We have started doing our monthly meetings INDOORS again now, following social distancing measures and wearing masks. The meetings are taking place at the Great Witchingham Village Hall, NR9 5AZ, starting at 7.30pm.
If you have an concerns or queries, please email Keith on wvbs.chair@gmail.com .
If you have an concerns or queries, please email Keith on wvbs.chair@gmail.com .
This is our programme for the period of January - December 2021.
January 2021
ONLINE - Thursday 21st - "Saving the Spoon-billed Sandpiper"
We are delighted to welcome Dr James Robinson Director of Conservation at the Wildlife & Wetlands Trust (WWT) who will tell us all about this brilliant story.
OUTDOOR- CANCELLED
February 2021
ONLINE- Thursday 18th - David Horsley is joining us to speak about Raptors and other Predators on the Spanish Steppe.
OUTDOOR - CANCELLED
March 2021
ONLINE -Thursday 18th - "Wild Landscapes of Norfolk" - Nick Acheson of the NWT is joining us to speak about our beloved Norfolk and this will hopefully give us some inspiration for exploring our fabulous county when we emerge from Covid.
OUTDOOR- CANCELLED
April 2021
ONLINE- Thursday 15th - AGM followed by a presentation from our favourite presenter, Allan Hale - "Chile from Top to Bottom"
OUTDOOR - Sunday 25th- Field Trip to Winterton
May 2021
ONLINE - Thursday 20th - Paul Stancliffe, who works for the BTO, will deliver a talk to us entitled “The Work of the BTO and Making your Birding Count”
OUTDOOR - Saturday 29th - Field Trip to the Tiffey Valley
June 2021
ONLINE - Thursday 17th - Abi Mustard, Osprey Officer of the LRWT shares a talk called “Back from the Brink”: The Wonderful Story of the Rutland Osprey Project.
OUTDOOR - Saturday 19th - Field Trip to Haveringland Hall Park
July 2021
INDOOR - Thursday 22nd - Summer Social Event
OUTDOOR - Saturday 17th - Nightjar evening
August 2021
INDOOR - Thursday 19th - James Lowen will be joining us to talk about his new book - Much Ado About Mothing.
OUTDOOR - Saturday 21st - Field Trip to RSPB Frampton Marsh
September 2021
INDOOR - Thursday 16th - Rick & Elis Simpson : Waderquest : The acute crisis facing wader conservation.
Rick and Elis are a husband and wife team who dedicate their lives to promoting the conservation of wading birds. Rick is a lifelong birder, writer and artist, whilst Elis is a wildlife photographer. The talk introduces the organisation through the beauty and diversity of the waders to be found around the world, while emphasising the acute crisis that is facing wader conservation, and how we can all help to combat it.
OUTDOOR - Saturday 25th - Field Trip to RSPB Titchwell
What could be better than a day at the flagship Norfolk Reserve in the company of member Chris Stone who is a
volunteer guide there. He will keep his ears open for birds dropping in at nearby Holme and Thornham and a trip there
could be an option if anything exciting arrives, albeit there should be plenty to see at Titchwell with returning
wintering birds, migrants and maybe ducks on the sea.
October 2021
INDOOR - Thursday 21st - Chrissie Kelley : Giving Curlews a Boost – (talk to be held at Pensthorpe Natural Park)
Chrissie is the Head of Species Management at Pensthorpe Conservation Trust and has been involved in a special
project to help this red listed species, in conjuction with Natural England, the R.A.F., and the Defence Infrastructure
Organisation. Eggs are recovered which previously would have been lost, incubated and hatchlings reared at
Pensthorpe and then released in Norfolk. We will see a video of the activities and then Chrissie will deliver a
presentation.
OUTDOOR - Saturday 30th - Field Trip to Ludham / How Hill (The Broads)
We love a new walk and Emily Leonard is giving us the opportunity to explore the public footpaths in the Buttle Marsh
area of the Norfolk Broads, with views of a reed beds and river. The area is renowned for the wild wintering swans
which hopefully will be back by then and I am sure there will be lots of other goodies to see.
November 2021
INDOOR - Thursday 18th - Paul Eele – Holkham NNR warden.
Paul is currently a warden at Holkham and is was previously the manager of RSPB Titchwell. He has a wealth of birding knowledge to impart and is a keen photographer. Paul's visit is a precursor to our club trip to Holkham later in November.
OUTDOOR - Saturday 27th - Field Trip to Holkham NNR
Steve Chapman will show us the delights of winter birding at Holkham and hopefully members will be aware of the
expected highlights, as Paul Eele the warden will have delivered a presentation about the Reserve at our Indoor
Meeting nine days earlier. Steve has kindly agreed to have a reserve day of the 28th if we are faced with bad weather
on the 27th .
SPECIAL ONLINE MEETING- Tuesday 23rd - Jason Moss – Birding in Majorca
Jason has previously delivered an excellent talk to us about his experiences in the UK. He now lives in Majorca and
continues to guide for our friends' Oriole Birding. He has kindly offered to show us the highlights of birding in Majorca
and we hope to pay a visit to join him in May 2022.
December 2021
INDOOR - Friday 10th- Christmas Social - details to follow
OUTDOOR - 2nd JANUARY 2022 - Bird Count
We try and run twelve Outdoor meetings a year and hold Decembers meeting a few days late so we can get our 2022
lists off to a bumper start. We will meet for results and Tea and cakes at Great Witchingham Village Hall afterwards.
