Lamsdell Bird Ringing and Wildlife Blog: Baconsthorpe, Castle Wild Camp

Friday 1 December 2023

Baconsthorpe, Castle Wild Camp - 1st December 2023

The weather forecast was a little off today with lower windspeed than we were expecting. We would have chosen another site that is less sheltered had we known but as it turned out the capture of a Firecrest made us pleased to have tried this site in spite of us all getting frozen as we took the nets down.

3M Firecrest

By 10:15 when this photo was taken we were quite concerned about the heavy cloud heading in our direction. A check on the Weather24 app confirmed incoming snow followed by rain. The nets were all pushed up first but the snow started as we took down.

We caught no birds after about 10'o'clock so 25 new and 2 retraps wasn't too bad. Team consisted of CL, DKL, DKH and for the first time OHK.

Total: 25 (2)

Blackbird - 8
Redwing - 6
Wren - 0 (1)
Robin - 0 (1)
Goldcrest - 6
Firecrest - 1
Blue Tit - 2
Great Tit - 2

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.