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 HIDES RE-OPENING FROM MONDAY 14TH SEPTEMBER 2020

The NOA is opening hides on all reserves to members again from 14th September 2020. There are still some restrictions and please be aware that these are: Face coverings will be required in all NOA hides until further notice, unless you are exempt for wearing them. Only 2 people from different households may use any hide at one time. A single household of more than two people is permitted, provided no-one else is using it. We are still not able to admit visitors inside the Observatory centre at present. We regret the inconvenience to all our members and visitors caused by the loss of use of these facilities during the first five months of the COVID-19 outbreak. Please be considerate of the restrictions we have put in place, allowing us to restore access as safely as possible. Thank you for your understanding.

Holme Bird Observatory Sunday 18th October 2020


Further delights today with yesterday's Dusky Warbler ringed at 7.15am and then seen on and off during the day between the Heligoland trap and the staff car park, south of the main bank. The first year female Red-flanked Bluetail was elusive for much of the day, but seen and photographed opposite the Richardson Hide at 2pm. Other birds of interest today included a juvenile Spoonbill east, 2 Red Kites over the grazing marsh, 3 Water Rails calling, 300 Golden Plover, 200 Lapwings and 50+ Black-tailed Godwits together with a single Ruff all south of the river Hun, a Spotted Redshank around Broadwater, with 6 Snipe, Jack Snipe and Woodcock also seen during the day. A Merlin was hunting mid morning and 200+ Goldcrests were still on the reserve with 13 Bearded Tits flying along the east bank, 5 Swallows, a Chiffchaff, 2 Blackcaps, 2 Grey Wagtails, a Rock Pipit, 7 Bramblings, 27 Redpolls, 2 Crossbills, 31 Siskins and a Siberian Chiffchaff also recorded. At Thornham a Pallas' Warbler continued to show near the harbour car park and a Redstart and 2 Twite were also seen.

 

Scarce Bordered Straw and Green Brindled Crescent were highlights in the moth trap.

 

Norfolk News from RARE BIRD ALERT

For all this news, in the field as it happens, subscribe to Rare Bird Alert for as little as 14p per day

 

Norfolk Pallas's Warbler Holkham Pines north of The Lookout c150yds NE of path to Holkham Gap

Norfolk DUSKY WARBLER Weybourne still late a'noon in willow clump before car park tho elusive

Norfolk Great White Egret Breydon Water along South Wall this a'noon

Norfolk RED-FLANKED BLUETAIL Holkham Pines still 1.30pm 200yds west of Meals House on bank behind roped-off area (+3.Y-br.Wblrs)

Norfolk EASTERN STONECHAT sp Holkham Freshmarsh still 2pm in NW corner beyond 5-bar gate viewed from 1st dune TF.886.448

Norfolk EASTERN RUFOUS BUSH CHAT (form familiaris/ syriaca) still 3.30pm 3/4ml NNW of Stiffkey +N. of A149 Wells Road on saltmarsh in suaeda 70yds E.of footbridge. Park carefully at north end of Green Way +walk N NR23 1QF TF.965.442

Norfolk 4.Lapland Buntings Stiffkey flew over saltmarsh

Norfolk Pallas's Warbler Trimingham still in clifftop wood this a'noon

Norfolk 7.Hawfinches flew over Hellesdon early morning

Norfolk 4.Cattle Egrets y'day Welney south of Welney Bridge at Gold Hill late a'noon

Norfolk RED-FLANKED BLUETAIL fem/1w.male Holme just NE of north end of Beach Road still 3.15pm in pines by golf course TF.697.438

Norfolk Vagrant Emperor dragonfly c2/3ml NW of Horsey Gap flew thru dunes

Norfolk DUSKY WARBLER Holme NOA still late morning by Broadwater. 5.Tundra Bean Geese flew in off sea at 7.30am (+Jack Snipe)

Norfolk Pallas's Warbler Great Yarmouth Cemetery still tho mobile (+Pied Fly)

Norfolk Y-br.Wblr Winterton North Dunes +Snow Bunting over

Norfolk Pallas's Warbler Thornham Harbour still mid a'noon in bushes at car park (+Spotted Redshank 2.Twite)

Norfolk OLIVE-BACKED PIPIT y'day Happisburgh +Pallas's Warbler (+Hawfinch over)

Norfolk probable Siberian Lesser Whitethroat (form blythi) Holkham Freshmarsh in NW corner at 2.18pm tho mobile

