Marsh Harriers & Barn Owls - 11th June 2026

Rain was due by late morning but some of these Harriers were getting quite large so we took our chance.

There were 4 in the nest, three being quite well grown with the last to hatch rather lagging behind. All were ringed, but due to the size of the fourth chick it was decided not to tag it.

Handling raptors can be so variable. Red Kites, even adults, will just sat in your lap, and be non-aggressive, an indication of their main hunting strategy of scavenging, whereas Marsh Harriers are very aggressive, very active live prey takers, with one of the chicks giving an example of bill use, as it went for the hand, twisted it bill in a tearing motion opening up a small area of the hand.

Smallest chick

Largest chick

All four were returned to the nest.

Then onto a field barn where there were 5 well grown young owls in a box. Again Barn Owls, are relatively unaggressive, apart from occasionally trying to stick their talons onto to you, Tawny Owls can be the opposite, and adults need to be treated with a bit more caution due to their more aggressive nature. 

All five could be ringed.

The youngest of the first Barn Owl brood.

There had been an option for a second check for nesting waders, but the 

vegetation defeated us as the weather began to close in.

The last stop was to a Barn Owl box in a farm yard. The two chicks weren't of a suitable size for ringing yet and had to be left for another day. An Adult was captured at the box and subsequently ringed. By this time rain had set in, earlier than forecast but at least we'd achieved our main objectives.

Totals: 10

Barn Owl - 6 (1 adult and 5 chicks from another brood)

Marsh Harrier - 4 (Three also wing tagged)

Marsh Harriers - 10th June 2026

A morning with PWL and our restricted Raptor & Owl C permit holder DW, to monitor three potential nests at two sites.

The nests was located with the aid of a drone, best practice when monitoring harrier nests, to minimise disturbance to the reedbed. The nest was not quite where we expected as feeding activity had only been observed from a distance, but there were 2 healthy young of a size suitable for ringing.

The first nest had male and female siblings. The second nest appeared to have failed as there was no sign of the adult birds.

The toe span measurement and tarsus width was taken on each bird to to ascertain 

the bird's sex and ensure the correct sized ring was fitted.

Wing measurements and weight were also taken.

Wing tags were fitted before birds were returned to the nest.

The last nest at a separate site had three larger chicks, two definite males and a third that was probably female according to the measurements taken.

Finally birds are returned to the nest.

We extend our thanks to all land owners that support our work by allowing access to their land. All work undertaken under a Schedule 1 licence.

Total: 5

Marsh Harrier - 5 

Barn Owls - 9th June 2026

A day spent checking Barn Owl boxes on a large Norfolk Estate. Around two thirds of the nest sites were covered leaving another 10 or so for another day, hopefully when we won't be dodging the showers.

We were out before 7:30am and home 11 or so hours later. During that time we ringed 27 youngsters and two adults captured leaving boxes. We also found a deceased bird that had been ringed in 2020.

Apart from the owls, one of the best things about sites on these routes is the wonderful assortment of old barns. A few are shown below.

There are plenty of Hares in the fields.

Don't see so many Hedgehogs.

Totals: 31 (1)

Stock Dove - 2
Barn Owl - 29, adult - 2 (plus 1 recovery of a bird ringed as a nestling 2020) and owlets - 27

Beaulieu Oystercatcher radio tracking project - 1st to 3rd June 2026

 CL, DKL, PWL & GD travelled down to meet members of the Game and Wildlife Conservation Trust team to learn about a conservation initiative on Oystercatcher chicks. The project will look as alternative methods of nest protection and also study chick foraging areas and predation.

Currently at the preparation stage, Iceni trainer ringers received training for radio tagging of chicks in order to be able to cascade training for Natural England staff next year.

The challenges facing Oystercatcher productivity on the south coast and in North Norfolk differ somewhat, however the experience of MS, ER and their GWCT team in the study and protection of young waders will be invaluable in setting up the initiative in North Norfolk.

Many thanks to all the team for your time and willing support over the three days, and no doubt into the future.

Photo courtesy of P. Littler. Antennae attachment. The device is then 

camouflaged prior to release.

Photo courtesy of P. Littler. Radio trackers ready 

for preparation for fitting.

The habitat at Beauleiu is rather different to Scolt Head.

Open Farm Sunday Deepdale Farm - 31st May 2026

 This year we had a ringing demonstration followed by a stand at the main event. As usual we were worried that we'd have many birds for the visitors to see at the demo, but 14 of a range of species made for a good visitor experience. 

The two families enjoyed seeing Robins, Dunnocks, Blackcaps, Common and Lesser Whitethroat and a rather unexpected Wood Pigeon. 

The gentleman that released the last bird was surprised by the strength of the wing flaps and subsequent take off!

On then to the stand with information about Sculthorpe Moor and our general ringing activities.

Total: 13 (1)

Blackcap - 2
Dunnock - 2
Lesser Whitethroat - 0 (1)
Robin - 4
Whitethroat - 4
Wood Pigeon - 1

Undisclosed site - 29th May 2026

 In previous years we have been asked to give these birds a wide berth and not look for them, but now there are a few more pairs on the site we got the all clear, and although we missed what would have been the optimum day for finding some due to other monitoring taking place when we had booked to look for pulli, we at least managed this single chick today.

Stone Curlew chick

We also checked a Barn Owl box near by, finding 4 young that well be ready in four weeks or so. The parents were both in the box and the female captured, as she departed, and ringed.

