DATE: Saturday 7th December 2024
 

TIME: 9:00am 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 5th December.

WALK DESCRIPTION: This walk will take us past Cley allotments and into the churchyard before proceeding along the road towards Wiveton Bridge and past the Anglian Water facility to Glandford Ford. After a quick look at the ford we will retrace our footsteps and walk east towards Hurdle Lane before picking up a permissive path down to the River Glaven on the Bayfield Estate. We will return along the water meadows to Glandford and then retrace our footsteps to Cley. The habitats we will view include water meadows, deciduous woodland, arable fields, allotments and the churchyard. Cley Churchyard often turns up wintering birds such as Black Redstart and the hedges towards Glandford may have wintering Blackcap or Chiffchaff as well as tits and finches, Goldcrest and maybe a Yellow-browed Warbler. Some early spring migrants may be in. There are sometimes Bullfinch and wagtails at Glandford Ford. We will look out for raptors and game birds where we can view the open areas and sky. In the woodlands Tawny Owl are present as well as Nuthatch, Treecreeper and woodpeckers. The water meadows have Snipe, Moorhen, Mallard and maybe a hunting Barn Owl.

MEETING POINT: Meet in the car park at Cley Village Hall.

 

PARKING AND SITE INFORMATION: Cley Village Hall free car park (although donations are appreciated!), NR25 7RJ (OS Explorer Map 251, TG048438).

 

DISTANCE: About 3 miles.
 

ACCESSIBILITY: The walk is on roads and footpaths but isn’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: There is a toilet in the car park.
 

STAR STATUS: This walk is not within the NENBC recording area so the bird species you see or hear won’t be able to count towards your personal NENBC Star Badges on this occasion (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 out of the club area so the bird species you see or hear can’t count towards your Eco-badges for birding without the use of motorised transport but if you are able to walk or cycle to the start point from home, or even use public transport, 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.

DATE: Thursday 12th December 2024

 

TIME: 7.30pm to 10.00pm

 

COME AND JOIN US FOR A LOVELY SOCIALABLE EVENING IN THE LEAD UP TO CHRISTMAS!

 

 

The Annual General Meeting element will additionally be available online via Zoom but the rest of the evening will be hall-based. 
 
 We’ll get the business side of things sorted first as we start the evening off with our AGM, a chance to vote on various aspects of the club and to listen to a Review of 2024 with Chair Trevor Williams. 
 
 THOSE WHO ATTEND AT THE HALL IN-PERSON can later enjoy the fun of our CHRISTAMS SOCIAL EVENT which will consist of a light-hearted QUIZ from last year’s winning team, along with a HOT AND COLD BUFFET AND DRINKS. We will have team tables spread out in the large hall, there will be prizes available and party hats are very much encouraged throughout. 
 
 We will need ADVANCE BOOKING for both the hall and the Zoom bit nearer the time.

DATE: Wednesday 18th December 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.