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Steve Fitzgerald

@stevefitz.bsky.social

A pair of juvenile Long-tailed Ducks at Snettisham this afternoon #UKBirding #norfolkbirding #ukwildlife #birds

October 31, 2025 at 5:47 PM Everybody can reply

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Janet Drew

@jedrew.bsky.social

Not starlings mumurating - but knots. For #BirdOfTheDay #flocks, and #birds. Seen at dusk over The Wash.

Seen from Snettisham, Norfolk: knot murmuration over the Wash at dusk. Photo taken in October 2022. The sky was apricot orange behind the dark, fast moving flocks of knots. That season, there was quite a bit of comment about the huge scale of the flocks of knots gathered at/near Snettisham beach.

October 25, 2025 at 11:37 AM Everybody can reply

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David Roche

@papaybirder.bsky.social

Of all the things that I thought I might find today, it's fair to say that a late October Dotterel wasn't one of them! Only my third Papay record (5th bird) but the first in autumn and my first juvenile anywhere since two on the beach at Snettisham back in 2005! #OrkneyBirding

October 23, 2025 at 6:02 PM Everybody can reply

1 reposts 62 likes

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Tim Harris

@timhar59.bsky.social

I found an SD card with some photos I thought I had lost from a visit to RSPB Snettisham in March. These are Knot doing their murmuration. #snettisham #Nikon #wildlife #bbcspringwatch #Norfolk #RSPB #birds #birdphotography #nature #naturephotography

October 19, 2025 at 9:13 PM Everybody can reply

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LDV_NNR

@ldvnnr.bsky.social

We’ve also received several recoveries of the Black-tailed Godwits ringed in the #LDV during spring. Some of these birds have been resighted on autumn passage at Snettisham in Norfolk, East Halton in Lincolnshire and Cork in Ireland, as well as in Merseyside and Essex @yorkbirding.bsky.social

October 16, 2025 at 1:58 PM Everybody can reply

5 reposts 15 likes

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Dr Tess Machling

@tessmachling.bsky.social

On this day in history... 🤣🤣🤣

@theduncanmackay.bsky.social !

A tweet from Duncan:

Duncan Mackay

@theDuncanMackay

Ok, stick with me here...

One for the fellow Snettisham nerds

Just watched a brilliant YouTube video on gold torcs by @Tess_Machling and this flashed into my mind...

TUBULAR TORCS by Mike GOLDFIELD

Thank you very much, I'm here all week!

October 15, 2025 at 6:14 AM Everybody can reply

5 reposts 43 likes 1 saves

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norfolkseal.bsky.social

@norfolkseal.bsky.social

4 species of shark and skate egg case found at Snettisham Beach yesterday.

October 14, 2025 at 8:13 PM Everybody can reply

1 reposts 6 likes

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Noah Bailey

@noahbai-123.bsky.social

Short-toed Lark and Snettisham Spectacular from Saturday, with a supporting cast of Snow Bunting, 2 Curlew Sands, leustistic Oystercatcher and the King's Lynn Lesser Yellowlegs which had a been imprisoned by the fences.

October 14, 2025 at 5:51 AM Everybody can reply

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Bill Dennis

@billdennis.bsky.social

Some video clips of the roosting Knots at RSPB Snettisham last week. I had to set my alarm for 4:30 am for this 😂 @rspb.bsky.social

youtu.be/kMgubUezgQk?...

RSPB Snettisham High Tide Knot Roost October 2025

YouTube video by Bill Dennis

youtu.be

October 14, 2025 at 5:23 PM Everybody can reply

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Peter Sketch

@petersketch.bsky.social

More from Snettisham yesterday - Viper's Bugloss, the last few flowers still hanging on. #WildflowerHour

A mix of pink and blue flowers on the same plant.

