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

Holme Bird Observatory Friday 3rd April 2020

A cool but dry day, there was a bit more activity with 3+ Red Kites and 6+ Buzzards passing overhead during the day and 2 Snipe and 2 Ruff on the grazing marsh. A Peregrine flew low over the pines and the two Cetti's Warblers were shouting at each other along the Broadwater edge. Three Pink-feet were lingering on the marsh with 200 Brents still present. A Blackcap was singing in the village. The surprise of the day, however, was the presence of a Black Swan on the Broadwater looking quite at home among the Shelduck and Greylags!

In the moth trap 2 Early Greys, a Small Quaker, Powdered Quaker and a Red Chestnut were caught.

 Early Grey Moth

 Red Chestnut

 
A Distant pic of the Black Swan!


Norfolk News from RARE BIRD ALERT
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Norfolk Cattle Egret Limpenhoe still in meadow by footpath TG.394.036
Norfolk Swallow flew west over Weybourne this morning
Norfolk White-tailed Eagle over Colney at 2.07pm
Norfolk White-tailed Eagle east of Norwich at Thorpe St.Andrew flew west over River Yare at 1.30pm
Norfolk Great White Egret y'day Blakeney Freshmarsh still
Norfolk 2.Great White Egrets Welney WWT still +2.Common Cranes
Norfolk Velvet Scoter y'day flew north past Hemsby
Norfolk Russian White-fronted Goose 1.5mls south of Thetford at Nunnery Lakes NR
Norfolk Sedge Warbler singing Titchwell RSPB
Norfolk Caspian Gull on Wednesday Hemsby. On Monday 74.Russian White-fronted Geese flew east
Norfolk Raven East Barsham at church at 6.23am