Norfolk for Beginners: Lesson 10

Norfolk is a haven for bird-watching and the British Trust for Ornithology is based in Thetford. Here are some facts which are not widely known outside the birding fraternity:

Pink Footed Goose – The tens of thousands of ‘Pink Feet’ spending the winter around the Norfolk coast is a wildlife spectacular of sight and sound to rival any in the world.

Collared Dove – This ubiquitous species, familiar the length and breadth of the country now; first nested in the seaside town of Overstrand in North Norfolk as recently as 1955.

Common Crane – From a tiny group that settled in a remote corner of the Broads this magnificent water bird has gradually established a viable population and has now re-colonised the Fens for the first time in four centuries.

Montagu’s Harrier – The UK's rarest breeding bird of prey is flourishing in Norfolk farmland with the help of sympathetic land owners.

Among the dazzling list of rare visitors to Norfolk through the year are the UK’s only records of Rock Sparrow from southern Europe (at Cley) and Red Breasted Nuthatch (from North America) at Holkham.

Norfolk is the best county in which to see Snow Buntings and Shore Larks, scarce winter visitors to the UK from their mountainous breeding grounds in northern Europe.

Taiga Bean Goose – One of only two sites used as wintering grounds by this shy and endangered bird lies in Norfolk’s Yare valley.