Holme Bird Observatory (Header)

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CORONAVIRUS UPDATE – NOA HIDES RE-OPENING FROM MONDAY 14TH SEPTEMBER 2020

The NOA is opening hides on all reserves to members again from 14th September 2020. There are still some restrictions and please be aware that these are: Face coverings will be required in all NOA hides until further notice, unless you are exempt for wearing them. Only 2 people from different households may use any hide at one time. A single household of more than two people is permitted, provided no-one else is using it. We are still not able to admit visitors inside the Observatory centre at present. We regret the inconvenience to all our members and visitors caused by the loss of use of these facilities during the first five months of the COVID-19 outbreak. Please be considerate of the restrictions we have put in place, allowing us to restore access as safely as possible. Thank you for your understanding.

Sunday 1st May 2016

Light southerlies produced a window of movement for many species today with highlights including 2 Red Kites drifting over west, an Osprey which passed offshore, 5 Whimbrel near Thornham Harbour, 5 Little Terns and a Common Tern west on the sea, a Short-eared Owl on the NWT reserve, 1 Hobby passing through, a Peregrine, 2 Sand Martins, 40+ Swallows, 6 House Martins, 2 Cetti's Warblers, 5 Chiffchaffs, 20+ Willow Warblers, 8 Blackcaps, 6 Lesser Whitethroats, 10 Whitethroats, a Grasshopper Warbler, 2 Turtle Doves, 3 Cuckoos, 14 Sedge Warblers, 2 Reed Warblers, a Ring Ouzel, Whinchat and Stonechat in the dunes on the NWT, 30+ Yellow Wagtails with the cattle on the grazing marsh, and 4 Redpolls over calling.

A search in the morning from Walsey Hills for the Temminck's Stint seen the previous evening proved fruitless, but on the marsh a lone Spoonbill was actively feeding. Elsewhere on Pope's and Arnold's marshes were 2 Little Ringed Plovers, 12 Ringed Plovers, 3 Ruff, 29 Dunlins and 2 Yellow Wagtails - 58 Brent Geese also remained. In the scrub and reeds at Walsey 6 Chiffchaffs, 1 Lesser Whitethroat, 1 Common Whitethroat, 6 Blackcaps, 4 Sedge Warblers and 1 Reed Warbler were singing or feeding. Overhead a small number of Swallows, a party of 3 Yellow Wagtails and a Siskin flew west, whilst 11 Common Swifts were noted moving along the beach.

One of several typically confiding Common Lizards - Walsey Hills, May 2016