CBC Wildlife News
Records submitted in the last 14 days, most recent first. Amber indicates local or uncommon, bold red indicates a description is needed for verification at county or national level, green indicates category D (reasonable doubt of natural occurrence) or category E (escapes or non-sustaining introductions).
Wed 25 June 2025
Wed 25 June 2025
22
Cattle Egret
(Maximum count late afternoon on Simmonds. Earlier 16 in from the west and mixing with several in from east end of reserve. All adults in BP or moving out of BP.)
,
7
Spoonbill
(Mainly asleep on Pats except one actively feeding juvenile on Simmonds)
,
1 Great White Egret (East across reserve) ,
3 Grey Heron (North Foreland) ,
25 Little Egret (Inc birds in North Foreland) ,
c.1 Green Sandpiper (Pats/Simmonds) ,
2 Black-tailed Godwit (European) (One un-ringed and Anouk on Simmonds) ,
1 Wigeon (Drake on Simmonds) ,
5 Marsh Harrier (Adults feeding juveniles - several food passes) ,
1 Buzzard (Tussling with male Marsh Harrier over reserve) ,
200 Sand Martin (Guesstimate - massive action over scrapes and up high) ,
[David Griffiths]
Wed 25 June 2025
2 Little Grebe (Snipe's) ,
5 Spoonbill (incl 1 juv) ,
7 Grey Heron ,
1 Great White Egret ,
17 Little Egret ,
4 Cattle Egret ,
7 Cormorant ,
4 Marsh Harrier (incl. 2 juvs) ,
1 Kestrel ,
2 Coot (+ 1 chick, Don's Pool) ,
3 Oystercatcher ,
93 Avocet (incl. pr with 2 juvs) ,
19 Black-tailed Godwit ,
1 Black-tailed Godwit (European) (2cy f, Pat's) ,
3 Curlew ,
1 Green Sandpiper (Pat's) ,
23 Redshank ,
1 Ruff (ad m, Pat's) ,
1 Dunlin (Pope's Pool) ,
5 Little Ringed Plover (incl. 1 juv and 3 chicks) ,
2 Ringed Plover (Arnold's & beach) ,
23 Lapwing ,
4 Mediterranean Gull (Swan Lake) ,
22 Teal (Swan Lake) ,
[David & Pat Wileman]
Tue 24 June 2025
Tue 24 June 2025
11 Common Tern (10 west AM and one on Simmonds PM) ,
1 Little Tern (west AM) ,
1 Arctic Tern (west AM) ,
6 Sandwich Tern (west AM) ,
3 Gannet (east AM) ,
7
Spoonbill
(Max AM but 5 roosting on Pats PM)
,
8 Little Ringed Plover (Pats AM) ,
4 Ruff (Pats AM - males moulting out) ,
3 Black-tailed Godwit (European) (Possibly six - inc Anouk and other CR birds) ,
1 Green Sandpiper (Pats) ,
3 Cattle Egret (PM on Simmonds and with cattle) ,
9 Little Egret (Simmonds, Pats and Whitwell inc 3 juveniles) ,
3 Great White Egret (Over reedbeds and Billy's wash) ,
20 Knot (Simmonds/Pats PM) ,
c.200
Bar-tailed Godwit
(Simmonds primarily including a CR bird)
,
2 Grey Plover (Simmonds - non-breeders) ,
5
Mediterranean Gull
(Simmonds - 2 ad, 1 1st S, 2 2S)
,
[David Griffiths]
Tue 24 June 2025
1 Little Grebe (Snipe's) ,
4 Spoonbill (3 ad, 1 juv) ,
4 Grey Heron ,
1 Great White Egret (Snipe's early morning) ,
6 Little Egret ,
2 Marsh Harrier (m + f) ,
45 Avocet (incl. 3 juvs (where from?)) ,
79 Bar-tailed Godwit ,
74 Black-tailed Godwit ,
1 Black-tailed Godwit (European) (Anouk, ad f, WL-GL(E)) ,
5 Redshank ,
1 Green Sandpiper (Pat's) ,
5 Little Ringed Plover (incl. 1 juv, + 3 chicks on Pat's) ,
9 Lapwing ,
1 Mediterranean Gull ,
[David & Pat Wileman]
Mon 23 June 2025
Mon 23 June 2025
1 Cattle Egret (Flew west) ,
7 Spoonbill (Max at any one time on Pats -inc a couple of 1st summer birds) ,
1
Black-headed Gull
(Interesting juvenile on Simmonds - some juvenile plumage retained but moving into 1st winter. Possibly a bird from much further south?.)
