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Saturday 28 June 2014

Holme Reserves!

Didn't get out until after lunch as chores to do in the morning and the weather and lack of birds didn't exactly inspire me to rush out of the door.

The New Holme Dunes NWT Cafe!
The new cafe looks fabulous indeed, but I just hope it doesn't encourage more beach dudes and dogs. One part of the cafe leads off from the shop with round tables and chairs and then opens out into a second room, which has doors leading out onto the current patio area with more tables outside. Very fresh and modern feel to it, with large pictures filling the walls and video screens. Serving cheese and fruit scones, sandwiches with side salad, toast & jam, snacks, hot and cold drinks. Hot food will be added to the menu when the ovens are installed – not sure when this will be though. See video (to be added)

Holme Bird Observatory NOA
Walked to the oberservatory and sat in the Dell Hide for quite a while. The sun had gone and the clouds were looming. Watched Goldfinches, Great and Blue Tits and Swallows skimming across and also a Whitethroat. One Painted Lady and several Red Admirals flying around. A couple of Pied Wagtails on the NOA carpark and 2 Magpies.

NWT Forestry
There were masses of orchids here and also found a few Marsh Helleborines. Cinnabar Caterpillars on Ragwort, Vipers Bugloss was in abundance as was Bird's Foot Trefoil and numerous other plants. Woodpigeons and a Chaffinch were the only birds I found though!

Driving along the road I noted the the log cabin (known as the standing caravan site, where the Collared Fly was) is currently for sale with Sowerbys at an asking price of a whopping £350,000!!!

Redwell Marsh Hide NOA
As soon as I opened the hide flap I was excited to see a Spoonbill (adult) here! I noted in the sightings book that an hour before me, there had been a juv aswell and also on the 23rd June at 8.15pm there had been 7 Spoonbills here! That must be a record for Redwell Marsh surely? Other birds seen from 5.55pm to 6.55pm were: 2 Marsh Harriers, 2 Black-tailed Godwits, 3 Green Sandpipers (flew over), Cuckoo calling, Heron flew over, Little Grebe, Redshank, Lapwing, Shelducks x 3, Mallard and juvs, Starlings x 2, House Martins, Swallows, Black-headed Gulls x 3, Oystercatcher flew over, Reed Bunting calling and a Coot. A Whitethroat was skulking in the elder bush as I left.

Visited my parents for the rest of the evening and drove home via Ringstead. As I drove up the hill a massive new property and grounds has appeared and up for sale (before the Mill). It dwarfs the houses next to it! Beautiful sunset and dramatic, cloudy skies.

PICTURES & VIDEOS TO BE ADDED

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