DATE: Wednesday 18th September 2024

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 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.

 

DATE: Saturday 21st September 2024

TIME: 07:30am – 10:30am

 

NO BOOKING REQUIRED BUT …. Booking is by no means essential, so if it takes your fancy on the day, please just turn up as we would love to see you. However, it would really help us with our resource management to ascertain minimum numbers for each site so we know that each site leader has at least a couple of folks to help them with the spotting and recording as it isn’t a job that can be done as effectively alone. Also, in 2022 we had to cancel a site at the last minute due to illness and we were able to let those who had notified us that were coming so they didn’t have a wasted journey and could re-direct to another site so as not to miss out. Please let us know in advance if you know you are definitely coming via nenbc@aol.co.uk. Thank you!

 

CONFIRMED TEAM SITES:

SHERINGHAM TANK with Phil Borley and friends
Meet at ‘The Tank’ from 7:15am onwards. This is the bit of the promenade that juts out opposite the brightly coloured loos and with the Deep History murals on the side. If you face the sea at the end of the High Street, it is to your right past the museum. There is a bit of shelter if the weather is inclement, but you may want to bring your own chair. Parking is available in the town Pay & Display car parks, free in the roads up by the Esplanade at the other end of the prom if you don’t mind the longer walk or up around Cliff Road (walk down the slope/stairs by Wee Retreat and turn left). The level site is part of the paved prom path so is accessible from some spots without having to use stairs and loos and refreshments are available nearby. Saturday is the start of the Sheringham 1940s’ Weekend so it might get a bit busy as the morning moves on so be warned.

CROMER NORTH LODGE PARK with Trevor Williams and friends
Meet at the shelter on the cliff by North Lodge Park from 7:15 am onwards. Coming through Cromer heading east, turn left at the lights at the end of town by the Thai restaurant. We will be on the clifftop on the left through NL Park. There is a shelter with benches both inside and out but as this is often a popular spot for this event, you may want to bring your own chair. Parking along nearby side roads is possible or in the usual town Pay & Display car parks. The level site is part of the paved prom path so is accessible from some spots without having to use stairs but the loos and refreshments are a bit of a walk in Cromer itself.

MUNDESLEY with Julian Thomas and friends
Meet at the seafront shelter by the 'Deep History Coast' display and across the road from the council car park from 7:15am. The shelter there will give us a little more protection against the elements than the alternative spots. Currently the shelter is minus most of its seating so if you need to sit, you'll need to bring one along with you. The shelter is adjacent to the road so no steps to go down to get there plus loos are available nearby and refreshments in Mundesley itself.

HAPPISBURGH with Andy Clarke and friends
Meet on the clifftop a short walk from the car park from 7:15am. Park in Happisburgh Community Car Park at the end of Beach Road (NR12 0PR). Charges £1.50 per hour, £7 all day (cards). Walking from car park, turn left up Beach Road (away from the sea) then immediately right up dead-end track. We will be along there on the right, exact spot determined by the amount of cliff erosion but hopefully we won’t need to shift too far from our usual spot. This is quite an exposed site so you’ll need to bring your own seat and warm clothes really are essential as there is no shelter. The path is flat but a bit uneven and there is a short stretch at the end where you are off the path. Loos available in car park but no refreshments nearby.

 

ACCESSIBILITY: This is a static event so some sites may be suitable for those with mobility issues. We’ll flag up access on the individual Team Sites as we put more details up. Please do contact us on nenbc@aol.co.uk to see which of our other events can currently accommodate wheelchair users or could be adapted to do so. 

 

STAR STATUS: Any bird species you see or hear on the seawatch 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 to the Team Sites, all the birds you see or hear on the seawatch can contribute to your personal NENBC Eco-badges (Green or Super-Green) for birding without the use of motorised transport if they are in the NENBC recording area.

 

WHAT TO BRING: You may want to bring the following with you:

• A folding chair if there are no benches at a site 

• A telescope and tripod as well as your bins if you have them 

• A flask of hot drink and a snack 

• Waterproof and warm clothing if the weather looks inclement plus some extra! In fact even if the weather doesn’t look inclement, waterproofs and warm clothing recommended! 

• An ID book
• Enthusiasm!
 

SEAWATCH OBJECTIVES: 

1. To introduce NENBC members to the joys of seawatching. 

2. To help NENBC members improve their skill at identifying birds in flight at sea.

3. To map the likely route of wildfowl, seabirds and waders as they fly around the coast. 

4. To estimate the speed of flight of some of the species recorded to add to our growing database. 

DATE: Thursday 26th September 2024

 

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 SPEAKERS AND THEIR TALKS: Members' Night means 4 club member speakers with 4 mini talks. Always a highlight of the talks season! This year we have ....

TALK 1 Mark Boyd: 150 Norfolk Birds in 2023
The title says it all! Mark first visited Cley from his childhood home in Dorset in 1972. He saw 126 species, including 20 lifers, on that visit in the October half term, and he has been back regularly ever since. After a PhD on the sex life of primroses and a working life spent in nature conservation communications, he escaped to Holt permanently just before lockdown and has hardly left the county since. On moving here, he was only slightly surprised that he knew more Norfolk birders from two years working with British Birds magazine in the 1980s than from over 24 years at Sandy. He is still Features Editor for the member magazine of the Beds, Cambs and Northants Wildlife Trust and teaches wildlife art workshops with Art Safari Ltd. He is a bird ringer, and at time of writing had seen 399 bird species in Britain, but still no storm petrel!

 

TALK 2 Val & Mick Walker: Bird Behaviour
Val & Mick's talk covers changes in bird plumage, displaying and courtship, all illustrated by their photographs which they will give a little bit of background on. They hope it will remind people why we all find birds both interesting and beautiful!

TALK 3 Kirsty Turner: Delaware Bay - a shorebird paradise?

Kirsty Turner is a past RSPB staff member, wader ringer, and local science teacher. Kirsty's talk will summarise the ongoing study of the western Atlantic flyway focussing on Delaware Bay. She has made two annual visits with a UK team who work alongside US teams to help monitor and catch waders in the bay. Horseshoe crab spawning in the bay provides the birds with a refuelling stop as they head for the Arctic breeding grounds.

As a professional watercolourist and author, John is well known for his exhibitions along the Norfolk coast depicting the atmospheric landscape and interesting maritime heritage. As an observer of birds, the artist will sometimes include them in his studies, particularly when exhibiting at Cley Marshes Visitors’ Centre, a favoured annual location since 2007. As a club member since its formation, John says he has been honoured to have his work featured in the annual reports and newsletters. He has written and illustrated six books, the journeys of John Wesley, founder of Methodism, Norfolk coastal walks, a sketchbook, local social history and fifty-year celebration memoir all of which had a charitable element attached to them. Most of these publications include first hand stories, sometimes irreverent, tragic, or simply funny. As his contribution to the members’ presentation evening, John will attempt to recall a dozen of the somewhat ‘interesting’ birding stories supported by watercolour images and photographs. As the title implies, some defy belief!

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