A windy day with variable cloud and a couple of much-needed showers! It was rather quiet today with 6 Common Terns and 20 Bar-tailed Godwits noted on the beach but very little moving offshore. Swifts were active over the grazing marshes again and a newly fledged family of Coal Tits was in the pines, with few warblers singing but Whitethroat, Sedge Warbler and Reed Warbler heard occasionally.
Insects were naturally fewer too in the strong winds, but in the traps a Buff Ermine, a Cinnabar, Small Elephant Hawk, Small Waved Umber, Muslin, Treble Lines, Fox Moth, Mottled Rustic, Smoky Wainscot, Swallow Prominent, White Colon and Silver Y were caught.
A Painted Lady was a true surprise near the west end of the reserve mid morning and a Wall Brown was also swept about, while a Four-spotted Chaser was around the pond again.
Norfolk News from RARE BIRD ALERT
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Norfolk Curlew Sand Cley NWT on Simmonds' Scrape
Norfolk 2.Common Cranes over Bintree at c9.45am
Holme Bird Observatory (Header)
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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.
