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

Saturday 1st October 2016

A day of good visual migration, with small parties of Pink-feet and 21 Brent Geese on the seawatch, together with 31 Common Scoters and 8 Sandwich Terns also recorded. A Spotted Redshank, 2 Greenshank and a Kingfisher were of note around the marshes, while a Jay was seen near the Observatory, and 10 Whinchats were present along the sea wall at Thornham, while 4 Bearded Tits were noted nearby. 4 Song Thrushes were of interest, and 3 Stonechats and a Wheatear were also seen. 3 Grey Wagtails, 45 Meadow Pipits and a Rock Pipit were noted, and mid-morning a Richard's Pipit was on the grazing marsh south of the Observatory, joined by a second bird seen coming in from the dunes. Both birds remained out of view behind the hedge south of Broadwater for much of the afternoon. A Lapland Bunting flew over low, calling and headed off east.