Holme Bird Observatory (Header)

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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

Sunday 2nd August 2015

A quiet day at the Observatory but 6 Spoonbills flew over high west, 6 Black-tailed Godwits and 2 Green Sandpipers were on the NWT pools, and a Med Gull was with thousands feeding over the ridge and marshes for flying ants. Ringing produced a few common birds including 2 Lesser Whitethroats, a Reed Warbler, and 2 Blackcaps.

Norfolk News from Birdnet
> Norfolk Possible White-tailed Eagle Reported Catfield Fen NR at 12.10 - 13.50. Described by non-birders.
> Norfolk 12 Spoonbill Titchwell RSPB this a/noon on the freshmarsh. + 3 Curlew Sandpiper & 5 Spotted Redshank PE31 8BB TF759436
> Norfolk 24 Spoonbill Stiffkey Fen this mrng. NR23 1QW TF990438
> Norfolk 2 Great White Egret flew/W this mrng. Blakeney Point over Lifeboat house. NR25 7DJ TG007464
> Norfolk Male Montagu's Harrier Breydon Water + 2 AD Little Gull, 6 Spotted Redshank & 882 Med Gull NR31 9QB TG464048
> Norfolk Osprey Winterton from Low Road mid a/noon. NR29 4BQ TG496198
> Norfolk Great Northern Diver Weybourne offshore this mrng. NR25 7SR TG111435
> Norfolk 2 Curlew Sandpiper Hickling Broad NWT on Rush Hill scrape this mrng. NR12 0BW TG429221
> Norfolk Wood Sandpiper Titchwell RSPB this mrng. + Garganey & Spotted Redshank PE31 8BB TF759436