,
12
Mediterranean Gull
(Reduced numbers this morning but a few smart adults and 2nd year birds)
,
25 Bar-tailed Godwit (Inc one CR bird (blue ring)) ,
c.2
Black-tailed Godwit (European)
(Females including Anouk)
,
c.45 Black-tailed Godwit (Icelandic) (Pats and Simmonds) ,
1 Knot (Simmonds) ,
c.1 Curlew (Simmonds) ,
15
House Sparrow
(Reeds opposite OWL Layby including the leucistic individual which has caused some confusion lately)
,
1 Green Sandpiper (Pats) ,
[David Griffiths]
Mon 23 June 2025
2 Little Grebe (Snipe's) ,
3 Spoonbill (ad Serpentine, ad + juv Pat's) ,
1 Grey Heron ,
1 Great White Egret (Snipe's) ,
7 Little Egret ,
1 Cormorant (flew W) ,
2 Coot (+ 2 young, Don's) ,
5 Oystercatcher ,
78 Avocet ,
12 Redshank ,
61 Black-tailed Godwit ,
1 Black-tailed Godwit (European) (ad f, 'Anouk' - WL-GL(E)) ,
2 Wood Sandpiper (Pat's) ,
1 Dunlin (Pat's) ,
2 Ruff (ad m, Pat's) ,
15 Lapwing ,
5 Little Ringed Plover (with 3 chicks, Pat's) ,
2 Ringed Plover (Arnold's) ,
2 Sandwich Tern (Arnold's) ,
[David & Pat Wileman]
Sun 22 June 2025
1 Cattle Egret (Washing a large frog on Simmonds Scrape) ,
9 Spoonbill (2 CY on Whitwell and upto 4 at a time on Pats, remaining birds west) ,
214
Bar-tailed Godwit
(Stunning show on Simmonds and Pats)
,
35 Black-tailed Godwit (Icelandic) (Simmonds) ,
1 Black-tailed Godwit (European) (Anouk on Simmonds) ,
12 Knot (Simmonds then Pats) ,
4 Dunlin (SP adults - Pats and Simmonds) ,
2
Ruff
(Splendid males on Pats)
,
8 Little Ringed Plover (six adults and two well grown chicks - Pats and Simmonds) ,
35 Mediterranean Gull (Simmonds - with 27 off en masse west after a flush ) ,
1
Caspian Gull
(Simmonds - probably a 2nd summer bird)
,
15 Little Egret (Reserve wide) ,
2
Grey Heron
(Pats - including the one that eventually got the Night Heron to move out, briefly, from under the bankside opposite Bishops Hide)
,
1
Night-heron
(First seen by other observers flying west whilst several of us were grilling waders from Daukes and was reported to have flown over the Cley Beach Road. A few minutes later two reports from East Bank and Bishops with the bird now on the deck in front of Bishops Hide. Tantalising head only views from Bishops but others could seen the bird, albeit through a heat-haze, from Teal Hide. Despite the presence of squabbling Little Egrets it was over an hour before it showed well, having been pushed out, temporarily by a Grey Heron. Most likely the returning bird from the past three years? )
,
3
Chinese Water Deer
(Female and doe initially at north end of Simmonds before trotting past Daukes Hide. Second female at north end of Simmonds soon after.)
,
[David Griffiths]