Dersingham Bog - 14th March 2025

 This was an attempt to target Stonechats for our colour ringing project. There used to be a project on Stonechats that ran up until the pandemic. Now the staff have asked that we resume efforts studying Stonechats on the bog.

The first bird captured was a new female.

6F Stonechat

She was recaught a couple of times, at two other locations. She appears to be unpaired at present and seeking a mate.

The second bird had been seen a few times before capture, but we were unable to make out the colour ring combination. Once caught we could see that the individual code was in fact red and purple although a considerable degree of fading had occurred since they were fitted before the bird fledged the nest. The rings were also gaping and at risk of being lost. He had those removed and a new darvic ring fitted.

6M Stonechat ringed in the nest 17/06/2019 with no other sightings.

The last bird of the morning carried an incomplete colour ring code with one of the rings missing. 

The rings were removed and a new darvic ring fitted.

6M Stonechat ringed as a pullus, 26/06/2018 in the nest with no recorded sightings. The age of this bird exceeds the previous Stonechat longevity (6years, 1 month and 30 days) record by several months.

This particular bird has caught the wardens' eyes as it has a lot of white on the rump.

Old colour rings, faded and gaping, passed their best.

Totals: 2 (2)

Stonechat - 1 (2)
Wren - 1

Holt Sewage Works - 9th March 2025

 A short session at the sewage works where the site is sheltered by hedges along all boundaries. No invitation to trainees as health and safety training is required along with a fluorescent vest and steel toe-capped boots.

We didn't expect much as so many birds are responding to the spring weather, either returning to summering grounds or preparing for the breeding season. We managed 10 birds from the four nets up (we are limited as to where nets can be placed here), using natural thoroughfares between vegetation and also using the course of a stream.

Male Goldcrest

Total: 10

Blue Tit - 2
Chiffchaff - 2
Goldcrest - 4
Robin - 1
Wren - 1

A farm in North West Norfolk - 4th March 2025

 As sometimes happens, a large flock of birds was disturbed by us setting the nets. They mostly moved off and the mornings catch was disappointing considering the number of birds we had seen.

Female Reed Bunting with UW(BX) darvic

The leading species was Reed Bunting and all received a coded darvic ring. 

Total: 8 (4)

Dunnock - 0 (3)
Reed Bunting - 7 (1)
Robin - 1

Deepdale Farm - 3rd March 2025

 While we can start relatively early in the evening, we're trying to make a final push with night ringing before the days draw out and the clocks go forward. It was a very still night. A total of six owls were seen with one captured. We could have probably caught more had we moved the net around, as it was clear that the fence and posts had been claimed by the different pairs and there wasn't much interaction outside of the apparent pairs.

CL tried thermalling in the marsh fields and caught a Woodcock, two Skylark and a Meadow Pipit giving us four species, the most diversity of species to date during a night time session.

One of two Skylarks captured

Age 5 Woodcock

Barn Owl (unsexed as it behaved the way birds that present as male do, but there were a few spots under the wings, no buffy gorget and the mantle was a dark golden colour and tail barring not very light)

Total: 5

Barn Owl - 1
Meadow Pipit - 1
Skylark - 2
Woodcock - 1

A farm in North Norfolk - 2nd March 2025

Making the most of the bunting flock while it lasts. The numbers had dropped considerably and we didn't see any Reed Buntings at all with very few Chaffinch. Most of the activity was of feeding Yellowhammers and Linnets. EGB got experience of a new species and practiced using a grip suitable for photographing birds.

5F Yellowhammer

Total: 14

Chaffinch - 1
Goldfinch - 1
Yellowhammer - 12

Texel, Netherlands 27th and 28th February 2025.

Three nights away (2 on the ferry) trying for the Spectacled Eider, followed up with looking at geese and birding in general.

This may not be the best of shots given the limitations of my camera but it raining heavily. Chris did a bit better than me. 

Spectacled Eider, Texel, Netherlands 27th February 2025

We went on two other occasions but it was either missing (there were 100s of Edderfuglen to check through) or it was even further out. 

The whole island is a haven for wildfowl and we spent some time looking at geese, ducks and waders. Also saw at least 3 Hen Harrier, several Buzzards, some unexpected Stonechats and a few colour marked birds but were unable to get full codes on all of them.

