North East Norfolk Bird Club

About us

North East Norfolk Bird Club [NENBC] was launched in January 2015 and covers the population centres of Melton Constable, Holt, Sheringham, Cromer, North Walsham and Aylsham. We are a friendly club catering for all levels of birding experience with members and supporters from the local area as well as seasonal visitors and those from much further afield who wished they lived here!

We have a comprehensive programme of club events and activities throughout the year at which non-members are always very welcome, including:

  • Monthly evening talks on the last Thursday of the month from September to November and January to April at our home base Gresham Village Hall [NR11 8RT] - plenty of refreshments always provided, a 2nd hand nature books stall too. Also available live via Zoom 
 
  • Monthly mid-week bird walks around the National Trust’s Felbrigg Park estate at the centre of our recording area on the 3rd Wednesday of the month from September to July

  • Varied monthly weekend bird walks to a range of local and regional birding hotspots from September to July

  • An annual 'Walks Week' programme where 7 members lead 7 walks over 7 days to 7 locations for 7 participants where we get to see local patches we wouldn't get to on a typical club walk

  • Occasional evening walks in the spring or summer for specific species such as Nightjar

  • An annual Birding for Beginners workshop series combining practical and theoretical elements of birdwatching from which we now have over 70 graduates

  • A range of special events throughout the year such as: a New Year’s Day Birding Challenge to get the year off to a good birding start; an annual joint speaker event with Norfolk Wildlife Trust (local group) and Cley Bird Club in February; a Big Sit birding event in May, recording the total number of species seen from one spot between dawn and dusk; an annual Coordinated Seawatch event along the coast in the autumn recording visible migration; a combined Christmas Social and AGM Evening in December
    
Our members receive a monthly e-newsletter, the Pied Flyer, which includes contributions from across the membership in every issue and we publish a comprehensive annual Bird Report for our recording area, covering not only the bird data, photos and artwork submitted by our members, but articles on our activities and projects too.

We have a Star Scheme where members are awarded lapel badges for the number of bird species recorded in the club area since joining - the self-certified Bronze [100 species] and the peer-reviewed Silver [200], Gold [250] and Platinum [300]. We also have an Eco-Badge Scheme for the number of bird species recorded in the NENBC area at or from home without the use of motorised transport since 1st January 2020 (or date of joining if later). Members enjoy the challenge of working towards Green [75 species for inland records, 100 if including coastal locations] and Super-Green [125 inland, 175 coastal].

We work with partners on a variety of projects. Many of our members volunteer with local wildlife conservation charity Felbeck Trust undertaking practical volunteering activities to support birds and other wildlife. We have also been working with the University of East Anglia for a few years now, supporting 3rd year UEA Environmental Consultancy students with 'real-life' projects for the club which have been most rewarding and resulted in some really interesting reports from the students. We have recently introduced an annual Young Birder Bursary scheme for our 16-24 year old members and are looking forward to reports in our newsletter from this year's beneficiary on their progress.

Our Club Sponsor is Bird Ventures in Holt at which members are eligible for a discount on their own-brand bird food.

Full details on our upcoming events and much more can be found on this website. We have an NENBC Twitter account @NENBC_info for local info and other birding news and we also run two WhatsApp groups - North East Norfolk Seawatching (open to all) for 'live' reporting of seabird movement along the north Norfolk coast and a member-only NENBC Alerts for sharing news of interesting birds within our recording area.

The NENBC recording area covers eight 10km squares as per the Ordnance Survey tetrads TG03, TG12, TG13, TG14, TG22, TG23, TG24 and TG33 in north east Norfolk. They stretch in a cross shape from Swanton Novers in the west to Happisburgh in the east, and from Sheringham in the north to Hevingham in the south. Within our designated area there are some of the county's premier birding sites, both coastal and inland, together with acres of under-watched or undiscovered habitats which have hosted over 350 species!

With around 450 members, our aim is to bring together people with a love and concern for birds in our area, to share knowledge and information, encourage participation in exploring our rich wildlife heritage and promote awareness of our threatened natural environment. We strive to be a sociable, inclusive and informative club which plays a vital role in the local birding community.