Norfolk DUSKY WARBLER Caister-on-Sea still by entrance road to golf club at 2.20pm

Norfolk no further sign of Dusky Warbler Titchwell north of Gypsy Lane in reeds east of ditch by mid a'noon but Pallas's Warbler still 2.30pm near pool (+male Hen Harrier flew west) TF.766.447

Norfolk DUSKY WARBLER y'day Caister-on-Sea by entrance road to golf club

Norfolk DUSKY WARBLER Weybourne still 12.55pm in willow clump before car park tho elusive

Norfolk RED-FLANKED BLUETAIL fem/1w.male Holme still 12.09pm in brambles by coast path 200yds east of village car park tho mobile

Norfolk 2.Y-br.Wblrs Burnham Deepdale in trees north of church at 10am

Norfolk Pallas's Warbler Holme north of Beach Road +north of golf course in buckthorn by main path at 1.15pm TF.697.438

Norfolk 2.Twite Thornham Harbour still on jetty at 1.02pm

Norfolk Pallas's Warbler Thornham Harbour still 1.30pm in bushes at car park +showing well

Norfolk EASTERN RUFOUS BUSH CHAT (form familiaris/ syriaca) still 1.23pm 3/4ml NNW of Stiffkey +N. of A149 Wells Road on saltmarsh in suaeda 70yds E.of footbridge. Park carefully at north end of Green Way +walk N NR23 1QF TF.965.442

Norfolk Black Redstart fem/1w.male Sheringham still at east end of promenade at Vincent Road on roof of new flats at 12.50pm

Norfolk 2.Pallas's Warblers Titchwell at Gypsy Lane this a’noon: 1.in wood, 1.north of Gypsy Lane in willows by pool TF.766.447

Norfolk Pallas's Warbler Titchwell still 1.10pm north of Gypsy Lane in willows by pool TF.766.447

Norfolk 3.Lapland Buntings Stiffkey on saltmarsh late morning

Norfolk OLIVE-BACKED PIPIT Brancaster Staithe by coast path then flew towards gardens TF.788.442

Norfolk Spoonbill imm Breydon Water at east end at 11.5-am then flew west

Norfolk 3.Cattle Egrets Burnham Overy Marshes still with cattle at end of boardwalk at 12.08pm

Norfolk Pallas's Warbler Thornham Harbour still 12.07pm in bushes at car park

Norfolk Great White Egret Welney WWT still

Norfolk EASTERN RUFOUS BUSH CHAT (form familiaris/ syriaca) still 11.55am 3/4ml NNW of Stiffkey +N. of A149 Wells Road on saltmarsh in suaeda 70yds E.of footbridge. Park carefully at north end of Green Way +walk N NR23 1QF TF.965.442

Norfolk RED-FLANKED BLUETAIL Holkham Pines north of track 200yds west of Meal House at 11.57am

Norfolk Y-br.Wblr Brancaster Staithe by track west of Beach Road

Norfolk Y-br.Wblr Weybourne at Muckleburgh Hill +possible Siberian Lesser Whitethroat (form blythi)

Norfolk EASTERN RUFOUS BUSH CHAT (form familiaris/ syriaca) still 11.28am 3/4ml NNW of Stiffkey +N. of A149 Wells Road on saltmarsh in suaeda 70yds E.of footbridge. Park carefully at north end of Green Way +walk N NR23 1QF TF.965.442

Norfolk Great White Egret Burgh Castle at 11.23am

Norfolk EASTERN RUFOUS BUSH CHAT (form familiaris/ syriaca) still 11.15am 3/4ml NNW of Stiffkey +N. of A149 Wells Road on saltmarsh in suaeda 70yds E.of footbridge. Park carefully at north end of Green Way +walk N NR23 1QF TF.965.442

Norfolk Pallas's Warbler Titchwell north of Gypsy Lane in willows at 11.05am TF.766.447

Norfolk EASTERN STONECHAT sp Holkham Freshmarsh still in NW corner beyond 5-bar gate viewed from 1st dune of Holkham Pines at 10.35am TF.886.448

Norfolk no news on Great Grey Shrike Warham Greens at Garden Drove by parking area

Norfolk Great White Egret King's Lynn flew NW over A149 at Sainsbury's late morning

Norfolk Great White Egret y'day SE of King's Lynn at Hardwick Flood Lagoon in evng

Norfolk Stiffkey: Police are present +may issue fixed penalty notices to those not following Covid regulations