Colour ringed Oystercatcher one of two marked birds in the roost.

Roosting Avocets

Brent Geese

Spoonbill

White-fronted Geese

Kestrel

Black-necked Grebe

Crocuses

Greylag neck collar GW(H138)

A landscape of waterlogged fields and ditches

Hen harrier

No colour rings at the harbour

No amount of scanning the Wadden Sea could find the Spectacled Eider 

when the weather improved

Barnacle Geese

We refer to the Netherlands as the land of bicycles. There were fewer about 

due to the weather, but still plenty of windmills to see.

On our way back to the Hook of Holland ferry, just 15 minutes away from the Texel ferry back on the mainland, we picked up 17 Smew, a bird rarely seen in the UK these days in any numbers.

Male Smew

A farm in North Norfolk - 26th February 2025

 A short session starting at 7am and ending with rain. We were expecting the weather front and hoped to get 4 hours in before the weather forced an early finish. As it happened the clouds were gathering from before 10am, so a double that had failed to catch was taken down mid session leaving only two doubles to take in once the rain started. 

We still managed 17 birds, and that included new species for both LC (relatively new with new species easy to come by) and CJH (more experienced with opportunities for new species being less frequent).

5M and  6M Linnets, 

note depth of V in tail in addition to retrices shape.

6M and 5M Linnet

Yellowhammer female

The rain was starting by 10:30am and we were packed up and off site before the worst of the rain at 10:45am.

Ringing team CL, DKL, CJH, LC

Total: 17

Dunnock - 2
Goldfinch - 2
Linnet - 2
Reed Bunting - 3 (colour ringed)
Yellowhammer - 8

Deepdale Farm - 25th February 2025

 A few hours in the evening at Deepdale after the rain . The wind got up a bit and the first net up while Chris was out with the thermal failed to catch any of the owls that I saw, but he did get a Woodcock and Skylark. 

Adult Woodcock

We then moved on to the barn where owls have been seen hunting. This is also the site of an A-frame nest box. We caught a beautifully pale male entering the barn in the first 5 minutes. He was already ringed and having access to DemOn we know it was ringed as a pullus in 2017. Details from PWL who works in partnership with ringer - he was from Marsh House Farm in Burnham Overy. One of three young ringed 3rd July 2017. No other records for him.

Total: 2 (1)

Barn Owl - 0 (1)
Skylark - 1
Woodcock - 1

A farm in North Norfolk - 17th February 2025

 We spotted a window of opportunity, no rain and lowish wind so took it! It all started so well, but the wind freshened and strengthened not long after 9am and the promising start soon dwindled to no captures as the nets billowed in the wind.

We were fortunate to get 13 birds before the weather took against us.

Team CL, DKL & CJH.

5M Yellowhammer

Both 6M birds with differing degrees of colour intensity.

Totals: 13

Chaffinch - 1
Dunnock - 2
Goldfinch - 1
Yellowhammer - 9

Gran Canaria - 1st to 9th February 2025

A week away with the focus of seeing Canary Blue Chaffinch on Gran Canaria now that birds on this island have been split from the ones on Tenerife. There was also the possibility of a long staying vagrant, present for a couple of years now.

We started off by staying at the Parador de Tejeda up in the mountains above 1000m altitude. We arrived in howling wind and rain just before 11pm, having endured an hours delay on the plane while attempts were made to close a cargo bay door then after arrival, over an hour at the car hire firm where they tried to foist an 8 seater minivan, then low saloon car on to us rather than the Kuga SUV we had booked. 

The next day we awoke to complete cloud, seeing nothing beyond the balcony. The first morning was spent in the spa. In the afternoon, we tried a couple of picnic sites, Llanos de la Pez and Bailico for the Blue Chaffinch, but being a Sunday the locals were all having picnics in the damp cold conditions. The Ravens were not in the least put off and we got some nice photos of those, and some small flocks of Canaries. We also saw and heard some African Blue Tits, brighter than ours and with a slightly different voice than we are used to.

Raven

The next day we went to the picnic sites again, managing to see the Blue Chaffinch at Bailico, despite low cloud.