Appropriate licences held for all ringed species.

Total: 2

Barn Owl - 1
Stone Curlew - 1

Sculthorpe Moor - 24th May 2026

 Only 15 birds caught today, but 4 were retraps and it's always nice to get returning summer migrants. The other particularly interesting thing was an adult Marsh Tit already well into primary and secondary moult and that was unexpected. Later in the morning we also caught another Marsh Tit, this time hatched this year but had already completed its post juvenile moult, prompting the question so exactly how early did its parents actually nest and lay eggs!

Adult MARTI, no breeding condition

Primary moult 0000000133

Juvenile Marsh Tit 3O

Adult male Treecreeper

Total: 11 (4)

Blackbird - 1
Blackcap - 2
Jay - 1
Marsh Tit - 2
Robin - 0 (1)
Reed Warbler - 0 (1)
Sedge Warbler - 4 (1)
Treecreeper - 1
Whitethroat - 0 (1)

Eveshill Farm - 22nd May 2026

 The Little Owls would probably be fledged by the time we go back for the Barn Owls so we took a trip down this afternoon.

Both adults were in the box, and 4 eggs had failed to hatch, but there was at least one healthy, decently sized owlet.

Female

Male

Owlet

Total:

Little Owl - 3

Another fortnight and it would definitely have been too late!

Morston - 18th May 2026

We were on site for 05:30am to find the weather forecast had been overly optimistic and it was windier than expected. We kept nets up until 11am and finished on 18 birds of only 4 species.

We thought there may have been Sedge Warblers going through as we seemed to catch rather a lot considering the habitat is not really suitable for breeding. A bird carrying fat score 2 seemed to add weight to that idea.

Whitethroat

Sedge Warbler

Total: 14 (4)

Dunnock - 0 (1)
Sedge Warbler - 7 (1)
Whitethroat - 6 (1)
Wren - 1 (1)

We then checked out some local owl boxes, finding no Barn Owls, but ringing a couple of Jackdaw young from one box, and a brood of 10 Blue Tits from a tit box fitted to the wall of  the barn.

One of two Jackdaw pulli

Sculthorpe Moor - 16th May 2026

To the sight and sound of Cuckoos overhead, CL, DKL and OHK worked the beavers' enclosure this morning. There were 20 birds all told, and we were pleased to retrap a Grasshopper Warbler from last year. It got even better when a Spanish Sedge Warbler was controlled, and considering it's possible to go an entire year without a foreign control, could hardly believe it when a second foreign ring, also on a Sedge Warbler was read. The second bird was ringed under a Moroccan scheme, an extremely good record for Norfolk as few birds ringed under that scheme have been controlled in the UK. Up until 2024 there had only been 6 Sedge Warblers captured, with rings from the Moroccan scheme, in the UK.

Sedge Warbler ringed in Morocco

Sedge Warbler ringed in Spain

Male Grasshopper Warbler, back for a second year.

Just to round the morning off there was also a Jay for OHK.

Total: 11 (9)

Blackbird - 1
Blackcap - 1
Blue Tit - 0 (1)
Grasshopper Warbler - (1)
Great Tit - 1 (1) 
Jay - 1
Long-tailed Tit - 0 (1)
Reed Bunting - 1
Reed Warbler - 1
Robin - 1 (1)
Sedge Warbler - 2 (3 including Spanish and Moroccan ringed birds)
Wren - 2 (1)

Norfolk Rivers Trust, Ingoldisthorpe - 9th May 2026

 On the last chance to get out before a spell of poor weather we managed 22 birds, including 7 retraps, a couple being their third year of capture.

Reed Warbler

Male Whitethroat

The male Barn owl was hunting but disappeared quite quickly as he was successful within 2 minutes of turning up, and after sitting in the trees by our base for a short while, set off, presumably for one of the boxes on the farm, with the vole that he'd caught.

Total: 15 (7)

Blackcap - 4
Cetti's Warbler - 0 (1)
Chiffchaff - 2 (1)
Reed Warbler - 3 (2)
Sedge Warbler - 3 (1)
Song Thrush - 1
Whitethroat - 2 (1)
Wren - 0 (1)

Deepdale Farm - 7th May 2026

 Finally possible to get out following my operation we started with a small and relatively easy site. We put up 5 nets and managed 23 birds.

We had fewer retraps than expected and the Whitethroats were a bit of a surprise as they have usually used the field next to us, but that has no bird seed crop currently probably explaining the switch to nettles and brambles for feeding areas.

Whitethroat

Lesser Whitethroat

Total: 17 (6)

Blackcap - 3
Blue Tit - 1 (1)
Chiffchaff - 0 (3)
Dunnock - 0 (2)
Lesser Whitethroat - 3
Long-tailed Tit - 1
Whitethroat - 7
Wren - 2

Deepdale Farm - 14th April 2026

 A windy return to Deepdale after the Whitethroats heard at Morston yesterday promised the chance of more Whitethroats at Hilly Piece. Unfortunately the site didn't deliver and there was only a single of that species captured. We did rather better for Blackcaps with several singing when we arrived, but moving on before long. The record sheet tells the tale with only 2 birds ringed after 9:20am.

Female Blackcap

Total: 12 (5)

Blackcap - 8
Blue Tit - 0 (1)
Chiffchaff - 1 (2)
Dunnock - 0 (1)
Song Thrush - 1
Whitethroat - 1
Wren - 1 (1)