Holme Bird Observatory (Header)

This is a polite reminder to all our members that our subscription rates have increased from 1st January. If you pay by standing order and have not yet done so, please amend your standing order to the new rate. More details can be found here. We are small charity reliant on the generosity of our supporters through membership subscriptions and donations. Why not become a member. For a minimum of £25 you can get all the benefits of being a member of the NOA. Just click the button on the right below. Or, if you would like to support us with a donation, it is very easy to do through our portal at VirginMoneyGiving. Just click the button on the right to go to our dedicated page. Thank you.

CORONAVIRUS UPDATE – NOA RESERVES REMAIN CLOSED AT PRESENT All NOA reserves remain closed at present, and following the lifting of some restrictions in England we would ask our members, visitors and volunteers to be patient while this situation continues. We are still some way from being able to provide a COVID secure environment for our staff and visitors, and any changes must be gradual, cautious and enable social distancing. Broadwater Road is currently closed, and the Beach Road Car Park is also closed. We would advise that parking and toilet facilities are not yet widely available. NWT Holme Dunes, Titchwell and Snettisham RSPB reserves also remain closed, and do not yet have a date for opening their car parks and other visitor facilities. Please also bear in mind that we are now in the middle of the breeding season. Birds which have been nesting undisturbed while visitors have stayed away need this situation to continue until their young have fledged. For similar reasons affecting land managers along the North Norfolk Coast AONB, their Re-opening the Norfolk Coast Working Group is asking people not to visit at this time until organisations have had a chance to put safety measures in place for social distancing and reopen provision such as toilets and car parks. Announcements will be made by individual organisations and businesses when this is the case, so please check before you travel, and don’t come at present. NOA hopes to offer some form of access at its reserves later this summer, but it could still be some weeks away and will remain limited while we find our ‘new normal’. Please bear with us, and we thank you again for your understanding and support

Saturday 8th August 2015

Highlights today were an Eider, 600 Common Scoters, a Fulmar, 6 Gannets, a Great Crested Grebe, 45 Sandwich Terns, and 70 Common Terns on the sea. Also of note were 68+ Whimbrel passing over, 2 Turtle Doves, a Hobby, and 2 Cetti's Warblers.
A Humming-bird Hawk was feeding at the buddleia.

Norfolk News from Birdnet
> Norfolk 16 Spoonbill Titchwell RSPB + 3 Spotted Redshank on the freshmarsh this evng. PE31 8BB TF759436
> Norfolk 5 Red-veined Darter (dragonfly) Kelling Water Meadows along track N/of the main pool this a/noon. NR25 7ED TG095436
> Norfolk 2 Spoonbill Breydon Water at E/end mid a/noon. NR31 9QB TG464048
> Norfolk Adult Caspian Gull Cromer on the beach. NR27 9HE TG219423
> Norfolk 2 Spoonbill Breydon Water + 3 Spotted Redshank NR31 9QB TG464048
> Norfolk Adult Long-tailed Skua Reported flew/E past Holme NOA this mrng. TF717450
> Norfolk Adult Curlew Sandpiper Cley NWT on North Scrape. + 3 Yellow-legged Gull on Simmonds' Scrape & Little Gull flew E/past the beach C/Park. NR25 7SA TG049441
> Norfolk Curlew Sandpiper Cley NWT on Pat's Pool this mrng. NR25 7SA TG049441
> Norfolk 3 Wood Sandpiper Titchwell RSPB on Freshmarsh + 2 Curlew Sandpiper PE31 8BB TF759436