Dersingham Bog - 23th June 2025

 We needed to try to retrieve the GPS trackers today, so against our better judgement and despite the strong wind gave it a go.

The first nest went very well, female retrapped and tracker retrieved. Two chicks also ringed.

First tracker retrieval accomplished

The second nest was in a much too windy location, and as she is still on eggs we'll try her tomorrow.

The third nest had a sitting bird that we managed to catch. However, it turned out to be the male rather than female. He was not GPS tagged as the chicks have virtually no down left and are fully feathered. They should fledge soon and tracking him is likely to result in non-retrieval of the GPS device. We'll look again tomorrow to see if she is back.

He was a recapture, ringed on the nest on 24th June 2016.

We also ringed and wing-tagged a nest of three Marsh Harrier. All were males.

Totals: 7 (2)

Marsh Harrier - 3 pulli

Nightjar - 4 pulli (2 adults, 1 had GPS tracker retrieved)

Oystercatchers - 20th June 2025

 A call from Anglian Water staff to notify us that the Oystercatchers at Fakenham Sewage Works have two largish youngsters and within a couple of days we're on site to mark them for the project.

Capture was quite quick and they were soon back, wandering around the filterbeds under the watchful eye of their parents.

Total: 2

Oystercatcher (pulli) - 2

Sculthorpe Moor - 20th June 2025

 Fledging is well underway on the moor. Today along with Blackcap, Sedge Warbler, Wren, Great Tit and Blue Tit young, we caught a second female juvenile Kingfisher that had been bred on the reserve and the first absolute proof that Grasshopper Warbler have managed to get young off.

Juvenile Grasshopper Warbler

3F Kingfisher

It is sad that the Marsh Harriers appear to have failed, neither adult having been seen near the nest site for some days now, however other avian families are doing better.

Total: 19 (5)

Blackcap - 4
Blue Tit - 1
Bullfinch - 1
Chiffchaff - 1 (1)
Grasshopper Warbler - 1
Great Tit - 1
Kingfisher - 1
Marsh Tit - 0 (1)
Sedge Warbler - 6 (3)
Reed Warbler - 1
Wren - 2

Dersingham Bog, Nightjar project - 17th June 2025

We are thrilled to be working with Natural England to learn more about Nightjar foraging routes beyond Dersingham Bog, and grateful to Greg Conway of the British Trust for Ornithology for training with regard to fitting and removal of GPS trackers.

We managed to catch three birds and fit tags that will record their movements. Most feeding occurs away from the breeding grounds, so knowledge of areas used by the birds is important, in order to preserve those sites in future years. One area of particular concern is the plan to increase the amount of reedbed along the North Norfolk coast as that may inadvertently destroy areas that the Nightjars depend on for feeding.

GPS tag fitted on adult female

 It is necessary to recapture the bird usually within a week or two, in order to collect the data before the tag falls off, so this work will require a sustained effort during the summer.

Total: 2 (1)

Nightjar - 2 (1) - all received GPS feather mounted trackers.

Marsh Harrier wing tagging - 17th June 2025

 There have been a few disappointments regarding Marsh Harrier this year. A few pairs didn't return to their usual areas and some known nests were predated. It was therefore a relief to tag a brood of three this afternoon. There was a definite male (requiring an F ring) and female (requiring the slightly larger G ring), with a third bird that had a toe span measurement that might have been either male or female. In such cases it is usual to err on the side of caution and fit the larger ring. In this case the weight and wing measurement pointed to it being a female.

Tag fitting of first chick, a definite female.

Processing complete, the chick is ready to be re bagged and wait 

while the other siblings are processed. 

The male weighed 470g compared to the other two at 620g & 670g

The final chick, measured, ringed, tagged and ready for return to the nest.

Total: 3

Marsh Harrier pulli - 3

Sculthorpe Moor - 16th June 2025

 

Captures totalled 31 today, including a Reed Warbler recorded for the third consecutive year. There were juveniles of several species, Wren, Kingfisher, Blue, Great, Coal Tit and also a young Marsh Tit that was fitted with a darvic for the ongoing project.

Some of the Long-tailed and Blue Tits are already starting their primary moult confirming that they've finished breeding.

4M Reed Warbler

Juvenile Marsh Tit

4M Whitethroat

Total: 22 (9)

Blue Tit - 6 (1)
Chiffchaff - 2 (2)
Coal Tit - 1
Great Tit - 3 (1)
Kingfisher - 1
Long-tailed Tit - 2 (2)

Marsh Tit - 1
Reed Warbler - 2 (1)
Robin - 1
Whitethroat - 1
Wren - 2 (2)

Deepdale Farm - 14th June 2025

 After some heavy rain in the night it was quite still at 6am, but soon began to get windier as forecast. Despite the light showers that affected us between about 08:30am and 10:00am, that had not been in the forecast, we managed without any problems and finished on 31 birds.

Recaptures included a Chiffchaff ringed as a 3J in 2022 and caught every year since and a male Yellowhammer ringed in 2022 and not seen since its recapture in June of that year.

Known age Yellowhammer, hatch year 2021

A new Yellowhammer, aged 5, had changed part of its tail.

There were some nice captures of juvenile Long-tailed Tit and Robin, out in largish groups and without any apparent parental supervision.

Red Kite nest, probably with chicks from the behaviour of the adults, also located.

Total: 26 (5)

Blackcap - 1
Blue Tit - 2
Chiffchaff - 5 (2)
Dunnock - 2
Goldcrest - 0 (1)
Long-tailed Tit - 9
Robin - 6
Whitethroat - 0 (1)
Yellowhammer - 1 (1)