Wildlife is thriving as lockdown leaves countryside deserted

Chris Hill

chris.hill@archant.co.uk

PUBLISHED: 12:16 31 March 2020 | UPDATED: 12:16 31 March 2020

Wildlife has found new space to breathe in Norfolk’s countryside as the coronavirus lockdown gives nature a “once-in-a-lifetime” chance to thrive without human disturbance.

While people are confined to their homes, weasels have been spotted venturing onto once-crowded pathways, oystercatchers are nesting on deserted beaches, and sparrowhawks are circling for prey above areas which were attracting thousands of visitors just a few weeks ago.

The Holkham Estate in north Norfolk usually welcomes more than a million people every year to its famous beach and its 9,600-acre national nature reserve, the biggest in England.

Conservation manager Jake Fiennes said it was now a “very surreal” scene as the footfall vanished overnight after the estate closed its hall, shops, visitor centre and car parks – part of the national effort to contain the spread of the virus.

But he said he was excited to see what the result would be as the breeding season begins on the dunes, salt marsh and grassland – but particularly on the beach, where he believes the biggest impact will be felt.

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WATCH: Tallest bird in UK filmed in Norfolk countryside

PUBLISHED: 20:10 16 February 2020 | UPDATED: 11:41 17 February 2020

Clarissa Place

The tallest bird in the UK are the centre of a new wildlife video after making Norfolk their home more than 40 years ago.

Wildlife documentary maker Liam Smith, who runs the Shot of Wildlife YouTube channel, captured several species of animals while out in the county's countryside including the common crane.

The bird stands at more than four feet tall and has a wingspan of almost eight foot and are considered one of the tallest birds in the whole of Europe.

The flock of cranes, filmed between Acle and Billockby, first came to Norfolk in 1978 from mainland Europe.

Watch video and read on

Marsh harrier shot near Sculthorpe Moor nature reserve, Norfolk

2 July 2019

A rare bird of prey thought to be part of a breeding pair on a nature reserve has been found shot.

The male marsh harrier was found injured by a dog walker at Sculthorpe Moor, near Fakenham, Norfolk, according to the reserve owner the Hawk and Owl Trust.

The find was reported to staff at the reserve, but when they got to the spot only a few feathers were left.

Since the shooting a male bird breeding on the reserve has not been seen.

The Trust said this year's chicks were at risk because both parents were needed to supply enough food for their offspring.

The Hawk and Owl Trust said it had reported the find, on 21 June, to Norfolk Police as the marsh harrier is a protected species under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981.

The Trust said "the finder was unable to get to the bird to rescue, but did take a photograph which records the kind of injury that shows the bird had been shot".

Nigel Middleton, Sculthorpe Moor reserve manager, said: "Illegal persecution is such a problem and it's inexcusable. Having it happen on our doorstep has come as a real shock.

"Marsh harriers are the reason that Sculthorpe is a reserve. This is just horrifying.

"If anyone knows anything please let the police know. Let's bring this criminal to justice."

Marsh harrier

lives in marsh and reedbed

length = 52cm; wingspan = 122cm

breeds in Europe, central Asia and north Africa

after nearly disappearing as a breeding species in Britain, it has recovered to about 400 breeding pairs, but still has "endangered" status

eats animals found/caught on the ground

Source: British Trust for Ornithology

Source

Little Tern eggs stolen from Norfolk beach

23/06/2019

The RSPB is assisting Norfolk Constabulary in an appeal for information into the theft of seven clutches of Little Tern eggs from a colony near Winterton, Norfolk.

EU Life+ Little Tern Recovery Project volunteers and staff work shifts to monitor the terns throughout daylight hours, when the birds are most vulnerable to disturbance. However, in the early hours of the morning of Thursday 20 June, RSPB Little Tern wardens discovered that up to 20 eggs had been illegally stolen from seven nests. Human footprints were identified leading up to each nest.

