Morston - 20th September 2025

 After a spell of windy weather we took a chance on Morston this morning. We were expecting the gusts to pick up quite quickly, but the presence of a sea fret also seemed to influence the coastal wind flow and nets were more wind affected than we would have hoped from early on.

Meadow Pipit

We caught our first Meadow Pipits of the autumn. Dunnocks were moving through again, as were Stonechats, although whether they were heading south or on an extended feeding circuit is as yet unclear. Stonechats seem to peak in numbers at around 10am, then drop off again. We have darvic marked 10 at Morston this year and none have been seen or recaught so far.

3F Stonechat

The catch consisted of 11 species including departing summer migrants Blackcaps, Chiffchaffs and a Whitethroat with fat score 3, indicating it is preparing for a relatively lengthy flight, rather than a short hop along the coast.

Juvenile Whitethroat with fat score of 3, weight 18g.

For most of the morning there was a sustained movement westwards of Swallows.

Totals: 33 (2)

Blackcap - 6
Blue Tit - 5
Cetti's Warbler - 0 (1)
Chiffchaff - 4
Dunnock - 4
Linnet - 1
Meadow Pipit - 5
Reed Bunting - 3
Robin - 1 (1)
Stonechat - 3
Whitethroat - 1

Scolt Head, Norfolk - Update on birds ringed 25th June 2025

 A few more reports of our Mediterranean Gulls and Sandwich Terns.

We didn't have very many local sightings of Med Gulls after fledging. However a couple of birds turned up separately at Beacon Ponds, Kilnsea. There were also 3 individual one day only sightings of birds that passed through Boultham Mere, Lincolnshire, so apparently it's not unusual for them to head off inland. There were a couple of birds reported separately from Red Nab, Heysham on the west coast so perhaps taking into account other records they made a cross country movement. Today a further recovery (bird found dead) at Laytown Beach, Eire.

There have been a lot of Sandwich Tern sightings with birds heading north and south. Most recently there have been sightings from Dawlish Warren. There are certainly sites were a few of our birds get seen, although they are not usually with other marked birds from our project.

Furthest report to date, from Kartong, Gambia - KJ3 has already made it to Africa.

KJ3 recorded at Beacon Ponds, Kilnsea 12/07/2025

Morston - 9th September 2025

 We took our chance to get nets up at the coast. The wind had calmed and any unusual birds that may have been around when flycatchers were popping up along the coast a few days before were long gone. We were surprised to find it rather quiet when we arrived and there were very few captures until around 8'o'clock when we started to see birds feeding along the ditch and in the bramble clumps.

There appeared to have been an influx of Dunnocks and Robins, as there are usually few Dunnocks about and this is the first time we've recorded or even seen Robin there.  Top species was Chiffchaff and a Stonechat and two Reed Buntings were marked for the respective darvic marked projects.

3M Reed Bunting

Thanks to PWL & LC for completing our team of 4.

Total: 38 (2)

Blackcap - 5
Blue Tit - 6
Chiffchaff - 11
Dunnock - 8 (1)
Reed Bunting - 2
Robin - 3
Stonechat - 1
Whitethroat - 1
Wren - 1

Sculthorpe Moor - 8th September 2025

 A quiet morning with only 18 birds processed. Leading species of Blue Tit, quite a late Sedge Warbler, with Cetti's Warbler and Lesser Whitethroat the best of the bunch that were all juveniles.

Cetti's Warbler

Sedge Warbler

Lesser Whitethroat

Total: 18

Blackcap - 4
Blue Tit - 6
Cetti's Warbler - 1
Chiffchaff - 3
Lesser Whitethroat - 1
Reed Bunting - 1
Sedge Warbler - 1
Wren - 1

Dersingham Bog - 6th September 2025

 A few hours this morning focussing on Stonechats and we managed to catch 10. All were marked with red darvics for the project. A few individuals with interesting plumage.

This adult male shows white across the rump as does the following.

Both birds are in full moult, including primary feathers so not quite as smart as usual.

Total:10

Stonechat - 10

Morston - 5th September 2025

 The wind's from the wrong direction for vagrants but our departing summer migrants are skirting the coast so we gave this lovely site within a stones throw of the beach a go with PWL.

The bulk of the catch were migrants with Whitethroat making up just under a third of the catch including a somewhat tardy adult. Blackcaps outnumbered Chiffchaff just, and 4 new Stonechat have us thinking that these are also possibly birds on passage. Linnets, Dunnocks and Wrens represented the resident birds and a Cetti's Warbler was a real surprise, unlikely to have been bred there or nearby and probably on the move.

Adult Whitethroat

Juvenile Cetti's Warbler

3M Stonechat

3JP Stonechat

The winter bird feed crop is coming along nicely.

Total: 33 (2)

Blackcap - 6
Cetti's Warbler - 1
Chiffchaff - 4
Dunnock - 3 (1)
Linnet - 3
Stonechat - 4
Whitethroat - 9 (1)
Wren - 3

Norfolk Rivers Trust, Ingoldisthorpe - 2nd September 2025

 An unexpected first for the group, captured in the third panel of the net. Water rail.

Adult Water rail

Only three Reed Warbler today and all the Sedge already on their way. A few Blackcaps (highest fat score 5) and Chiffchaff representing the outgoing summer migrants.

10 species in total.

Chiffchaff

3M Goldcrest

Total: 28 (3)

Blackcap - 9
Blue Tit - 3
Cetti's Warbler - 0 (1)
Chiffchaff - 8
Dunnock - 0 (1)
Goldcrest - 1
Long-tailed Tit - 1
Reed Warbler - 2 (1)
Water Rail - 1
Wren - 3