Bringing Birds to the People
Posted: June 19th 2019
by Andy Bloomfield, NNR Warden
With the inspiring focal point for interpretation and refreshments that we now have in the Lookout, it is worth talking about some of the recent wildlife sightings that have been viewed from there. Nestled beside the old sea wall close to the beach entrance at Lady Anne’s Drive, the building allows a vista of the grazing marshes as well as sightings of birds on the reed fringed lagoon just outside the window.
Why Holkham Library is Celebrating Leonardo da Vinci and the Codex Leicester
Posted: May 23rd 2019
by Mac Graham, Holkham Librarian
Holkham library is celebrating an old friend. It was so exciting to hear that leaves from Leonardo da Vinci’s Codex Leicester would be returning to these shores this summer. This small treasure, which once blessed the library shelves at Holkham Hall, would be available to see in England once again – the first time since 1981! The British Library will show 7 sheets (containing 28 ‘pages’) from Leonardo’s notes, along with other treasures. Find out how we are celebrating at Holkham this year.
The Big Farmland Bird Count
Posted: April 21st 2019
by Andrew Bloomfield
This February the estate became involved with the National Farmer’s Union’s Big Farmland Bird Count, a nationwide initiative (open to all farmers and landowners) to assess the number of farmland birds using given areas in any one week during the month. The bird count proved not only fun for those undertaking the counts but also helped us to work out how good some areas were for attracting large numbers of birds and how other areas were very impoverished.
Cries of the Laughing Goose
Posted: January 27th 2019
by Andrew Bloomfield
Of all our winter wildfowl that descend here every year it is the White-fronted Goose that traditionally attracts most attention from visiting birdwatchers. This smaller relative of the common feral Greylag Goose appears annually in Norfolk at only a handful of regular sites and the marshes of Holkham have long been famed for attracting a flock.
Travellers from the North
Posted: January 11th 2019
by Andrew Bloomfield
The late autumn and early part of the winter has been mild and dry at Holkham which has consequently meant that numbers of wintering ducks on the marshes have been quite low. There has however been much interest from visiting birdwatchers due to three special species of songbird which have arrived on the reserve in recent weeks. They all have one thing very much in common; they all come from extremely cold breeding grounds in the northern extremities of the World. The most popular attraction for visitors and locals alike has been the appearance of a group of Shore Larks on the beach and developing saltmarsh between Holkham and Wells.
Far Eastern Travellers
Posted: November 07th 2018
by Andy Bloomfield
One species we truly associate with late autumn at Holkham is the Yellow-browed Warbler. It is a tiny species, barely 10cm long and weighing anything up to nine grams, slightly larger than our Goldcrest; Europe’s smallest bird. Miraculously for a bird so small it migrates here over a distance of over 3000 miles from nesting grounds in the Siberian taiga forests.
Where Have All the Red Deer Gone?
Posted: October 29th 2018
Visitors may have noticed that the Red Deer who have roamed Holkham deer park for over 10 years, are no longer to be seen. Lord Leicester explains the reasons behind the decision to sell the Holkham herd of Red Deer.
Watch out for the Birdies
Posted: August 23rd 2018
by Paul Eele, Warden, Holkham NNR
Now a regular sight in the skies over Norfolk, the Marsh Harrier was once incredibly rare bird.
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