Sculthorpe Moor - 23rd July 2026

 Every year, about this time, we do a few evening sessions down near the Sand Martin bank. This is the first year that there has been any interest at the bank at all but numbers never really built up and the few birds there eventually lost interest. So, it was just a matter of seeing if Swallows roosted and picking up a few Reed Warblers moving towards the scape before the end of the day.

We caught 21 new birds, mainly Reed Warblers with a couple of Sedge Warblers, three Reed Buntings that were marked with darvic rings and an unexpected Grasshopper Warbler. He was still in breeding condition and had not begun any form of post breeding moult. Grasshopper Warbler has been reported as heard from this area very recently and we suspect he is still hoping to find a mate and has not bred.

There was a group of 30 or so Swallows overhead but they departed and roosted elsewhere. Not really a surprise with so many suitable roost sites nearby. The presence of a Sparrowhawk will not have assisted with encouraging them to roost.

Control BEF0924, an adult Reed Warbler

3J Cetti's Warbler

Total: 21(4)

Cetti's Warbler - 1
Chiffchaff - 1
Grasshopper Warbler - 1
Reed Bunting - 3
Reed Warbler - 13 (4)
Sedge Warbler - 2

Norfolk Rivers Trust Ingoldisthorpe - 22nd July 2026

 Our second session of the day, this time at Ingoldisthorpe. Nets were  put up between the lagoons in preparation for roosting Wagtails and Swallows. We also discovered that Greenfinch are roosting in the stand of low trees just next to the lagoon complex.

We started ringing birds at 7pm, just after the two doubles and a single had gone up. As the evening drew on, bird activity increased with some birds visiting the ponds to drink and switching from one lagoon to another, and others preparing to roost. It was interesting that both Pied Wagtails and Swallows favoured the most westerly ponds containing water that has already been filtered through at least three ponds earlier in the process before water from the sewage works is returned to the chalk stream. There were plenty of reeds in the other ponds, but the cleaner water seemed to be preferred. We were very pleased to get 77 of 12 species, and just for once get onto a second recording sheet.

Unfortunately the light wasn't too good for photos once the roosting birds came in, but here are some from earlier in the evening.

One of four Whitethroats on the day.

Three Reed Buntings were fitted with darvic rings.

Total: 72 (5)

Blackcap - 6
Blue Tit - 1
Chiffchaff - 1
Greenfinch - 8
Pied Wagtail - 12
Reed Bunting - 3
Reed Warbler - 9 (3)
Sedge Warbler - 9 (2)
Song Thrush - 1
Swallow - 17
Whitethroat - 4
Wren - 1

Sculthorpe Moor - 22nd July 2026

 The forecast shows a brief spell with no rain, moderate temperatures and little wind so we decided to capitalise on the conditions and did the first of two sessions for today. We had two doubles and two single nets up in the beavers' enclosure and considering how quiet it felt were surprised to finish the morning on 51 birds.

The beavers have been taking more small trees done near one of the net rides, but for now they have left us enough vegetation to disguise the nets.

There was a good number of youngsters about, including some very immature Sedge Warblers that were returned to where captured. About 20% of the catch had been ringed before, and that was pleasing. We felt this was a good return for our effort and we wonder what catches might be, once we're able to use audio-lures next month.

Wrens seem to have done well this year.

3JM(P) Blackcap

Total: 41 (10)

Blackcap - 5
Blue Tit - 9 (2)
Chiffchaff - 3(1)
Dunnock - 2
Great Tit - 1 (1)
Marsh Tit - 1
Reed Warbler - 2 (1)
Robin - 2 (2)
Sedge Warbler - 6 (2)
Whitethroat - 2 (1)
Wren - 8

Long-tailed Shrike, Gloucestershire - 20th July 2026

 This bird being somewhat closer than the one that turned up in Fife a short while ago, we decided to go and see it. The heat haze was bad but the bird showed well and the farmer had allowed parking in a nearby field making life in the narrow lanes around the site much easier. With a mainly well behaved group hoping to see it (just the usual few photographers that had to push on closer as usual) it was one of the more civilised twitches we've been at.

Then a little while looking for damselflies and butterflies at Dry Sandford and Parsonage Moor before the drive back.

Common Blue

Southern Damselfly

Keeled Skimmer

Deepdale Farm - 16th July 2026

 An evening try hoping to catch Quail, between the arable fields, as staff had reported seeing them. Unfortunately we saw, heard or caught none so had to be content with the 12 passerines that we caught in what is probably the best 18m net at Hilly Piece. The birds make their way along the hedgerows then cross to the hill, cutting the corner and if we're lucky end up in this net.

After the toils of the breeding season, summer migrant birds, including this Whitethroat, tend not to look

their best as they moult in advance of the migration southwards.

Primary feathers in the process of being renewed, 4332100000

Lesser Whitethroat adult female in body moult

Total: 12

Blackcap - 3
Chiffchaff - 1
Great Tit - 1
Lesser Whitethroat - 1
Whitethroat -4
Wren - 2

Blakeney Point - 11th July 2026

 This morning we joined the warden and staff at Blakeney Point hoping to find Little Terns, Oystercatcher and Ringed Plover chicks suitable for becoming part of three separate projects.

We only got a single Little Tern as the the chicks that we were targeting had actually fledged just before our efforts. Two Oystercatchers received codes with a third only large enough to take a metal ring. Three well grown Ringed Plover chicks became the first colour marked birds that Blakeney Point staff have been able to add to a joint project with the RSPB/NOA.

There may be more Little Terns darviced  over the 

coming days, but for now this is the only one.

Looking for chicks

Total: 7

Little Tern - 1
Oystercatcher - 3
Ringed Plover - 3

Deepdale Farm - 9th July 2026

 This was an early morning visit to trim back the bramble and waist height strands of grass. We had thought that the paths would be kept quite clear by the badgers that move through here, but the rabbits have not been keeping the rides short and some attention was needed especially after the bright sunshine.

CL got to work with the strimmer and I had a single 18m net up. I was fortunate and the net connected with two  mixed flocks of birds moving through, unexpected but one of the benefits of studying a site and knowing how the birds tend to move through. Net opened 8:45am and closed 10:30am.

Juvenile Lesser Whitethroat

Total: 23 (3)

Blackcap - 7 (1)
Blue Tit - 2
Chiffchaff - 3
Goldcrest - 2
Great Tit - 2
Lesser Whitethroat - 1
Whitethroat - 4 (2)
Wren - 2