I am very lucky to have my joint discovery of Leafy Goosefoot described in this report and it features on the cover (not my photo). I was given the site for another plant dwarf mallow which I was keen to see, duly found I bumped into a goosefoot which I could not ID, I thought it was possibly Strawberry Blight (a similar goosefoot species). Dave visited the site and corrected the identity. Many Thanks to Dave for sorting the ID and submitting the record.

Tuesday 28th - Breckland Bust

I managed a couple of hours before work in the Brecks but although a lovely morning but I had no luck with the Shrike or any otters and only the briefest view of a lesser spotted woodpecker. But a kingfisher, bullfinch, brambling, water rail and thousands of siskin

I am working pretty much every day in January so when pretty much all of Cambridgeshire's Crane population was spotted together I finished work early and headed over to Manea. On arrival 42 cranes were visible and a fly over of another 4 made 46. I think a couple more have been counted in subsequent days but still 46 was pretty amazing to see. I stopped to see a flock of whooper swans and managed to locate one Bewick's as well. I finished the day at Burwell, no owls were present abut 16 roe deer and the common bird species.

Burwell Chip Shop, Burwell - Battered Sausage, Chips 7/10

I headed to Huttoft Bank for the Dusky Warbler, a barn owl and three roe deer of note on the journey up. I was first on site but a handful of people joined me in the search. After about an hour it was located. It showed briefly a few times and was always moving keeping low in the ditch sheltering from the strong winds and no chance of a photo. We followed it up the ditch but lost it and I did not see it again, despite the bird news messages it never showed well. I headed for Kirkby on Bain but the assembled birders could not find the American wigeon, probably sleeping somewhere out of view. I finished the day at Frampton Marsh nothing of note but the golden plover roost was excellent but the day felt a little flat, at least the chips had improved.

Sutterton Fish and Chip Shop, Sutterton - Battered Sausage, pea fritter, Chips 8/10

I have always been interested in all wildlife but have historically concentrated on mammals, birds, butterflies and dragonflies in the main, but over the last few years I have diversified into different taxa. I started with ladybirds, bumblebees, whitebeams and a few families of plants and latterly continued into more plants, fungi and other insect groups. Starting from a low base is quite difficult but many people have helped me with information and guidance and identification. I am not going to name people here they know who they are but I just wanted to thank all the people who have helped and continue to help me.

I was working today, good job it was quiet at work and I could take it easy as I was still not well. I went out to the car around lunch time to get my lunch and saw the resident stoat. I grabbed the camera and followed him and got a few decent views before he eventually gave me the slip. But I am always pleased to catch up with them.

Just before Christmas I got the eagerly awaited "Field Guide to Ladybirds of Great Britain and Ireland" from Helen Roy and Peter Brown, and nicely illustrated by Richard Lewington. We have been waiting for a propper field guide to ladybirds for ages particularly for the 25 or so cryptic species which cause us such headaches identifying them. The cryptic species until now only had scientific names but we have some names for them and some are very similar to our local names but a few we were well off the now official names. The book is good I would have liked a little more on how to separate some of the similar looking cryptic species and I think the life size pictures are actually too small. Also as with books it is going out of date one species mentioned briefly in the back I have seen and there are loads of records going back a couple of years so this species could have really made the full species section. 8/10 and much better than anything else available.

I was up early, but halfway to the North Norfolk coast I had to stop for some sleep. I have been ill for days and hardly slept and was struggling. The trip was eventful, fallow deer and muntjac, barn owl and a brown rat in a layby. I eventually made it to Burnham Overy dunes, a brown hare crossed the track on the walk down but I was here to look for dwarf and tiny earth stars which I did find along with another unidentified earthstar. Plenty of geese were present White fronts, Barnacle, Brent, Egyptian, Pink foot and greylag. I made it back to the car and for a well-earned rest along with a selection of medicines. Next I headed to Wells but stopped along the way for some Bar headed geese which were rather unexpected. Wells had a distant male hen harrier a glaucous gull and a guillemot resting on the shore in the harbour. I headed to Burnham Market for the first chips of the year but was very disappointed they were terrible. I was still feeling terrible so headed for home rather than Titchwell as was my original plan. I stopped for a break and saw the message about the white headed duck not too far from home so went via there for a quick look before heading for my bed.

Chips - Mermaid, Burnham Market - Spring Roll, chips, mushy peas 3/10

I managed to get up from my sick bed for a couple of hours to visit south Lincolnshire to see Martin's Ramping fumitory a rather rare plant. It was the first of this years project to photograph 100 new plants Keep an eye on progress on the sidebar. I also found a couple of earthstars, one unidentifiable the other probably striated.

No Chips on New Years Day they always seem to close up.