Little Tern is one of the UK's rarest breeding seabirds, having suffered serious declines over the past 25 years. In the 1980s there were 2,500 breeding pairs but this fell to fewer than 2,000 pairs in 2000, and it is now estimated that there are currently a maximum of 1,500 pairs.

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Moorhens get the five star treatment with new floating bird hotel

PUBLISHED: 12:31 27 March 2019 | UPDATED: 13:05 27 March 2019

Karen Bethell

Moorhen chicks at risk of being eaten by predators have a new, five star safe haven, in the shape of a floating bird ‘hotel’ installed on a pond in the centre of a north Norfolk conservation area.

When Sheringham town councillor Neil Espin heard that three of the four-strong brood of moorhen chicks hatched last spring on the banks of the pond on Beeston Common had either been eaten by crows or drowned, he decided to take action.

After asking honorary warden Francis Farrow for advice, Mr Espin got together a group of fellow councillors and launched a project aimed at giving this year’s hatchlings a better chance of survival.

Using materials donated by councillors and local businesses, Mr Farrow, 68. built a moorhen ‘hotel’ featuring a wooden floor and frame, a drawbridge and “The idea is to protect the chicks from herons, stoats, rats, crows and foxes,” he explained.

 “The problem was that the moorhens had nowhere else to go except around the reeds at the sides of the pond, so this should hopefully give them a refuge in the middle.”

Mr Farrow, who has been involved in conservation work on the commons since 1969, is a founder member of Beeston Common Management Group, which looks after the 61 acres of grassland, heath, marsh, fen and woodland making up the commons of Sheringham and Beeston Regis.

Designated a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) by Natural England, the commons boast flora and fauna ranging from adders, bats and deer, to 26 species of butterfly and more than 400 varieties of flowering plant.

Mr Farrow said the pond, which has been a permanent fixture on the commons since 1984, was visited by 19 species of dragonfly, as well as kingfishers, herons, frogs and toads.

Read on

Sand Martins fly 3,500 miles from Africa to roost on Norfolk coast only to find council has covered their nests in netting to protect eroding cliffs

Black nets were put in place to keep migrating birds away from cliffs in Norfolk 

Nets were erected so a project to combat coastal erosion could be carried out 

Campaigners called out the netting as birds were left blocked from their nests 

North Norfolk District Council said it would take down part of the netting 

By HENRY MARTIN FOR MAILONLINE

PUBLISHED: 18:48, 9 April 2019 | UPDATED: 23:25, 9 April 2019

A council has agreed to remove part of a controversial cliff netting that is blocking birds from their nests when they return from a 3,500-mile trip Africa. 

Swathes of black nets were temporarily put in place to keep migrating birds away this summer over fears that they could be harmed by a project to combat coastal erosion at Bacton, Norfolk.

But bird lovers were left outraged because the netting for the £22million sea defence scheme prevented returning birds from using their nesting holes. 

The so-called Sandscaping project, which is the largest of its kind to be carried out in the UK, involves dumping 1.8 million cubic metres of sand on a 3.5 mile stretch of beach to help prevent flooding.

It will provide what is described as 'robust protection' to safeguard the giant gas terminal at Bacton, which handles a third of the UK's gas supply and protect local homes for the next 20 years.

Exhausted Sand Martins flying 3,500 miles from their winter homes in Africa have been arriving in Bacton in recent days to find their burrows in the sandy cliffs have been blocked off.

Bird watchers were horrified to see the 'heartbreaking' scene of the birds trying in vain to find a way through the netting, which is hanging over different areas with burrows on a 1,000 yard long section of the cliff.

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Winter birds thrill Norfolk wildlife photographers

A gathering of winter visitors has attracted crowds of birdwatchers and photographers to a Norfolk police station.

The waxwings were spotted eating berries from a rowan tree outside the building in Long Stratton.

The birds, recognisable by their distinctive red and yellow feathers, are not native to the UK but tend to visit during the winter months.

