Lamsdell Bird Ringing and Wildlife Blog: Stanhoe Orchard- 12th December 2022

Monday, 12 December 2022

Stanhoe Orchard- 12th December 2022

Our first outing to the orchard this winter. We were surprised to hear so many Redwing at the site, there having been none at all last winter. Blackbird numbers were also good, and a large flock of Fieldfare right down the bottom of the orchard away from our netting area.

We noticed that there seemed to be plenty of windfalls, even some fruit still on the frosty boughs.

We put up three triples and were soon catching. Today we were joined by DKH and FB, both licenced to catch and monitor various seabirds, but relatively new to mist netting.

4M Fieldfare

A number of Norfolk varieties attract many winter birds to this orchard

3M Brambling

A good number of thrush species provided some comfortably sized birds for FBs diversification into mist netting with a few smaller (fiddly compared to auks) species, allowing more development.

Totals: 62

Robin - 4
Blackbird - 16
Fieldfare - 4
Redwing - 22
Blue Tit - 2
Great Tit - 2
Greenfinch - 3
Brambling - 4
Chaffinch - 2
Goldfinch - 3

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.