Cracking day out and about and it was made even better by bumping into this!

For some reason I decided to look at the 'big white bag' it the top of the wood and was surprised to see that it was a bird and not a bag. Scoped it and realised it was an egret that had to be great white considering its size and the fact I was probably half a mile away from it. The bird was on one of our ringing sites so I called Keith so we could go onto the farm and get closer views to confirm the ID and get some images. Thankfully the bird stayed until Keith and Ann arrived and showed until 16:15 at least. By the time I had got to the car and driven back it had gone. I checked Thornham Harbour and saltmarsh but no sign.

Barn owl, 670 golden plover, 30 yellowhammer and 20 corn bunting were also in the Choseley barns area.

Spent the morning on the reserve and managed to add 2 more species to the yearlist. Grey partridge (116) on the saltmarsh and 2 tree sparrows west at 09:45 (117). Also had snow bunting on the beach, 80+ avocet and this ring-necked x tufted duck hybrid on the fresh marsh.

Good morning ringing at one of our other sites just to the east of Fakenham. It is a great little site with good selection of habitats that pick up a variety of species. Real spring-like weather produced a good number of moving finches with the highlights being 7 siskin (new bird ringed) and 7 goldfinches. Other goodies included a female nuthatch which delighted in drumming Keiths' fingers, and a marsh tit. Ended up with 24 new and 27 re-traps including a controlled goldfinch from another site.

There were also plenty of other bits about including 4 displaying buzzard, 3 sparrowhawks, 2 singing marsh tits, med gull and the first bumblebee of the year.

male siskin, female siskin, female nuthatch

Decided to head off to Holkham but very quite now the geese have gone - only 21 pinkies were still on the marshes. At least 5 buzzards displaying over Holkham Park and 4 female marsh harriers over the grazing marsh. Nipped over to Wells harbour for the black brant as I haven't caught up with any yet this winter. Got good views of it bathing in the harbour channel but the photos were rubbish.

Managed a couple of hours ringing before work on Saturday and got a ringing tick and a new bird for the site.

After a few weeks of trying we managed to tempt one of the local moorhens into a net. Usually they are too wary and tend to fly off steeply and avoid the nets. When they do go in, becauce their feet are so big they have a nack of just walking out of the net. Thankfully we got to this one in time.

Don't panic, I am still alive. Stupid Tiscali and BT couldn't sort their ar**s from their elbows but after nearly 2 weeks we finally have the Internet again.

You haven't missed much really. With the combination of the weather and working in the garden I have barely done any birding recently. Spent a pleasant day birding in the Brecks last week looking for some of the speciality stuff. The weather wasn't great but it was calm if a bit overcast.

Started at Santon Downham looking for lesser spots. No joy as usual and from talking to other people they are getting very difficult here and hadn't been seen for a few weeks. Had a walk around the forestry and got good views of at least 3 singing woodlarks and several groups of crossbills going over. There was also 60 bramblings (over 200 earlier in the winter) feeding under the beech trees around the carpark. Moved onto one of the regular sites for goshawk and after an hour got lucky with a displaying pair for a few minutes. Finished off the day with 10 hawfinches and 40+ crossbills at Lynford but no firecrests.

singing male hawfinch at Lynford and male brambling @ Santon Downham

What a crappy day!! Constant sleet and wet snow put pay to any birding but it did allow me to sit in front of the window for most of the day watching the feeders. Temperatures barely got above freezing and forced loads of birds in. The highlights were a peak of 37 goldfinch, 21 chaffinch, 2 male siskin and a male lesser redpoll. Magpie and 5 long tailed tits at the end of the day added some more variety. Hopefully I should have my ringing C permit soon which will allow to to catch some these things.

Did manage to get in to the reserve for the harrier roost this evening and it was worth it. At least 14 marsh (1 male) and 2 ringtail hen harriers roosted in the tidal reedbed viewed from Gypsy Lane. It is probably the best winter since I have been here for a consistantly reliable roost.

Definitely a day of two halfs. The morning was foul with persistent light rain - nothing too bad just the annoying stuff that makes everything wet. Had to do a lagoon count in it and it was a nightmare trying to keep every lens dry. Still good numbers of birds present on the fresh marsh with total of 80 shelduck, 9 avocet and several spotted redshank. As usually happens, as soon as the sea calms down enough the see the birds they all bugger off. The large flock of common scoter (2100) held 7 velvets but apart for that everything else seems to have moved off.
By the end of the day the sun has come out and the was enough time to do some birding after work...just. Had a fantastic 30mins watching the roost from Fen Hide with at least 10 female marsh harriers to roost, a cracking male hen harrier and the 4th bittern sighting for the day. Not sure what is happening with the bitterns at the moment but I have never seen them so active outside the breeding season. Two water rails were feeding on the Fen Hide pool and at least 15 moorhens came into the pool roost and spent most of their time fighting with each other.

Peregrine take the yearlist to 114.

Things have gone a bit quiet over the last week with not a lot new happening. The bittern (s) still like showing well and we had great views of a bird in the air for nearly 5 mins before dropping back into the reeds. If the weather continues to warm up we may start to get some booming in the next few weeks.
The goldfinch flock seems to be getting a bit bigger and the mealy redpoll is still with them. Added siskin (113) to the list yesterday but haven't connected with the brambling yet. Both species have been really low in numbers this winter and I haven't even had lesser redpoll (the commoner one) yet.
Loads of song especially from the tits but did have Cettis warbler and bearded tit active this morning.
Nice to be able to leave the office in the gloom rather that the pitch black!