Club membership is currently just £12 per annum per household or £15 with a copy the club’s Bird Report from the previous year included.

If you have a love of birds, come and give us a try - we'd love to meet you! 

Contact Carol on nenbc@aol.co.uk



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Upcoming Events

  • "Getting to Africa and back - what have we learnt from 10 years of tracking Cuckoos and Nightingales?" An evening talk with the BTO's Phil Atkinson Indoor Event

    Date
    Location
    Gresham Village Hall or live online via Zoom from home
    DATE: Thursday 27th March 2025
     
    TIME: 7.30pm to 9.30pm
     
    JOIN IN: Either in person at Gresham Village Hall or live online via Zoom from home
     
    A BIT ABOUT THE SPEAKER AND THEIR TALK: Phil Atkinson will be talking about a variety of BTO projects. “I will start with an update on migrants, in particular two of our most loved migrants the Cuckoo and the Nightingale. Ten years tracking of Cuckoos has told us a lot but a recent paper came out looking at the migration as a whole. We think of trans-Saharan migrations as being difficult and risky, but where do the constraints actually occur? Use of geolocators on UK-breeding Nightingales has revealed for the first time where they winter and the result is surprising. Unlike any other European populations they are concentrated in a very small part of Africa. After the break I will touch on a new project that we are starting in 2027 - the new Breeding and Wintering Bird Atlas. These mammoth projects are undertaken every 20 or so years and we are just starting to plan. Birders and bird clubs will be integral to its success and I will highlight its importance and what the previous atlases have told us.” Phil is the BTO's Head of International Research & Principal Ecologist.  He has developed a program of international work focussing on the impacts of environmental change on bird populations and the ecology of Palaearctic migrants and leads the BTO’s international research program.
      
    AT THE HALL: Those of you attending in-person at the hall can expect a selection of home-made cakes plus tea, coffee, hot chocolate, wine and cold drinks during the interval and of course the chance to socialise with other members. We can cater for gluten-free or other requirements if you let us know in advance. We have a 2nd hand ‘natural world’ book stall for you to purchase from / contribute your no-longer-required stock to, supplies of our publications to buy (including our annual bird reports), a display of member photos and details on our upcoming events. We are happy to offer members’ old birding equipment for sale at our events (or in our newsletter) with a contribution going to club funds.
     
    BOOKING ARRANGEMENTS: It is always nice to know if you are coming to the hall but by no means essential so if it takes your fancy on the evening, please just turn up as we would love to see you and we have plenty of space! If you are intending to join via Zoom though, you definitely need to let us know in advance so we can get the link out to you in good time. 
     
    ACCESSIBILITY: The hall is wheelchair accessible. The level car park at the hall is shingle but we can reserve a space next to the entrance if you need it. 
     
    GOING GREEN!: The hall isn’t really accessible by public transport but if you are able to walk or cycle to the event that would be fantastic! Alternatively, car-sharing is encouraged. We are working on a way to best facilitate this but in the meantime, have a chat with folks at any of our events and contact them by email via the member page of our website to arrange something for next time, or let us know and we will try to put you in touch.
     
    DIRECTIONS: Gresham Village Hall, East Beckham Road off Church Lane, Gresham, Norfolk, NR11 8RT but note the published postcode might not take you to exactly the right spot! If you are coming through Aylmerton and Lower Gresham, turn right by the church (just after the school) and the hall is on your left. If you are coming through Gresham, turn left at the church (just before the school) and the hall is on your left. If you are dropping down from East Beckham, the hall is on your right opposite the church.
     
    PARKING: Access to the hall car park is off East Beckham Road, opposite the church. There is additional parking on the road along the side of the church itself and an overflow car park has kindly been offered to us by Gresham Village School. The school car park is located on Cromer Road to the left of the school as you face it and at the left-hand end of the row of houses – about a 300m walk from the hall. Please park considerately to allow maximum number of cars in the car parks and on the road but with enough space for passing traffic to be able to get through, including agricultural vehicles. We can send you a map of the locality on request. 
     
