NWT Holme Dunes

GVCG Volunteers met at the Norfolk Wildlife Trust Visitors Centre.

Former volunteer,Tori Backham , and now NWT assistant warden, led the party along the Norfolk Coastal Path. A Cuckoo was heard and seen by some, and unusually for daylight, a Barn Owl quartering grassland.. A sharp- eyed Jenny spotted a Common Blue butterfly on the grass verge. On one of the dunes, Tori pointed out very rare Grey Hair grass. On a sand spit a cage had been placed to protect a ground nesting plover from foxes and gulls. Parts of the grassland had been scraped to encourage an increase in biodiversity. Early Marsh Orchids were shown to benefit from the reduction in competition along with yellow flowered Tormentil and Birds Foot Trefoil. A small area of the rare Changing Forget Me Not was seen. Parasitic Yellow Rattle was common in one large patch where it caused the grasses to weaken. Locally were plants of Man Orchid, Bee Orchid and Adders Tongue Fern The scratchy song from a Stone Chat finalised the walk. The Group thanked Tori for her informative leadership.

During the afternoon some visited the hides with Tori hoping to see or even hear a resident Bittern. No luck but several Marsh Harrier and Chinese Water Deer were seen however.

Additional photos taken by Hamish can be accessed by clicking on the PDF file below

NWT Holme Dunes.pdf