A farm in North-west Norfolk - 25th February 2024

 A windier day than expected and only 17 birds caught. We switched to an adjacent hedgerow but as we might have expected, the flock then simply located to where we would normally site nets.

Observations were of greater interest than the birds captured with female Hen Harrier, Marsh Harrier, 2 Red Kite, 6 Buzzard, Sparrowhawk and 4 Grey Partridge seen, also our first Brimstone butterfly of the year.

5F Reed Bunting

Totals: 13 (4)

Chaffinch - 2
Dunnock - 5
Goldfinch - 1
Great Tit - 1
Long-tailed Tit - 1 (2)
Reed Bunting - 1
Robin - 1 (1)
Wren - 0 (1)
Yellowhammer - 1

There was quite a lot of activity from the Hares on the fields.

A farm in North Norfolk - 17th February 2024

 A morning spent with PWL & EGB at this very good farmland winter site. There are still lots of birds on site but the behaviour is changing and small flocks of finches and buntings are now moving between bird crop areas rather than there being some birds in all areas at any one time. The hedges were trimmed in January and topping of the bird crop has now started leaving any nets much more obvious with less vegetation to disguise their presence.

We managed to catch 19 birds altogether. Ten were new, and half of these Dunnocks, including a female already with BP2. Amongst the retrap birds were another 5 Dunnocks and a Reed Bunting that we had ringed on 7th November, our first day of monitoring here. 

CL made a brief survey of the fields and wood with the thermal imager and found no signatures for Woodcock at all. They had been very jumpy when he tried dazzling on two evenings in the previous week, usually a sign that they will soon leave their wintering grounds and the mid weather may have already induced them to depart.

We are very grateful to the landowner who had granted access for monitoring to take place on his land.

Totals: 10 (9)

Blackbird - 1
Chaffinch - 1
Dunnock - 5 (5)
Long-tailed Tit - 2 (3)
Reed Bunting - 1 (1)

Selbrigg Pond, Norfolk - 15th February 2024

 This morning we visited the pond having gained permission from the land owner to try to catch and mark some of the Marsh Tits there for our new colour ringing project. Woodland birds are habituated to being feed at an area close to the pond so we set just two nets in the woodland and put on tape lures.

The Mute Swan family are still there with the three remaining cygnets, although one of the youngsters seems to be spending a lot of time away from the group. He (we believe) did swim out to the centre of the pond at one point and there seemed to be no animosity between him  and the adult birds. He was seen feeding on pond weed, although he declined to come to food provided by pond visitors. The other two cygnets appear to be of a much slighter build and are probably females. All five birds are much less keen to take advantage of the free food provided by visitors.

We managed to get the first two birds for the Marsh Tit project. Both were hatched last year.

We only caught four birds but two were the target species with a Goldcrest and Coal Tit bycatch.

Total: 4

Coal Tit - 1
Goldcrest - 1
Marsh Tit - 2

A North Norfolk farm (after dark) - 12th February 2024

 Following on from our success last week when CL and I split up to work separately for nocturnal ringing, we tried the same again at this farm site.

Chris went dazzling, seeing 11 Woodcock but none of which he was able to capture. He did however return with a brace of Grey Partridges, the first time handling these birds for both of us. They really are very strong little birds.

Grey Partridge male

Grey Partridge female

While CL was out dazzling, I had the owl net up and through the evening tried Barn Owl, Tawny Owl and mouse. There was a Tawny that gradually worked its way towards the net, but despite CL seeing it on the barn roof, it avoided the net. I did, however, get a Barn Owl recapture. Ringed 16/07/2014, one of a brood of 4, in a box at a barn near Stiffkey.

Total: 2 (1)

Barn Owl - 0 (1)
Grey Partridge - 2

News of one of our Nightingales from the Gambian training expedition for WABSA - 11th February 2024

 During our five week expedition to Gambia to start initial training with some of the West African Bird Study Association only seven Nightingales were ringed. One of these birds was recaptured at Aberton Reservoir on 14/05/2023. FC28402 was controlled 4555km from the ringing location at Tanji Reserve, Gambia. The bird had been ringed by Fagimba Camara.

https://safring.birdmap.africa/ring_info.php?ring=FC28402

See link for details and map.

