Just over 4 days rest and I was off again, this time over to the East Coast to Norfolk/Suffolk for a weekend of birding with my dad and grandad. From 25th June until 26th June, Norfolk was the only thing on my mind and what would lay in stall for us over the weekend.During the weekend we visited Lakenheath Nature Reserve where we had good views of Hobby, Green Woodpecker and Grasshopper Warbler. Despite seeing a Grasshopper Warbler carrying food several times around me and flying down into a thick reedy area, inaccessible to the public, I was somewhat frustrated that I couldn't have a look!
My dad and Grandad scanning one of the lakes for the ever favourite bird's - Hobby. I on the other hand was checking the flock of Coot for colour rings and watching Reed warblers carrying food to their nestlings. No sight nor sound of any Golden Orioles here, just a few Turtle Doves on nearby wires. However I did pick up a Male Montagu's Harrier near to the railway which flew around nearby fields giving exceptional views!
A visit to Weeting Heath resulted in 2 Adult Stone Curlew and a chick, as well as several Green Woodpecker but no Woodlarks..
An evening visit to Dersingham Bog National Nature Reserve however, produced at least 6 churring Nightjars and very close views of a bird circling and wing-clapping around my head some 3ft away.Around 90 species were seen during the weekend, so not all that bad really.
Tuesday 21st June and it was our 2nd visit up to Killington Lake in Cumbria for another Black Headed Gull chick round-up. We particularly try our best to make two visits as the first visit is when we attempt to catch and ring as many chicks as possible, with the second visit, we try to ring an additional 100 chicks and check for any dead birds which might be wearing rings.
Sunday 19th June and we were still out ringing.. The summer ringing activities just never stop for us so in the evening, myself, 
We also controlled another bird - BTO L451555. 
A few days rest from ringing and we were back out for some more action. We kick started the week with some general mist netting catching a couple more Grasshopper Warbler, Common Whitethroat, Willow warbler and Chiffchaff, plus ringing a few broods of Swallow pulli at nearby farms, resulting in 33 being ringed. A visit to Martin Mere to check on the Tree Sparrow boxes which resulted in another 20 pulli being ringed and then a good mist netting session down in Zacs Garden in Preston.
A mist net attempt over a river near Atherton to see if we could catch a passing Kingfisher didn't work, so we headed to Martin Mere for another nest box check of the Tree Sparrows. They were now on their 2nd and 3rd clutches and with a total of 72 breeding pairs at Martin Mere, they have had an exceptionally good year!
A brood of Collard Dove were ringed a long with several broods of Swallow. A couple more Moorhen were hand caught and a trip out on to the reserve late evening, resulted in 1 Barn Owl pullus being ringed by Zac. Barn Owls at the reserve have suffered due to the harsh winter. Compared to 9 Barn Owl chicks last year, just 1 chick this year.
A Sparrowhawk and Collard Dove nest were also checked upon in Atherton as part of our nest recording.
Becoming a ringer, you just never know what to expect and what your going to catch, but Friday 10th June was just one of those superb days where everything fell into place!
Mid - afternoon and a short stroll and we had caught a Carrion Crow just out of the nest. This was a species I had wanted to handle for a while and it was great to appreciate such a common countryside crow.
Early evening ringing consisted of a sprint for a Lapwing Chick and a brood of Kestrel at a nearby Coal Mine Site.
The survey and ringing work that we carry out during the summer just never stops as we are very keen to get as much done and as many birds ringed as we physically possibly can. On Thursday 9th June, myself and Kane took Zac for a days nest box checking at WWT Martin Mere. We were doing our weekly nest record check of the Tree Sparrow population that breed at Martin Mere.
Also ringed during the day in between breaks included this pullus Stock Dove, as well as 4 Chaffinch, 4 Swallow, 2 Moorhen and 1 Coot.
Moorhen was a new species for me that day, so it was good to finally catch my own by hand and like many other ringers have told me, they do put up a good scratch..
It was that time of year again when we were due our annual trip to Killington Lake in Cumbria for our Black Headed Gull chick catch. Arriving early on site with Kane and Zac we could see that the island where the gulls nest, was alive and plenty of chicks could be seen from the road side car-park. A quick cup of coffee at the service area whilst waiting for other members of our team to arrive, resulted in many adult Black Headed Gulls being rather tame..
Finishing our coffee, we headed over to meet up with Steve Christmas and Aidan. Throughout our time on the island, a total of 477 chicks were caught, with 80 larger chicks gaining a darvic. 
Early morning on Tuesday 7th June, I met up with Steve at Aber Falls to ring the brood of 6 Wood Warblers, shortly followed by a relaxed 4 hour survey as part of my dissertation project. Having already been up since 6am, completed a 8 mile cycle, 4 hours of surveying - I was looking forward to a rest in the afternoon.
Arriving at Hartlepool Headland around 5pm and a quick sprint to the Bowling Green/Doctor's Garden where the bird was showing, within a few minutes a birder popped his head out of a garage door ans there pootling about on the lawn of the Doctor's Garden was a 1st-summer Female White - Throated Robin. The 2nd record for Britain! 