EGG THIEVES BLAMED FOR ' DEVASTATING' RAID ON NORFOLK LITTLE TERN COLONY

                                      

The RSPB is assisting Norfolk Constabulary in an investigation surrounding the suspected theft  this week of little tern eggs from Winterton beach in North Norfolk.

In the early hours of the morning of Thursday 20 June 20, RSPB little tern wardens discovered that up to 20 eggs had been illegally stolen from 7 clutches. 

Human footprints were identified leading up to each nest.

Little terns are one of the UK’s rarest breeding seabirds, having suffered serious declines over the past 25 years.

In the 1980s there were 2,500 breeding pairs. This fell to fewer than 2,000 pairs in 2000, and it is now estimated that there are currently 1,500 pairs or fewer.

Fabian Harrison, of the RSPB, says: “With over half of the UK’s breeding little terns making a home in East Anglia this year, this  is devastating.

"It is upsetting to see the hard work of these birds go to waste, as they will now have to re-lay and attempt to rear their chicks before the summer is over. 

"We implore the public to stay vigilant and to report any suspicious behaviour to the Police immediately.”

Norfolk police are appealing for information from anybody who witnessed anything suspicious between 6 pm on Wednesday June 19 June and 7.30 am on Thursday  June 20 , on or near Winterton beach. 

Photo: Courtesy RSPB.

FAILURE OF PEREGRINE NEST ATTRIBUTED TO 'INEXPERIENCE' OF FEMALE PARENT

ALL five peregrine chicks hatched in their nest in a Lincolnshire church have died.

The nesting peregrines were a tourist attraction at St James' Church in Louth - their activities being screened via webcam  to the coffee shop.

Only two per cent of nesting peregrines lay as many as five eggs, so this year's tally was a record for the county.

The nest was being monitored by Geoff Mullett who has written a booklet on Louth's peregrines.

He told the Lincolnshire Bird Club's website: " The last surviving chick was picked up near the church, presumably having been dropped there by the adult female.

"It is thought  the adult female was an inexperienced bird.

"This was probably her first clutch of eggs, and she just was not able to brood and feed the chicks sufficiently.

"The recent wet weather  didn't help.

There is a website dedicated to the Louth peregrines at
www.louthperegrines.org.uk/news.html

SIXTY-MINUTE TWITCH: NORFOLK COASTAL FOOTPATH, WELLS-NEXT-THE-SEA

Location: Norfolk Coastal Footpath, Wells-next-the-Sea (towards Stiffkey) 

Date: June 2,  2019 

Time: 6pm 

Weather: Hazy sunshine, humid

Target species: Black-winged stilt 

Star species seen: Garden warbler

Other species recorded: Red kite, marsh harrier, little tern, sandwich tern, common tern, redshank, oystercatcher, avocet, woodpigeon, collared dove, whitethroat, swift, blue tit, great tit, mallard, shelduck, carrion crow, magpie, jackdaw, house sparrow, swallow, housemartin, cuckoo, reed bunting, reed warbler, Cetti's warbler, herring gull, lesser black-backed gull, black-headed gull.

                                                 
                                                     

THIRTY-MINUTE TWITCH: SYDLESTONE COMMON, NORTH NORFOLK

Location: Sydlestone Common, Sydlestone, North Norfolk (Norfolk Wildlife Trust reserve)

 
Date: June 4,  2019
 
Time: 11.45am

Weather: Hazy sunshine, hardly any breeze

Target species: Woodlark/ red-backed shrike/ whinchat/ tree pipit

Star species seen: Not awarded

Actual species seen: Chaffinch, bullfinch, linnet, goldfinch, yellowhammer, skylark, swallow, great tit, blue tit, pheasant, willow warbler, chiffchaff, blackcap, whitethroat, blue tit, buzzard, carrion crow, magpie, wren, robin.