The eggs were found when police and the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) raided Daniel Lingham's caravan at Newton St Faith, Norfolk.

Norwich magistrates heard he had the largest collection of nightingale and nightjar eggs found in the UK.

Lingham, 52, who mainly stole from North Norfolk coastal reserves, admitted seven offences.

He pleaded guilty to possessing wild bird eggs, possessing specially protected wild bird eggs, taking eggs from nests and possessing paraphernalia for collecting eggs, including egg blowing kits and padded containers.

Officials from the RSPB said Lingham, an unemployed carpenter, had eggs belonging to some of the most protected species of wild birds in Britain.

They included the little tern, avocet, stone curlew, corncrake, black-tailed godwit, peregrine falcon, red-throated diver and chough.