Deepdale Farm - 30th October 2024

 Back to the marsh fields where we try for pipits, hoping to catch a Water Pipit for the national project that we coordinate. Again, we failed and with low numbers of meadow pipits present only got two of those. We did mange to get 5 Redwing, all adults, that we'd heard fly over from the direction of the seawall and they were quickly processed and on their way. Once the sun came out we caught 6 Bearded Tits that were coming out to the channel closest to the boundary fence and were quite pleased with a retrapped Cetti's Warbler that had been ringed in August 2022 as a juvenile and not recorded since.

Adult Redwing

Cetti's Warbler, ringed August 2022

Totals: 16 (3)

Bearded Tit - 6
Blue Tit - 1
Cetti's Warbler - 0 (1)
Goldcrest - 0 (2)
Great Tit - 1
Meadow Pipit - 2
Redwing - 5
Reed Bunting - 1

Morston - 29th October 2024

 The morning started with drizzle that was not in the forecast. We continued to put up a triangle for Meadow Pipits, a double for thrushes, a single in a small copse and a long 2 panel net for Stonechat.

The weather soon cleared and we captured birds in a slow trickle. There were not many pipits about, thrushes began to appear at around 10am, but did not managed to find our net with audio-lure. The two panel failed to catch any Stonechats with just a few of the influx of Robins being caught. The single got a few residents. Other birds seen included Marsh Harrier 2, Buzzard 1, Sparrowhawk 1, Stonechat 3+, Great Spotted Woodpecker 1, Linnet approximately 10, and among the arriving birds several Redwing, Blackbird and Chaffinch plus a Brambling.

Meadow Pipit, age 3

Total: 19

 Blue Tit - 3
Dunnock - 1
Great Tit - 2
Meadow Pipit - 6
Reed Bunting - 1
Robin - 4
Wren - 2

 

Sculthorpe Moor - 27th October 2024

 A lovely mix of species from the volunteer hut feeders and two doubles in an area of rush. We were not aware of a Reed Bunting roost being there, but it seems likely as we captured 18. Other interesting species included Cetti's Warbler, Redwing, Bullfinch and Nuthatch. Marsh Tits seem to be thriving as we caught two new ones and two already fitted with project darvics. EGB enjoyed the morning, learning net handling skills and interacting with the public in addition to extracting and ringing.

Female Reed Bunting

3M Cetti's Warbler

Our first Redwing of the winter

3M Nuthatch

It was interesting to learn that there have been sightings of Bearded Tits on the reserve, a species not present here for several years. Particularly as we were observing eruptions of small groups from a reedbed at the coast yesterday.

Total: 74 (14)

Blue Tit - 27 (5)
Bullfinch - 2
Cetti's Warbler - 2
Chaffinch - 1
Coal Tit - 1
Dunnock - 3
Goldcrest - 1
Great Tit - 8 (7)
Greenfinch - 2
Marsh Tit - 2 (2)
Nuthatch - 2
Redwing - 1
Reed Bunting - 18
Robin - 1
Wren - 3

Deepdale Farm - 26th October 2024

Still no large numbers of autumn migrants coming through so we focused on the few Meadow Pipits on the marsh fields. We got five with a bonus Rock Pipit, the second for the group. We also had a small single through a hedgerow. 

During the morning small groups of Bearded Tit started to erupt from the reedbed of the adjacent land. We thought it might be worth trying for them although we had no reedbed to encourage them into.  Some birds were seen to return back to their reedbed and having erected the least promising net possible, we captured 5.

2M Bearded Tit

2F Bearded Tit

The Bearded tits appeared to be paired up and 3 pairs were caught, although one male escaped the net. These were a new species for the group and for CVG, as was the Rock Pipit.

Rock Pipit, age 3

Total: 21 (2)

Bearded Tit - 5
Blue Tit - 3
Dunnock - 0 (1)
Goldcrest - 3
Long-tailed Tit - 2 (1)
Meadow Pipit - 5
Rock Pipit - 1
Treecreeper - 1
Wren - 1

A farm in North Norfolk - 25th October 2024

 A brief afternoon out to check a particularly sheltered area for signs that birds might roost there. It became clear that there were not many birds around and the few nets we'd put up at the bottom of the hollow caught only a single male Blackbird, a male Chaffinch and a few Dunnocks. When there are more Reed Buntings and finches in it might be worth another go.

3M Blackbird showing retained juvenile feathers

Total: 5 (1)

Blackbird - 1
Chaffinch - 1
Dunnock - 3 (1)

Baconsthorpe, Castle Wild Camp - 22nd October 2024

 Our first autumn visit of 2024 to this site, after most summer migrants will have left,  showed little  evidence of autumn migrants using the site although a few Lesser Redpolls were seen. There was only a handful of finches present and no winter thrushes or Blackbirds captured with just a single Blackbird seen after the session was finished. 

GN came for a first ringing session..

Total: 19 (6)

Blue Tit - 4 (1)
Chaffinch - 1
Dunnock - 1 (2)
Goldcrest - 4
Long-tailed Tit - 3 (1)
Robin - 3 (1)
Wren - 3 (1)

Salthouse - 17th October 2024

 We continue to try to get out when possible as forecasts change continuously. Today we managed 30 birds at Salthouse. Nothing very exciting, although we did catch someone else's Long-tailed tit and I got experience of extracting a new species. Unfortunately, it wasn't a bird species and the animal in question was a toad. It wasn't the easiest of extractions as toads have the ability to puff themselves up when threatened, making it much harder for me to get its head out of the mesh than when it first went in. Toad released none the worse for wear. So, that was a first for me and a little trickier than extracting frogs.

Age 3 Song Thrush

Also caught the last of 4 cygnets at Salthouse duck pond. 

Totals: 28 (2)

Blackbird - 1
Blue Tit - 11 (1)
Coal Tit - 1
Dunnock - 2
Goldcrest - 1
Great Tit - 3
Greenfinch - 3
Long-tailed Tit - 0 (1)
Robin - 2
Song Thrush - 1
Wren - 3

Plus 0ne Mute Swan cygnet ringed and darvic marked, 4GET - a code to remember.