So, how many bird species can you record in the club area on the first day of the new year? The origin of the New Year’s Day Birding Challenge was an attempt to shake off the cobwebs and sluggishness most of us are guilty of over the festive period and get our personal yearly lists off to a good start with a bit of exercise and fun but you can take part in any way that works for you. All we ask is that you get your records up on our website afterwards from any point in the 24 hour period so we can see how you all do and your records can contribute to our collective data repository – every record counts!

 

ACCESSIBILITY: As this isn’t a led club event, you can plan your day to meet your own needs. If you want to be out and about from dawn to dusk, fab! If you want to do a bit of sneaky birdwatching whilst you are supposed to be doing something else, great! If you are trying to beat the record you set last year, fantastic! If you are new to birding and just learning to identify a few species, wonderful! If you want to bird from your living room, excellent! Everyone welcome to participate in whatever way works best for them 

 

STAR STATUS: Any bird species you see or hear within the NENBC recording area can count towards your own 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 from home, or have opted for a bit of living room birding instead of a trip out, all the birds you see or hear within the NENBC recording area can contribute to your personal NENBC Eco-badges (Green or Super-Green) for birding without the use of motorised transport!

Sunday 4th January 2026

Leader: Trevor Williams, with Drew Lyness (Development and Engagement Co-ordinator, BTO)

This ‘Broadland Winter Wonderland’ event is the stunning finale to the club’s 10th anniversary celebrations. Alongside Trevor, we are thrilled to be joined by Drew Lyness, who is a local expert and has birded these sites for more than a decade as his local patch.  

Starting at RSPB Strumpshaw Fen, we hope to see resident species like Bittern, Marsh Harrier, Kingfisher, Bearded Tit and Marsh Tit, with the potential for some scarcer winter visitors like Hen Harrier and Water Pipit. This part of the day will include an informative talk about the reserve, its management and the wildlife. We will then travel the short distance to Buckenham Marshes, with a walk along the north bank of the River Yare with views over the marshland and reedbeds. There is potential to see Russian White-fronted Geese, Crane, Peregrine, plus a good selection of wildfowl and waders. Culminating with the famous Corvid roost later in the day, this surely will be a fabulous start to your 2026 birding year.

Approximate times (may vary depending on site and path conditions and the birds!)

10am – Meet by the reception at Strumpshaw Fen 

10:15am - Guided Walk with Drew Lyness

12:30pm - Lunch at Strumpshaw reception (bring your own)

1:30pm - Drive to Buckenham Station

1:45pm - Explore Buckenham Marshes

3:15pm - Assemble for the corvid roost. 

4pm - Event close 

 

Booking required!

Numbers are limited to 20 for this very special event, so get your name down early! To book, please email nenbc@aol.co.uk 

Car sharing is very much encouraged, with extra biscuits for car sharers.

 

Bring a packed lunch and refreshments.

No dogs please, except assistance dogs.

Accessibility

Broadland in mid-winter is beautiful and evocative, whatever the weather. However, inclement conditions can be encountered, so please come dressed for winter weather on exposed sites. Paths are generally level, but uneven and bumpy in places. Depending on our route, there are two short steep slopes at Strumpshaw Fen and also steps up to a hide. The riverbank footpath at Buckenham Marshes will be muddy and could be wet or very wet. Wellington boots advisable.

Public toilets are available at Strumpshaw Fen but not at Buckenham Marshes.

 

 

Strumpshaw Fen, Low Road, Norwich, NR13 4HS

 

What3Words: sounding.motive.lifeboats

 

Grid reference: TG 3413 0664

Approach from Brundall, which is east of Norwich just off the A47. From the A47 roundabout, drive through Brundall and continue along the same road towards Strumpshaw. Soon after you pass the Strumpshaw sign, turn right into Stone Road, and immediately right again into Low Road. The reserve car park is 500m down Low Road on the right.

Entrance fee payable for non-RSPB members of £4.50.

Buckenham Marshes

Buckenham Marshes, Yarmouth Road, Norwich, NR13 4HW

What3Words: mouths.foreheads.unlimited

Grid reference: TG 3511 0563

Approach from the village of Brundall which lies east of Norwich just off the A47. From the A47 roundabout, drive through Brundall towards Strumpshaw. Turn right into Stone Road. Follow Stone Road and take the second road on the right (also Stone Road). Take the first turn on the right onto Station Road, which leads to Buckenham train station and Buckenham Marshes.

Walking distances

Strumpshaw Fen: circa 2.5 miles

Buckenham Marshes: circa 3 miles

DATE: Wednesday 21st January 2026

TIME: 9.00am to 11:00am

WALK LEADER: Trevor Williams

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 35 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.

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 or if you have any suggestions for walks that would be more suitable for the less mobile and we will aim to get something arranged.

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. The Park itself, Felbrigg village and Aylmerton are also served by public transport, but buses are not frequent and unfortunately unlikely to fit with walk timings. Bus Timetable - Sanders. Alternatively, car-sharing is encouraged. Do have a chat with folks at any of our events and contact them via the messaging facility available on 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 scope on the walk unless one of our regulars brings theirs as it generally 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. 

Simply choose an hour anytime in the three-day period 23rd to 25th January and count the birds you see land in your garden, on your balcony, or in your local park. Feed your results back to the RSPB for the national survey but also, if you live in the NENBC area, we’d appreciate having your records logged too. Thank you! You can sign up on the RSPB website (which also has loads more info on attracting birds, what you might see, what it’s all about etc) but please add your sightings to the club website if you live in the club area, adding RSPB or something similar in the comments box, and we’ll see how we all do. Don’t live in our area? Just drop us an email to nenbc@aol.co.uk  with your list of birds and we’ll include you in our next newsletter write up.  Have fun!

WE ARE JUST UPDATING THE INFO ON OUR 2026 PROGRAMME
..... WATCH THIS SPACE AS DETAIL TO FOLLOW SHORTLY

Rob has worked in nature conservation for over 30 years, initially for BirdLife International and then for the RSPB leaving in 2019 to pursue a freelance career in ecology consultancy. His main conservation interests lie in land management, species recovery and habitat restoration and he also has expertise in project management and commercial development.

Rob's talk will be about his involvement with Aride Island in Seychelles where he has been working since the 1990s. He is now the chairman of the Island Conservation Society UK, the charity that owns Aride, and looks forward to sharing the wonders of this island in the Indian Ocean with us.