If you require further information please contact wvbs.chair@gmail.com
January 2021
ONLINE - Thursday 21st - "Saving the Spoon-billed Sandpiper"
We are delighted to welcome Dr James Robinson Director of Conservation at the Wildlife & Wetlands Trust (WWT) who will tell us all about this brilliant story.
OUTDOOR- CANCELLED
February 2021
ONLINE- Thursday 18th - David Horsley is joining us to speak about Raptors and other Predators on the Spanish Steppe.
OUTDOOR - CANCELLED
March 2021
ONLINE -Thursday 18th - "Wild Landscapes of Norfolk" - Nick Acheson of the NWT is joining us to speak about our beloved Norfolk and this will hopefully give us some inspiration for exploring our fabulous county when we emerge from Covid.
OUTDOOR- CANCELLED
April 2021
ONLINE- Thursday 15th - AGM followed by a presentation from our favourite presenter, Allan Hale - "Chile from Top to Bottom"
OUTDOOR - Sunday 25th- Field Trip to Winterton
May 2021
ONLINE - Thursday 20th - Paul Stancliffe, who works for the BTO, will deliver a talk to us entitled “The Work of the BTO and Making your Birding Count”
OUTDOOR - Saturday 29th - Field Trip to the Tiffey Valley
June 2021
ONLINE - Thursday 17th - Abi Mustard, Osprey Officer of the LRWT shares a talk called “Back from the Brink”: The Wonderful Story of the Rutland Osprey Project.
OUTDOOR - Saturday 19th - Field Trip to Haveringland Hall Park
July 2021
INDOOR - Thursday 22nd - Summer Social Event
OUTDOOR - Saturday 17th - Nightjar evening
August 2021
INDOOR - Thursday 19th - James Lowen will be joining us to talk about his new book - Much Ado About Mothing.
OUTDOOR - Saturday 21st - Field Trip to RSPB Frampton Marsh
September 2021
INDOOR - Thursday 16th - Rick & Elis Simpson : Waderquest : The acute crisis facing wader conservation.
Rick and Elis are a husband and wife team who dedicate their lives to promoting the conservation of wading birds. Rick is a lifelong birder, writer and artist, whilst Elis is a wildlife photographer. The talk introduces the organisation through the beauty and diversity of the waders to be found around the world, while emphasising the acute crisis that is facing wader conservation, and how we can all help to combat it.
OUTDOOR - Saturday 25th - Field Trip to RSPB Titchwell
What could be better than a day at the flagship Norfolk Reserve in the company of member Chris Stone who is a
volunteer guide there. He will keep his ears open for birds dropping in at nearby Holme and Thornham and a trip there
could be an option if anything exciting arrives, albeit there should be plenty to see at Titchwell with returning
wintering birds, migrants and maybe ducks on the sea.
October 2021
INDOOR - Thursday 21st - Chrissie Kelley : Giving Curlews a Boost – (talk to be held at Pensthorpe Natural Park)
Chrissie is the Head of Species Management at Pensthorpe Conservation Trust and has been involved in a special
project to help this red listed species, in conjuction with Natural England, the R.A.F., and the Defence Infrastructure
Organisation. Eggs are recovered which previously would have been lost, incubated and hatchlings reared at
Pensthorpe and then released in Norfolk. We will see a video of the activities and then Chrissie will deliver a
presentation.
OUTDOOR - Saturday 30th - Field Trip to Ludham / How Hill (The Broads)
We love a new walk and Emily Leonard is giving us the opportunity to explore the public footpaths in the Buttle Marsh
area of the Norfolk Broads, with views of a reed beds and river. The area is renowned for the wild wintering swans
which hopefully will be back by then and I am sure there will be lots of other goodies to see.
November 2021
INDOOR - Thursday 18th - Paul Eele – Holkham NNR warden.
Paul is currently a warden at Holkham and is was previously the manager of RSPB Titchwell. He has a wealth of birding knowledge to impart and is a keen photographer. Paul's visit is a precursor to our club trip to Holkham later in November.
OUTDOOR - Saturday 27th - Field Trip to Holkham NNR
Steve Chapman will show us the delights of winter birding at Holkham and hopefully members will be aware of the
expected highlights, as Paul Eele the warden will have delivered a presentation about the Reserve at our Indoor
Meeting nine days earlier. Steve has kindly agreed to have a reserve day of the 28th if we are faced with bad weather
on the 27th .
SPECIAL ONLINE MEETING- Tuesday 23rd - Jason Moss – Birding in Majorca
Jason has previously delivered an excellent talk to us about his experiences in the UK. He now lives in Majorca and
continues to guide for our friends' Oriole Birding. He has kindly offered to show us the highlights of birding in Majorca
and we hope to pay a visit to join him in May 2022.
December 2021
INDOOR - Friday 10th- Christmas Social - details to follow
OUTDOOR - 2nd JANUARY 2022 - Bird Count
We try and run twelve Outdoor meetings a year and hold Decembers meeting a few days late so we can get our 2022
lists off to a bumper start. We will meet for results and Tea and cakes at Great Witchingham Village Hall afterwards.
If you require further information please contact wvbs.chair@gmail.com