    FOR THE ZOOM LINK OR ANY QUERIES: Contact Carol on nenbc@aol.co.uk

  • WALK: Letheringsett Ford and Spout Hill Outdoor Event

    Date
    Location
    Letheringsett Ford
    LOCATION: Letheringsett Ford and Spout Hill
     
    DATE: Saturday 12th April 2025 (note change of date from originally advertised 6th April)
     
    TIME: 10:00am to 1:00pm
     
    WALK LEADER: Janice Darch
     
    BOOKING REQUIRED: So that we don’t monopolise car parks or take over at smaller locations, we ask for advance bookings on some of our walks and limit the group size to 15. Please remember to sign up with Janice if you would like to come on this one by emailing her on janicedarch@gmail.com before 5.00pm Thursday 10th April.
     
    WALK DESCRIPTION: This walk provides a range of habitats to explore from road side verges, to a watermill, a stretch of the River Glaven, some agricultural fields, wet meadows, woodland and a disused railway track. Along the river and at the mill we will look for Grey Wagtail and there is sometimes a Water Rail hiding in the vegetation. The wet meadows may have geese and duck, Curlew and Mute Swan whilst Pheasant and Red-legged Partridge are likely to be found in the fields with Buzzard, Kestrel and the possibility of Red Kite overhead. At this time of year passerines are setting up their breeding territories and some early migrants will have arrived. Spout Hill, just outside of Holt, is a lovely mix of deciduous woodland, grassland and it has a brook running through it. Possible birds are Nuthatch, Treecreeper, tit flocks, finches and resident and wintering thrushes.
     
    MEETING POINT: Meet in the lay-by on the A148 between Holt and Letheringsett.
     
    PARKING AND SITE INFORMATION: Park in the lay-by at NR25 6RZ which is the second lay-by on the left-hand side after leaving Holt on the A148 Holt to Fakenham Road. It is about half way down the hill after leaving Holt towards Letheringsett Mill, beyond the grassed area where many cars park.
     
    DISTANCE: Around 3 miles.
     
    ACCESSIBILITY: The walk is along footpaths which aren’t suitable for wheelchair users. Do please contact us on nenbc@aol.co.uk to see which of our events can currently accommodate wheelchair users or could be adapted to do so.
     
    FACILITIES: None.
     
    STAR STATUS: This walk is within the NENBC recording area so the bird species you see or hear will count towards your personal NENBC Star Badges (Bronze, Silver, Gold or Platinum awards based on the number of species you have seen or heard in the club area).
     
    GOING GREEN!: This walk is in the club area so the bird species you see or hear will count towards your Eco-badges for birding without the use of motorised transport so if you are able to walk or cycle to the start point from home that would be fantastic! Alternatively, car-sharing is encouraged. We are working on a way to best facilitate this but in the meantime, have a chat with folks at any of our events or message them via the member page of our website to arrange something for next time.
     
    ADDITIONAL NOTES: Binoculars are always recommended to gain full enjoyment from your birding and if you want the added bonus of using a scope, please do bring your own along. Stout footwear is recommended as paths may be slippery or muddy particularly after rain. Young people aged 16 and 17 are welcome to attend unaccompanied with prior written consent from a parent or guardian who has also supplied a phone number where they can be contacted in an emergency but children under 16 must be accompanied by an adult at all times. Sorry no dogs except guide dogs. Please respect social distancing on the walk when appropriate for current conditions and preference of participants.

  • Felbrigg Park Monthly Walk [3rd Wednesday of the month Sep-Jul] Outdoor Event

    Date
    Location
    Felbrigg Park
    DATE: Wednesday 16th April 2025

    TIME: 9.00am to 11:00am

    WALK LEADER: Dave Billham

    NO BOOKING REQUIRED: It is always nice to know if you are coming via nenbc@aol.co.uk but by no means essential so if it takes your fancy on the day, please just turn up as we would love to see you!
     