This is the second control from the birds ringed over a five week period.

A farm in North Norfolk - 10th February 2024

 W e continue to get out whenever possible in between the rain and gusty conditions. Today we were joined by OHK for some farmland ringing. The catch comprised of 34 new birds with Reed Bunting the leading species, two Yellowhammers, a few Robins, Blue Tits, Dunnocks and Long-tailed Tits and a control Reed Bunting.

As usual there were several skeins of Pink-footed Goose overhead. A Woodcock flushed from a wooded area.

Male Reed Bunting

Male Yellowhammer

Totals: 34 (3)

Blue Tit - 3
Dunnock - 7 (1)
Long-tailed Tit - 5
Reed Bunting - 15 ( 2 including a UK control)
Robin - 2
Yellowhammer - 2

Sculthorpe Moor (after dark)- 7th February 2024

 Planned a dual approach for this evening, an unusually calm, dark but not too cold night. We set a 60*60 12m net for owls, and furled just as the light was failing, then gave it an hour before dropping the net and Chris setting off with the thermal and hand net.

Denise -  Flushed a Barn Owl on the first check that skimmed over the net. Changed the player from Barn Owl to Tawny Owl as I could hear them in the distance. Second check, empty net but left the player as I was thinking LEO or SEO was unlikely but would try the mouse lure if nothing next time. On the third check I could see two birds in the net as I approached. Started with the left hand bird, the larger of the two that would have been putting tension on the net had I started with the other. Extraction wasn't too difficult despite the close proximity of the second bird. Once she was bagged started on second bird. He was rather more feisty and clearing the net from the grabbing and clenching talons took a good 10 minutes but achieved with just a small scratch on the tip of one finger. Bagged him and switched tape back to Barn Owl rather than risk attracting either to the rodent sound after release.

She turned out to be a recapture, ringed in May 2014 and was ready for release as Chris was returning, so I waited for him to double check the ring number, then off she went. I let Chris ring him, the first Tawny Owl for Iceni Bird Monitoring Group.

Chris - Took the flowing water tape that helps to disguise the sound of feet moving across rough ground or in this case squelching through water and mud. As it happened the tape stopped working, but this didn't stop him from netting 3 of 9 Woodcock seen. There were no Jack Snipe in evidence, but he did  flush about 30 Snipe, the tape may have made a difference when approaching them.

After the Woodcock (all first winters) were processed we went back to the empty owl net, took it down and were off site by 21:30hrs. A long night but very worthwhile.

The third of three Woodcocks processed

Totals: 4 (1)

Tawny Owl - 1 (1)

Woodcock - 3

A Farm in North Norfolk - 7th February 2024

 Glad to connect with an few Reed Buntings and a Yellowhammer as PWL and CVG joined us for this morning's monitoring. Many more birds on site than went anywhere near the nets.

Observation highlights were hundreds of Pink-footed Geese in flight, a female Hen Harrier past us at hedge height and three Cranes over head that were heading East when picked up, but doubled back. 

Total: 22 (2)

Wren - 1 (1)
Robin - 1 (1)
Dunnock - 5
Blackbird - 1
Long-tailed Tit - 3
Blue Tit - 4
Reed Bunting - 6
Yellowhammer - 1

A farm in North-west Norfolk - 1st February 2024

 A session hoping to target finches and buntings failed to get any of either. A male Kestrel was the best of the bunch. Totals speak for themselves, at least some of the Blackbirds were continental.

Adult male Kestrel

Totals:    23 (13)

Kestrel - 1
Blackbird - 5
Wren - 0 (1)
Robin - 1 (3)
Dunnock - 5 (9)
Long-tailed Tit - 8
Great Tit - 3