Sculthorpe Moor - 14th December 2024

 A last minute change of plan saw us back at Sculthorpe, this time monitoring birds on the north fields. It was rather windier than ideal and catching was slow. It was nice to get three Reed Buntings, and to retrap a couple of birds that we'd encountered at the feeders two days before. Retraps that close to a previous capture gives an opportunity to compare weight and we found that BTC1000 was doing quite well weighing 0.3g more than previously whereas BTC0997 is doing less well having dropped 0.5g. The third Blue Tit recapture had been ringed on 27/07/2022 and not seen until today.

Total: 12 (5)

Blue Tit - 2 (3)
Dunnock - 3
Great Tit - 2 (2)
Reed Bunting - 3
Robin - 1 

A farm in North West Norfolk - 13th December 2024

 Plenty of finches feeding in the wild bird crop, however most managed to evade the nets as they continued to be quite mobile around the site all morning. Finished on 36 birds of 9 species. Ringing team of CL, DKL, DMD & LC.

Reed Bunting, 3M

Total: 26 (10)

Blackbird - 5 (1)
Blue Tit - 7 (5)
Chaffinch - 1
Dunnock - 4
Great Tit - 2 (3)
Greenfinch - 1
Reed Bunting - 4
Robin - 1 (1)
Song Thrush - 1

Sculthorpe Moor - 12th December 2024

Four hours spent ringing at the feeders brought 55 new birds and 14 retraps. Most were tits and retraps included some birds last encountered over 2 years ago. Ringing team of CL, DKL, CJH & GN.

4M Bullfinch

Total: 55 (14)

Blue Tit - 33 (10)
Bullfinch - 1
Coat Tit - 5
Dunnock - 1
Great Tit - 14 (4)
Robin - 1

A farm in North Norfolk - 10th December 2024

 An evening using the thermal imager. Too windy for an owl net, but there were quite a lot of heat signatures across the fields, and not all were hare and deer. Six Woodcock seen, with only one caught. This was a bit of a disappointment as the net that had been adapted with the netting reduced actually came completely open at the end and it was only after two birds flew out that the issue was realised.

There were also captures of three Grey Partridge and these birds were colour ringed for PWL's project. The young birds can complete the moult by October/November. Adults have more rounded outer primaries as seen in our two females, however DemOn flags this assessment as unexpected.

    3M Grey Partridge

Age 3M, outer primaries not yet changed and yellowish leg colouration, white streaks on shaft of 

lesser and median coverts. 

2F Grey Partridge.

2F all primary feathers changed, rounded, pale cross bars (known as Cross of Lorraine) 

on median and marginal coverts.

Woodcock, aged 3

Total: 4

Grey Partridge - 3
Woodcock - 1

Sculthorpe Moor - 3rd December 2024

 Calm weather and temperature forecast to be no lower than 2 degrees took us to Sculthorpe for evening ringing. We started off with an attempt to attract the Linnets at roost, although this failed and they went in a short distance from the net, we did get a few Reed Buntings. A couple of nets were put up for Snipe and we managed to get two, although we found that an unexpected freezing fog came in and nets had to be taken down. A thermal assisted walk showed 3 Woodcock in a grassy meadow of which one was captured, the first of the season. We didn't get any owls although there was a lot of interest from Barn Owls. Tawny Owls heard in the main reserve, a lot of duck arrived on the meadows after dark and a Starling murmuration as the sun sank was a real bonus.

Total: 6 (2)

Reed Bunting - 3 (1)
Robin - 0 (1)
Snipe - 2
Woodcock - 1

Stanhoe Orchard - 3rd December 2024

 A visit just to check on the food in the orchard and see how many thrushes were around. We put a few nets up, but due to there being no frost caught very little. There were still Fieldfares around, not many Redwing and no finches at all, there were thrushes around but feeding was concentrated on the surrounding fields. It's amazing how birds conserve food in the orchard for when it's really needed.

The visit confirmed that coverage is not needed unless the ground is frozen.

3M Fieldfare

Total: 5 (1)

Blackbird - 2 (1)
Dunnock - 1
Fieldfare - 1
Robin - 1

Stanhoe Orchard - 28th November 2024

 A calm morning with frost saw us return to the orchard. It was a frustrating time as some 300 Fieldfare were feeding, but now where our nets were set. We only got singles of Fieldfare and Redwing of the main targets for capture amongst the catch of 12 birds.

Total: 9 (3)

Blackbird - 6 (1)
Fieldfare - 1
Greenfinch - 1
Great Tit - 0 (1)
Redwing - 1
Wren - 0 (1)