October 12, 2025 at 7:50 PM Everybody can reply

4 reposts 24 likes

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Peter Sketch

@petersketch.bsky.social

Last summer I went to RSPB Snettisham specifically to find Carline Thistle, which I'd never seen. Yesterday I went to see the Short-toed Lark that's been feeding on the beach there, so I got to see what Carline Thistle looks like when the plant's died leaving just the seed heads. #WildflowerHour

A dead plant with dried up spiny leaves. Several large thistle seed heads are still attached and still have seeds which haven't yet blown away.

October 12, 2025 at 7:17 PM Everybody can reply

3 reposts 28 likes

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Gary Watton

@garywatton.bsky.social

After seeing the Rutland celebrity yesterday we decided to re visit the Greater Short-toed Lark at Snettisham as I wanted better pictures now the weather has improved. It didn't disappoint.
@birdguides.bsky.social
@rarebirder.bsky.social

October 12, 2025 at 12:29 PM Everybody can reply

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Matt D

@mattdenial.bsky.social

1/2. My last 3 birding trips have been unsuccessful. The Lark in Snettisham twice last week & this morning the R-T Shrike did a bunk as well. Saw large numbers of Barnacle Geese arriving, heard a Woodlark & this Dartford Warbler was bird #259 of year. #birds #ukbirding @suffolkbirdgroup.bsky.social

October 11, 2025 at 4:17 PM Everybody can reply

2 reposts 31 likes

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Matt D

@mattdenial.bsky.social

2/2. But never one to give up, I went back, for the 3rd time, to Snettisham beach to try and get the Greater Short-toed Lark and it couldn’t have been easier! Multiple views, some reasonably close. Just goes to show, it’s luck sometimes. They all fall eventually. #birds #ukbirding #norfolkbirding

October 11, 2025 at 4:21 PM Everybody can reply

2 reposts 38 likes

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Dr Paul Lee

@drpaullee.bsky.social

There's a great account of Snettisham Rectory in the east Anglia book. I managed to contact one of the boys who lived there at the time and he told me some great information.

October 12, 2025 at 6:34 AM Everybody can reply

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Rob Smith

@robertsjsmith.bsky.social

Pleased to catch up with the Snettisham Short-toed Lark yesterday — it spent most of the evening feeding along the strandline before moving to the footpath, where it showed beautifully! Just a shame the light had gone 🙄
#Norfolkbirding

October 11, 2025 at 5:43 AM Everybody can reply

4 reposts 24 likes

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Hallicrafters

@hallicrafters.bsky.social

Sunset at Snettisham, by Dave Bradley. #Photography

October 10, 2025 at 8:06 PM Everybody can reply

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yellowbellyontour.bsky.social

@yellowbellyontour.bsky.social

Cracking day at Snettisham today, starting with a Leucistic Oyster Catcher, then a very obliging Red Necked Phalarope. Teamed up with @mattdenial.bsky.social to find the Greater Short-toed Lark. Then nipped to see the Lesser Yellow Leg.
#Norfolkbirding
#UKbirds
#cannonphotography

October 11, 2025 at 6:12 PM Everybody can reply

1 reposts 26 likes

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Dr Tess Machling

@tessmachling.bsky.social

Seeing as @oxbowbooks.bsky.social sought to cherry pick my review of Snettisham, I thought I would add from the rest of my review.

You might also wish to read longer review here, which goes into detail about my significant issues with the books:

bigbookoftorcs.com/2024/12/11/t...

#Archaeology 🏺

A snipped section of my review for Norfolk Archaeology, describing it as 'Another sparkling review for the Snettisham Hoards'

Another section from my review for Norfolk Archaeology:

"However, for the examination of the terminals and other metalwork, omitting the insights of goldsmiths has led to some evidentially unsupportable conclusions (see torc L.14 above). The most glaring of these occurs with the 'iconic' Great Torc which is incorrectly identified as being of sheet and cast hybrid construction. The multiple evidence seen on the Great Torc (dents, cracks and hammering), comparable examples (e.g. the Netherurd and Near Stowmarket terminals), and previous research (Maching & Williamson 2020) which supports the interpretation of the Great torc terminals having been created using gold sheet has been largely ignored."

