Barn Owl ringing - 19th August 2026

 Today we ringed the last of our Barn Owls for the year. The three were a late brood in one of the barns on the Sandringham estate, bringing the total of Sandringham young ringed this year to 47. 

Including the other sites brings the pulli Barn Owl ringed figure up to 99. A very good year, although unlike most sites last year, Sandringham birds did quite well in 2025, bucking the national trend.

Sadly one of this year's cohort has already been reported as a road casualty just 17 days after ringing.

Oldest, P4 =56.6

Middle chick, P4 = 37.2

Youngest chick, P4= 25.2

And that's the last one safely back in the box.

Norfolk Rivers Trust, Ingoldisthorpe - 16th August 2026

 A first morning session at this site for the autumn and it seems that it's possible to get almost the same in terms of quantity, whether you do 6 hours in the morning or 3 hours in the evening with half the number of nets!

The morning had a rather quiet feel to it and we finished on 41 birds.

Juvenile Cetti's Warbler

Juvenile Song Thrush

Total: 37 (4)

Blackcap - 2
Cetti's Warbler - 1 (1)
Chiffchaff - 2
Dunnock - 2
Reed Warbler - 11
Robin - 1
Sedge Warbler - 1 (2)
Song Thrush - 1
Whitethroat - 10
Wren - 6 (1)

Norfolk Rivers Trust, Ingoldisthorpe - 14th August 2026

 A short session for roosting birds brought details of 39 birds to the sheet. Leading species was Swallows, with a few Reed and Sedge Warblers. The Pied Wagtails were dropping straight down into the reedbed, many avoiding the nets and a single Reed Bunting was a surprise.

Juvenile Pied Wagtail yarelli

Juvenile Sedge Warbler

Total: 38 (1)

Pied Wagtail - 3
Reed Bunting - 1
Reed Warbler - 4
Sedge Warbler - 7 (1)
Swallow - 23

Sculthorpe Moor - 14th August 2026

 Another session with juveniles dominating the record sheet. Six hours in the field, 66 birds captured from three doubles and just one adult, a male Blackcap, ringed. 

Without a doubt adult summer migrants are now well on their way south. The birds being caught in this area, outside of the beavers' enclosure, are juveniles that appear to be moving through in loose flocks. We could see them up in the tall trees, but being inexperienced birds, they responded to the audio-lures and moved into the nets. First net came down around 10:30am with the others away before midday.

Two of three Willow Warblers on the day.

One of 30 juvenile Chiffchaffs

     The site is filled with Hemp agrimony (Eupatorium cannabinum) a tall,

      native UK perennial wildflower known for its fluffy pink-purple flower
   clusters and value to pollinators. It grows up to 120 cm tall, blooming
  from July to September in damp meadows, marshes, and pond edges.

Total: 64 (4)

Blackcap - 11
Chiffchaff - 29 (1)
Great Tit - 1
Reed Warbler - 13 (3)
Robin - 1
Sedge Warbler - 3
Willow Warbler - 3
Wren - 3

Sculthorpe Moor Discovery day - 12th August 2026

 Today we ran a demonstration for families close to the visitor centre. The event was running between 10am and 12:30pm, however we managed, despite the time and heat, to get a few birds to talk about.

Total: 17

Blackbird - 1
Blackcap - 2
Blue Tit - 6
Dunnock - 2
Robin - 1
Wren - 5

Burnham Deepdale - 11th August 2026

 The site seemed rather quiet as the five nets were set up. Perhaps it was due to the two roosting Barn Owls that we disturbed, or maybe just because the breeding birds had finished. The Chiffchaffs had certainly gone and apart from a handful of adult Tits all the captures were juveniles.

Blackcap

Whitethroat

Coal Tit

3M Green Woodpecker

Total: 48 (3)

Blackbird - 1
Blackcap - 10 (1)
Blue Tit - 2
Coal Tit - 5
Goldcrest - 0 (1)
Great Tit - 1 (1)
Green Woodpecker - 2
Long-tailed Tit - 6
Robin - 2
Song Thrush - 1
Whitethroat - 13
Wren - 5

Ringstead Down - 10th August 2026

 An afternoon walk in between a very nice lunch at the Castle Rising tearooms and not so pleasant shopping at Tesco's in Fakenham. There had been a Queen of Spain Fritillary seen there, but that wasn't the reason for the visit since Chris found and photographed the Queen of Spain at Holkham a few weeks ago and had seen the Ringstead ones previously. We were just looking at butterflies and dragonflies in general and enjoying an unusual area of North Norfolk countryside not usually seen.

Clouded Yellow

Hummingbird Hawkmoth at rest

A real blast from the past - old NWT sign and logo

Red Admiral

Ringstead Down

Chalkhill Blue

Small White

Wall

Migrant Hawker

Many of the wild flowers have gone over now and apart from whites, butterflies are not as plentiful as a few weeks ago. We didn't find the Fritillary but were very pleased with the Chalkhill Blue. Fingers crossed for a second Norfolk colony.