Norfolk DUSKY WARBLER Titchwell north of Gypsy Lane in reeds east of ditch at 10.40am TF.766.447

Norfolk EASTERN RUFOUS BUSH CHAT (form familiaris/ syriaca) still 10.37am 3/4ml NNW of Stiffkey +N. of A149 Wells Road on saltmarsh in suaeda 70yds E.of footbridge. Park carefully at north end of Green Way +walk N NR23 1QF TF.965.442

Norfolk 5.Snow Buntings Snettisham on beach at Shepherds Port then flew south

Norfolk DUSKY WARBLER Weybourne still 10.20am in willow clump before car park [heard only]

Norfolk EASTERN RUFOUS BUSH CHAT (form familiaris/ syriaca) still 9.45am 3/4ml NNW of Stiffkey +north of A149 Wells Road on saltmarsh tho elusive. Park carefully at north end of Green Way +walk north NR23 1QF TF.965.442

Norfolk Snow Bunting flew south over Heacham

Norfolk 3+RED-FLANKED BLUETAILS (all fem/1w.male) still Holme just NE of north end of Beach Road in pines by golf course at 9.36am TF.697.438

Norfolk Pallas's Warbler Thornham Harbour in bushes at car park at 9.43am

Norfolk EASTERN RUFOUS BUSH CHAT (form familiaris/ syriaca) till 9.10am 2/3ml NW of Stiffkey +N.of A149 Wells Road in stubble field west of car park at N.end of Green Way but no further sign by 9.36am. Park carefully NR23 1QF TF.963.439

Norfolk Lapland Bunting Stiffkey flew south over east end of Campsite Wood at 9.22am

Norfolk Y-br.Wblr Snettisham RSPB at 8.30am

Norfolk Y-br.Wblr Holkham Pines by crosstracks at 8.55am

Norfolk Siberian Chiffchaff Holme in village car park

Norfolk EASTERN RUFOUS BUSH CHAT (form familiaris/ syriaca) still 8.56am 2/3ml NW of Stiffkey +north of A149 Wells Road +west of car park at north end of Green Way. Park carefully NR23 1QF TF.963.439

Norfolk no sign of Red-flanked Bluetail 1ml SE of Waxham by coast path just north of pipe dump by 8.55am (but Pied Fly 1/2ml south of church) TG.451.254

Norfolk 2.Tundra Bean Geese till 8.15am just E.of Wells at North Point Pools by track north of A149 +1/3ml E of steam railway entrance then flew north. Keep to public rights of way +don't enter from railway station TF.932.431

Norfolk DUSKY WARBLER ad Holme NOA trapped +ringed at 7.15am then flew towards reedbed near The Broad Water

Norfolk 2.Tundra Bean Geese just E.of Wells at North Point Pools by track north of A149 +1/3ml E of steam railway entrance. Keep to public rights of way +don't enter from railway station TF.932.431

Norfolk 1+RED-FLANKED BLUETAIL fem/1w.male Holme just NE of north end of Beach Road in pines by golf course TF.697.438

Norfolk EASTERN RUFOUS BUSH CHAT (form familiaris/ syriaca) still 8.11am 2/3ml NW of Stiffkey +north of A149 Wells Road +west of car park at north end of Green Way in brambles by yew. Park carefully NR23 1QF TF.963.439

Norfolk EASTERN RUFOUS BUSH CHAT (form familiaris/ syriaca) still 7.53am 2/3ml NNW of Stiffkey +north of A149 Wells Road by car park at north end of Green Way. Park carefully NR23 1QF TF.964.439

Norfolk EASTERN RUFOUS BUSH CHAT (form familiaris/ syriaca) still 3/4ml NNW of Stiffkey +north of A149 Wells Road on saltmarsh in suaeda 70yds east of footbridge. Park carefully at north end of Green Way +walk north NR23 1QF TF.965.442

Norfolk DUSKY WARBLER Weybourne in willow clump before car park

Norfolk Black Redstart y'day Stiffkey +Great White Egret

Norfolk Great White Egret y'day just E.of Wells at North Point Pools by track north of A149 +1/3ml E of steam railway entrance. Keep to public rights of way +don't enter from railway station TF.932.431

Norfolk Y-br.Wblr y'day Cromer at NE corner of Warren Wood early morning

Norfolk Pallas's Warbler y'day Trimingham still in clifftop wood at 5.15pm