October 10, 2025 at 6:25 AM Everybody can reply

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Dr Tess Machling

@tessmachling.bsky.social

This is what I *actually* said in the Norfolk Archaeology review. Not exactly 'sparkling' is it @oxbowbooks.bsky.social ? :

Norfolk Archaeology 2 (2023), 216-225

BOOK REVIEWS

The Snettisham Hoards

Julia Farley and Jody Joy (eds)

London, British Museum Research Publication 225, 2023

728 pages, 400 illustrations A4 paperback, 2 volumes, slipcase

ISBN: 978-0-861592-25-8

For anyone interested in the Iron Age, the Snettisham volumes are long awaited. Bringing together finds and archaeological work carried out over the last 70 years, the volumes manage to integrate the many disparate stories of the Snettisham 'gold field': from Ray Williamson's (note: not 'P.L. Williamson') first discoveries in 1948 through to 2009. The volumes are, on the whole, sensibly organised and thanks to the concordance information (Appendix 3) - easy to interrogate.

Part 1 examines the site itself, and details the various programmes of work, placing the site in its geographical and archaeological context. Of particular interest are the previously unpublished details of the 1990s excavation and the 2006-2009 geophysics (which identified a series of rectilinear ditched enclosures, that appear to be respected by the hoard depositions).

Chapters 6 to 10 remind us that the Snettisham 'gold field' is not just a later Iron Age site. Detailing the Neolithic, Bronze Age and earlier Iron Age finds which predate the hoard site, and the Roman activity that occurred after, these chapters show that this was a multiperiod landscape used from earlier prehistory onwards.

Part II focuses on the hoards themselves. The detail of each hoard excavation is given with numerous beautiful photographs and illustrations allowing an easy understanding of the hoard pit stratigraphies. Coding of the colour of each torc is also given within the hoards although, without further alloy composition analysis (see below), it is uncertain how much use this subjective quantification is.

Chapter 13 details the typology of the torcs and offers a much needed standardised terminology for torcs, which builds upon previous work. One confusing section (…

Book Reviews

is not always applicable reinforces colonial, Western focused, ideas of gold working, for which there is limited proof in prehistory. It also leads to misunderstanding. For example, the 'mottled texture' seen in torc A.6 (p.168) can be straightforwardly explained if the torc was worked from the exterior using a method akin to the Japanese uchidashi technique.

Also within the catalogue, a piece of gold ribbon (F.67) does not appear to have been recognised as what could be an untwisted example of a specifically Bronze Age ribbon torc. If Bronze Age, rather than Iron Age (suggested by the simple twist of a plain ribbon of gold, rather than the complicated hammered manufacture seen in Iron Age examples) this is an important find. Its inclusion within the sealed Hoard F is worthy of further discussion, which does not occur.

However, of particular interest and significance is the recognition and painstaking reconstruction of the fragmentary helmet found in Hoard F. This helmet is a very rare Iron Age artefact and an important find. Continuing on, Chapter 15 ably pulls together the many studies carried out on the Snettisham coins. This chapter is comprehensive, nuanced and detailed and includes a catalogue of coins.

Volume II includes chapters on conservation, scientific analysis and explorations of torc biography, decoration and the role of hoards. The examination of the conservation of the tores is a reminder of how much archaeological and conservation practice has changed over 70 years, and how many of the torcs were not found in the condition that we see them in today.

Chapter 17, which deals with the technology and manufacture of the torcs is for me as a gold researcher who looks at torcs from a craft perspective and works with a team of goldsmiths often a hard one to read. The section about wires is comprehensive and well achieved, marrying scientific examination with experimental work by John Fenn, a practicing metalsmith. The insights from this du…

October 10, 2025 at 10:04 AM Everybody can reply

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Steve Fitzgerald

@stevefitz.bsky.social

At my third attempt, managed to spot the Short-Toed Lark on Snettisham beach this evening. Amazing how much pleasure can be derived from seeing such a nondescript little bird really #UKBirding #norfolkbirding #ukwildlife #birds