Serial egg thief caused 'untold damage' to birds

Thousands of rare bird eggs were found at Daniel Lingham's home near Norwich

A prolific egg thief who caused "huge destruction" to rare and threatened bird species has pleaded guilty to five charges.

Daniel Lingham, 71, was caught on a wildlife camera last June taking nightjar eggs from a nature reserve near Holt in Norfolk.

He had previously been jailed in 2005 and 2018 after thousands of eggs were found at his home in Newton St Faith near Norwich.

The RSPB said Lingham, who is due to be sentenced in May, was a "one man machine for devastation" who had caused "untold damage" to the populations of some species.

The RSPB's Mark Thomas said nightjars appeared not to have been producing chicks and "the last thing we need is one man targeting a bird of this importance"

At Norwich Magistrates' Court, Lingham admitted taking and possessing more 2,400 protected wild birds’ eggs.

RSPB investigations officer Mark Thomas said: "Conservationists had been wondering why nightjars hadn't been producing young, and why their populations hadn't been increasing at some sites.

"It makes me feel sick. Nature's in crisis in the UK and the last thing we need is one man targeting a bird of this importance - basically trying to wipe it out in Norfolk."

Lingham also admitted breaching a criminal behaviour order following a previous conviction.

"This type of offending can't continue; there will be no nightjars in Norfolk left at this rate," Mr Thomas added.

Police said a number of seized eggs included endangered birds like linnet, greenfinch and yellowhammer

Mark Thomas said about 10,000 eggs had been discovered at Daniel Lingham's home in the past 20 years

In June 2023, Lingham was caught by a remote camera, which had been set up to monitor breeding nightjars at Holt Lowes Nature Reserve, removing eggs from a nest.

Police said he was identified by his distinctive walking stick.

In July, officers supported by the RSPB and National Wildlife Crime Unit raided his home and found 2,429 native birds' eggs.

In a police interview, Lingham told officers that his egg collection addiction was a "mental health issue" and that some of the eggs had been found prior to his conviction in 2018.

Police bodycam footage captured the moment Lingham's home was raided

Lingham has been released on bail ahead of his sentencing hearing on 3 May.

An RSPB spokesperson said: "Although egg collecting incidents have decreased sharply since 2001, when custodial sentences for these offences were introduced some individuals in the UK still engage in these crimes, collecting significant numbers of birds' eggs illegally for purely personal gratification rather than any monetary value."