Holme Bird Observatory (Header)

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CORONAVIRUS UPDATE – Tuesday 29th DECEMBER 2020

Further to the announcement of a Tier 4 (Stay at home) lockdown in Norfolk, the NOA has closed all hides on its nature reserves. While we would discourage anyone from travelling too far during this crucial time, our reserves themselves will remain open for local visitors and usual charges will apply for non-members. Please follow government advice, and respect social distancing at all times. We will restore access to our facilities as and when government restrictions permit.

We are very grateful for your understanding and support.

Holme Bird Observatory Wednesday 12th August 2020

Seawatching today produced a large feeding flock of 135+ Common Terns, 400+ Herring Gulls, 2 juvenile Kittiwakes and 10 Gannets offshore. 60+ Sandwich Terns flew east and 3 Little Terns and 3 Common Scoters passed west. Two Pied Flycatchers were again seen in the pines at the west entrance to the NOA reserve, and 3 Green Sandpipers and a Black-tailed Godwit were around the NWT pools.

A total of 101 species of moths were recorded today including 2 Tawny Speckled Pugs, 2 Double-striped Pugs, 7 Cloaked Minors, 6 Yellow-tails, 4 Straw Underwings, 3 Scarce Footmen, 4 Sharp-angled Peacocks, 4 Ferns, 8 Archer's Darts, 3 Tawny-barred Angles, 5 Small Waved Umbers, 6 Garden Pebbles, 5 Small Fan-footed Waves, 1 Straw Dot, 16 Dingy Footmen, 3 Turnips, 2 Webb's Wainscots, a Small Wainscot, a Green Carpet, 3 Rosy Footmen, 2 Knot Grass, a Buff Ermine, a Pine Hawk, 2 Garden Tigers, a White Point, 2 Least Carpets, Swallow and Lesser Swallow Prominent, Pebble Prominent, 26 Flounced Rustics, 5 White-line Darts, one Narrow-winged and 4 Angle-barred Pugs, a Gold Spot, Willow Beauty, Brown-line Bright Eye, Bright-line Brown-eye, Brimstone, Silver Y, 2 Small Square-spots, Common Carpet, Common Wave, Ear agg and Fen Wainscot.


Two Webb's Wainscots from the traps today.

Over 50 Red Admirals were feeding on the buddleias this afternoon with Comma, Small Heath, Brown Argus, Peacock, Gatekeeper and Wall Brown also noted. At least 10 Migrant Hawkers were around the pond.

Norfolk News from RARE BIRD ALERT
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Norfolk Red-backed Shrike 1w still 2pm west of Titchwell RSPB in bushes just east of Thornham Point near old brick lookout
Norfolk 2.Pied Flys Salthouse at Gramborough Hill this morning
Norfolk 3.Spoonbills Cley NWT at Arnold's Marsh at 1.14pm
Norfolk GREENISH WARBLER just NNW of Sidestrand by cliff north of Sidestrand Hall this morning TG.259.400
Norfolk 2.Pied Flys Waxham still this morning
Norfolk Spotted Redshank Cley NWT
Norfolk Icterine Warbler Wells Woods between beach path +north end of Dell
Norfolk Red-backed Shrike 1w still mid morning west of Titchwell RSPB in bushes just east of Thornham Point
Norfolk Honey Buzzard flew east over Waxham at 9.47am
Norfolk 2.Spoonbills Snettisham RSPB still on pits +2.Little Stints 5.Spotted Redshanks
Norfolk GREENISH WARBLER Sidestrand
Norfolk Pied Fly Winterton South Dunes by oaks at 8.20am
Norfolk released White-tailed Eagle juv north of Bawsey Quarries in pine plantation at 5.45am then flew south [from Isle of Wight reintroduction scheme]
Norfolk Red-backed Shrike fem still west of Titchwell RSPB in bushes just east of Thornham Point at 6.39am