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 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 Thursday 7th May 2020

A beautiful sunny day with a light east breeze. A Common Sandpiper was on the edge of Broadwater and 12 Black-tailed Godwits flew out across the grazing marsh. Two Cuckoos were calling during the day, and two Hobbies were hawking over the marshes late morning. A Garden Warbler was singing on the reserve and a male Stonechat was just south of the Broadwater. A White Wagtail was running around on the east bank briefly around midday.


Moths were scarce with a Garden Pebble, 2 Muslins, 2 Northern Drabs, a Pine Beauty, and a White Ermine caught in the traps, but a plague of tiny Emperor caterpillars ensued when eggs laid by one of the adult moths which emerged over Easter finally hatched!


Norfolk News from RARE BIRD ALERT
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Norfolk 2.BEE-EATERS flew north west over Stiffkey
Norfolk Great White Egret flew east over Cley NWT this morning +2.Spoonbills
Norfolk Turtle Dove Heacham South Beach still by green shed
Norfolk Short-eared Owl y'day Thorpe-next-Haddiscoe
Norfolk 2.Temminck's Stints 1ml ESE of Potter Heigham at Potter Heigham Marshes (+Spoonbill)
Norfolk Temminck's Stint flew over Cley NWT at c9am