Waders and terns in North Norfolk

Had a good outing to Cley and Titchwell today. The return passage of waders has started already, with non/failed breeding Black-tailed Godwits, Spotted Redshanks, Ruffs, and a Lesser Yellowlegs all putting on a show.
Along with 3 Spoonbills, there was a Lesser Yellowlegs was at Cley which showed constantly from Dauke's Hide.







On Arnold's Marsh was a couple of adult Roseate Terns (below) and some Arctic Terns. I took some video of the Roseates which is embedded below from YouTube.



Roseate Tern video (nearest bird)















On to Titchwell and there was plenty to look at, but nothing too rare. Many birds have young now, like Avocets and the Black-headed Gulls below.




There was a nice montage of adult Ruffs, having returned from their leks and now starting to moult. There were 3 together, which showed much of the variation between them, namely, white, black, and chestnut individuals.


A black male Ruff



A black and a white Ruff together



A white Ruff



Chestnut Ruff (above and below)

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Shrike-tastic!

A morning out around East Norfolk on Sunday 22 June was quite good. I popped round to see a Lesser Grey Shrike, just south of Hickling village, near Stubs Mill. It was feeding around a sheep paddock.






Also, at nearby Sea Palling, a long staying male Red-backed Shrike showed well for all. There was also a Marsh Warbler singing quite close to the site, but I had to shoot off to pick Angela up, so I'll have to save that one for another day (or year).

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This week

A steady week in between showers with more LRP Chicks Ringed. Also Gt Spotted Woodpeckers

Song Thrushes lots of Gt Tit young. 2 Nests of Swallows and a nest of 3 Grey Wagtails.

Here's one i did earlier

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Buzzards, Kites, Merlin,

A Quite week last week for me with a couple of Swallow broods ringed another 2 Common Sandpiper chicks and a few more Tree Sparrows. Andy and Pete very busy in the evenings with Merlins, Kites, Buzzards, and Curlews.

10 Broods of Buzzard ringed and 10 Red Kite ringed from 4 nests.

Pictures to follow

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Kestrels and Swallows

Good to get out with Andy again, 7 Kestrel Chicks ringed and over 20 Swallow pulli as well.

some shots of prey taken from 1 kestrel box { and put back in again}

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Sparrows and Sandpipers

Back to Clifton on Friday with another 7 fledged Tree Sparrows ringed and one adult bird. Bringing the total of juveniles ringed up to 21 and Adults up to 13. Since December i have only caught 2 Tree Sparrows twice. As with the young i have only caught two young birds twice and have visited the site twice weekly for 3 weeks. Also ringed Greenfinches, Chaffinches and Gt Tits.

Common Sandpipers seem to be breeding well with 6 chicks ringed this week also 2 more Wheatear ringed. Andy is back from his jollys so off to see how the rest of our boxes are doing tomorrow.

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Tree Sparrows fledged

A good couple of days up at my Tree Sparrow Site with 10 Fledged Tree Sparrow ringed and 2 new adult birds ringed as well. Also Greenfinchs, Gt Tits, Chaffinchs, and Dunnocks. Also spent a morning with Theo at Otley Gravel Pits , where we had 3 Reed Warblers one a male retrap from 2006. Also Song Thrush, Blackbird, Willow Warbler and Reed Bunting.

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Last Two Weeks

Breeding Season in full swing with Pete finding More Merlin Nests and Leos as well as all the nest Boxes with Tits and Pied Flycatcher. I Have a Blue Tit with 12 Young in one box and Gt Tits with different broods some with 4 some with up to 10. Also waders ringed include 3 Lrps and 5 more Common Sandpipers ohh and some more Wheatears.

Tawny Owl we ringed 2 week ago

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