"They are a scarce winter visitor but do on occasions appear in larger numbers," said Peter Hayman, from Rare Bird Alerts.

"It just depends on the availability of food and/or weather within their winter range.

"We haven't seen many in Norfolk this winter so it's no wonder these have caught people's attention."

05 Jan 2019

Source  

2nd January

Twitchers treated to rare bird sighting at Asda Totton

By Chris Yandell dailyecho_New Forest Chief Reporter

TWITCHERS descended on a Hampshire supermarket after reports that exotic birds had been seen in the area.

Birdwatchers anxious to catch a glimpse of waxwings converged on the car park at the Asda store in Maynard Road, Totton.

One of the first to see and photograph the birds was Cllr David Harrison, who represents part of Totton on the county and district councils.

He said: “I’m absolutely thrilled to have seen these rare visitors - they’re truly one of the most attractive birds to be seen in Britain.

“I don’t expect them to stay around for long as there aren’t a great many trees with berries on them.

“Normally waxwings only come this far south during a really cold snap so it’s a wonderful surprise and a great way to start the birdwatching year.”

Twitchers also rushed to investigate sightings of waxwings in nearby Beaumont Road and Jennings Road.

Source

Endangered birds to be released into Norfolk countryside

PUBLISHED: 14:53 31 July 2018 | UPDATED: 14:53 31 July 2018

Simon Parkin

Dozens of birds that were once a common sight in the Norfolk countryside before a steep decline put them on the endangered list are set to be released into the wild near Diss.

Earsham Wetland Centre has reared 100 grey partridge as part of its conservation work and plans to release most of them at Dickleburgh Moor where they are creating a new nature reserve.

Both nationally and in Norfolk, grey partridge, also known as the ‘English partridge’, have undergone a massive decline and are a red-listed species.

In Edwardian times there were more than a million roaming the British countryside. By the early 1990s this had dropped to 145,000, and today estimates suggest that this figure has halved again.

Ben Potterton, trustee at Earsham Wetland Centre, which opened last year in the old River Waveney Study Centre building, on the site of the former Otter Trust, said this summer’s dry weather had prompted them to rear grey partridge for their Dickleburgh site.

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Rare endangered bird species spotted at north Norfolk caravan park

PUBLISHED: 13:38 13 July 2018

Jessica Frank-Keyes

Campers at a north Norfolk caravan park were lucky enough to spot some unusual visitors.

Guests at the Old Brick Kilns Caravan and Camping Park identified a nesting pair of spotted flycatchers in a bird box on one of the site’s oak trees.

There are now thought to be fewer than 500 pairs of the birds in Norfolk.

They reported their discovery of the birds, which are red-listed as a bird of conservation concern, to the site owners, who were advised to contact the British Trust for Ornithology (BTO).

The birds can be registered as part of the organisation’s nest record and ringing scheme.

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Fond farewell as little tern chicks set off on African migration

Anthony Carroll

PUBLISHED: 15:40 09 July 2018 | UPDATED: 16:17 09 July 2018

It is a 3,100 mile annual migration that sees one of the rarest seabirds in the land leave their nests in the Great Yarmouth area and head to Africa.

As these pictures show, little tern chicks are starting to leave their nests and make their way to their West African wintering grounds.

The chicks can be found at the dunes at Winterton and several other beaches in the area and they make up about 20pc of the country’s population of the bird.

Lyn Ibbitson-Elk, a RSPB little tern volunteer who caught some of the birds on camera along with fellow volunteer Kevin Simmonds, said: “I have had the privilege to volunteer on the RSPB Little Tern Project for several years and it is a very special experience.

“These precious little seabirds honour us in Norfolk with their presence for only a few months every year, having flown an astonishing 5,000km.

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After 80 years away, Norfolk corncrakes are making a comeback

Chris Hill

PUBLISHED: 17:07 13 July 2018 | UPDATED: 17:07 13 July 2018

After an absence of 80 years, corncrakes are being returned to the Norfolk countryside – and farmers are playing a crucial role in the breeding project which aims to spark this secretive bird’s resurgence. CHRIS HILL reports.

