Start the new PBC year with a bang at the world renowed Snettisham Wader Spectacular. This date has one of the highest tides of the autumn and necessitates an early start. There is a walk of 1 to 1.5 miles to the hides and best view point. No facilities. 

Anybody with an interest in nature, from beginner to expert, are welcome to join us on our Outdoor Events that are free. It is a good way to get to know existing members and possibly improve your expertise.

Meet: At the RSPB car park at Snettisham at 07:30. This car park can get very busy. There is an alternative public car park just along the road towards the beach. 

 

Post code:  PE31 7RA 

Map ref:  

Leaders: Stewart Short and Ian Gordon 

    

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Avian Influenza

DR PHIL ATKINSON
Since the start of the recent 2021 outbreak of H5N1 Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) in the UK, a number of different quantitative sources on the mortality associated with HPAI have been collated by statutory nature conservation bodies and conservation and volunteer-based organisations. These ranged from detailed post-hoc assessment of mortality in individual sites, ongoing data entry into 3 national databases by site managers, to ad-hoc observations submitted by birdwatchers in the BTO BirdTrack app and website. For some species, specific assessments of mortality in a site or group of sites has been published. The UK hosts international important numbers of breeding waterbirds and this species group was most affected with minimum estimates of mortality in some common species exceeding 10% of the UK’s breeding population . Most affected were Great Skua, Norther Gannet, Barnacle Goose and Black-headed Gull. Other Gull, Tern and Auk species were also heavily impacted. During the outbreak management guidelines were put in place and a number of data gaps and research priorities identified.

 

Phil is responsible for the portfolio of work in the Framing Futures team at BTO. The focus of the team’s work is to use BTO’s science to track the impacts of, and inform responses to, future climate change, wildlife disease and other new environmental threats to the UK’s wild bird populations.

To see his web site click

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Indoor Events are free to members and we warmly welcome nature loving non-members for a small donation of £2.50 cash on the door.

 

Now one of the RSPB top reserves. This is a half-day visit timed around the high tide. Hopefully will see plenty of waders with a good chance of Harriers, Merlin, Peregrine and Short-eared Owls etc.  Facilities and café on site. 


Anybody with an interest in nature, from beginner to expert, are welcome to join us on our Outdoor Events that are free. It is a good way to get to know existing members and possibly improve your expertise.

Meet: At reserve at 1000. Parking available at reserve. There is a charge for non-members. 

 

Post code:  PE20 1AY 

Map ref:  

Leaders: tbc

    

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