Calm weather and temperature forecast to be no lower than 2 degrees took us to Sculthorpe for evening ringing. We started off with an attempt to attract the Linnets at roost, although this failed and they went in a short distance from the net, we did get a few Reed Buntings. A couple of nets were put up for Snipe and we managed to get two, although we found that an unexpected freezing fog came in and nets had to be taken down. A thermal assisted walk showed 3 Woodcock in a grassy meadow of which one was captured, the first of the season. We didn't get any owls although there was a lot of ..read more

 A visit just to check on the food in the orchard and see how many thrushes were around. We put a few nets up, but due to there being no frost caught very little. There were still Fieldfares around, not many Redwing and no finches at all, there were thrushes around but feeding was concentrated on the surrounding fields. It's amazing how birds conserve food in the orchard for when it's really needed. The visit confirmed that coverage is not needed unless the ground is frozen. 3M Fieldfare Total: 5 (1) Blackbird - 2 (1) Dunnock - 1 Fieldfare - 1 Robin - 1 ..read more

 A first run out to the orchard to see whether it's likely to be good for thrushes this winter. There is a lot of fruit both on the ground and on the trees, so should be productive in cold weather, as long as the frosts and snow do not arrive with strong winds. For today there were hundreds of thrushes passing through, although most only stopped briefly and did not feed before moving on. Nice to get a Blackbird from 2 years ago. 3M Green Woodpecker Two Blue Tits looked rather dusky and less clean than the usual colouration. Total: 20 (2) Blackbird - 1 (1) Blue Tit - 6 (1) Chaffinc ..read more

 Another successful attempt at daylight thermalling for Jack Snipe resulted in the capture of an adult and juvenile. This allowed for some nice comparison photos. Adult on right with cleaner, more extensive pale feathering on head Undertail coverts, brown streaks along shafts of some feathers for adult,  very little on undertail coverts of juvenile Juvenile has narrower white tips to primary coverts More strongly marked throat feathers on adult There was quite a weight difference between these two, adult 48.4g and juvenile a very healthy 73.3g ..read more

 CL has now started thermalling some evening while I try for owls if the weather is suitable. Photos are not usually good as we will not use flash photography. Nice to get a daytime Jack Snipe this afternoon. Age 3 Jack Snipe Processed and back in the field Total: 1 Jack Snipe - 1 ..read more

 Very pleasing to have Redwing as the leading species, counting new birds only, Reed Bunting was second. Ringing team of CL, PWL, DKL, EGB & GN. Age 3 Redwing with pale areas on feather tips Total: 41 (5) Blackbird - 1 Blue Tit - 5 (2) Cetti's Warbler - 1 Dunnock - 1 Goldcrest - 0 (1) Great Tit - 2 (1) Long-tailed Tit - 4 (1) Redwing - 20 Reed Bunting - 6 Wren - 1 ..read more

 A calm morning with frost saw us return to the orchard. It was a frustrating time as some 300 Fieldfare were feeding, but now where our nets were set. We only got singles of Fieldfare and Redwing of the main targets for capture amongst the catch of 12 birds. Total: 9 (3) Blackbird - 6 (1) Fieldfare - 1 Greenfinch - 1 Great Tit - 0 (1) Redwing - 1 Wren - 0 (1 ..read more

 A session at the orchard to try for winter thrushes. There were plenty of windfalls but not as many birds feeding as we had expected given the weather conditions. The number of Blackbirds seen was a possible indicator of a recent arrival of birds from Scandinavia. There were very few tits or finches about, although Brambling was heard briefly. No Starlings visited during the duration of our visit. Woodcock flushed during setting up with Sparrowhawk, Kestrel and two Buzzards seen. Ringing team - CL, DKL, CJH 3F Fieldfare 3M Blackbird Total: 28 Blackbird - 14 Dunnock - 1 Fieldfare - 6 ..read more

 Every year we get a large (for us) team together to monitor Mute Swans. This is part of the continuing project lead by Mike Reed to assess swan movements and longevity. We make capture of birds in their hatch year a priority as they are of a definite known age and they also provide an insight into productivity for that year. The team for today was MR, CL, DKL, PWL, DMD, CVG, PAM, EPL, CJH and EGB. Swans were captured by hand, ringed and fitted with individually identifiable darvic leg markers at Whitlingham Country Park, Hoveton bridge, Wroxham Broad and Potter Heigham. The individually ..read more

Reports this afternoon of a Water Pipit marked on 26/11/2020 being observed at Strumpshaw Fen. The bird was ringed at Cantley beet factory, Norfolk by Stephen Vickers of UEA RG and the observation is a new longevity record, in the UK, for this species. Two other birds have exceeded the current record published up to 2023 as shown below from the British Trust for Ornithology website. However, the sight records of birds at Lytchett Bay, Dorset and Lakenheath, Suffolk from the start of 2024 have been superseded by 1N at Strumpshaw. Water Pipit  Anthus spinoletta    &nb ..read more