Amid the “hoot” of the tawny owl and the shrill “peewit” of the lapwing, a strange rasping call can be heard across Norfolk meadows during these long summer nights.

And every time this unlikely song rings out, it signals a success for a breeding project aiming to bring an endangered farmland bird back to its traditional East Anglian habitat.

Corncrakes were once widespread throughout the UK, but their numbers declined catastrophically during the 20th century due to the mechanised and earlier mowing of grass crops – destroying the tall vegetation which is the bird’s spring nesting habitat.

Conservationists say the species has been extinct in East Anglia for more than 80 years.

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Bird builds nest on Norfolk primary school wellie rack

1 June 2018

An expectant mother went to great lengths to get her children into her chosen school - by giving birth in the playground.

The blackbird chose to make her nest above a rack of Wellington boots near the door of Holly Meadows Primary School near King's Lynn, Norfolk.

The area was cordoned off and four chicks have now hatched.

Teacher Emma Baker said they were "surprised the blackbird had chosen such a noisy, busy location".

"She really doesn't seem bothered by the noise or the children's presence," she said.

"We were all very excited... when four eggs appeared in the nest and then later on, four little baby birds."

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Rescue effort to save godwit eggs

The unseasonably wet April has caused problems for nesting birds on the Cambridgeshire and Norfolk washlands, including the area's breeding Black-tailed Godwits, the RSPB and Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust (WWT) have revealed.

The soggy conditions have left the Nene and Ouse Washes unusually full of water for the time of year, forcing large numbers of birds to nest away from the safety of the reserves. Conservationists have discovered clutches of Black-tailed Godwit eggs on nearby farmland. The eggs have become stuck in mud, sparking fears for the overall success of the 2018 breeding season and consequently the species' future.

However, farmers and conservationists teamed up to save a total of 32 eggs, which were collected from arable land and are now in incubators at Welney WWT, Norfolk, as part of pioneering conservation scheme Project Godwit.

Hannah Ward, RSPB Project Manager at Project Godwit, said: "The Nene and Ouse Washes in the Fens are two of just a handful of sites in the UK where Black-tailed Godwits breed.

"Historically, they nest on the washes, but the high water has forced them onto wheat fields, where eggs have been fused to the mud and the tall crops conceal potential predators. Due to the conditions these eggs have been subjected to, we are anticipating a reduction in the numbers of eggs that hatch."

Conservationists have been using a technique known as headstarting – raising young birds from eggs collected in the wild – to help boost the British godwit population. The species' numbers at the Ouse Washes are critically low, but it's hoped that headstarting, combined with the creation of extra wetland habitat, could ultimately restore the population to the counts seen in the 1970s. The Ouse and Nene Washes in the Fens are artificial wetlands, created in the 18th century, to drain the surrounding land for farming.

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Appeal for volunteers to help rare coastal seabird

The RSPB's appealing for volunteers in Norfolk, Suffolk and Essex to help one of the UK's rarest seabirds, the Little Tern.

Their numbers have seriously declined in recent years as they struggle to find safe beaches to nest and feed their young.

Over a third of the UK breeding population make a home in East Anglia.

“Norfolk beaches are fantastic places to see little terns. Over a third of the UK breeding population make a home in East Anglia, and some of the largest colonies in the UK can be found here in Norfolk. However, our beaches are busy places and the little terns rely on our help to ensure chicks thrive and are able to successfully follow their parents back to Africa in August."

– PHIL PEARSON, SENIOR CONSERVATION OFFICER

The RSPB says that the birds are often disturbed when nesting by people as well as being vulnerable to predators such as crows or foxes. Severe weather events have also affected numbers in recent years.