    WALK DESCRIPTION: This walk caters for all levels of birding ability so come and give us a try! We are a friendly bunch and always pleased to have folk join us whether they are NENBC members or not. We take a leisurely walk around the park and lake, route dependent on the local bird and other wildlife recently reported or likely to be present on the day. We regularly see over 40 bird species on an average walk and even on the worst of days more than 30.
     
    MEETING POINT: National Trust Main Car Park, Felbrigg Park [Postcode: NR11 8PP will get you to the main entrance | what3words: denoting.reminds.bags for the car park | Grid Reference: TG197394 for the car park]
     
    PARKING AND SITE INFORMATION: Although access to the grounds is free to all and parking is free in the main car park for National Trust [NT] members with their machine-validated membership card, a parking fee is payable via the machines for non-NT members (£5 per vehicle). At time of writing, Sexton’s Lodge car park at the western end of the estate however remains free to all users and you can walk up from there along the internal estate road to our start point (about 10 mins). Do check out the NT website nearer the time though in case of any changes to their arrangements, including the free car parking at the Lodge. For further information see Felbrigg Hall, Gardens and Estate | Norfolk | National Trust
     
    DISTANCE: Approximately 2-mile circular walk
     
    ACCESSIBILITY: The walk is usually ‘off-road’ along dirt footpaths and tracks, across fields, through woods and can include a few stairs by the lake. As such, this event isn’t suitable for wheelchair users but please do contact us on nenbc@aol.co.uk to see which of our events can currently accommodate wheelchair users or could be adapted to do so.
     
    FACILITIES: Toilets and café facilities available at Felbrigg Hall.
     
    STAR STATUS: This walk is within the NENBC recording area so any bird species you see or hear can all count towards your personal NENBC Star Badges (Bronze, Silver, Gold or Platinum awards based on the number of species you have personally seen or heard in the club area and recorded on our website since becoming a member).
     
    GOING GREEN!: If you are able to walk or cycle to the start point from home, that would be fantastic, and as the walk is within the NENBC recording area, all the birds you see or hear can contribute to your personal NENBC Eco-badges (Green or Super-Green)! The Weavers’ Way and many other public footpaths bisect the park, as does the regional cycle route formerly named route 30. Bicycle racks are also available in the main car park. Felbrigg village and Aylmerton are also served by public transport, but buses are not frequent and unfortunately unlikely to fit with walk timings. Alternatively, car-sharing is encouraged. We are working on a way to best facilitate this but in the meantime, have a chat with folks at any of our events and contact them by email via the member page of our website to arrange something for next time.
     
    ADDITIONAL NOTES: Binoculars are always recommended to gain full enjoyment from your birding. We don’t specifically carry a telescope on the walk unless one of our regulars brings theirs as it usually isn’t necessary but if you’d like to use one, please bring one along. Stout footwear is advised as paths may be slippery or muddy any time of year, particularly after rain. Young people aged 16 and 17 are welcome to attend unaccompanied with prior written consent from a parent or guardian who has also supplied a phone number where they can be contacted in an emergency but children under 16 must be accompanied by an adult at all times. Sorry no dogs except guide dogs. When appropriate for prevailing conditions and preference of participants, please respect social distancing when requested.

Recent sightings

  • Avatar of a Scops owl on a yellow background

    House Sparrow, Stock Dove, Common Starling and 14 other species seen at Edgefield

  • Avatar of a Thrush on a amber background

    Red Kite, Common Firecrest seen at Aylmerton

  • Avatar of a Robin on a yellow background

    Eurasian Jay, Common Chaffinch, Peregrine Falcon and 2 other species seen at Sheringham Park

  • Avatar of a Robin on a yellow background

    Sand Martin, Barn Swallow, European Stonechat and 3 other species seen at Weybourne Cliffs - Coastal Path (view only from public footpaths)

  • Avatar of a Long eared owl on a red background

    Barn Swallow seen at Beeston Bump

Photo Gallery