Leader: Matt Wickens
Coordinator and Reporter: Sue Gale There was a good turn-out for the visit to Sweet Briar Marshes NWT, probably because people had been enthused by the talk in August by Matt Wickens, Urban Reserve Manager. He had agreed to take us round the recently acquired reserve to demonstrate what he had been talking about. Most of us met in the car park on Hellesdon Road and took the very overgrown riverside path to reach Marriott’s Way. Over the bridge and it was only a short walk to the main entrance, where we met up with Matt.
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Leaders: Dave Ward and Andy Rhodes
Coordinator and reporter: Alan Hughes Like all the best adventures, this one had a quiet start. On this perfect summer’s evening, Dave Ward, the Warden of the Hawk and Owl Trust’s Sculthorpe Moor reserve took our group of 14 into the beaver enclosure and told us about the origins of their group (2 adults, 2 yearlings and 2 kits born this year) and of their benefits to the environment. His main purpose was to ensure that we could all be as quiet as possible once we moved into the heart of the enclosure as, he explained, beavers have excellent hearing (as well as a good sense of smell, although poor eyesight). We were able to see one of their dams there, threatening to block a drain. Leader & Bird List: David Laurie
Reporter: Mandy Etherington Nine of us met in the car park at RSPB Frampton Marsh. The weather seemed ideal, warm with a light breeze – a bit cloudy so not too bright or hot. Almost immediately we saw a Hobby fly past and had fantastic views of a Sparrowhawk overhead. It was going to be a good day! We gathered in the Visitor Centre to use the facilities (stopping on the way to admire some Eyed Hawk-moth caterpillars on some bushes at the car park entrance) and the bird list started straight away as we looked through the fantastic picture window in the viewing area. In fact, David had to remind us that we were going to walk around the reserve! Coordinator: Keith Walker
Leader: Chris Stone Reporter: David Laurie Bird List: Seamus O’Dowd It was a 9:00 start on a day promising sun with a light westerly wind and as we assembled the trees and bushes around the car park yielded Lesser Whitethroats, a Chiffchaff and a Blackcap. We made a party of 13 and our first call was the woodland by the visitor centre in search of the Spotted Flycatchers that have nested there this year. The adults and three juveniles are reported to be around but escaped us on this occasion. But we did see a Treecreeper. Leader: Nick Edwards
Reporter: Cath Robinson The weather had been so good up until the Sunday....Eight of us turned up at the Winterton Beach car park hoping that the forecast for rain later in the morning might be wrong. We started off, most of us prepared with waterproofs just in case. And after a short hike along the dunes, we arrived on the beach near the roped off sector, already hearing the cries of Little Terns. There were, literally, hundreds lined up on the water’s edge occasionally all taking off and swirling in a cloud above the sea. On our other side we picked out many nests in the roped section, some with quite large chicks; some with adults still incubating and there were also a few Ringed Plovers sitting on nests and also roaming the beach. It was an amazing sight and a real treat to see so many Little Terns. |
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September 2024
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