27th of September: Blakeney bird seed

This year has been the best ever in recent years for Yellow Horned-poppy on Blakeney Point. Parts of the shingle ridge were like a forest of them. Over the past week the seeds have proved popular for Linnets (peak count of 120) and a few Goldfinches...

Goldfinches feeding on Yellow horned-poppy (Richard Porter)

The early part of the week was dominated by winds from the north and west, producing a smattering of passerine arrivals on the Point. Highlights were the first Lapland Bunting of autumn and the first Rock Pipits - on the 22nd. The 23rd saw three Goldcrests at various places, while north-easterly winds on the 26th produced an impressive movement of 29 Common Buzzards soaring high and west over the harbour, accompanied by two Honey Buzzards. Also on the 26th, an obliging Leach's Storm Petrel was seen flying west, close inshore...

Leach's Storm Petrel (Richard Porter)

Winter raptors are now a daily sighting and both Peregrines and Merlins can pop up anywhere along the Point.

Autumnal fungi are beginning to reveal themselves amongst the dunes, the most noticeable being the Dune Stinkhorn and the bright red Waxcaps...

 Dune Waxcap

 Dune Stinkhorn

Tonight's supermoon and lunar eclipse are being seen by some as a sign that the end of the world is nigh. However, the ranger team here is highly dubious and we are sure we will be posting another blog next week!

UPDATE: we captured this footage of the 'supermoon'...

It has been a lovely, sunny weekend here in North Norfolk, but at the same time autumn is evident. We are now seeing skeins of Pink-footed Geese overhead. It is undoubtedly another wonderful time of the year.

- Paul and Ajay