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Bird watchers flock to Snettisham as snowy owl makes ‘extremely rare’ visit to Norfolk

Luke Powell

PUBLISHED: 17:14 11 March 2018 | UPDATED: 08:29 12 March 2018

A snowy owl has made an “extremely rare” visit to Norfolk this weekend - thousands of miles away from its usual feeding ground.

A snowy owl made an “extremely rare” visit to Norfolk over the weekend - thousands of miles away from its usual feeding ground.

The birds usually live in the far north around the Arctic circle and rarely venture south of northern Scotland.

But the RSPB has today confirmed a female snowy owl - made famous as Harry Potter’s owl, Hedwig - has been spotted at Snettisham in West Norfolk.

The charity said hundreds of bird watchers gathered at the reserve, as well as at Titchwell Marsh to catch a glimpse.

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Norfolk residents given opportunity to experience bird therapy

PUBLISHED: 14:25 20 February 2018 | UPDATED: 14:25 20 February 2018

Steve Shaw

People in mid-Norfolk will have the opportunity to learn benefits of bird watching during an upcoming bird therapy walk.

The walk will take place on March 4 in Lyng and it will be hosted by Joe Harkness, a qualified teacher who encourages people experiencing mental health difficulties to explore the countryside.

Bird therapy uses birdwatching and the outdoors to help reduce the symptoms of mental problems such as anxiety and depression.

Read more  

Hand-reared godwits from Norfolk found safe and sound in Portugal

PUBLISHED: 14:39 08 February 2018 | UPDATED: 17:03 08 February 2018

Andrew Stone

Two black-tailed godwits from Norfolk that were among the first ever British wading birds to be released into the wild under a new conservation technique have been spotted alive and well – 1,200 miles away in Portugal.

The birds were among 26 that conservationists hatched and reared by hand before releasing under a process known as ‘headstarting’.

After release the birds joined wild flocks and this is the first time any of them have been outside the UK.

Dutch ornithologists reported seeing the birds among a flock on the Tagus Estuary near Lisbon.

The team from RSPB and WWT behind “Project Godwit” has welcomed the news that their protégés have migrated safely.

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Mystery surrounds disappearance of rare bird of prey

16 August 2017 at 10:32am

A rare bird of prey that breeds in Norfolk has gone missing in mysterious circumstances.

Sally, a Montagu's harrier, is fitted with a satellite tag. However, this stopped transmitting a signal on Sunday 6 August.

The RSPB says this is unusual because satellite tags are highly reliable and will continue transmitting signals even when a bird is dead.

Sally is paired with another Montagu's harrier called Roger. They are the only pair of Montagu’s harriers left in eastern England and one of only four pairs in the UK.

Sally and Roger have successfully bred in Norfolk for the past two seasons. This year they raised three juveniles.

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Great White Egrets breed at Holkham Nature Reserve

PUBLISHED: 17:33 07 August 2017 | UPDATED: 17:33 07 August 2017

Jessica Frank-Keyes

Holkham Nature Reserve has welcomed another rare bird to its list of species, after three young Great white Egrets hatched at the reserve this year.

Throughout the 19th century, these birds were killed across Europe for their ornate feathers, used in the hat trade, and for much of the 20th century the species was under threat, and restricted to wetland areas in Eastern Europe.

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Ear-ear! Rare Norfolk sightings of long-eared owl caught on camera

PUBLISHED: 14:08 27 July 2017 | UPDATED: 14:16 27 July 2017

ANDREW STONE

An amateur wildlife photographer from Norfolk made the sighting of his life - not once but twice - when he photographed a long-eared owl on consecutive days this week.

Brian Shreeve, 71, and his wife Ann, 72, of Hemblington, made the rare sighting of the winged predator in the Ludham Marshes area on Monday and Tuesday. He said: “I have never seen one of them before in my 50 odd years of loving wildlife.”

Mr Shreeve, a keen wildlife photographer, said he and Mrs Shreeve usually went out in the early morning and evenings during the week when it was quieter.

“Ann acts as my spotter. When I’m looking through the viewfinder she looks around to see what I’m missing.”

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