by Dominic | Dec 30, 2014 | Longham Lakes
There is not a rarity in the world that would have made October 2014 a happy month for Longham Lakes birding. For on 15th one of the site’s most avid watchers, Chris Parnell, passed away after a long illness; he was only 46 and leaves behind a wife and two young...
by Dominic | Dec 30, 2014 | Longham Lakes
30th September Ringing this morning produced 36 new birds and 3 re-traps. I had 10 Blackcaps today, including a re-trap of an adult female first ringed in early May. New totals were Chiffchaff 17, Robin 5 and one each of Blue Tit, Great Tit, Reed Bunting and...
by Dominic | Dec 29, 2014 | Longham Lakes
28th August Ringing this morning: 15 new birds and 3 re-traps. Blackcaps responded well with 5 caught. I re-trapped Chiffchaff was first ringed on 5 May, re-trapped twice more up to 9th June but not again until today. He is still hanging around then. 27th August...
by Dominic | Dec 20, 2014 | Nature Writing, Trip Reports
THE PERFECT SWARM Bat-catching on an English autumn night There are many joys to mammal-watching, but one is undoubtedly a tendency to do peculiar things. Take visiting a cave on a September dusk and placing long nets outside it, and then waiting, chatting in the...
by Dominic | Jun 23, 2014 | Longham Lakes
23rd June 2014 Strange record of a Turnstone at Longham Lakes today, in full summer plumage. Presumably it’s a failed breeder that has gone all the way up to the Arctic, tried its best and returned again. Its loss is our gain, a true rarity here. A rubbish...
