Lamsdell Bird Ringing and Wildlife Blog: Minsmere

Sunday 8 May 2011

Minsmere - 30 April 2011

The first visit for a few years was rewarded with a nice adult White-winged Black Tern, which pleasantly was not anticipated and bumped into without prior knowledge that it was there. The day also gave us good views of Bittern, Water Rail, Nightingale (showing well for once) and Bearded Tit. Eight Mediterranean Gulls were also seen and seem tobe becoming more frequently seen in UK Black-headed Gull colonies. The slightly disappointing thing of the day, whilst they are a nice goose to see mid winter in flocks, virtually every bit of island habitat on the scrapes had a pair of Barnacle Geese on them.

A young brood of Mallards head towards Island Mere hide

Pair of Teal

One of the many feral Barnacle Geese nesting on the reserve.

Small Copper

About us

Chris and Denise Lamsdell

We have both been birders for about 40 years based in South Bucks near the West London reservoir complexes.

Since September 2021 we have been based in North Norfolk. We have done our bit of twitching in the past, but with other priorities this has become a much reduced activity with a preference for seeing new birds where ever our travels take us.

We both have been ringing since 2005. Our local group was the Runnymede RG while based in Buckinghamshire. Since moving to Norfolk we have started a new group called The Iceni Bird Monitoring Group, aimed at increasing public engagement through colour ringing projects on Black-headed Gull, Turnstone and Lapwing. We ring at several sites including Sculthorpe Moor, Sandringham Estate, Deepdale Farm and also monitor bird populations for the Norfolk Rivers Trust. We do ringing at home and support with foreign projects when opportunities allow. Chris also has an interest in Butterflies and Dragonflies and contains his limited photographic skill to them.