Swift Apus apus - Seen regularly at home and at the meadows, as well as elsewhere, but seems to be getting fewer of them every year.
Swift, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 12th May 2019
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CUCKOOS (family CUCULIDAE)
Cuckoo Cuculus canorus - This species continues to hang on locally and I'm fortunate to hear them regularly from home and from the meadows (possibly involving the same birds). In 2019 they were heard between 21st April and 15th June and in 2020 between 23rd April and 13th June. At least 2 males and one female were heard at the meadows in 2020 but despite at least one bird being heard on most visits (at least those early morning and evening visits) I only got to actually see a bird on one or two occasions, and then quite distantly. Elsewhere recorded at Titchwell in 2019 and Frost's Common in 2020, plus at several sites on Mull in June 2019.
Cuckoo, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 9th May 2020
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DOVES and PIGEONS (family COLUMBIDAE)
Rock Dove Columba livia - 6 at 3 locations on Mull in June 2019. A Feral Pigeon flew through the meadows on 12th October 2020 and at least some of the Rock Doves seen in Spain in February 2020 were feral types.
Rock Dove, Llobregat Delta (Spain), 22nd February 2020
Stock Dove Columba oenas - Regularly seen at the meadows and occasionally at home (one sometimes sings in next door's garden).
Stock Dove, Worthing, 19th April 2019
Stock Dove, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 22nd March 2020
Woodpigeon Columba palumbus - Common at home and at the meadows.
Woodpigeon, Llobregat Delta (Spain), 22nd February 2020
Woodpigeons, North Elmham, 29th September 2020
Turtle Dove Streptopelia turtura - One in the carpark at Titchwell on 1st June and one singing by the green here in North Elmham on 7th August 2019. None locally in 2020 but one at Arden Sawah in Cornwall on 7th October.
Turtle Dove, Titchwell, 1st June 2019
Turtle Dove, Arden Sawah (Cornwall), 7th October 2020
Collared Dove Streptopelia decaocto - Common at the meadows (the chapel area rather than the meadows themselves) and at home. The only mildly noteworthy record was one in from the north at Sheringham on 21st October 2019.
Collared Dove, North Elmham chapel, 6th November 2020
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RAILS and COOTS (family RALLIDAE)
Water Rail Rallus aquaticus - One seen in the ditch where it runs under the railway on 18th February and the same or another in the same place on 20th March 2019. In addition one was heard flying over after dark on 22nd March. Elsewhere one at Santon Downham on 23rd February and heard at Burnham Overy in October. None locally in 2020 but heard at Frost's Common and also at the Llobregat Delta in Spain.
Water Rail, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 20th March 2019
Corncrake Crex crex - One heard behind the abbey on Iona on 11th June 2019.
Purple (Western) Swamphen Porphytio porphyrio - one heard calling at Llobregat Delta (Spain) on 22nd February 2020.
Moorhen Gallinula chloropus - Usually seen from the meadows. One on next-door's pond in January 2019 which was probably the same bird that appeared in my garden a couple of times in February including once on the bird table.
Coot Fulica atra - Heard overnight over the garden on 3 occasions and over the meadows twice, all in 2019. Also one flushed from the ditch under the railway at the meadows on 11th February 2019.
Coot, Llobregat Delta, 22nd February 2020
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GREBES (family PODICIPEDIDAE)
Little Grebe Tachybaptus ruficollis - No sight records of any grebes at the meadows yet but one heard calling on the river on 19th April and one heard flying over during the night of 22nd April 2019.
Little Grebes, Llobregat Delta (Spain), 22nd February 2020
Great Crested Grebe Podiceps cristatus - No records were of any significance.
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