It was a very driech day at the Observatory, with drizzle all day and fog lingering on the grazing marsh and sea! There were two Cattle Egret in the paddocks. Two Woodcock were recorded, one was on the coast path and one near the car park hides. There was a Blackcap on our reserve, as well as a soggy Barn Owl out feeding over the grazing marsh/Broadwater. There was also a Greenshank around.

Greenshank – photo by Seamus Griffin

I just wanted to give everyone a general update on the last few weeks for us. Yesterday the trustees and I held an all-day strategy meeting in Holme village where we were planning for the future and discussing all things HBO and NOA, lots of positive things to come! I have generally preparing for the season ahead entering the last of the 2025 ringing data, submitting our annual newsletter for the BOC, working on our 2025 annual report, doing a spring clean at the Obs and conducting interviews for the Assistant Warden and Project Officer role (which is to update our membership database and help us have a more efficient system), and I have the Bird Observatories Council AGM tomorrow, so it has been all go at the Obs!

I am going on holiday on Tuesday next week, a ringing expedition to Kartong Bird Observatory in the Gambia, which will be a really great experience, and I am very hopeful I will pick up some skills that will come in useful at the Obs! (Though I do hope we never catch a vulture here…). I will be back on Monday 2^nd March well in time for Spring migration and the return of the Chiffchaff! As we are still very short staffed at the moment with just me and our volunteers, the Obs won’t be manned everyday, but rest assured our wonderful volunteers will be in over the next few weeks, doing census and counting birds in the recording area and keeping things going at the Observatory. So, unfortunately things will be quiet on the blog over the next few weeks whilst I’m gone, however, please be rest assured that we are still recording birds. I just want to say that everyone’s continued support whilst we undergo a lot of change here at the NOA means a lot to us. Normal service will be resumed soon, and I am so looking forward to Spring and sharing with you all what we are seeing and catching at the Observatory!

If you have a general query, the info@noa.org.uk email account will still be monitored occasionally whilst I’m gone.

For any membership queries please get in touch with membership@noa.org.uk – which is being monitored by a trustee who is acting membership secretary at the moment.

Shannon

NORFOLK BIRD NEWS FROM RAREBIRD ALERT

Norfolk Eastern Black Redstart (form murinus /phoenicuroides /rufiventris) 1w.male Sheringham still at The Esplanade (+male.Black Redstart still) c52.9455,1.2068 Park at c52.9448,1.2068

Norfolk Iceland Gull juv Sea Palling still on beach north of lifeboat station at 10am c52.7916,1.6012. Park at 52.7896,1.6013

Norfolk 2.Glossy Ibises just west of Stiffkey still on flood south of A149 opposite The Red Lion pub at 10.22am 52.9513,0.9256. Park at 52.9524,0.9244 along Greenway; don’t park along A149

Norfolk Red-necked Grebe Burnham Overy Marshes still on reedbed pool east of sea wall at 8.48am c52.9690,0.7605. Viewed from 52.9692,0.7582