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 TO RE-OPEN FROM MONDAY 13TH JULY 2020

We are delighted to announce that we will be welcoming visitors back to Holme Bird Observatory from Monday 13th July 2020, and we are very much looking forward to seeing you once again. Thank you to all our members and visitors for your patience and understanding during this difficult time. Please be aware that we are not yet able to restore full access.

Some restrictions must continue and these are as follows: Hempton Marsh and Walsey Hills reserves will be re-opening to visitors on 13th July, but hides on these reserves will remain closed. At Holme the following hides will remain closed for the time being: Redwell Marsh hide, Car Park hide, Sea-watching hide, Dell hide and Broadwater hide. The Bus-Stop, Dowson and Richardson hides will be accessible to one household at a time, and the viewing platform and seating area outside the cordon will be available as well, with social distancing in place. The Observatory building will also remain closed to visitors, but a member of staff will be able to come out to meet you. We do regret that for now visitors will not be able to empty moth traps with our staff, but we will retain specimens of special interest for visitors to view at a safe distance. We will continue to charge day permit fees.

We are very sorry not to offer a fuller visitor experience just yet, but these measures are for everyone's safety and we do appreciate your understanding. We will continue to review hide closures, and will post any changes on our website.

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