 14 young. This is an encouraging increase from the 6 pairs in 2010.

The breeding spoonbills are part of group of around 40 adult and immature birds summering along the north Norfolk coast. These birds move between feeding sites on north Norfolk coast nature reserves and the Holkham breeding colony.

Spoonbills are named after their rather comical broad bills, which they elegantly sweep through water to feed.

Regular monitoring of the colony by NNR staff revealed that six different birds this year were sporting colour-rings, enabling staff to establish that these birds had come from various sites in Europe, including nests in Holland, Germany and Spain. None of these colour-ringed birds were seen at the colony during the 2010 breeding season. An increased monitoring and surveillance programme this year ensured that the breeding colony was not disturbed.

Michael Rooney, Natural England’s Senior Reserve Manager at Holkham NNR said: “The Reserve team have worked very hard to maintain ideal breeding habitats for birds, so it’s really satisfying to see the colony establishing itself – it means we’re getting things right. We hope the spoonbills will join the rest of our breeding regulars by becoming an annual occurrence.”

Holkham sits between Blakeney and Scolt Head Island NNRs and is part of an important network of habitats along the north Norfolk coast, allowing biodiversity to flourish and spread. Natural England manages the freshwater marshes at Holkham to cater specifically for wetland breeding birds.

Maintaining high water levels through the spring into mid-summer is critical and has resulted in a dramatic increase in the population of many breeding species. The nesting colony is surrounded by water and is therefore safe from predators, while the presence of pools in adjacent fields provides nearby feeding opportunities for the adults raising hungry chicks.
http://www.naturalengland.org.uk/about_us/news/2011/120911.aspx

Unidentified cat in Norfolk

Is this a Wildcat seen in Norfolk? September 2011. Wildlife photographer - Rob Haynes - was out on the Holkham Estate in Norfolk with his wife, when they spotted an unusual looking cat in the undergrowth. Rob managed to get a photo fo the animal, though it was getting dark by then.

The black leags and dark stripe along the spine are quite distinctive, though not enough for Wildlife Extra to pronounce what type of cat this is. If you think you know, let us know.

 Rob says:

"As a professional wildlife photographer out photographing owls on Sunday 28th August at Holkham Estate in Norfolk, my wife spotted a large cat like shape in undergrowth and alerted me. I managed to get some shots of the animal at dusk (at a high 800 ISO). We asked for clarification from mr Danny Bamping of British Big Cat society and he confirmed it as a sighting of a Wildcat related to a scottish Wildcat/Hybrid."

 

Our thanks to Rob Haynes for sending us this image.

All images are copyright Rob Haynes FeatherandFur WildPix.

http://www.wildlifeextra.com/go/news/holkham-cat.html