Norfolk in Late Winter goes in search of many of the county’s iconic birds, both along the glorious coast and in the wild, beautiful Brecks in the company of naturalists Nick Acheson and Ed Hutchings.
At evening raptor roosts we look for hen and marsh harriers, barn owl, short-eared owl, merlin and peregrine, while along the coast we watch flocks of geese, ducks and waders, and may find scarce divers and grebes offshore. In the forests and grasslands of the Brecks we look for hawfinch, lesser spotted woodpecker, firecrest, crossbill and displaying goshawk. In farmland there are hares, grey partridges, stock doves, yellowhammers and perhaps corn buntings.
Typical Itinerary
Day1: Meet and greet, visit local raptor roost
Having met this afternoon at our hotel, we visit a local raptor roost where marsh and hen harriers and barn owl are all often seen. Peregrine, merlin and short-eared owl are all also possible here.
We spend the whole of today along the North Norfolk Coast. Sites we visit may include RSPB Titchwell Marsh and the Holkham National Nature Reserve. Both are excellent for waterfowl and waders, including flocks of dark-bellied brent geese, lapwing, golden plover and wigeon. Offshore at either site there may be red-necked or Slavonian grebes, red-throated or great northern divers, or rafts of common and velvet scoters and long-tailed ducks. On beaches and in the dunes in this area shorelarks, snow buntings are twite are seen.
We end the day at another raptor roost, which is especially good for merlin and hen harrier, though short-eared and barn owls may also be seen heading out to hunt.
Day3: Explore the Norfolk Brecks
Today we head south to the Norfolk Brecks. This is an excellent time of year for catching up with some of its scarcer inhabitants including firecrest, woodlark, hawfinch and lesser spotted woodpecker. In some years large flocks of bramblings, siskins and redpolls are here too.
Along the River Little Ouse we may see mandarin ducks and even otters, and we will visit a wood where goshawks are commonly seen in display at this time of year.
Day4: Local birding and tour ends
This morning we make an outing close to our hotel. A nearby heath can be excellent for woodlark and stonechat, while farmland nearby has corn bunting, yellowhammer and grey partridge.
Before midday we return to our hotel where the tour ends.
Key info
Duration and price excluding international flights: 4 daysfrom £825 pp
Nick Acheson lives where he grew up, in North Norfolk. Following his two degrees, he lived for ten years in South America, working with conservation NGOs including WWF.
He has also spent four years in Asia and has worked with wildlife on every continent and ocean. Nick is an ambassador for Norfolk Wildlife Trust, a trustee of Pensthorpe Conservation Trust (which headstarts curlews and leads the reintroduction of the corncrake in East Anglia) and a patron of Felbeck Trust. For his book The Meaning of Geese, he cycled 1,200 miles on his mother's 40-year-old bicycle, following the lives of the wild geese which visit Norfolk each winter. From his flint cottage by a village duckpond he gazes at the sky, watches the birds that pass, swims in rivers and the sea, and walks far and wide across the countryside.
Best known for his wildlife journalism, contributing to BBC Wildlife, Birdwatch, Birdwatching and Nature’s Home, Ed also has a strong background in wildlife conservation.
He has previously worked for the RSPB at Symonds Yat Rock in Gloucestershire and surveyed nightingales for the British Trust for Ornithology. Ed has a passion for all birdlife with a particular interest in raptors and bird vocalisation, and takes pleasure in committing new ones to memory.
With its huge range of landscapes, ranging from the Brecks to the Broads, Norfolk has long been known as one of England’s finest counties for wildlife. Norfolk’s coastline is also long and wonderfully varied, stretching from the mudflats of The Wash to the tidal estuary of Breydon Water.
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Where: East Anglia
Ideal for viewing: swallowtail, marsh harrier, common crane, fen orchid, stone curlew
This comfortable hotel is in countryside close to the town of King's Lynn with spectacular views over The Wash. Rooms here are en suite, tastefully decorated and feature all the amenities you could need for a comfortable stay. The hotel also has a spa, a fully equipped health club, a restaurant and bar.
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