Male Blue Chaffinch

The afternoon a trip north down out of the tops, leaving the mist/fog behind, where at Charas de San Lorenzo we picked up Blue-winged Teal.

There are plenty of abandoned chickens around Norfolk and it turned out Tejeda was no different.

No problems seeing this guy and his hens in the cloud.

The damp conditions along lichens and mosses to grow on tree trunks
and rocks, as well as fences.

A rare sight of sun as the rain and cloud continued providing some interesting effects 

to be seen from the room and restaurant.

Cloud settling between the ridges and valleys

A run out on our 3rd day to Barranco de La Virgen to find Laurel Pigeon was to a beautiful area where most of the Fincas seemed to be abandoned.

Flowering Money plant, we have one of these in our kitchen but it's much, much smaller.

Laurel Pigeons favour the Eucalyptus Trees.

Canaries Chiffchaff

Canaries Chaffinch

Still shrouded in cloud by the end of our four days at Tejeda

we had one last look at the picnic sites as we left on our way into the heat and sunshine.

Canaries

Picnic site

The day continued with a drive to a lower altitude, checking out the picnic sites again on an unusually bright sunny day, picking up Gran Canary Blue Chaffinch this time at Llanos de la Pez. 

We continued down via some very narrow and winding roads, favoured by cyclists, often speeding along and not always on their side of the road. It was enough of a worry in a car, really didn't fancy meeting any head on. We did manage to pick up a (Barbary) Peregrine Falcon above a ridge near Agualatente.

 

Once at our second location, the first attempt was made at Plays del Ingles - Parque Romantico for the Sudan Golden Sparrow, and we failed. The grounds of Parque Romantico were undergoing a major clean up and scrub clearance, and it was nowhere to be seen and had been absent for a few days.We were fortunate to get a fly over Hoopoe (and a parking space). Not a site we would want to visit to many times, what with the scrub clearance, fresh paint smell and lack of parking.

We then continued to the lagoon Dunas de Maspalomas. Very nice birds, if a little like a zoo with the excellent ice cream stall and fence to separate beachgoers from the birds, being located right in the middle of the main tourist area.

    Glossy Ibis

Great White Egret

Another day, our 5th, and the second try for the Sparrow.

African Collared Dove

Canaries palms, always straight trunked with a bulging crown where the leaves emerge.

Sudan Golden Sparrow

Success! We had given up all hope of finding the bird around the tennis courts or in with the workmen at the hotel. We began checking the sparrow flocks and found it in a bottle brush tree with Spanish Sparrows.

There was a bit of driving round to check lagoons, mostly empty or inaccessible. Chris did find a relatively unspoilt open area, Juncalillo de Sur good for a walk where Great Grey Shrike and Berthelot's Pipit were present. There was also a lagoon close to the beach with a Curlew Sandpiper and a few plovers. 

Curlew Sandpiper

Mediterranean Short-toed Larks and Trumpeter Finch managed to evade us.

Another visit to Maspalmas, mostly with the same species.

Spoonbill

Moorhen

Monk Parakeets

Whimbrel 

Our 6th day and we took another walk at Barranco del Polvo and got some good close views of Spectacled Warblers and Great Grey Shrike.

Spectacled Warbler

Great Grey Shrike with prey.

 A run over to Arinaga to try for the Spotted Sandpiper brought a few other coastal species too.

Turnstone

Sanderling

Sally Lightfoot Crab 

Spotted Sandpiper (record shot)

A visit to a farm lagoon at El Matorral where we were given an indication they were about to lock up, managed only to bring a heard Trumpeter Finch that evaded showing itself.

Our last day took us back to Juncalillo del Sure, which like other sites failed to yield Mediterranean Short-toed Lark or Trumpeter Finch. A few additional waders were seen..

Grey Plover and Bar-tailed Godwit

Berthelot's Pipit

  Vagrant Emperor

Red-veined Darter

By this point, we're running out of places to visit, especially as the park, Parque Tony Gallardo which we had hopped might hold the odd Dragonfly was only open Monday-Friday 08.00 - 13.30, and good bird locations were running low, so went for a historical site, just in case it might have Rock Sparrow or Trumpeter Finch, it did not.

Roman Aquaduct, Fataga